August 2018

I was introduced to libraries around the age of three. Almost every Saturday, my dad would take me to the old Victorian house that served as our community library. We would browse the shelves in the children’s room. He would help me choose picture books; then, we would cuddle up in the bay window to share books. My dad would patiently turn pages as I stumbled over words and often made up my own stories to go with the pictures.
 
I am fortunate to have wonderful memories of father/daughter time spent at our public library, and to this day, I still love books and libraries. In fact, one of my favorite things to do when I travel is visit libraries. I appreciate browsing the shelves, looking at displays, learning about library programs, and networking with other librarians.
 
When I started to write this article, I thought about our residents who spend winters in Sedona and use library services offered by the Yavapai Library Network. Curious about these part-time residents and the other libraries they visit, I reached out to a few of these patrons. Here’s what they shared:
 
Paul and Mara Majane reside in the Village of Oak Creek and Edgartown, Massachusetts. When in Sedona, Paul uses Sedona Public Library in the Village. An avid reader, he probably reads a book a day. For many years Paul and Mara used the Carnegie library, a gift to the town from Andrew Carnegie. This building, constructed in 1904, served as the public library for the town until a new library was completed in 2016.  The Carnegie is now owned by the Vineyard Trust and serves as a maritime museum and visitor center. Paul uses and appreciates the new Edgartown Public Library, but he said he misses the atmosphere of the beloved Carnegie library.
 
Gillian and Philip Robson enjoy spending the winter in Sedona. Gill often rides her bike to the Village library.  Their other home is in Penticton, British Columbia, a town a little bigger than Sedona.  There, she visits the Penticton Library, one of 71 public libraries in B.C.
 
Stefka Regelous and Robert Patterson are international library users.  They are world travelers with homes in the UK, Italy, and Sedona. They support the Chichester Library located in Chichester, West Sussex in the UK. Stefka shared that this great library offers a variety of activities for children, meetings with authors, and information about local history. Stefka also uses the local library in Bulgaria when visiting her parents.

​Do you enjoy visiting libraries when you travel? If so, I’d love to hear about your library adventures next time you visit Sedona Library in the Village.
 
Thank you for supporting library services in the Village of Oak Creek. Did you know that your tax deductible donation may be designated for Sedona Public Library in the Village? Please contact Cheryl Yeatts at 928.284.1603 or email voc@sedonalibrary.org for more information.