 Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor We invite you to join Sedona Public Library in celebrating National Hispanic Heritage Month. The celebration was created to recognize the contributions that Hispanic Americans have made to American society and culture.
"Each year, Americans observe National Hispanic Heritage Month from September 15 to October 15, by celebrating the histories, cultures and contributions of American citizens whose ancestors came from Spain, Mexico, the Caribbean and Central and South America," according to the official government website. The observance was born in 1968, when Congress authorized President Lyndon B. Johnson to issue an annual proclamation designating Hispanic Heritage Week. Just two decades later, lawmakers expanded it to a month-long celebration. September 15 is a historically significant day that marks the anniversary of independence from Spain of five Latin American countries: Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua. The designated period also recognizes Mexico and Chile, which celebrate their independence on September 16 and 18, respectively. According to Pew Research Center, the U.S. Hispanic population reached 60.6 million in 2019, up from 50.7 million in 2010. This makes Hispanics the nation’s second-fastest-growing racial or ethnic group after Asian Americans. Hispanics made up 18% of the U.S. population in 2019, up from 16% in 2010 and just 5% in 1970. Today, more than ever, Hispanic Americans play an integral role in shaping the American experience. They serve as leaders in government, law, business, science, sports, the arts and various other professions. Because of the current discussion of Supreme Court justices, it seems appropriate to recognize Sonia Sotomayor during this month. Nominated by President Barack Obama on May 26, 2009, Sonia Sotomayor became the first Hispanic Supreme Court justice in U.S. history. As noted in an Obama White House press release, “Judge Sonia Sotomayor has lived the American dream. Born to a Puerto Rican family, she grew up in a public housing project in the South Bronx. Her parents moved to New York during World War II – her mother served in the Women’s Auxiliary Corps during the war. Her father, a factory worker with a third-grade education, died when Sotomayor was nine years old. Her mother, a nurse, then raised Sotomayor and her younger brother, Juan, now a physician in Syracuse. After her father’s death, Sotomayor turned to books for solace, and it was her newfound love of Nancy Drew that inspired a love of reading and learning, a path that ultimately led her to the law. Most importantly, at an early age, her mother instilled in Sotomayor and her brother a belief in the power of education. Driven by an indefatigable work ethic, and rising to the challenge of managing a diagnosis of juvenile diabetes, Sotomayor excelled in school.” Learn more about this distinguished graduate of two of America's leading universities, Princeton University and Yale Law School, and her experience in the judicial system. There are dozens of books about her in the Yavapai Library Network, including her memoir, “My Beloved World.” It’s available in English and Spanish, and in many different formats. Sotomayor has also written books for children. “Just Ask!: Be Different, Be Brave, Be You,” celebrates the many differences among children. In this warm and inclusive story, inspired by her own childhood diagnosis of diabetes, readers join along as differently abled kids use their strengths to work together and learn about each other. In “Turning Pages: My Life Story,” Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor tells her story for young readers. She shares how books helped her cope with challenges, learn about the world, and dream of a future for herself in which anything was possible. During Hispanic Heritage Month, explore the themed collections of films on Kanopy and ebooks and audiobooks on OverDrive, available for free with your library card. And be sure to check online for the many virtual events and suggestions for activities that celebrate Hispanic heritage. Sedona Public Library Column for September 25, 2020 Written by Virginia Volkman, Library Director  September is Library Card Sign-up Month, a time when Sedona Public Library joins with the American Library Association and public libraries nationwide to encourage everyone to access the free services available at their local library.
Your Sedona library card is probably one of the most valuable cards in your wallet. As a Sedona Public Library cardholder, not only can you access services here in Sedona and the Village of Oak Creek, you also have access to 47 other libraries in the Yavapai Library Network. That means over one million items are easily accessible to you via your computer, tablet, or smartphone. Just search for an item in the catalog on our website, put the item on hold, and have it delivered to your nearest library for pickup. Don’t read print books anymore? Your library card gives you access to thousands of free e-books, audio books, and online magazines that you can download from the comfort of your own home. Are you a movie buff? The Library is excited to offer Kanopy, a free streaming video service, to all Sedona Library patrons. With a selection of over 30,000 on-demand videos, the Kanopy collection includes new releases, independent and international cinema, classic movies, documentaries, educational films, and more. Categories keep changing, so check back often. Currently there are 45 films available in the Social and Systemic Injustice group. Library cardholders can access Kanopy on their home computers or with the Kanopy app on mobile devices. To get started using Kanopy, visit sedonalibrary.kanopy.com, enter your name and email, and create a password. You can stream up to four movies per month and enjoy unlimited plays on Kanopy Kids and The Great Courses. From time to time, you’ll see a “Credit-Free” shelf on the Kanopy homepage. You will be able to view the videos on this shelf without using any of your play credits. If you’re not ready for streaming, check out our extensive collection of DVDs. Choose from popular TV series, foreign films, nonfiction programming, and blockbusters. Now that we’re open for in-building services from 12 noon to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, we’re delighted to see more and more residents coming in to apply for cards. Sometimes it’s a family’s first stop as they explore their new hometown! Lost your card? During September we are waiving the $5 replacement card fee. So stop in and get yourself a new card, completely free of charge. For hours and directions, call 928-282-7714 or visit our website at www.sedonalibrary.org. Call 928-284-1603 for Sedona Public Library in the Village, located in Bell Rock Plaza in the Village of Oak Creek. Sedona Public Library is a 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation. The land on which our beautiful library sits was donated, and the library building was constructed with private funds and is entirely debt-free. Donations and grants allow us to continue to offer free and innovative services to residents and visitors. Your donation may be sent to: Sedona Public Library, 3250 White Bear Road, Sedona, AZ 86336, or you may donate online. Sedona Public Library Column for September 18, 2020 Written by: Virginia Volkman, Library Director  Change in Library Hours: Starting September 14, Monday through Friday, Sedona Public Library in West Sedona will offer curbside holds pick-up from 10 a.m. to 12 noon. The Library will be open for computer use and browsing from 12 noon to 5 p.m. Masks are required and social distancing will be followed.
Starting September 15, Sedona Public Library in the Village will offer holds pick-up at the door and computer use in the building. Hours are Tuesday through Friday, 1 to 5 p.m., and Saturday, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Masks are required and social distancing will be followed. September Is Library Card Sign-up Month: We invite you to apply for a card at the main library in West Sedona or online. If you live in the Sedona area or the Village of Oak Creek, visit the Library’s website (sedonalibrary.org), choose “How Do I…?” from the top menu, and choose “Get a Library Card” in the drop-down menu. Agree to the Yavapai Library Network User Agreement and click the orange “I Accept” button. Then fill out the form. We’ll get back to you with your new library card number and PIN. Your card will give you access to all of our online resources for six months. You’ll need to come in to the Library to update your account and pick up your library card if you want to check out books, DVDs, magazines, audiobooks on CD, and more. Lost your card? During September we are waiving the $5 replacement card fee. So stop in and get yourself a new card, completely free of charge. For more information, call 928-282-7714 or visit our website. Call 928-284-1603 for Sedona Public Library in the Village, located in Bell Rock Plaza in the Village of Oak Creek. Grab and Go Craft: The Youth Services department is offering a hands-on family fun activity. Ask for a Grab and Go Craft kit at the Library in West Sedona during curbside pickup or during browsing hours. A different craft will be available every week in September. Appropriate for children of all ages, best suited for 5–12 year olds. Friends of the Library Book Store: Special half-price sale through September on “ABC” books: animals, biography, and cookbooks. Open Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Mask/face covering is required and social distancing will be followed. Donations of books are accepted during regular hours. Human Library Event: Sedona Public Library is pleased to collaborate with the Sedona International City of Peace, Rotary Clubs of Sedona, and the Arizona Community Foundation for the fourth Sedona Human Library event on Sunday, September 20, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. This is a free, public event—and this year it will be held live on Zoom. We invite you to be a “reader” in three 40-minute time slots. During registration, you will select a combination of three “Human Books.” Go to www.sedonahumanlibrary.org to see more about the event, the Human Books, and how to register. International Day of Peace: On September 21, 2020, Sedona celebrates the International Day of Peace with a first-of-its-kind series of events to “Dissolve the Divide,” presented in person at the Mary D. Fisher Theatre and available via livestream. The first event, starting at 10 a.m., is Dissolve the Divide between Law Enforcement and the Community; the second event, starting at 2 p.m. is Dissolve the Divide Within during a Meditation Monday; and the third event is two showings of the movie, “We are Many,” to Dissolve the Divide in War. For free tickets at the Mary D. Fisher Theatre, go to sedonafilmfestival.com/event/we-are-many/2020-09-21/. For livestreaming, go to the Sedona International City of Peace Facebook page. Sedona Public Library is a 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation. Your tax-deductible donation may be sent to: Sedona Public Library, 3250 White Bear Road, Sedona, AZ 86336, or you may donate online. Sedona Public Library Column for September 11, 2020 Written by: Virginia Volkman, Library Director  We inhabit one of the largest and most complex information landscapes in human history. We’re inundated by information from social media, the Internet, television, print media, etc., so our task in establishing trustworthy news sources and distinguishing news from opinion has become more challenging than ever.
Historically, citizens have relied on journalists to convey the facts. After the news migrated to online sources and social media platforms, the absence of gatekeepers became evident. Given the decentralized nature of the Internet, how can we select trustworthy sources, distinguish news from opinion, and evaluate information? Let’s discuss the skills necessary to be reliably informed and strategies to avoid false or misleading information. When you encounter information, step number one is to slow down and recognize your emotional responses. Emotions can be exploited, and misinformation manipulates our emotions. The next step is to conduct a fact check for yourself. Do a quick google search. Oftentimes, you can disprove something very quickly by looking for corroborating sources. Then, examine the sources in depth. If you need help, use the CRAAP test checklist to evaluate the reliability of the source:
Given that news literacy is a concern across the information landscape, we cannot look to one platform for answers. The information platform is not the problem; it’s what we do with the information that matters. Ultimately, it’s up to us to take responsibility for our own news literacy skills on whatever platform we are using. According to John Silva of the News Literacy Project, to become news literate consumers, we need to embrace critical thinking and substitute cynicism with healthy skepticism. We take the time to fact check what we read and identify our own personal biases. We prioritize sources of reputable journalism over random posts on social media. We use the standards of authoritative, fact-based journalism in deciding what to trust, what to share, and what to act on. We are willing to get information from a wide variety of sources and engage with people of diverse viewpoints. We recognize that being prepared to successfully navigate and play a role in shaping the information environment will put us at an advantage as news literate consumers. Learn to distinguish between news and opinion: our job as news literate consumers is to prioritize news. News informs you about current events through impartial reporting of facts. Opinion pieces attempt to persuade you to support a specific point of view about an issue or subject. To identify opinion, look for terms such as “commentary” or “editorial.” Look for content with persuasive, ironic, or hyperbolic language, in addition to first-person statements that are not in quotes. Similar to earlier innovations in communications like the printing press and the telephone, cyber news brings unintended consequences and new opportunities for discovery and growth. To become a news literate consumer takes time, but you may find being reliably informed and staying clear of false and misleading information is priceless. Sedona Public Library is a nonprofit, 501(c)(3) organization. Please support your library by visiting the Library’s website at sedonalibrary.org/donate to make an online donation, or mail your gift to Sedona Public Library, 3250 White Bear Road, Sedona AZ 86336. Sedona Public Library Column for September 4, 2020 Written by: Andrea Lhotka, Reference Librarian |
