We have a free online resource that will be a huge asset to anyone who is about to take a car, motorcycle or commercial driver’s test.
The site includes hundreds of practice questions arranged into useful tests, from easy to hard, for the different licenses. More of a visual learner? There’s also a 360-degree road situation simulator that gives you a chance to see exactly what is described in each of the questions.
As well, there’s an exam simulator that mimics a DMV exam, with new questions every time you take it. The site also includes manuals and frequently asked questions about the tests.
To access the site, go to your library’s website, https://pagosalibrary.org, and click on the tab that says “Online Resources.’” Scroll down to “Driving Tests.”
You do not need a library card to access this material, but we’d love to take this opportunity to give you a card so you can take advantage of all our programs, activities and resources.
Construction update
Here’s the latest news on your library’s construction project from Barb Brattin, library director:
“The walls are coming down inside the east wing of the old library in preparation for the new entrance hall, and roof demolition begins the week of the 18th. Our contractor will start to lay the foundation for the new wing the first week of September. We’re right on schedule to complete the entire project next summer.
“You’ll be delighted to know that we have salvaged the beautiful stained glass from the old entrance and the ceiling stained glass remains part of the new library. The large pine and aspen trees in our garden area will be saved as well. Our local master gardeners will salvage perennials and we’ll be offering them for free outside the library’s main entrance to anyone who would like to use them in their own landscapes.
“Library hours have returned to normal. There is plenty of parking available in the public lot west of the library (enter off Highway 160) for easy access through the garden door. Feel free to sit for a while in our garden and enjoy the beautiful summer day.”
Activity locations are changed
Now that we have much less space for our operations and no meeting rooms during construction, several of our regular activities and special events will happen in other locations.
Please check the listings in this column and on your library’s website, https://pagosalibrary.org, for location changes throughout the construction. If no other location is mentioned, the activity will stay at your library.
No more book donations, please
Regretfully, Brattin has made the decision to cease accepting book donations for a year beginning immediately.
The reality of operating in a much smaller space while construction happens on the first phase of your library’s long-awaited expansion has made the action a necessity.
Online author talks
Our free online author talks with New York Times bestselling authors continue in August with a talk for you to watch live on Zoom or via a recording later this month.
For details and to register, go to https://libraryc.org/pagosalibrary/upcoming.
Thursday, Aug. 28, at noon will showcase organizational psychologist Dr. Tasha Eurich discussing how to thrive in a world of constant chaos.
Paws to Read tomorrow
Friday, Aug. 22, from 2 to 3 p.m., youngsters are invited to share their favorite books with Maple, a therapy dog who loves stories, at a free Paws to Read session.
Adult knitting Saturday
Join new and experienced knitters Saturday, Aug. 23, for our free Knitters Circle from 1 to 3 p.m. in the Natural Grocers back room.
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.
Conversational Spanish
The Conversational Spanish group will meet Monday, Aug. 25, from 4 to 5 p.m. This is a great opportunity to practice your Spanish in a free group setting. No minimum skill level is needed. This activity is taking place at St. Patrick’s Episcopal Church at 225 S. Pagosa Blvd. during construction.
Family storytime
Wednesdays from 10 to 11 a.m., join a free educational hour of reading, singing and free play to build early literacy skills.
Writers Guild
Thursdays from 9 to 11 a.m., Ruby’s Writers Guild welcomes writers looking for support, guidance, resources and camaraderie with other writers at this free gathering.
During construction the group will meet at the Pagosa Senior Center, 451 Hot Springs Blvd. Enter through the left side of the building.
Tech Time
Free in-person slots are available from 2 to 4 p.m. on Thursdays. Taylor helps with basic questions relating to computers, smartphones and tablets and also provides assistance in accessing the library’s online resources. No appointment is needed, but please bring your device’s charger and passwords with you.
English as a second
language
Free in-person evening classes happen on Tuesdays and Thursdays, with 4 to 5 p.m. reserved for beginners, 5 to 6 p.m. for intermediate and 6 to 7 p.m. for advanced students at St. Patrick’s Episcopal Church, 225 S. Pagosa Blvd.. Please help us pass the word about these classes.
Pagosa Adult Learning Services (PALS)
Join Mark or Sally for free individualized 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. No appointment is necessary.
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.
Spanish-language novel
“Mi Nombre es Emilia del Valle” by Isabel Allende is a historical novel about a young writer who travels to South America to uncover the truth about her father.
Large print
“How to Menopause” by Tamsen Fadal provides actionable steps and tools as well as answers to questions from experts to help women deal with menopause.
Mysteries and thrillers
“The Death Mask” by Iris Johansen is an Eve Duncan thriller. “The Expat Affair” by Kimberly Belle takes place in Amsterdam’s diamond industry. “The Missing Half” by Ashley Flowers tells of two women haunted by their sister’s disappearance. “Nightshade” by Michael Connelly features a detective exiled to Catlina Island. “Proof” by Jon Cowan is a legal thriller. “Our Last Resort” by Clemence Michallon follows two people escaping a cult. “Where Secrets Lie” by Colleen Coble and Rick Acker is a legal thriller. “History Lessons” by Zoe B. Wallbrook features a professor turned detective. “The Lost Masterpiece” by B.A. Shapiro embeds readers in a circle of Impressionist painters. “Fox” by Joyce Carol Oates is a literary and psychological suspense story.
“The Cliffs” by J. Courtney Sullivan explores the secrets of a Victorian house in Maine. “We Live Here Now” by Sarah Pinborough is a modern Gothic tale set in England. “Hungerstone” by Kat Dunn begins with a carriage accident on the English moors during the Industrial Revolution. “Mob Queen” by Erin Bledsoe tells of a woman searching for the truth of a friend’s disappearance. “The Housemaid” by Freida McFadden and “Meet Me at the Crossroads” by Megan Giddings are psychological thrillers.
Other novels
“The Listeners” by Maggie Stiefvater is set in an elegant hotel and spa forced to house Nazi diplomats. “Where the Rivers Merge” by Mary Alice Monroe follows the life of a free-spirited woman over decades as she lives in a grand estate in South Carolina that has been in her family for generations. “Gabriele” by Anne and Claire Berest tells the story of one of France’s most remarkable women and an affair that triggered a revolution. “A Mother’s Love” by Danielle Steel is about a woman’s complicated life after her daughters leave home. “The Peculiar Gift of July” by Ashley Ream begins when an orphaned girl comes to a small town. “Six Wild Crowns” by Holly Race is a Tutot-inspired fantasy.
“The Teacher of Auschwitz” by Wendy Holden is inspired by a true story. “In the Family Way” by Laney Katz Becker tells of 1960s housewives dealing with pregnancies. “The Wren in the Holly Library” by K.A. Linde is a romantic fantasy. “Kindred” by Octavia E. Butler is a time travel story about a young Black woman. “Waiting for the Long Night Moon” by Amanda Peters explores the Indigenous experience over time. “A Family Matter” by Claire Lynch is a lesbian love story. “Vera, of Faith” by Gary Shteyngart is a complex family story told by the 10-year-old daughter. “Wearing the Lion” by John Wiswell is a mythological fantasy about Hercules.
“The Black Birds of St. Giles” by Lila Cain is set in the Black community of Georgian England. “Every Precious and Fragile Thing” by Barbara Davis features a woman who retreats to her family home after a tragedy. “These Summer Storms” by Sarah MacLean is a story of a wealthy New England family after the father’s death. “The Uproar” by Karim Dimechkie explores the life of a mixed race couple. “Small Things Like These” by Claire Keegan features a family man in a small Irish town confronting church silence. “Old School Indian” by Aaron John Curtis tells of an ill Mohawk Indian returning to his family on the Rez.
Books on CD
“The View from Lake Como” by Adriana Trigiani features a woman who leaves her New Jersey life for Italy, where she hones her artistic skills and discovers family secrets.
Nonfiction
“Andy Warhol: A Retrospective” is the catalogue for the Museum of Modern Art exhibition. “Quilt-Lovers Favorites” is a Better Homes and Gardens guide. “Holy Bible” is a large print edition. “The Traumatized and At-Risk Youth Toolbox” by Jeanette Yoffe provides more than 160 interventions. “Buried City” by Gabriel Zuchtriegel is look at new archaeological finds in Pompei. “Yoga Anatomy” by Leslie Kaminoff and Amy Matthews is an illustrated guide. “Adorable Mini Animals to Crochet” by Marie Clesse features 23 patterns. “Guilty Creatures” by Mikita Brottman explores a murder among two close couples.
DVDs
“Thunderbolts: The New Avengers” is a Marvel movie. We have series one, two and three of the “Harry Wild” detective show. “All We Imagine as Light” follows three women working in a Mumbai hospital. “Venom” is a three-movie collection. “Have Gun Will Travel” is the complete series with 225 episodes.
Quotable quote
“Don’t go through life, grow through life.” — Eric Butterworth, minister and author of books with inspiring messages of personal renewal and positive prayer.
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.
>