Did you know that Ruby M. Sisson Memorial Library cardholders use e-books more often than any other library in our 160-member library system?
That’s right. During the month of August, you downloaded 571 e-books and 711 e-audiobooks from CloudLibrary. That tells us a lot about your busy lifestyles, your frequent traveling and, for some of you, your eyesight challenges.
E-books are incredibly convenient when a physical book just won’t do, and allow you to take great stories wherever you go. You can increase the font size, mark passages and flip through chapters with ease. Even more popular than e-books are e-audiobooks. Listen in the car, during those boring chores or when you’re taking your morning walk. After all, what’s better than someone reading you a story?
When a recent grant from the state library earmarked for collections came to our attention, we knew just what to do — provide you with the most popular e-book platform in America. On Oct. 1, our new membership in the Across Colorado Digital Consortium (ACDC) was official, offering up 19,000 e-books on the Libby app or on your internet browser at https://coloradodc.overdrive.com.
So, now you have two choices —CloudLibrary and Overdrive. If you’re one of the many Ruby cardholders already using CloudLibrary, don’t worry. CloudLibrary isn’t going away. Using both broadens the list of books you have to choose from. Many of the books will be the same, but Overdrive has three times the number of titles that CloudLibrary has, so that’s good for you. And what may have a long hold list in CloudLibrary just might be more readily available in Overdrive.
New York Times Sunday edition now available in print
Come spread out with the New York Times (NYT) Sunday edition, then indulge in the NYT Magazine and shop your next great read via the NYT Book Review. Weekly editions arrive on Wednesday afternoons through the U.S. mail. Need more time? Check out last week’s paper and enjoy it at home.
Don’t forget, your library card gives you access to the daily edition of the New York Times through our digital library.
Construction update
Our building addition is coming along right on schedule. This week’s rain might set us back a little, but we remain on track to open our beautiful new library this summer.
Next week you’ll see the steel frame begin to rise, and soon we will have a shell of our new addition and the whole project will begin to come to life right before our eyes.
Remember, we are open regular hours throughout the construction. Park in the parking lot to the west of us and follow the path through the garden. We hope to see you soon.
Activity locations
Now that we have much less space for our operations and no meeting rooms during construction, several of our regular activities and special events are happening 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.
Activities calendars
Pick up monthly calendars at the library so you don’t miss any of the free programs, events and activities available to you and your family.
Online author talks
Our free online author talks with New York Times bestselling authors continue in October with three talks for you to watch live on Zoom or via a recording. For details and to register, go to https://libraryc.org/pagosalibrary/upcoming.
Oct. 22 at 5 p.m. will feature Malala Yousafzai, the youngest-ever Nobel Peace Prize winner, who is also an educational activist, bestselling author and film producer from Pakistan.
On Oct. 29 at noon, we’ll interact with Philippa Gregory, historical fiction author, on “Courtly Intrigue and Whispers as Weapons.”
Conversational Spanish
The Conversational Spanish group will meet Monday, Oct. 20, 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.
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.
Elementary school tutoring
Free after-school tutoring for kids in first through third grade takes place on Wednesdays from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. Registration is required because of limited space, so call your library now at (970) 264-2209 to enroll your child.
This invaluable tutoring involves one-on-one and small-group help for math, literacy, writing and spelling.
Note that because of construction at the library these sessions will take place at the elementary school.
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 classes
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.
New to collection
Readers are invited to place a hold on any of these new titles in advance of their availability. A full list of new titles as well as reading recommendations can be found under the Quick Links section of our website, www.pagosalibrary.org.
New in large print
“Reacher: the Stories Behind the Stories” by Lee Child, “The Surrogate Mother” by Frieda McFadden, “Smuggler’s Cove” by Fern Michaels, “The Break-In” by Katherine Faulkner, “Forget Me Not” by Stacy Willingham, “Halloween Night Murder” by Leslie Meier, “Smoke on the Water” by Loren Estleman and “Framed in Death” by Nora Roberts.
New nonfiction
“The Gift of Not Belonging: How Outsiders Thrive in a World of Joiners” by Rami Kaminski, M.D., “Tai Chi Essentials: Your Guide to Weight Loss and Holistic Health,” “Greenhouses: Their Construction and Equipment” by William Joseph Wright, “The Big One: How We Must Prepare for Future Deadly Pandemics,” “The Blue Zones Kitchen One Pot Meals,” “Confronting Evil” by Bill O’Reilly, “Insect Anatomy: The Curious World of Bees, Beetles, Butterflies, and Bugs” by Julia Rothman, “Mother Mary Comes to Me” by Arundhati Roy, and “Putin vs. Zelensky: Why it’s Happening and How it All Got Started” by Ben Thompson.
Other novels
“Hemlock and Silver” by T. Kingfisher, “The Deal” by Elle Kennedy, “This Viscous Hunger” by Francesca May, “This Here is Love” by Princess Joy Perry, “Stillwater” by Tanya Scott and “While the Getting is Good” by Matt Riordan.
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 pagosalibrary.org.
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