Friends of the Library members are hosting a pop-up book donation event this Saturday, Sept. 13, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Ramon’s Mexican Restaurant, 56 Talisman Drive, at the entrance to the City Market shopping center.
Their goal is to collect new or gently used books for future book sales to benefit the library.
Thanks to Ramon’s generosity, the Friends will be setting up tables in front of their space to collect books that will be sold at their book sales in 2026. If they get a good response, they plan to set up more donation sites in the future.
This action is necessary because we cannot accept book donations for a year at our building now that we are operating in a much smaller space while construction happens on the first phase of our long-awaited expansion.
Please follow these guidelines for your donations:
Books on time-sensitive topics that can quickly become out of date are wanted only if they have been published within the last five years. These subjects include politics/current events, health and medicine, sports/exercise, business, technology, science, education and travel guides.
Not accepted are reference materials, textbooks and non-print material like CDs, DVDs, Blu-ray, VHS or cassette tapes because they do not sell at Friends of the Library sales.
We hope you’ll take this opportunity to bring your new or lightly used books to the Friends this Saturday. Proceeds from their book sales are vital to the ongoing health of your library.
Construction update
Here’s the latest news on your library’s construction project from Barb Brattin, library director:
“If you visited the library last week, you were treated to the ambient noise of large machines breaking up concrete on the south side of the building. A new foundation for the library addition will take shape there over the next few weeks, replacing half the former parking lot.
“Last Wednesday morning the public parking lot on Highway 160 west of the library that we currently use for library parking was filled with LPEA trucks. Expanding the building requires us to expand our electrical infrastructure, so our new transformer was being connected to the grid last week.”
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.
Online author talks
Our free online author talks with New York Times bestselling authors continue in September with one more 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.
Wednesday, Sept. 17, at noon will showcase Gabe Henry discussing “Our Failed Attempt to Make English Eezier to Spell.”
Adult knitting and needlework
Join new and experienced knitters Saturday, Sept. 13, 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. Any type of needleworker is welcome.
Conversational Spanish
The Conversational Spanish group will meet Monday, Sept.15, from 4 to 5 p.m. at St. Patrick’s Episcopal Church at 225 S. Pagosa Blvd. This is a great opportunity to practice your Spanish in a free group setting. No minimum skill level is needed.
Music fun Monday
Pagosa Unplugged is free from 4 to 6 p.m. on Monday, Sept. 15, for amateur musicians of all abilities to play, sing and jam with other people. Call Susan at (970) 946-3396 for meeting location.
Adult DIY
At the free in-person adult DIY next Tuesday, Sept. 16, from 1 to 2:30 p.m., we will experience “Pastels with Monet Café” with artist Susan Jenkins. This event will happen outside in the library courtyard as weather allows.
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.
Nonfiction – memoirs and biographies
“I Seek a Kind Person” by Julian Borger is a family memoir about the author’s father, one of thousands of German Jewish children saved by being sent to British families for safekeeping during World War II. “Free Ride” by Noraly Schoenmaker is a memoir of a woman who quit her job to go on a motorcycle trip of self-discovery. We have two books that reveal the life of female wildland firefighters: “Hotshot” by River Selby and “Wildfire Days” by Kelly Ramsey. “Coming Up Short” by former Secretary of Labor Robert B. Reich chronicles the choices that got this country into its current economic inequality state. “Medicine River” by Mary Annette Pember explores the author’s mother’s tragic life in an Indian boarding school sponsored by the U.S. government.
Other nonfiction
“Bad Company” by Megan Greenwall is an indictment of the private equity industry told through the stories of four workers whose lives were ruined by takeovers. “Every Living Thing” by Jason Roberts explores the origins of the science now called biology. “The Undiscovered Country” by Paul Andrew Hutton tells of the heroic conquests and dark tragedies that shaped the American West. “They Had Names” by Nathaniel T. Jeanson traces the history of North American Indigenous people. “Alzheimer’s Disease and Other Dementias” is a Mayo Clinic guide. “The Colorado Gardener’s Companion” by Jodi Torpey is a guide to low-maintenance gardening. “There is No Place for Us: Working and Homeless in America” by Brian Goldstone follows five Atlanta working families struggling to remain housed. “Mysteries of the National Parks” by Mike Bezemek contains 35 stories of baffling disappearances and unexplained phenomena.
DVDs
“The Penguin Lessons” is based on the true story of a disillusioned Englishman who goes to work in a school in Argentina. “The Accountant” stars Ben Affleck. “Death Valley” is a crime story. “1923” is season two starring Harrison Ford and Helen Mirren. “A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder” features a student who won’t let an old murder go. “Stories of America’s National Parks” is a two-disc Great Courses collection. “Secrets of the Forest” is a PBS Nova program.
Large print
“Bridal Shower Murder” by Leslie Meier is a Lucy Stone mystery. “Trail to Brimstone” by Robert Vaughan is a western novella. “The Locked Ward” by Sarah Pekkanen is about an adopted daughter accused to killing the biological daughter. “Jenny Cooper Has a Secret” by Joy Fielding tells of a 92-year-old dementia patient who may be a killer. “The Last Carolina Summer” by Karen White is a mystery. “You Belong Here” by Megan Maranda is a mystery set in a Virginia college town. “Death by Misadventure” by Tasha Alexander is a Lady Emily mystery. “For Duck’s Sake” by Donna Andrews is a Meg Langslow mystery.
Mysteries and thrillers
“She Didn’t See It Coming” by Shari Lapena tells of a wife and mother who disappears from a luxury condo. “Salt Bones” by Jennifer Givhan explores the fate of missing Latina and Indigenous girls. “The Outsider” by Stephen King is a horror thriller. “The Codebreaker’s Daughter” by Amy Lynn Green is a story about a mother-daughter codebreaking team. “Murder Takes a Vacation” by Laura Lippman is set on a Parisian river cruise. “The Confessions” by Paul Bradley Carr tells of the aftermath when the world’s most powerful supercomputer suddenly goes offline.
Other novels
“The Vulnerables” by Sigrid Nunez explores the life of a Gen Zer and a spirited parrot. “The Robin on the Oak Throne” by K.A. Linde is a paranormal romance fantasy. “Culpability” by Bruce Holsinger is a family drama following an accident involving a self-driving minivan. “Summer Hill Secrets” by Beverly Lewis contains five books from the author’s Pennsylvania Amish series. “The Atlas of Untold Stories” by Sara Brunsvold features a mother and her two daughters embarking on a nine-day road trip to find inspiration from literary greats. “If You Love It, Let It Kill You” by Hannah Pittard begins when a novelist learns an unflattering version of herself will be revealed by her ex-husband.
Quotable quote
“When you’re playing a point, it has to be the most important thing in the world and it is. But when it’s behind you, it’s behind you. This mindset is really crucial, because it frees you to fully commit to the next point and the next point after that with intensity, clarity and focus. The truth is, whatever game you play in life, sometimes you’re going to lose a point, a match, a season, a job. It’s a rollercoaster with many ups and downs, and it’s natural when you’re down to doubt yourself and to feel sorry for yourself. ... But negative energy is wasted energy. You want to become a master at overcoming hard moments. You accept it, cry it out if you need to, and then force a smile. You move on, be relentless, adapt and grow.” — Roger Federer, retired professional tennis player in his commencement speech at Dartmouth June 9, 2024. He was ranked No. 1 in men’s singles for 310 weeks.
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.
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