By Carole Howard | PREVIEW Columnist, and the library staff
Now is the time to design and build your own carnival-inspired game and bring it ready to play and be judged at our free Carnival Game Design Contest playday next Friday, Aug. 18, from 3 to 5 p.m.
At this event, everyone can play the games and help the judges decide the winners. Games will be judged on playability, creativity and design. Prizes will be awarded in five age categories: 18 years and older, ages 12-17, 8-11, 5-7 and under 5.
Entries must be built ahead of time and submitted between Aug. 14 and Aug. 18 at 3 p.m. Your game cannot be larger than 36 inches by 36 inches by 36 inches and you must be able to carry it in and out of the building without the help of library staff.
Your entry must be your own creation, not a kit or other pre-built structure, and built by the person whose name appears on the registration. One entry per person, please.
Library early closure
Your library will close early on Monday, Aug. 14, for a staff meeting at 5 p.m. This is a new staff meeting schedule — on the second Monday of the month.
Composting 101 today
Learn the art and importance of composting for your garden at a free session with West Davies today, Thursday, Aug. 10, from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m.
Mini Monets tomorrow
Friday, Aug. 11, from 10 to 11 a.m., kids ages 1-5 are invited to use art — and sometimes to get messy — to build early literacy skills at this free activity.
Tween, teen makers
tomorrow
Tweens and teens are invited to a free session to make and bedazzle a T-shirt bag on Friday, Aug. 11, from 1 to 2 p.m.
Legal clinic tomorrow
This month’s legal clinic on civil issues is by appointment tomorrow, Friday, Aug. 11, from 2 to 3 p.m. Come to the library to meet privately via Zoom with our volunteer attorney.
To schedule an appointment, at the beginning of the month, send an email titled “Sign-up for Free Legal Clinic” with your first name and phone number to ruby@pagosalibrary.org, or phone (970) 264-2209 or stop by the library.
S.T.E.M. program
tomorrow
Solve engineering challenges and science experiments at our free S.T.E.M. (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) program tomorrow, Friday, Aug. 11, from 2 to 3:30 p.m. Activities are available for multiple age groups.
Beginning chess
Saturday
Learn how to play chess with free quick lessons and game time to practice your skills on Saturday, Aug. 12, from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. All ages and abilities are welcome.
LEGO Club Saturday
Kids aged 6-11 are invited to bring your imaginations on Saturday, Aug. 12, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. for the free LEGO Club. Note the extended time of two hours rather than one. Bring your own LEGOs or use ours.
Adult knitting Saturday
Join new and experienced knitters this Saturday, Aug. 12, for our free Knitters Circle from 1 to 3 p.m. It is aimed at anyone over the age of 18 who would like to knit together or get some help if you are stuck on your project.
Knitting and crochet lessons
Learn to knit or crochet on Monday, Aug. 14, at our free gathering from 10 to 11 a.m. for ages 8 and up. Supplies will be provided. Note the new day and time.
Adult DIY
At the free adult DIY next Tuesday, Aug. 15, from 1 to 2:30 p.m., you will make a greeting card with beautiful card stock and lots of embellishments including stamps, ribbon, yarn, bling and metal designs. All supplies will be provided.
Action Drawing for
teens, tweens
This month we have a free art program for teens and tweens called Action Drawing every Tuesday from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. led by Dean Dempster. You’ll take turns posing for each other in playful exercises and learn to capture the essence of your friends quickly and freely. You’ll also learn the basics of sketching figures, portraits, hands and feet. Registration is required.
Spanish conversation
Practice your Spanish in a free group setting on Tuesday, Aug. 15, from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. No minimum skill level is needed. Note this group now meets twice a month, on the first and third Tuesdays.
Kickoff to Kindergarten
A free four-week school readiness program for ages 4.5 to 6 to prepare youngsters for the first year of school happens today, Thursday, Aug. 10, and Aug. 17 and 24 from 10 to 11 a.m.
Activities will include circle time, group activities, playtime and storytime while exploring reading, writing and math. Parents can participate for limited time periods each week.
Preregistration is required in person or by phone at (970) 264-2209. Attendance at all sessions is recommended.
Online author talks
There will be three talks in August in our free online virtual series featuring New York Times bestselling authors with an opportunity to ask questions. You can listen live or access the recorded talk.
On Tuesday, Aug. 15, at 2 p.m. we will interact with Robert Jones Jr., author of the epic love story “The Prophets.”
Wednesday, Aug. 23, at 6 p.m. will feature “The Mortal Instruments” young adult fantasy series by Cassandra Clare.
Wednesday, Aug. 30, at noon will showcase higher education journalist Jeff Selingo, author of “A Year of College Admissions,” which explores who gets into college and why.
Dungeons and Dragons
Next Tuesday, Aug. 15, from 4 to 5:30 p.m., join our Dungeons and Dragons game free for teens and young adults. Preregistration is required because space is limited. Contact Josie@pagosalibrary.org to join.
STEAM program
Camp Connect is a free STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics) program for fifth- through eighth-graders next Wednesday, Aug. 16, from noon to 2 p.m. Registration is required.
Change in ESL
class times
Free in-person evening classes take place on Tuesdays and Thursdays, and there is a change in the way the time is divided: 4 to 5 p.m. is reserved for beginners, 5 to 6 p.m. for intermediate and 6 to 7 p.m. for 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.
DVDs
“Pardoned by Grace” is based on a true story about an inmate turned prison minister. “Crossword Mysteries” is a three-movie collection. “Mayor of Kingstown” is season one about a power broker family in Michigan.
Nonfiction
“Knife Drop” by Nick Digiovanni is a collection of recipes from sandwiches to seafood. “The Beauty of Zentangle” edited by Suzanne McNeill and Cindy Shepard provides hundreds of easy-to-learn patterns for this worldwide art phenomenon. “Zen Doodle: Tons of Tangles” edited by Tonia Jenny and Amy Jones contains the best of doodle art from around the world.
Large print
“Zero Days” by Ruth Ware is a mystery that starts with the murder of half of a security specialist couple.
Mysteries and thrillers
“Daisy Darker” by Alice Feeney takes place on a tiny island where the high tide cuts access for eight hours.
Novels
“Calling For a Blanket Dance” by Oscar Hokeah takes readers into the complex lives of a Mexican-Native American family. “The Ocean Above Me” by Kevin Sites follows the trauma of a former war correspondent trapped in an air bubble in an overturned shrimp trawler. “Half-Life of a Stolen Sister” by Rachel Cantor explores the lives and genius of the three Bronte sister authors.
Books on CD
“The 9th Man” by Steve Barry is a thriller exploring the assassination of JFK. “Zero Days” by Ruth Ware is a mystery that starts with the murder of half of a security specialist couple. “Circle of Death” by James Patterson and Brian Sitts is a Shadow thriller. “Sleepless City” by Reed Farrel Coleman is a Nick Ryan mystery.
Thanks to our donors
We are grateful to Joanne Ferko, Daniel McCluskey, John Prutsman, Carole Howard as well as Sage and Willow Merrill-Exton for their donations of materials.
When we are open, material donations are accepted for the Friends of the Library at the front desk — not down the outside returns slot at the library or the drop box at City Market, please. The Friends take fiction published in 2013 or newer and nonfiction from 2018 or newer. Limited workroom space means we can only accept one or two small boxes at a time.
Quotable quote
“I work out three times a week. I work the muscles in my legs. My dad said, ‘Keep your legs strong all your life and you’ll always be mobile.’” — Rod Stewart, British singer and songwriter, age 78.
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.
