In this age of ubiquitous online information, have you wondered why we still have libraries?
Why do we need a physical building staffed with real, live librarians? Why did Pagosa Springs spend more than five years to raise money to make our library bigger and better when any information one wants can conceivably be found online?
I missed our library over the last year, especially when the books (more than 26,000 of them) were stored to complete the renovation. I couldn’t walk in to browse them and find one I didn’t know I wanted to read. The newspapers and magazines were tucked away. Local groups couldn’t hold meetings at the library. We didn’t have access to the computers, printers, CDs or DVDs, or to many of the great variety of fun, innovative and educational programs our librarians offer. These are just some of the services we enjoy, and maybe we even took them for granted.
Libraries offer so much more than books. Our Ruby Sisson Library’s precious resource is our librarians. Thankfully, they were there to help throughout the renovation. Our librarians help with research and finding information resources we can trust. They suggest books or other materials to meet our interests or needs. Our librarians offer an assortment of programs, from children’s storytimes to craft classes. We can find a book club and meet best-selling authors online in special presentations.
Do you need help with a resume? Are you looking for grants to fund an organization? Do you need reliable access to the internet? Our library has these resources and more.
And, we have more and larger gathering spaces now. As well as an expanded community room, our updated library has a teen room, an expanded children’s room and a maker lab for hands-on learning and fun.
Of course, online information sources are there for us. But do you know what they are? Every morning I log onto PagosaLibrary.org to read The New York Times — for free. The library website offers close to four dozen online resources, including genealogy help, an encyclopedia, resources for home improvement and auto repair, and legal resources. You can learn a language, find suggestions for your next novel, or even watch free lectures presented by the travel organization Road Scholar. Kids can enjoy educational digital books. And, of course, the library offers two services for e-books and audiobooks.
Libraries today are more than places to store books. Our library offers learning for all, technology support, professional guidance and a community center. Finally, after nearly a year, our newly expanded, absolutely beautiful library is fully open again.
The Ruby M. Sisson Memorial Library is more than just books — lots more. Come check out all our library offers — in person and online.
Board vacancy
We have an unexpected vacancy on our library board.
The library board establishes library policies, oversees library finances, and advocates for the library in the community.
Members serve three-year terms and must be residents of Archuleta County. The time commitment is generally one meeting per month.
If you would like to serve, please send a letter of interest to director@pagosalibrary.org.
New Craft and Hobby database marks
makerspace opening
To celebrate the opening of our new makerspace, we are launching a new database called Craft and Hobby.
Packed with videos for all ages teaching skills like sewing, woodworking, gardening and outdoor photography, Craft and Hobby is available free with your library card online from home or on the go.
We are planning lots of hands-on activities in the new makerspace and will be using Craft and Hobby to provide instruction for participants.
Take a look at the extensive catalog of instructional video at https://www.pagosalibrary.org/how-to.
Radon detectors
available for checkout
The Colorado State library recently partnered with the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment to provide a limited number of radon detectors to libraries for circulation.
The Ruby Sisson Library has two units available to check out with a library card for a three-week loan. Instructions are included in the kit. Reserve one through the library catalog or ask at the front desk.
New Hoopla e-book
collection replaces CloudLibrary
On Aug. 18, our library consortium adopted Hoopla, an e-book and e-audiobook platform that replaces CloudLibrary. Our entire CloudLibrary collection has migrated to this new Hoopla platform, so if you were on a waitlist for a book in CloudLibrary, try a search for it in Hoopla.
To get started, download the Hoopla app and register as a Ruby Sisson patron with your library card number.
If you are already a Hoopla user with another library, you can add the Ruby Sisson collection by choosing “settings” on the bottom app menu, then “Library Settings.”
If you need a little extra help, stop by and we’ll work with you. For extended help, our Tech Time drop-ins are every Thursday from 2 to 4 p.m.
Colorado Parks Passes for checkout
Fall is here. Have you visited a Colorado state park this year? Colorado state parks require a paid pass to enter, but you can borrow one from the library for a few days at no cost to you.
Passes come with a backpack filled with nature guides, binoculars and fun activities. Reserve yours today.
Note: Colorado State Park passes are not valid for Chimney Rock National Monument.
Activities calendars
Pick up monthly calendars at the library or check the website, www.pagosalibrary.org/events-calendar, so you don’t miss any of the free programs, events and activities available to you and your family.
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.
New books collections brimming with
interesting titles
For a full list of new titles and to reserve your copy, go to www.pagosalibrary.org and choose “Search the Catalog” at the top of the screen.
Don’t forget, if there is a waiting list for the book, it may be available now as an e-book or e-audiobook on Hoopla or Libby.
Need help? Just ask. We love talking about books.
New in large print
• “Dreamland,” by Olivia Blake, is a hauntingly seductive Gothic mystery where the glitz of Los Angeles collides with the dark shadows of the Hollywood elite.
• “They Say a Girl Died Here,” by Sarah Pinborough, is described as a thrilling, genre-bending mystery about two murdered girls, a town with dark secrets and a race to break a deadly cycle.
• “The Chase” is by Felix Francis. Forty-nine-year-old Fabian Tulley is only trying to run his own art gallery in London’s Mayfair in peace. But someone seems determined to ruin his life by accusing him of forgery.
New fiction
• “The Amateur” is by Chris Bohjalian. When a young woman, a golf prodigy, kills a caddy with a stray ball at the country club, the investigation of this freak accident reveals a dark and shocking tale of secret affairs, predatory men and a teenager on trial.
• “Gilded Mountain,” by Kate Manning, weaves local Colorado mining history into a coming-of-age story.
• “Birthing Tree,” by Amanda Peters, bestselling author of “The Berry Pickers,” follows a woman who must confront her family’s buried truths and memories of passionate young love when her grandmother’s death leaves her as the only guide to her native community’s future.
New writing guides from the masters
• “Story Telling: A Writing Life” is by Isabel Allende. In this deeply personal and insightful book, Allende delves into her creative process, reflecting on nearly half a century of writing that has captivated millions of readers worldwide.
• “Plot Twist: Life, Craft, and the Messy First Draft: A Memoir on Writing,” by Harlan Coben, offers a look behind the curtain at his own writing process in an inspiring, candid memoir filled with indispensable insights and techniques.
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