Four County Library System Archived Events
Public Libraries of Broome, Chenango, Delaware and Otsego Counties
Below are libraries from the Four County Library System that participated in past instances of The Great Give Back! Check back soon for information about what libraries will be participating in GGB this year. Please contact libraries directly for questions regarding offered programming.
2023
Edible Landscape Fall Cleanup & Prep
October 21st from 12:00-3:00pm
Around the library and in Bohlman Park
All ages
In preparation for spring planting of our edible landscape for the community, we have scheduled an outside work day to fill planting containers and raised beds with dirt, clear invasive bushes and trees, trim and landscape around the Veteran’s monument, and reclaim some overgrown areas. Volunteers are welcome to come with gloves and garden tools in hand to pitch in.
The Andes Public Library is a lovely mountain town nestled in the beautiful Catskill Mountains of upstate New York’s Delaware County. For more information or directions, please visit our website at www.andeslibrary.org, email an.ill@4cls.org, or call 845-676-3333.
No registration required
Community Cleanup
October 13th from 10:00-11:00am
Ages 5+
During the 2023 Great Giveback our library staff and friends will be doing a Business District cleanup. Bring gloves because we will be cleaning up flower beds.
No registration required
Great Give Back to Benefit Catherine’s Cupboard
October 16th-20th from 10:00am-6:00pm
All ages
Help us give back to our community!! Fenton Free Library will be collecting donations for Catherine’s Cupboard as part of the Great Give Back. Catherine’s Cupboard is always in need of: Canned Good (beans, veggies, sauces, etc), Dry Goods (pasta, rice, cereal, etc), Toiletries (toothpaste, shampoo, soap, deodorant, etc), Baby diapers, Women’s Personal Items, Blue Trash Bags for City of Binghamton, and Condiments (Mustard, Ketchup, Mayo, BBQ Sauce, Soy Sauce, etc). These items canned be dropped off at our library October 16-20th from 10-6. Simply come into the library and drop off your donation. Thank you for the support!
No registration required
George F. Johnson Memorial Library
Great Give Back
October 21st – November 25th from 9:00am-5:00pm
All ages
George F. Johnson Memorial Library will host a Community Donation Drive to benefit the Union Endicott and Maine Endwell School Districts. We will accept non-perishable food, personal care items and cleaning products. Please drop off donations during library hours. Check out our website (gfjlibrary.org) or our Facebook/Instagram (George F. Johnson Memorial Library)for library hours and to see the flyer with the list of items you can donate.
no registration required
Support the Pets of Butternut Valley
October 2nd-21st
Gilbertsville Free Library will be collecting pet supplies (new and gently used) and pet food for our local pet pantry. A basket will be placed in the library for collection from Oct. 2 (during library hours) to be presented Oct. 21 to the director of our pet pantry. Anyone who donates can bring a photo or their favorite pet to be displayed within the library if they choose.
No registration required
Collection of wish lists items for the Chenango SPCA
October 1st-31st
All ages
Donate cleaning supplies (bleach, paper towels, Pine-Sol, disinfectant wipes), dry pet food, canned pet food and peanut butter to the shelter. Visit chenangospca.org and view the wish list under “Donate Today.” Bring your donations to the library. Thank you for participating.
No registration required
Village of Whitney Point Clean Up Day
October 21st from 9:00am-12:00pm
All ages
Bring your work gloves and join in tidying up our beautiful Village
o registration required
Free Book Giveaway
October 21st from 9:00am-3:00pm
All ages
Free books for the taking! Refreshments provided, raffle drawing for a gift card.
No registration required
Crochet for Charity: TwiddleMuffs
October 21st from 10:00am-1:00pm
All ages
Oxford Memorial Library is hosting a Crochet for Charity event. We will be making TwiddleMuffs to donate to local nursing homes and care facilities for people with Alzheimer’s and Dementia. If you can knit or crochet, then you are ready for this program. Yarn and other supplies will be available, but feel free to bring your own hooks, needles, or yarn if you want. TwiddleMuffs are sensory handwarmers used to help keep your hands busy when anxious picking or fidgeting can be an issue. Patterns will be available at the event, and you can find them ahead of time on our website, www.oxfordmemoriallibrary.org . If you aren’t able to finish a TwiddleMuff the day of the event they can be returned to the library the following week (10/23-10/28).
No registration required
Fall Family Festival
October 28th from 1:00-3:00pm
Gaines park (next door to our library)
All ages
Fall Family Festival – Games, Crafts, Costume Contest, Cider & Donuts. Free Event with donations going to the SPCA. Please check our Facebook page for the list of items or cash donations are also accepted.
No registration required
The Great Give Back
September 1st – November 1st
Teens & Adults
Do you know how to knit or crochet? We need your help! As part of an annual library initiative called The Great Give Back, the Ogden Library is partnering with the Walton Toy Bank in a special community service project to provide hats for local children. The library has been given fifty skeins of yarn to be turned into hats for infants to children age eight. Stop by the library to sign up to participate and to be given yarn for as many hats as you wish to make. We have some simple patterns available, or you can use your own. Return your finished product to the library before November 1.
Stop by the library to sign up to participate and to be given yarn for as many hats as you wish to make. We have some simple patterns available, or you can use your own
2022
Donation Drive for Rise
October 1 – 31
October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month. We’ll be taking donations all month for Rise, a local organization that works to support families experiencing or threatened by domestic violence.
We will be taking donations of non-perishable food and cleaning supplies. Items need to be unopened and/or new. Any food items should not be expired.
We will have collection boxes right inside our front doors, as well as by our circulation desk.
Any questions, call 607-778-6451.
Kids’ Costume Closet
October 4-28
For all ages
The Cannon Free Library will offer as a staging site for a Kids’ Halloween Costume Swap. Bring in clean children’s costumes from October 4-28 and “shop” from other contributor’s donations. No registration is required, participation limited to those in the Delhi community.
Annual Business District Clean-Up
October 6, 2022 from 9:30-1:30 am
For all ages
We’re cleaning up the business district: cleaning out flower beds, flower pots, and picking up litter.
No registration required. Starts at the library and includes Front Street, Deposit.
Fairview Public Library
Help Kids Buy Books!
October 1-15
We are collecting money so that all children who visit the book fair at our local school can get books! We support students, with gift certificates, who might otherwise not be able to choose a book.
George F. Johnson Memorial Library
RISE Shelter Donation Drive
October 1-15
We will collect items at the library for the men, women, and children that reside at the shelter. These items will include winter hats, gloves, hygiene products and non-perishable food. Monetary donations can be made in lieu of physical items. Checks can be mailed to P.O. Box 393 Endicott, NY 13760. Donations can also be accepted via the link http://rise-ny.org.
Wish List Donations for the Chenango County SPCA
October 5-31
The Chenango County SPCA is always in need of donated cleaning supplies and other paper goods. Donate these supplies and other items in the lobby of Guernsey Memorial Library, through the end of October, 2022. Thank you for your participation!
Louise Adelia Read Memorial Library
The Great Book Giveaway
October 7-10
Nineveh Library, with donations from Barnes and Noble, is giving away free books to our community! Stop by our orange tents during regular business hours, grab a book or two (or more!) and enter your name in our drawing for a fall-themed gift basket.
The Great Give Back – Unatego Central School Backpack Program
October 1-22
Join the Unadilla Public Library as we celebrate the Great Give Back Saturday, October 15th . We will be collecting donations for the Unatego Central School Backpack Program. The Library will be collecting the donations October 1- 22. Thank you for participating! Check out out our website (unadillalibrary.org) or our Facebook (Unadilla Public Library) to see the flyer with the list of items you can donate.
JC Gives Back!
October 1-15
Your Home Public Library is collecting food donations for the St. James Food Pantry in Johnson City for the Great Give Back. If you would like to donate, you can drop nonperishable food items off at the Your Home Public Library between the dates of October 1, 2022 and October 15, 2022.
2021
Community Food Drive
October 6 – November 17
The Bainbridge Free Library will host a Community Food Drive to benefit the Bainbridge Food Pantry. Items such as soap and toothpaste are also welcome. Please drop off donations during library hours.
Chemotherapy Care Packages
August 4-October 16
For all ages
We have blank cards for people to pick up at the Library and color and write a message for chemotherapy patients. We are also collecting other items that will be added to the care packages. We are collecting: small bottles of hand sanitizer, granola bars, herbal tea bags, individually wrapped hard candy or mints, bottled water, and small packages of facial tissue. On October 16th, we will ask for volunteers to help us assemble the bags. The bags will be given to Broome Oncology to distribute to their patients.
Registration not required; open to all
George F. Johnson Memorial Library
Food Collection for Local Food Pantry
October 11-16
The library will collect non-perishable food items for a local food pantry.
Help the Chenango County SPCA with their Wish List
September 18 – October 16
Guernsey Memorial Library will be accepting WIsh List items for the Chenango County SPCA from September 18, 2021 to October 16. 2021.The Wish List can be found at guernseymemoriallibrary.org. Also visit chenangospca.org! Thank you for supporting your local SPCA.
Halloween Costume Swap and Fall Bookmarks
Saturday, October 16
12:00-6:00 pm
Destination Oneonta Harvest Party at Neahwa Park
For all ages
Come to HML’s table at the Destination Oneonta Harvest Party in Neahwa Park to join in on The Great Give Back: Halloween Costume Swap. Bring your gently used costumes day-of or drop them off at the library between October 4th and 15th. Swap for a “new” costume or just donate what you have. Don’t have a costume or don’t need a new one? That’s okay too! You can still participate in The Great Give Back by decorating a bookmark for a resident at the Chestnut Park Rehabilitation and Nursing Center. Registration is not required. Guests at the Destination Oneonta Harvest Party are asked to wear a face covering and maintain social distance as appropriate to help keep our community healthy.
Keep Greene Clean!
Saturday, October 16
9:00 am-1:00 pm
For all ages
This popular event brings our community together to help beautify the village of Greene, NY. Register on site the day of the event between 9:00am and 1:00pm.
Headstart Take-Home Bags
September 16-October 15
For ages 3-adult
The Nineveh Public Library is partnering with the Harpursville Central School District’s Honor Society to create take-home bags for Harpursville Headstart families. The Honor Society students are creating 70 finger puppets for the 14 families in the program. Each bag will include a fingerplay rhyme, 5 finger puppets, games and resources donated by WSKG Education, and information about their local library. Students will assemble the bags to be distributed the week of October 11th.
Participation is restricted to Harpursville, NY residents
Fall Family Festival
Saturday, October 30
2:00-4:00 pm
Gaines Park, Sherburne NY (right next to the library)
For all ages
A community event for everyone to celebrate Fall, including a costume contest, games, activities and treats. The event is free but donations (canned goods or monetary) will be accepted to support the local food pantry.
Bound to Please: HomeBound Books
Friday, October 15
10:00 am-12:00 pm
For all ages
A monthly book delivery service to homebound residents in the Vestal Central School District to provide accessibility to library materials and fulfill the library mission of outreach to our community. This is an on going services with rolling registration That will kick off on Friday, October 15. First deliveries will be made from 10AM – 12 PM.
Bound to Please: HomeBound Books is restricted to Vestal Central School District residents who are unable to come to the library in person, including but not limited to: elderly, new moms, moms with infants/toddlers, teens/tweens without access to transportation, limited mobility due to short or long term injury.
Registration is required either on our website or by calling (607)-754-4243 extension 4.
Little Free Libraries
Saturday, October 16
10:00 am-12:00 pm
For all ages
VPL is stationing two newspaper boxes in the Vestal community that will serve as Little Free Libraries. All are welcome to pick out a book from the Little Free Library, no library card required and no due date, just a free book to enjoy.
Village Library of Cooperstown
Support the Pantry
October 1-16
9:00 am-2:00 pm
The Village Library of Cooperstown is partnering in support of the Cooperstown Food Pantry, with a food and hygiene drive to run from October 1 through October 16. No registration required.
Animal Food Collection
October 1-16
Animal food donations should be dropped off at the library when we are opened. Tues, Wed, Thurs. from 10 am to 6 pm, Fri. 12 to 5 pm and Sat. 10 am to 2 pm. Donations will be given to Super Heroes in Ripped Jeans, an animal shelter in Oneonta ,NY.
2020
Spread Some Smiles
October 17 from 9 am – 1 pm
For youth who are Afton residents
Share a smile by making a pumpkin picture and dropping it off at the Afton Free Library to be given to residents of our local adult home.
The Great Give Back Food Collection
October 17 – 31
The Bainbridge Free Library will offer a Great Give Back food collection bin for the community to fill for the local food pantry.
BCPL Cares
September 21 – October 19
We are collecting non perishable food for CHOW, hand made hats, scarves and mittens for the Union Endicott Elementary Schools, and notes, pictures and cards for the residents of Willow Point Nursing Home. You can drop off your donations at the Library during the hours we are open.
2020: Fall Cleanup
October 16 from 11 am-12 pm
Deposit Business District
For children & teens
The Deposit Free Library will sponsor a Fall Cleanup of the Deposit Business District on October 16, 2020 (Rain date: 10/19/20). We have invited patrons/families to help with the annual cleanup of the Front Street garden areas. This will include weeding, trimming, cleaning out flower containers, and general preparation for winterization of the flowering shrubs and perennials. Registration is not required. Please bring gardening gloves.
2020: Help us make “Happy Birthday Bags”
October 1-10 from 11:00 am-3:00 pm
We are collecting donations which will be assembled into “happy birthday bags.” These will be a birthday-in-a-bag to be donated to our local food pantry and benefit kids in our community. All ages are welcome to donate. Donation drop off will be at the front desk.
Keep Greene Clean!
October 17 from 9 am-12 pm
For all Ages. Minors to be accompanied by adult.
Teams will choose quadrants within the village. Litter clean-up. Gloves, masks and trash bags provided. Social distancing in place. Register at the library.
Halloween Festival
October 24 from 2-4pm
at Gaines Park
For families
The Sherburne Public Library is hosting a Halloween Festival in Gaines Park as a way to show our appreciation for the community. The main event will be a pumpkin carving contest where free will donations will be accepted to benefit the Sherburne Cooperative Nursery School. We will have several family activities available as well including a scavenger hunt, trick or treat tables, a costume contest, crafts, and more. Everything will be organized with social distancing in mind.