By Carole Howard | PREVIEW Columnist, and the library staff
Professional storyteller Kathleen Santopietro returns to Pagosa to share more stories at a special pre-Father’s Day event to support our campaign to expand and renovate your Ruby Sisson Library.
You may remember this talented lady from her visit last September, when she took us on a storytelling journey around the world. Now she will celebrate male heroes including fathers, grandfathers, brothers, husbands and lovers this Saturday evening, June 17, on the day before Father’s Day.
This important fundraiser takes place at the Tennyson Building Event Center, 197 Navajo Trail Drive, with a cash bar and seasonal hors d’oeuvres. As an added bonus, it also showcases pianist Sally Neel, with a guest appearance by soloist Robert Neel, both beloved local musicians.
The doors open at 6 p.m. with storytelling starting at 7 p.m. Tickets are $40 in advance and $45 at the door.
Before the evening event, Santopietro will appear at the library on Saturday morning from 11 a.m. to noon for a free storytelling program for all ages.
Library closure
Your library will be closed on Monday, June 19, for Juneteenth, a federal holiday commemorating the emancipation of enslaved African Americans.
Sign up for Summer Reading Program
Be sure to sign up in person or on the library’s website at https://pagosalibrary.org for the free Summer Reading Program. It offers a huge variety of special programs for all ages and lots of prizes, and will conclude with a celebratory party July 28. Pick up monthly events calendars at the library so you don’t miss any of the free activities available to you and your family this summer.
Save the date for
book sale
The Friends of the Library have announced their highly popular annual summer book sale will take place July 21 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and July 22 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Friends members will have early access to the sale both days, so you may want to take this opportunity to join the Friends before the sale or at the door.
Between now and then the library is not accepting any more donations of books, DVDs and other materials because the Friends have all they need for the sale.
Summer Reading
Club today
Our weekly Summer Reading Club for kids in kindergarten through fifth grade takes place Thursdays from 10 to 11:30 a.m. with crafts, guest speakers, stories and more. We’ll explore topics such as kindness, service, teamwork, connection, friendship and community. No registration is required.
Online author talk today
There will be two more talks in June in our free online virtual series featuring New York Times bestselling authors with an opportunity to ask questions.
Today, Thursday, June 15, at noon showcases “An American in Provence: Art, Life and Photography” by photographer Jamie Beck. On Wednesday, June 28, at 6 p.m., you can interact with Tananarive Due, co-author of “Black Panther: Tales of Wakanda.”
Cardboard construction tomorrow
Join us tomorrow, Friday, June 16, from 2 to 4 p.m. for the free all-ages cardboard construction event where we will be building superhero gear for a mythical adventure. All supplies will be provided.
Tween, teen taskmaster tomorrow
Tweens and teens are invited to a free session to test your problem-solving skills with a variety of challenges on Friday, June 16, from 1 to 2 p.m.
Wee Play tomorrow
Youngsters aged 1-5 are invited to enjoy free play with our collection of toys tomorrow, Friday, June 16, from 10 to 11 a.m.
Pokemon Club
on Saturday
If you love Pokemon, this club is for you. Bring your cards to a fun, free event for ages 6-11 on Saturday, June 17, from 12:30 to 2:30 p.m. when you can play games with others who feel the same way. No experience is required.
Adult DIY
At the free adult DIY next Tuesday, June 20, from 1 to 3 p.m., you will learn the art of composting to minimize your waste in landfills.
Spanish conversation
Practice your Spanish in a free group setting on Tuesday, June 20, from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. No minimum skill level is needed.
Dungeons and Dragons
Next Tuesday, June 20, from 4 to 5:30, join our Dungeons and Dragons game free for teens and young adults. Preregistration is required because space is limited. Contact Josie@pagosalibrary.org.
Wacky Wednesdays
Ages 6-11 are invited to get silly and play next Wednesday, June 21, from 2:30 to 3:30 p.m. and every Wednesday in June.
Therapy dog visit
Next Wednesday, June 21, from 11 to 11:45 you are invited to come to the library for a free visit with a certified therapy dog. Visits are limited to 10-15 minutes — just the right amount of time to pet the dog, read to the dog or just say “Hi.” This is an all-ages activity.
STEAM program
Camp Connect is a free STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics) program for fifth- through eighth-graders next Wednesday, June 21, from noon to 2 p.m. Preregistration is required.
Writers support group
Thursdays from 9 to 11 a.m., Ruby’s Writers Guild welcomes writers looking for opportunities, support, resources and camaraderie with other writers.
Family storytimes
Wednesdays from 10 to 11 a.m., join us for a free educational hour of reading, singing and free play to build early literacy skills.
ESL classes
Free in-person evening classes take place on Tuesdays and Thursdays, with 4 to 5 p.m. reserved for beginners and 5 to 7 p.m. for both intermediate and advanced students. Please help us spread the word about these classes to others in our community who would be interested, and contact us by phone or email if you have any questions.
PALS/GED adult
education
Join Mark or Sally for free PALS sessions Tuesdays and Thursdays from 5:30 to 8 p.m. to help with high school equivalency, GED, college prep, financial aid, tutoring and more.
Tech Time
Free in-person slots are available from 10 a.m. to noon Tuesdays and 2 to 4 p.m. Thursdays. Judy helps you with basic questions relating to computers, smartphones and tablets and also provide assistance in accessing any of the library’s online resources. No appointment is needed for these drop-in sessions.
Downloadable books
CloudLibrary has a wide variety of downloadable e-books and audiobooks for all ages. To access this free digital collection, download the cloudLibrary app, answer a few simple questions, select AspenCat Union Catalog for the name of your library, then enter your library card number and four-digit PIN. Library staff are happy to help you set up your device if you need assistance.
Large print
“All That is Mine I Carry With Me” by William Landay focuses on a family when the mother’s remains are found after two decades. “A Calder at Heart” by Janet Dailey is book three in the Calder Brand series. “The Only Survivors” by Megan Miranda takes place on the 10th anniversary of a horrifying school van crash. “My Heart Will Find You” by Jude Deveraux is a romance set in COVID times. “The Fourth Enemy” by Anne Perry is a Daniel Pitt legal mystery. “The Bride Wore White” by Amanda Quick features a psychic dream consultant. “Blue Moon Haven” by Janet Dailey is a New Americana romance set in Alabama. “On the Line” by Fern Michaels begins when a rising star chef collapses mysteriously.
Mysteries, suspense and thrillers
“Blind Spots” by Thomas Mullen centers on murders in a world where everyone went blind in a few months. “Murder Under a Red Moon” by Harini Nagendra features Bangalore Det. Kaveri Murthy. “Death of a Bookseller” by Alice Slater tells of two women working in a bookstore. “Ascension” by Nicholas Binge focuses on scientists researching an enormous mountain that appeared in the Pacific Ocean. “Breakneck” by Marc Cameron is an Arliss Cutter thriller set in Alaska. “Death by Chocolate Marshmallow Pie” by Sarah Graves starts with a death in a rival bakery. “Irish Coffee Murder” contains three mysteries by Leslie Meier, Lee Hollis and Barbara Ross.
Other novels
“The Making of Another Major Motion Picture Masterpiece” by Tom Hanks is the actor’s novel about the making of an epic film.“Lone Star Legacy” by William W. and J.A. Johnstone is a Forever Texas western. “Paper Man” by Billy O’Callaghan pieces together a family’s history after letters and newspaper clippings are found. “Like the Appearance of Horses” by Andrew Krivak is a family saga set in a small mountain town in Pennsylvania. “Hula” by Jasmin Iolani Hakes explores the heritage of a family in Hilo, Hawaii. “The Enchanted Hacienda” by J.C. Cervantes follows a young woman who escapes New York City for a magical home in Mexico.
Nonfiction
“Empire of Lies” by Dr. Paul Craig Roberts is a collection of essays by the former assistant secretary of the Treasury in the Reagan administration. “The Russo-Ukrainian War” by historian Serhii Plokhy explores the origins and possible consequences of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Important alert
about donations
Many thanks to Susan and Terry Arrington, Jeanette and Bob Pike as well as Rob Pew for their generous monetary donations, and to Joanne Ferko and Ainslee Kincross for materials donation.
Please note that the Friends of the Library have announced their annual summer book sale will take place July 21-22. Between now and then, the library is not accepting any more donations of books, DVDs and other materials because the Friends have all they need for the sale.
Quotable quote
“Perhaps the secret to a happy life isn’t about making the right choices so much as learning to live with the ones we do make.” — Mary Louise Kelly, American broadcaster and author, co-host of NPR’s afternoon news program “All Things Considered,” in her new memoir “It. Goes. So. Fast.,” which is available at the library.
Website
For more information on library books, services and programs — and to reserve books, e-books, books on CD and DVDs from the comfort of your home — please visit our website at https://pagosalibrary.org.
