Author Archives: Ristiina Wigg

NEWS

Library Lion Award Established in 2024!

The award, to be given annually by the Foundation for Southern Tier Library, provides $500 to the recipient’s Library of choice in the Southern Tier Library System region, as well as a recognition trophy with this Lion insignia.  Any individual or group of individuals demonstrating a passion for and ongoing commitment to a library or libraries in the Southern Tier Library System with efforts extending to broader public advocacy is eligible.

Pauline Emery, Director, Southeast Steuben County Library received the 2024 inaugural Library Lion Award in recognition for her extraordinary leadership. Recognizing that serving an area of over 230 square miles with a single building is a challenge, Pauline has made community outreach and collaborations with other organizations a priority. She is a longstanding member of Corning Rotary and their Literacy Committee chair, spearheading Rotary’s student reading programs in two elementary schools. Pauline does not back down from complaints about programming and items in the collections but makes sure that the library has solid policies in place. She patiently listens to parents’ concerns without compromising the library’s commitment to the Library Bill of Rights, the First Amendment and Freedom to Read.

Foundation Awards $17,487 in 2024 Grants to Libraries 

Funding for 2025 grants will be funded in part with funds raised at our September 2024 Stand Up! for Libraries event and amazing online Auction!

Auction items included these and more:

  • Picnic for 15 by Corning Catering Company
  • Wine Basket from Cliffside Vineyards Quartet
  • Dessert of the Month Club  lovingly made by Louise Richardson
  • Massi’sGreenhouse Gift Card
  • Samsung 42″ Full HDTV
  • The Cabinet Package – action comic series set in 1991, written by local author David Ebeltoft. The story of two 18-year olds who teleport across the globe collecting bizarre relics of the past to right a wrong that accidentally occurred many years ago.
  • Tickets for Crystal City Oktoberfest, Oct. 12, 2024 10am – 6 pm Corning Nasser Civic Center

Thank you to our generous donors!

  • 171 Cedar Arts
  • Dale and Kathleen Wexell, Corning
  • Louise Richardson
  • Gail and Paul Ebeltoft
  • Corning Catering
  • Corning Rotary Club
  • Barb Vassallo, Rabbit Row Yarns & Haberdashery
  • Corning Museum of Glass
  • Massi’s Greenhouse Gardens & Landscaping, Inc
  • Cliffside Vineyards
  • Jared Aiosa, Heroes Comic Shop
  • David Ebeltoft
  • Siavash Yazdanfar and Izabela Teixeira
  • MacKenzie Myers, K. Rae Salon and Spa
  • Thu Tran, Studio Two – Hair and Nail Salon
  • First Thursday Book Group
  • Card Carrying Books and Gifts
  • Christina Johnson
  • Joe Charles
  • Baubles and Bling
  • Harrie Stevens
  • Richard Kurchey
  • Clinton and Anne Haufhauser
  • John Wahlig
  • Dr. Hari Sharma
  • Walker Business and Staffing
  • Piper Lawrence Insurance