It’s time to line up all those books you’ve been meaning to read all year, find some shade and a warm summer breeze, and dig in.
This year we are going all out with “Read Wild!,” a summer reading challenge for all ages that lasts from June 1 to Aug. 30. Collect badges, win prizes and play the bingo sheet to get in the raffle for our grand prizes.
Our community goal is 250,000 minutes read, Pagosa. We know you can do it.
But, that’s not all. When we aren’t reading wild, we’ll be heading into the wild. Here are all the exciting programs we have in store:
• June 5, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.: “Read Wild!” Kickoff at Yamaguchi Park.
• June 10, 9 to 11 a.m.: Chimney Rock National Monument tour.
• July 8, 2 to 4 p.m.: Rocky Mountain Wildlife Park tour.
• July 15, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.: Wilderness workshop with survival expert Jesse Krebs.
• Aug. 5, 8:30 a.m. (full day): Wolfwood Refuge tour.
• Aug. 28, 1 to 3 p.m.: Finale party in the new library.
For more information, including how to sign up, how to win prizes and program logistics, visit www.pagosalibrary.org/summer.
Don’t hesitate: The first 100 people to sign up will receive a free copy of Jack London’s “Call of the Wild.”
Construction update
Our new parking lot is taking shape on the south side. By July 1, we’ll be walking through our new main entrance and parking access will return to the 8th Street entryway as we transition service into the new addition.
At the end of May, we’ll see the landscaping transformation begin. With the new outdoor experience you will notice the children’s garden patio, a picnic area for all, and a reading garden with comfortable seating and event space.
In late August, the two portions will be combined into one big, beautiful building. Our grand opening is tentatively set for Labor Day weekend.
Follow us on Facebook for periodic pictures of progress.
Adopt-a-Tree Program
We have 26 new trees planned for our outdoor community garden, and you could put your name on one of them in exchange for a $500 donation. Individuals, families, clubs, businesses and organizations are welcome to participate.
Interested? Here’s how to get started: Write a check to Ruby Sisson Library or donate online at https://www.pagosalibrary.org. Fill out a donation form telling us what you want your garden stake to say in six words or less. Forms are available on our website or in paper form at the library.
Thanks for helping us create a beautiful new outdoor space in our community.
Citizenship classes
Join our test prep classes for the U.S. citizenship test on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 2 to 4 p.m. at St. Patrick’s Episcopal Church on South Pagosa Boulevard.
Colorado Parks Passes for checkout
The weather is perfect to get outside. 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.
Meet us out in the community
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, 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 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.
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 Archuleta 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.
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 CloudLibrary or Libby.
New in large print
• “The Calamity Club” by Kathryn Stockert, bestselling author of “The Help,” tells the story of three women — orphaned Meg, outspoken Birdie, and desperate Charlie — who form an unlikely bond and create a risky plan to survive the Great Depression.
• “When the Forest Breathes: Renewal and Resilience in the Natural World” from scientist Suzanne Simard explores how forests regenerate through interconnected cycles of life, death and rebirth, arguing for a new, holistic approach to forestry that integrates scientific discovery with Indigenous wisdom to combat climate change.
• “Ghost Town” by Tom Perrotta explores grief, memory and the supernatural as a young, motherless teenager drifts into troubling friendships and turns to a Ouija board to cope.
New nonfiction
• “Unsingle: How to Date Smarter and Create Love That Lasts” by Amy Chan is a self-help book that uses neuroscience and psychology to help readers break unhealthy dating patterns and build lasting relationships.
• “After COVID: The Health Impacts That Will Last for Generations” urges readers to confront the true scope of the pandemic’s legacy — and the vulnerabilities it has revealed in our systems, societies and selves.
• “In Season: 125+ Sweet and Savory Recipes Celebrating Simple, Fresh Ingredients” from chef Lisa Steele focuses on farm-fresh, market-driven produce, creative cocktails and signature egg dishes.
New fiction books
• “Elegy in Blue” by Mark Helprin tells the story of an 82-year-old former Wall Street figure in Brooklyn who reflects on a life of immense love and devastating loss, including the deaths of his wife, father and son, and finds a new purpose in confronting violence to protect others, blending tragedy, love and humor with a deep affection for New York City.
• “The Forgotten Midwife” is by Laura Anthony. Set in the dual timelines of present-day and 1950s Ireland and based on real historical events, it is a powerful, poignant novel of feminism and resilience that follows the life of a young woman consigned to work in a home for “fallen girls” who quickly realizes she must risk everything to protect them.
• “No Way Home” by T.C. Boyle is about a medical resident, Terrence Tully, who is drawn into a dark, noir-style love triangle in a desolate Nevada town after his mother’s death, exploring themes of desire, jealousy and the search for belonging in a harsh landscape.
New DVDs
• “Camera” follows a young boy who cannot speak as he moves to a struggling fishing town with his widowed mom. Bullied by his peers, Oscar finds his artistic voice with the help of an eccentric repairman and a film camera.
• “The Ragin’ 13” follows Walter Imahara, a Japanese American internment survivor who co-founded a Cajun weightlifting dynasty bridging cultures, winning nationally and witnessing the loss of close friend, David Berger, in the 1972 Munich Olympics.
• In “Murder Before Evensong,” empathetic Canon Daniel Clement is pulled into a murder investigation in 1980s England. This movie is based on the novels by the Rev. Richard Coles.
Correction
In the May 15 “Library News” column, “Those Who Walked Before: How Ice Age Footprints in New Mexico Retell the Stories of the First Americans” was listed under new and notable adult fiction, but is nonfiction.
Additionally, co-author David F. Bustos is a biologist turned resource-program manager. Matthew Bennett is a renowned geoscience professor from the UK who assisted in the discovery of the ice age footprints.
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