 As published in the Red Rock News
Good day, Red Rock News readers! It’s been several months since we first announced our plan for a brand-new courtyard, and a lot has happened in the meantime, including breaking ground! Perhaps you’ve seen the construction fence surrounding the site between the Library and the Friends’ Book Store? Peer through the fence and you can see how big this courtyard will be, and just how red the red rocks really are! The construction crew broke ground in late April and they’ve been hard at work, non-stop, under that glorious Arizona sun. The 18,000 square-foot courtyard will have a paved patio offering ample opportunities for outdoor programs for all ages. I already have a file folder filled with library program ideas for the new courtyard! Need a pretty, outdoor place to read, study, or meet a friend and share a brown bag lunch? This Courtyard will provide the perfect location. It will be safe and comfy, with lots of seating, tables, and strong Wi-Fi! There will be sunny spaces and places in both natural and umbrella’d shade. We are happy to note that we saved the large juniper trees we had to move! What a miraculous feat to watch as the trees were boxed, removed, and transported to their new homes in Sedona. This will be a wonderful place for large outdoor gatherings. Groups that have met for years in our indoor meeting rooms can now plan meetings on the patio. The Library will offer programs that include story time, music, lectures, exhibits, and more. What a great location for plein air painting, poetry readings, star gazing, learning a language, or sitting at the firepit and hosting a sing-along! The Library Board, staff, and patrons are excited for the grand opening in early fall. And we want to remind you that there is still time to purchase a courtyard paver. Leave your legacy at the Library by commemorating an anniversary, a birthday, favorite authors, inspiring poets, a pet, or how about your favorite Program and Marketing Coordinator on the new patio? We have three sizes of pavers at introductory prices, so get them now before the prices go up. Choices include 12”x12” with four lines of text, 18 characters per line for $400; 6”x12” with three lines and 18 characters per line for $250; and 6”x6” with two lines of text, 9 characters per line for $100. With a last name like “Quisumbing” I’m definitely choosing the 6”x12” paver. We’ve already sold 150, and we have lots more to sell. Donors have admired authors, spouses, volunteers, and more. One paver begs: “Please don’t step on me.” It’s a great opportunity to make your mark, or make someone laugh, at your favorite library. Please note that characters allowed include spaces and punctuation, and unfortunately no emojis. If you’d like to see what the pavers look like and what the final engraving process will be, we have displays at both library locations along with the order forms. You can drop off checks and forms at the circulation desk care of Anne Marie Mackler, our Development Director, or mail them to 3250 White Bear Road. You can also order and pay for a paver online at sedonalibrary.org. As the dog days of summer will soon be here, I look forward to the new courtyard and all the possibilities it brings to our library and the community we serve. 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 learn more. Thank you! Sedona Public Library Library News for June 17, 2022 Written by: Jan Marc Quisumbing, Program & Marketing Coordinator As published in the Red Rock News
Good day, Red Rock News readers! It’s hot outside. How hot is it you ask? It’s so hot that two Hobbits came into the Library today asking which way was Mordor. The only way to combat the heat that we’re going to experience in Arizona for the next couple of months and while we wait for the monsoons to come is to stay in the air conditioned indoors and curl up with a good book. Library staff has recommendations for just what you need. There may be many ways to spend your summer, but reading a good book is one of the best. Many avid readers have their automatic go-to authors: McMillan, Child, Jance, and some even have a bit of the Bard mixed in for good measure. Your Sedona Public Library staff are no different. I’m on a Grisham, Patterson, Connelly rotation of audiobooks right now. In my car currently is “The Racketeer” by John Grisham. Marcy Young, our Information and Technology Librarian, splits her time between reading professional development books on her breaks at the Library and personal improvement and escapist fiction at home. “The first one is embarrassing, I’m reading ‘Networking for Dummies’ by Doug Lowe, ‘Learning to Say No’ by Carla Wills-Brandon, ‘The Subtle Art of Not Giving a ****’ by Mark Manson, and ‘Nothing to See Here’ by Kevin Wilson. Jami Rangel, our Bilingual Outreach Librarian, just discovered a new audiobook to listen to on her commute to work! “I’m listening to ‘3rd Degree’ by James Patterson. I just discovered his Women's Murder Club series! I like reading about strong, professional women who solve crimes!” Discovering a new author that has writing style that speaks to you can be an exciting thing. But where does one begin? If you’re in the Library, near the Reference Desk, you can peruse our new books section. Just look for the yellow tape at the top of the books. Also near Reference, we have several rotating themed book displays that offer authors and titles you might want to explore. Patty Kelly, one of our new Reference Librarians, is reading a great biography, “Happiness Becomes You” by Tina Turner. “I'm reading it because Tina Turner still rocks, physically and spiritually, at 82 years old, so I know I can learn something from her.” Another great resource when you’re trying to find something new to read or even if you’re finally getting around to reading the classics is our catalog of books online. Just visit sed.catalog.yln.info and click any of the tabs for great book recommendations. I start with the “New and Highlights” tab to see what was just released for the current month, and then I click over to the “Fiction” and “Movies” tabs. Summers in Arizona seem to last forever or at least until the weather cools, and sometimes we still can’t get to all that reading we want to do. But we try. Meghan Gula, our Graphics and Design Library Specialist agrees. “I have had the same book sitting at my bedside table for a while now: ‘The Extended Mind: The Power of Thinking Outside the Brain’ by Annie Murphy Paul. I heard the author on a podcast, and the book sounded interesting. She discussed how cognition is affected by our body movements, surrounding environment, and social relationships, and how walking/hiking, being in nature, and even taking a shower, can lead to a-ha moments of insight.” Jo Figueroa, our new Cataloging Library Specialist, multitasks her reading. “The current audiobook I’m listening to is ‘Assassin's Quest, Book 3’ of ‘The Farseer Trilogy’ by Robin Hobb. The current book I’m reading is ‘The Queen's Bargain, Book 10’ of the ‘Black Jewels’ series by Anne Bishop. I tend to look for fantasy authors that have multiple books in the series, since once I develop the world I am reading into my mind...I like to stay there for a bit. If there's magic or dragons, it's a plus for sure.” And Anne Marie Mackler, our Development Director, is usually reading and listening to a book. “Right now it’s ‘The Love of My Life’ by Rosie Walsh, recommended by Maureen Corrigan who said ‘. . . the narrative is studded with evasively worded passages that lure us readers into dead ends, switchback turns, false sutures between scenes and a startling final climax.’ I was duly lured in just the first few pages, and I immediately cared about the characters, even the dog!” Making time to read a good summer book, or a book to help you grow in your understanding of a particular subject of interest, is a fabulous way to take some time for yourself. No matter how you absorb the material-- whether digitally or analog, know that the staff at Sedona Public Library is always available to help you find your next great read. Sedona Public Library is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. Sedona Public Library News Column for June 17, 2022 Written by Jan Marc Quisumbing, Program & Marketing Coordinator  As published in the Red Rock News
So who is it exactly that inhabits the Library day in and day out? Besides the staff and volunteers who help the hundreds of patrons and visitors who come through the doors to wander the stacks, pick up a book, read a magazine, or view a recent display or exhibit, it’s also a myriad of organizations and groups. So many people come in to use our meeting rooms, and who are they you ask? Let’s take a look. There are literally dozens of organizations, associations, clubs, societies, leagues, schools, and more that regularly hold their meetings, classes, and sessions in our Community Room, Green Room, Quiet Study, Children’s Room, or sometimes at the Fireplace, Silent Waterfall, or the Arizona Room. Some groups hold independent programs, and some partner with us for library programs. Many groups have been meeting at the Library ten years or more. Long timers include the Red Rock Quilters, Sedona Car Club, the Verde Valley Chapter of Arizona Archaeological Society, Sedona Gem & Mineral, the, Sirius Lookers Astronomy Club, and the Veterans History Project which hosts Coffee with a Vet on the second Friday each month. Jolene Pierson, who manages the program, said, “We meet at the Library because the Veterans History Project is a Sedona Public Library program, and because the library is a beautiful and convenient place to meet.” Additionally, it isn’t just community or professional gatherings that bring groups into our rooms. We’ve hosted weddings, magic shows, poetry readings, costume contests, fashion shows, memorial services, cooking classes, graduations, and bar mitzvahs, to name a very few. There has been an array of animals who have made themselves known in our spaces too, including wolves, snakes, dogs, mountain lions, and even horses! Despite the occasional animals, our spaces are guaranteed clean, accessible, convenient, and affordable. We might actually be the best meeting room deal in town. Not only are the rooms reasonably priced, but our Si Birch Community Room has state-of-the-art technology. A group only needs a thumb drive or a laptop, then they can plug into our system, and the work is pretty much done for making presentations viewable and loud enough for all audiences. Linda Krumrie, president of the Archaeological Society, said this of her group meeting at the Library. “It is a great meeting place...it has all the techie equipment necessary for our presentations and talks.” Molly Spangler, Director of Economic Development for the City of Sedona, also appreciates our meeting spaces. “We thought Sedona Public Library was an ideal community place to host the first Fuerza Local cohort, a training program for local Spanish-speaking entrepreneurs. The Library is inviting and welcome to all community members!” Sedona Public Library in the Village (SPLV) also has affordable and accommodating meeting spaces. Our new space in the Village of Oak Creek includes three small meeting rooms. Each are quiet, private spaces that can fit up to four people comfortably. Beginning later this summer, we will have the Javelina Room available for meetings and events at SPLV. This large room is currently under renovation--stay tuned for updates on capacity and amenities. We’re excited to show regular movies and host library programs and welcome clubs and groups to hold their meetings. So, who are the people in our neighborhood? Well there are certainly too many to name, but as this column makes apparent people in Sedona need great meeting spaces, and we provide them! We haven’t even talked about our outdoor spaces! Alas, that will be for another column. We also need to thank the direct supporters of our meeting spaces, indoors and out. Many donors have made these rooms a reality. Thanks to the many donors including the Friends of the Sedona Library, Gordon Reiter, Patricia Reski, the Si Birch family, and so many others. As a final note, here is praise from John Snickers, Division Manager of Arizona Water Company, Verde Valley Division, for the Community Room. He likes the “sizable room” and thinks “the big screen is awesome.” “The Library is a comfortable common place for people to meet. We will continue to use the facility in the future. Jan Marc and the other library staff who manage the library are always very nice and more than accommodating.” Jan Marc Quisumbing, our Program and Marketing Coordinator, feels “fortunate to work with the great group of individuals who care about the community that we live in.” If you’re an organization or business that is in need of a place to meet, consider stopping by the Library and asking for Jan. He says, “I’m happy to give you a tour of our facilities, tell you about what offer, and I’ll even let you take a selfie with me and T-Rex.” If you’d like to support our meeting rooms, programs, events, or anything else you love about the Library, please visit sedonalibrary.org/donate. Thanks! Sedona Public Library Library News for June 10, 2022 Written by: Anne Marie Mackler, Development Director As published in the Red Rock News
Sedona Public Library and Sedona Public Library in the Village are turning the page to begin a new chapter at the Library! Beginning June 7, 2022, our libraries will eliminate all overdue fines on most library materials and waive previous overdue fines. (Fines will remain on computers, hotspots, and Kid’s Kits.) We understand that overdue fines can add up and visiting the library can start to feel like a burden, especially on your wallet. That’s why we are committed to providing equal access to every member of our community by eliminating fines. We are presenting our patrons with a fresh start and hope they will re-discover the Library and all that it has to offer. By ending most overdue fines, the Library is removing barriers and making access easy, equitable, and enjoyable for everyone. Fines can potentially be an obstacle that disproportionately impacts people without the means to pay. Removing these fines (while still requiring that all items be returned) allows more people to enjoy library materials for education, enrichment, and inspiration. That’s why we’re excited to announce that we are saying farewell to (almost all) fines! (Patrons will continue to be charged for lost or damaged items.) We still encourage patrons to return their materials on time so that they are available to others who would like to borrow them. And, if you have overdue library materials that you haven’t returned because of the fines, we encourage you to do so now and begin using your library card again. In 2019 the American Library Association passed a resolution that cited mounting evidence that eliminating fines increases library card sign-ups and library use. Libraries across the country are going fine free and the response has been a high return of materials and high return of library users. The decision to eliminate fines at Sedona Public Library was made by the Library Board of Trustees with staff input. In addition to recognizing that the elimination of library fines will increase accessibility for all library customers, ending overdue fines will also result in more positive customer interactions. It will allow staff to focus on creativity, programs, and exceptional service, as well as freeing up staff time to work on other projects. The current three-week check-out period will remain, but fines will not accrue if items are not returned on time. Of course, there is also the added convenience of two automatic renewals. However, if an item is on hold for another customer, it will not be renewed, and the borrower will be asked to return it. If an item does not come back, customers will still be held financially responsible. In addition, fees will still be assessed for replacement library cards, printing, and lost materials. And, as mentioned, fines will remain on computers, hotspots, and Kid’s Kits. Additionally, to encourage returning library customers who may have lost their library cards, the Library will waive the fee for replacement library cards until October 31, 2022. In going fine free, Sedona Public Libraries join other Yavapai County Libraries as well as across the country which have gone fine free. We are committed to sharing information and resources with everyone in our community. And we have so much to offer. Through our membership in the Yavapai Library Network, Library users have access to over 1.2 million books, DVDs, Blu-rays, magazines, and audiobooks. We have the Kanopy streaming movie service, as well as downloadable eBooks, audiobooks, and digital magazines through Overdrive and the Libby app. We also host unique events and recurring programs every month for children, teens, and adults. There’s so much to enjoy at our libraries! All of us at Sedona Public Library and SPL in the Village sincerely hope that all Library customers will continue to utilize our amazing resources. We invite all returning and new library customers to visit, check out something new, enjoy a display, and attend an event! We welcome back those who haven’t been in for a while, please stop by and see what’s new. We can’t wait to see you and tell you all about it. Sedona Public Library is a 501c3 not-for-profit organization serving Sedona and surrounding communities. Please visit sedonalibrary.org/donate to support your Library. Sedona Public Library News Column for 6/3/22 Written by Judy Poe, Library Director |
