Sedona Public Library’s summer reading program for youth starts on June 2! The theme this summer is Libraries Rock!, and we hope you’ll join us as we explore topics from music to minerals.
 
Special events and good books go hand-in-hand as we move on down the road toward a great summer. Eight weeks of engaging and free library events are scheduled for youth, beginning with a family dance kick-off party on Saturday, June 2, at 11 a.m. Here are some other highlights in June:

•  Wednesday, June 6, at 1 p.m.—The Singing Cowboy and his horse Dusty! 
• Wednesday, June 13, at 1 p.m.—Library Rocks with the Gem and Mineral Club!  An interactive event for ages 6 through 12. 
• Saturday, June 16, at 1 p.m.—Cartooning with Janimal! 
• Tuesday, June 19, at 1:30 p.m.—Musician/author Matt Hall leads a workshop for aspiring rockers and writers.  Ages 8 through 14. 
• Saturday, June 23, at 1 p.m.—Prolific author Linda Kranz presents an author talk and rock painting activity for ages 5 and up. 

And the list continues with story time, Paws to Read with dogs and a cat, learning JavaScript with Andrew, building to music, Monday movies, chess club, and more.  A calendar detailing the summer events can be picked up at the Library or viewed online at www.sedonalibrary.org.
 
The key summer activity is, of course, READING!  As children and teens tally their reading and listening minutes with stickers and a game sheet, and/or online, they will receive fun incentives, various local coupons, and free books. The more time spent reading, the better the chance of winning wonderful prizes that have been donated by local business and individuals.
 
Signing up for the summer reading program is easy. Just drop by the Library or click the Summer Reading button on our home page, www.sedonalibrary.org.
 
For ages 10 through 17, registration is open for the Sedona Youth Theatre Workshop, which begins in July. This very popular library program offers a volunteer-for-scholarship component. Thanks to support from the Friends of the Library group, workshop participants can set up a time to volunteer for three hours in the children’s room and have the $85 fee reduced by $25. Nine hours of volunteering brings the cost of the 15-hour workshop down to $10.
 
The Sedona Youth Theatre Workshop includes theatre games, learning and honing improvisational skills, practicing correct vocal and breathing techniques, understanding disciplines of stage performance, and building team skills and personal confidence.  Sedona Youth Theatre is the creation of Dev Ross and Shondra Jepperson, two extremely talented and hard-working professionals. Register soon, as space is limited, and all volunteer hours need to be completed by June 30. Call 928-282-7714, ext. 119, or visit the youth services desk for more information.
 
Please note that children 9 years of age and under must have a parent or responsible caregiver accessible at all times while using the Library. The Library’s youth safety guidelines are available in English and Spanish at the circulation desk and in the children’s room.
 
Sedona Public Library is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, partially supported by the City of Sedona and Yavapai and Coconino Counties. We also require donations and grants to fund our operations. Your tax-deductible donation may be sent to: Sedona Public Library, 3250 White Bear Road, Sedona, AZ 86336.

​Sedona Public Library
Column for May 25, 2018
Written by Karen Mack, Youth Services Librarian

I can still remember my first encounter with rock and roll music. I was about 12 years old, and I had gone to the Orpheum Theater to see the new film “Rock Around the Clock.” The beat and the gyrations of the musicians totally captivated me—and perhaps there was a smidge of adolescent rebellion involved.
 
Flash forward more than six decades. I now work as a reference librarian at Sedona Public Library.   Imagine my delight upon learning that the theme for our 2018 summer reading program for adults is “Libraries Rock.”  I’m excited by the range of programs we’ll be offering all summer long related to this theme, which we have expanded to include many different types of music.
 
The general format of this year’s program will be similar to last year’s, with participants logging their reading hours to become eligible for weekly prizes donated by local merchants. These prizes include gift certificates for restaurants, stores, services, and entertainment venues. There will also be a grand prize awarded at the end of the program.
 
Last year’s participants asked us to organize more events in conjunction with the adult summer reading program; we listened and are excited to follow up on your suggestion. Our kick-off event will be held on Friday, June 1, featuring library patron and professional musician Jim Sheridan performing his own compositions.  If you have concert T-shirts, please wear them, and bring your rock ‘n’ roll memorabilia for a show-and-tell session.
 
At the kick-off event, staff members will showcase their talents, including a teaser to entice you to a screening of the popular musical film “Mamma Mia!” on July 11.  (As “Mamma Mia!” fans may know, the sequel, “Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again,” will appear in movie theaters later this summer.)
 
A special way to celebrate music is by attending free public concerts sponsored by the City of Sedona’s Parks and Recreation Department. Reading program participants will gather to listen to live music in the beautiful outdoor setting of Posse Grounds Pavilion on June 8 and June 22.
 
There will be two book discussions: the featured titles are the Bruce Springsteen biography “Born to Run” and Sheila Weller’s “Girls Like Us:  Carole King, Joni Mitchell, Carly Simon—And the Journey of a Generation.”  Our grand finale, an ice cream social, is scheduled for Friday, July 27.
 
Registration begins on May 21; you can sign up at the main library in West Sedona on White Bear Road, Sedona Public Library in the Village in Bell Rock Plaza, or online. Last year more than 100 adult library patrons participated, and we hope to top that number in 2018.  Let’s rock on!
 
Sedona Public Library is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. We are grateful for the support of the City of Sedona, Yavapai and Coconino Counties, businesses and foundations, and individuals like you. Your tax-deductible donation may be sent to: Sedona Public Library, 3250 White Bear Road, Sedona, Arizona 86336.

​Sedona Public Library
Column for May 18, 2018
Written by Kay Bork, Reference Librarian

What better way to begin Sedona Public Library’s 60th anniversary year, and to bring a finale to national poetry month, than with a poem by Sedona’s very own Mary Heyborne.
 
Heyborne wrote “On the Dedication of Sedona Library” in 1994 in response to the dedication of the Library on White Bear Road. How perfect to have this poet read her poem at the recent kickoff event when we not only celebrated 60 years of Library service, but announced the renovation of the same 24-year-old facility and asked for community input.
 
Twenty-four years can be pretty rough on a structure, no matter how big and strong it may be. Imagine a building that has nearly 200,000 visits each year. Millions of strolls make for a lot of wear and tear. But just as Heyborne’s poem tells us, the Library is so much more than its parts.
 
“Two solid arms of stone reached out
and drew us near the door
of something more than columns
and roof, and walls, and floor.”
 
And while we are bigger than the stone and rafters that give the building its breadth and beauty, bigger than the broad collection we offer in our stacks and online, we are not bigger than the obligation to sustain, as Heyborne called it, “Sedona’s jewel.”
 
She says of the building’s dedication: “we came—from young to very old—with promises to keep.”
 
Now, in an effort to be true to the promise that Sedona will have a public library which welcomes everyone, enriches lives, and engages all, we have our work cut out for us. We will continue to be the “dream come true” Heyborne refers to in her poem, always making our patrons’ comfort, safety, and access the priority. With 60 strong years under our belt, we’re heading into the next six decades with confidence.
 
Heyborne’s poem reflects on how the Library not only brought people together for an important event, but that it served as a catalyst for “community” to reach beyond its differences in the early stages of becoming a city.
 
“These rites, expressing future hopes
born of a common past,
saw separateness exalted to
community at last.”

Today, a library’s role to bring people together continues to evolve and expand. Every year at Sedona Public Library, hundreds of gatherings and meetings take place in the spaces we provide. Whether it is to write, discuss, sing, learn, taste, create, listen, or meet, individuals and groups use our rooms. We need to be sure those rooms are state of the art.
 
In order to accomplish an upgrade, improve the current building, and bolster its sustainability, we are keeping the community in mind and requesting your input. Please stop by the main library on White Bear Road, where you will find a conceptual floor plan and pencils and paper to share your ideas. Nothing will be set in stone until we hear from you, so let your voice be heard.
 
Patrons, volunteers, board, and staff have worked hard for years to reach this point and solidify a plan for a few necessary upgrades. Here are some of the ideas under consideration.
 
Additional small meeting spaces are needed to accommodate group and individual use. Our teen area needs some TLC, as does our courtyard. Sturdy and comfortable seating is long overdue, especially where people sit for a while as they do in the community room and at the computers. Our HVAC, carpeting, windows, and plumbing are all ready for an upgrade. Many libraries today, especially in a destination city like Sedona, have a welcome/information station. And, of course, we need up-to-date technology and other accommodations for today’s modern library user.
 
April’s 60th anniversary celebration brought people together to honor the Library and the story it tells. “The story of the Library . . . is the story of all who dreamed and planned and worked and supported the prodigious effort to bring about the reality that is finally here.” (From the “Book of Honor: Donors to the Library Building Fund,” which lists 2,287 donors who joined together to support their dream.)
 
Heyborne referred to the Library as “hallowed space” in her poem. At the April event, Mayor Sandy Moriarty noted that “the Library is a place where you can access peace.” When gathering many voices and perspectives, it always comes back to this: Sedona Public Library is a revered space, well-used and well-loved, and with your help, we will keep it that way forever.

Please share your input: it’s your library, and your voice counts. Come on by, take a tour, pick up our new giving brochure, and review the building’s conceptual plan. 

​Sedona Public Library
Column for May 11, 2018
Written by Anne Marie Mackler, Development Director 

Sedona Public Library’s second community read program is bringing people together to talk about a book they’ve read and to learn more about the Hopi culture and the history of this area.
 
“Read Around Sedona” kicked off in April and has inspired hundreds of community members to read the same book as their neighbors, friends, colleagues, and families, and join Library discussions and events. The Library has more activities lined up for May, based on our selected title “Cha’risa’s Gift,” written by local author Ilana Maletz.
 
The main character of the book is a Hopi medicine woman named Cha’risa. When she learns that her son is questioning his traditional beliefs and culture after forced attendance at an Indian boarding school, Cha’risa begins a journey to help him, not realizing how profoundly this decision will change her own life.

Set against a backdrop of towering red rocks, snowcapped peaks, and sacred canyons, “Cha’risa’s Gift” has a strong connection to Arizona’s landscapes and history and to the diverse culture of the Southwest. The story spans not only three generations of an Arizona family but much of the territory that makes up Northern Arizona. Sedona, Flagstaff, the Grand Canyon, and the Hopi mesas all feature prominently in Cha’risa’s story.
 
Please note:  Read Around Sedona will take place at various locations.

​“Vintage Arizona: The Growth, Death, and Rebirth of a Local Wine Industry” on May 5, 1:30 to 3 p.m., Church of the Nazarene in the Village of Oak Creek, presented by Erik Berg. The history of winemaking in Arizona dates back some 200 years. However, the modern winemaking boom did not begin until the 1980s. Now, there are over 50 wineries across the state, with more starting every year. This presentation traces the story of Arizona winemaking, covering topics such as pioneering efforts using wild grapes, Mesa’s forgotten 19th century wine industry, the illegal raisin wineries of the Great Depression, and the unlikely band of aspiring winemakers that led the modern rebirth of Arizona wine.
 
“How I Wrote My Book” Writing Workshop on May 12, 2 to 3:30 p.m., community room at Sedona Public Library. Author Ilana Maletz will discuss her writing process and research methods. Librarian Cheryl Yeatts will provide an overview of research tools available at the Library. Ilana’s book will be for sale following the workshop.  Cost of book is $11, cash or checks only.
 
Tour of Special Collections and Archives on May 16, 10:30 a.m. to noon, NAU’s Cline Library in Flagstaff. Learn about the treasures found in Cline Library’s special collections and archives, including letters, diaries, vintage photographs, and maps.  Preregistration is required for this free tour. Register online through the Library’s events calendar or call the Library. Transportation to Flagstaff will not be provided.
 
 As part of our community reading project, the Library will be collecting donations of new personal hygiene items for the Hopi Outreach Program. Please leave your donations at the main library or the Village library.
 
For more information, please contact Sophia Zarifis-Russell, 928-282-7714, ext. 114, or Cheryl Yeatts, 928-284-1603. Thank you for participating in Read Around Sedona. 
 
All Read Around Sedona programs are free and open to the public. This Arizona Community Reads project is supported by the Arizona State Library, Archives & Public Records, a division of the Secretary of State, with federal funds from the Institute of Museum and Library Services.

Sedona Public Library
Column for May 4, 2018
Written by Cheryl L. Yeatts, Manager of Sedona Public Library in the Village