 As published in the Red Rock News
After nearly 12 years of service as the manager of the Village Library, Cheryl Yeatts is moving on, and we ask you to join us in thanking her for her dedication and hard work and wishing her well in her new endeavors. Cheryl joined the staff at Sedona Public Library in August of 2010 when the Village Library was a mere service center on Cortez Drive in the Village of Oak Creek. She had previously worked as the librarian at West Sedona School. Cheryl said, “After the school librarian position was cut due to budget constraints, a friend contacted me about the position at Sedona Public Library, and I convinced former Library Director Ginny Volkman to hire me!” For Cheryl, working at Sedona Public Library was her “dream job.” She credits this to all the people who support the Library and the many people she has met who love the Library as much as she does. She is very excited about the recent expansion of the Village Library. “Residents in the Village appreciate and deserve a top-notch library.” In fact, one of Cheryl’s all time best memories of her tenure was the Grand Opening of the new expanded branch at Big Park Community School last November. “I was moved by the turnout! The entire community helped make the dream of a branch library in the Village become a reality.” She beams as she says, “The Library now has its perfect home.” Cheryl had been at the helm during four moves for the small service center to different locations in the Village. She laughs remembering when the service center was newly in The Collective (formerly Tequa) and patrons were not yet familiar with the layout. In fact, the newly located book drop suffered a bit and was hit several times. “We had to finally replace it,” Cheryl explained. “Someone tried to repair it with layers of duct tape!” She fondly remembers that it was Friends of the Sedona Library and the Sedona 30 that funded the purchase of a new book drop. Much of Cheryl’s tenure, with all its poignant and funny moments, was with Ginny Volkman, former Library Director. Ginny offers this tribute. “The Village of Oak Creek residents have been truly blessed to have Cheryl as the manager of their Library. During her tenure she has created a warm and friendly atmosphere at each of the Library's locations and brought innovative programs to the community in her own special way. It was a pleasure to observe Cheryl as she went above and beyond to give excellent customer service and as she cultivated her relationships with patrons and volunteers. The Village Library is a dynamic, responsive, and welcoming community hub for all thanks to Cheryl's enthusiastic, farsighted, and graceful leadership. It was my privilege to work closely with Cheryl for ten years and share many exciting, interesting, and enjoyable moments with her!” As career shifts often are, this is a bittersweet move for Cheryl. She is grateful for many wonderful years working at the Village Library and says Sedona Public Library will always hold a special place in her heart. But she is also excited about her next adventure. Cheryl and her husband Gary are moving to Peoria, AZ. “It was a difficult decision to leave Sedona, but we realized we need to be closer to the city,” Chery explained. “I am considering retirement, but I am not sure I am ready to retire. For the time being, I will spend quality time with my husband and cats, unpack a million boxes, and participate in some of the activities our new community offers. Judy Poe, Library Director, says that finding someone to replace Cheryl will be no easy task. “We’ll need someone with lots of enthusiasm and a knack for building resilient community relationships.” Judy, and all the Library staff and board, wish Cheryl all the best. Please stop by the Village Library next week and wish Cheryl well. She’d love to see you. Sedona Public Library Column for March 25, 2022 Written by Anne Marie Mackler, Development Director As published in the Red Rock News
Hello to all Red Rock News readers! My name is Jami Rangel, and I am the new Bilingual Outreach Specialist at Sedona Public Library. I am delighted to have made my home in the Verde Valley and thrilled to be working in beautiful Sedona. I am especially excited to share the news that the Library will again offer a weekly Spanish Conversation Group and a Beginner ESL Class. ¡Bienvenidos a todos! But first, a bit more about me. My husband and I moved back to Arizona in January 2019 from Athens, Georgia, where I had worked for two years at the Athens-Clarke County Regional Library as a Bilingual Passport Acceptance Agent. I really loved working there and was pleased to learn that Sedona Public Library was looking for someone for bilingual outreach! I am happy to share my experience in teaching both English and Spanish to the local community. After I had earned my Master of Arts degree in Spanish Language and Culture at ASU, my husband took early retirement, and we decided to move to Granada, Spain. I earned my TEFL Certification (Teaching English as a Foreign Language) in the Albayzin of Granada, and I was hired as a Teacher/Trainer there as well. I mentored people from all over the world who came to learn how to teach English as a foreign language. What an amazing adventure that was! I enjoy learning about cultures and the diversity of populations. At the Centre we had a diverse group of adult students: retired university professors; Japanese students studying abroad; young professionals who wanted to advance their careers; and some students with plans to visit the United States one day. I admired them all. It was during my intense training that I realized just how difficult it is to learn English as an adult, and how much I love teaching! Now, back to our exciting Library news! I am happy to share that the Spanish Conversation Group has started again. We will meet every Thursday at 2 p.m. in the Quiet Study at Sedona Public Library through the end of June. Our first meeting, on March 10, was a fun meet-and-greet for everyone and a good time to practice Spanish language skills. If you’re interested in joining this group, let me know as space is limited. Email me at jrangel@sedonalibrary.org. I am also excited to announce our beginner’s ESL (English as a Second Language) class for adults is now scheduled for Mondays,10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., through the end of May. If you know of anyone interested in learning English, please share this information and my contact at jrangel@sedonalibrary.org. This is for adults only as we do not have childcare available at the Library. También estoy emocionada de compartir nuestros planes para una clase de ESL (inglés como segundo idioma) para principiantes programada para los lunes de 10:30 a.m. a 12:30 p.m. hasta finales de mayo. Esta clase es solo para adultos, ya que no hay guardería disponible en la Biblioteca. Si conoce a alguien interesado en aprender el inglés, por favor comparta esta información y mi correo electrónico de contacto: jrangel@sedonalibrary.org Sedona Public Library is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. Your gifts supplement the funding and support we receive from the City of Sedona, Coconino and Yavapai County property taxes, and Friends of the Sedona Library. Visit www.sedonalibrary.org/donate to make an online gift. Thank you! Sedona Public Library Column for March 18, 2022 Written by Jami Rangel, Bilingual Outreach Specialist As published in the Red Rock News
Good day, Red Rock News readers! A library is nothing without its patrons but more importantly without its programs. This week was just another normal, busy, week at the Library. While many local groups and individuals use our Library meeting rooms to hold their meetings, trainings, or to simply study, our calendar is also always busy with Library programs. For instance, a Library Program that we sponsored this past Monday was with Sedona Great Decisions, the local chapter of the Foreign Policy Association in New York City, and the flagship educational forum of the World Affairs Council, held its bi-monthly meeting in the Community Room discussing current world topics. Later that afternoon, Verde Valley Search and Rescue (VV SAR) held a Hiker Safety program in the Community Room. As the weather begins to warm up, and residents and visitors venture more often onto Sedona’s many beautiful trails, the Hiker Safety program advised the audience as to what to bring on their hike and how to always be prepared. That evening, patrons and fans of cinema joined us for Monday Movie Nights in the Community Room. The return of this popular program has been well-received. On Tuesday, we hosted Fuerza Local by the Library fireplace. Fuerza Local, in conjunction with Local First Arizona is a business accelerator program geared toward Hispanic-owned and run businesses. A partnership between the City of Sedona’s Economic Development Department and the City of Cottonwood has led to this, the state’s first rural Fuerza Local program. Wednesday was busy, beginning with families who joined Miss Marcia for Story TIme at Sunset Park. In the afternoon, as part of the lead up to the Verde Valley Comic Expo on March 26 at the Cottonwood Recreation Center, Sedona Karate Academy presented a special demonstration for children and families in the Community Room. Later that day, our teen volunteer held their bi-monthly Dungeons and Dragons club in the Quiet Study. A busy Thursday at the Library began with AARP Tax Preparation Assistance in the Community Room. This free service is available by appointment at our Sedona and Village Libraries through April 14. Youth Services’ Music Fest program kicked off with Drumming with Harta on Thursday morning. And, for the next three Thursdays in March, families can come to our Youth Services area for a special interactive musical program with local area musicians. Finally, in the afternoon, our Spanish Language Conversational Group met in our Quiet Study, and Youth Chess Club was held in the Community Room. This week will finish up tomorrow with aspiring cartoonists and fans of drawing welcomed to join me for the Library’s monthly Cartooning Class in the Quiet Study. As you can see, our Library programs are an integral part of who we are. To learn more about what’s going on at the Library why not subscribe to our main newsletter or our new Youth Services newsletter? Visit sedonalibrary.org and click on our events tab to see all the programs the Library has to offer. We look forward to seeing you. We’re not just books, we’re about community. Sedona Public Library is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. Your gifts supplement the funding and support we receive from the City of Sedona, Coconino and Yavapai County property taxes, and Friends of the Sedona Library. Visit sedonalibrary.org/donate to make an online gift. Thank you! Sedona Public Library Column for March 11, 2022 Written by Jan Marc Quisumbing, Program & Marketing Coordinator As published in the Red Rock News
Sedona Public Library is once again seeking new members for our Board of Trustees. As we look to an exciting and promising future, the Board of Trustees seeks to bring new energy, voices, and experience to the table. Do you have what it takes to join a board that has big plans to propel our 64-year-old library into the future? Libraries across the country are being revitalized and making themselves new again—they are becoming vibrant community spaces for learning, engagement, entertainment, and connection. Our Board of Trustees is committed to doing just that, and they’re looking for forward thinkers with fresh perspectives and experienced fundraisers who know that progress comes with a price tag. The Library Board is looking for new leaders who are assertive and available community members. We need people who are unafraid of suggesting and implementing change, perceptive enough to determine when it might be time to let go of some time-honored traditions, and full of passion and awareness for all things community. We’re ready to guide this institution toward becoming a modern community library—would you like to join us? Dedication to the larger Sedona community, an understanding of the challenges and benefits of advocating and fundraising for a vital nonprofit organization, and possibility thinking all make for a tremendous candidate. Sedona Public Library is not just any nonprofit 501(c)(3)—we are easily the most impactful nonprofit organization to residents of Sedona and the Village of Oak Creek because we reach so broadly across the community to all ages, lifestyles, education levels, and interests. Just a few months ago we released Check It Out Fall 2021: The Next Chapter, to showcase the results of our Community Needs Assessment. (You can find it on our website!) Our findings showed us that our community is ready for Sedona Public Library to be the community connector—connecting people, neighborhoods, organizations, information, and technology. To that end, we are about to break ground on our new multi-use courtyard that will join our main library with the Friends of the Sedona Library Book Store. This space will give locals a beautiful and relaxing space to meet for coffee, attend a program, read a book, or use our Wi-Fi and work outdoors. In November, we opened Sedona Public Library in the Village, a full-service library at the Big Park Community School campus. And we are in the design phase of a long-awaited renovation of the Library’s internal space to provide more private meeting spaces, better lighting, and an overall more welcoming and exciting community-centric atmosphere. With all of this to look forward to, we need a diverse board--a team that represents all the different walks of life in our community, and one that is committed to raising the support necessary to make our plans a reality. If you are someone who knows and loves a library, we invite you to consider this opportunity. We’d like to see candidates with experience implementing big plans and projects, who are familiar with fundraising, financials, and policy. Some of a trustee’s most important jobs include sharing their organization’s goals and plans with their friends, connections, and the greater community, while serving as a steward of their institution’s assets, reputation, and mission. For SPL, it is essential to be a leader and an advocate for the Library’s role in building community. Finally, a candidate must be willing to work hard, listen carefully, and share honestly. Regular attendance at monthly and committee meetings is expected, and with the right team, the work can be a whole lot of fun. We put our heart and soul into our work, and we’re looking for others with a passion for this community to do the same. If you’d like to apply, please read our Community Needs Assessment, and if you’re as excited about our future as we are, please visit sedonalibrary.org, scroll down to the bottom of our home page, and click on “Board Application,” and you’ll find everything you need. We can’t wait to hear from you! Sedona Public Library Column for March 4, 2022 Written by Judy Poe, Library Director, Sedona Public Library |
