Sedona Public Library’s Happy Holiday program is an annual event that has become a tradition for many families. This year’s program is happening on Saturday, December 8, at 11 a.m. The community room will be decked out, and youth services staff will be ready for good cheer and family fun.  Mr. and Mrs. Santa Claus have been invited, too!
 
This year, the Happy Holiday program will kick off with a sing-along, featuring festive musical fun with the Foldes family!  We’ll bring back some old favorites, and we’ve added some new songs. One song is a tune I promised Santa and Mrs. Claus the last time we performed, and I would never break a promise to Santa! Join in the singing and dancing, or just sit back and watch the merriment—there will not be a Scrooge in the room!
 
After the music, there will be lots to do while waiting for a turn to visit with Santa and Mrs. Claus. Everyone is invited to make a winter craft, play a simple tree toss game, chat, nibble on healthy snacks provided by Natural Grocers, and receive a fancy balloon from an amazing balloon artist.  Books celebrating the season, including one of my favorites, “A Coyote Solstice Tale,” will be on display, ready to check out and take home. 
 
Also in December, our first Wednesday early release from school event will be a Romp a Pom-Pom Crafternoon!  Children can drop by the community room after 1 p.m. on Wednesday, December 5, and learn how to make decorative and useful gifts for friends and family, such as yarn pom poms, pom pom pinecones, and pomanders.  All supplies and instruction and easy access to holiday recipe and craft books will be provided.   (Just a reminder, children under 10 years of age must have a parent or a responsible caregiver available in the Library.)
 
Thanks to the winter break from school, teens can finally do some pleasure reading!  The Library offers a fantastic collection of books and DVDs for teens and young adults, including John Green’s (of “Fault in Our Stars” fame) latest book, “Turtles All the Way Down;” “The Hate U Give,” by Angie Thomas;  and Marissa Meyer’s second book in her new Renegades series. For graphic novel and manga lovers, the Library has a wide book selection as well as Ghibli Studio titles on DVD such as My Neighbor Totoro, Ponyo, and The Wind Rises.
 
If a library item that you want is currently being borrowed by someone, or is owned by a library other than Sedona, you can place a hold on the item by going to sedonalibrary.org.  As soon as your item is available, you will be notified by phone, email, or text and you’ll have 10 days to pick it up and check it out.  Place a hold today to ensure excellent winter break reading!
 
This holiday season enjoy the food, the festivities, the fun, and most importantly your family and friends, and please consider giving to the heart of your community, Sedona Public Library.  Giving is easy at sedonalibrary.org/donate. Thanks, and happy holidays!

​Sedona Public Library
Column for November 30, 2018
Written by Karen Mack, Youth Services Librarian

Happy Black Friday! Chances are, you are relaxing with family and friends, enjoying leftovers after a strenuous hike, or maybe out shopping or putting your holiday list in order. However you spend this weekend, and the beginning of the holiday season, it is a perfect time to consider the many nonprofit organizations that make this community the wonderful place that it is, especially your library.
 
Sedona Public Library, like many nonprofit organizations, asks for your support at this time of year. And the Library will not ask without answering that ever-important question: “What’s the return on investment?” Here at the Library, it’s impressive. We promise.
 
The Library plays a key, and historic, role in this community’s vitality and strength, and we are proud of that role. We are called the heart of the community because everyone is welcome to all that we offer. And we offer a lot. For free.
 
If you need computers and Wi-Fi access, we have them at both facilities. In an effort to stay current, we just got mobile with the new Yavapai Library Network app so you can access your library account from your phone or other mobile device. We never stop improving and growing with you and working to make our services and resources meet your needs.
 
If you need help learning English, or want to refresh your French, we’re the place. If you want to discuss a new book or join a local writers’ salon, if you want to learn Microsoft Word or basic computer skills, if you want to view local quilts, geology, and photos and other artwork, come on by.
 
We have librarians that can lead you where you need to go. To a new trail or an old friend. To a yoga class or a haircut. Whether you’re checking your email, or looking for a job, we can get you to the right websites. Need a recipe, a topo map, or information on that new diet? Starting a challenging research project? We have answers to your questions, and if we don’t have them right away, we will get them as soon as we can.
 
We are here to help you find what you need. The new movie by your favorite director? Done. A book from a faraway library? Done. A quiet hangout just for teens? Done. A sunny corner to read the Wall Street Journal? Done. Storytelling that will inspire your little ones to become readers themselves? In Spanish or English? Done!

Planning a trip? Worried about your cholesterol? Starting a new hobby? Need to print a resume? Concerned about what your kids will do on early-release day? Or maybe you want to relax and work on the latest jigsaw puzzle? It’s all here at Sedona Public Library. We even have photo ops for a fun holiday card: Consider a selfie with T-Rex, the Library’s resident dinosaur!

For 60 years we’ve been offering the community what it needs and expects from its public library. We have a vast array of diverse programs, a robust collection, trained and helpful staff, a beautiful building, and some of the most accommodating and affordable room rentals in the area. When you make a gift to the Library, you invest in the entire community. The return on your investment? Excellent.
 
So this holiday season, enjoy the food, the festivities, the fun, and most importantly your family and friends, and please consider giving to the heart of your community, Sedona Public Library.
 
Your monthly gift will go a long way towards our fundraising goal of $60,000, in honor of our 60th anniversary. A monthly gift not right for you? Consider a one-time gift. Either way, our promise is to put your dollars to good use. You can count on us, we’ve been doing this for 60 years.
 
Giving is easy at sedonalibrary.org/donate. Thanks, and happy holidays!

Sedona Public Library
Column for November 23, 2018
Written by Anne Marie Mackler, Development Director

As Thanksgiving approaches, we have much be thankful for at Sedona Public Library. As a mission-driven, nonprofit organization, we enhance the lives of our residents and visitors by serving as a community and information center.
 
We have something for everyone, with access to over 1 million items through the Yavapai County Library Network, and our collection of over 80,000 books, DVDs, audiobooks, magazines, and newspapers. Many resources are offered in both Spanish and English. We have Wi-Fi access, computers, meeting spaces, and year-round programs for all ages.
 
Founded in 1958, the Library has made a huge impact on Sedona. Annually, we have 200,000 visits to the Library. Residents and visitors come through the doors of the main library and SPL in the Village to create, communicate, and collaborate. People come in to read the news, check out a bestseller, or admire an exhibit, and often see someone they know or make a new friend. Even with all the activity, our beautiful facilities offer quiet spaces for reading, computer work, or research.
 
The Library is a shining example of collaboration, and we have a long history of partnerships with numerous community organizations and businesses. We could not succeed as your public library without your involvement and commitment.
 
Your library was built with locally donated funds. It’s the community’s investment of their own time and money that makes this library the unique institution that it is.  
 
Volunteers work 17,000 hours a year to maintain service at both the main library and SPL in the Village. That’s the equivalent of eight full-time staff members. Many volunteers work a regular schedule, while others drop in as their schedules allow. We are thankful for the time that volunteers give throughout the year.
 
We are very grateful for support from the City of Sedona, the property tax dollars we receive from Yavapai and Coconino Counties and the many individuals who make generous donations to the Library.
 
We also depend on annual support from Friends of the Sedona Library. Thank you to all who support the Library through membership in the Friends group and who shop at the Friends book store, located next door to the Library on White Bear Road. Special thanks to members of the Friends Board: Mary Snyder, President; Anne Smith, Vice President; Ellen White, Secretary; Donna Hawk, Treasurer; Jawn McKinley, Trustee; and Richard Sauck, Trustee.
 
We appreciate the service of our board of trustees:  President, Joel DeTar; Sheila Hoffmeyer, Past President; Patrick McGee, Treasurer; Gwen Ortmeyer, Secretary; and trustees Anthony Caetano, Avrum Cohen, Mary Kay DePoe, Daniel Gallagher, and Peter Wolf.
 
As we celebrate Thanksgiving, we offer our sincere thank you for your support and patronage, and if you haven’t been by for a while, stop in and see what’s new. On behalf of the Sedona Public Library Board of Trustees and staff, we wish you a happy Thanksgiving!
 
Sedona Public Library is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. We are grateful for your gifts. Please support your library at www.sedonalibrary.org.

​Sedona Public Library
Column for November 16, 2018
Written by Virginia Volkman, Library Director

As we rush into another busy holiday season, please remember a day that may too often fall between the cracks: Veterans Day. This important public holiday is held on the anniversary of the end of World War I (November 11) to honor US veterans and victims of all wars. This Sunday (or Monday, when it is officially observed), please remember to thank veterans you know, and their families, for their contribution to our country.
 
Sedona Public Library is proud to be an official partner with the Library of Congress Veterans History Project in Sedona. In fact, you will soon find the Library’s 2018 annual report in your mailboxes where we feature an important giving story based on the Veterans History Project. We highlight Jolene Pierson, a dedicated Library donor and volunteer for our local Veterans History Project.
 
Jolene was inspired to volunteer after the 2004 death of her stepfather, Major Fred Charles Bretcher, Jr., U.S. Army Air Corps, a WWII test pilot. She knew that he had an important and unusual career and had flown the first flight of the Northrop “Flying Wing,” but she wished she knew more about his service.
 
Since 2007, Jolene has managed the Veterans History Project at Sedona Public Library where trained volunteers conduct interviews with veterans who served in conflicts from World War II to the present. “We have heard some remarkable stories of personal sacrifice and endurance; humor and sadness; loneliness and adventure; travel and education; friendships made and careers influenced and enhanced,” Jolene said.
 
Jolene has interviewed nearly 250 veterans at the Library so their families and the public can access their personal stories. In 2013, the monthly Coffee with a Veteran program also began at the Library, another opportunity for the public to learn veterans’ stories. Jolene says, “My personal goal is to interview every single eligible person in Northern Arizona.”
 
Several local veterans who participate in the program appreciate the Library’s partnership. Clint Lisk, U.S. Air Force, Vietnam ’68–‘69, appreciates that the Veterans History Project provides personal stories for future generations. “If we don’t tell our story, in our own words, someone else will, and they will probably get it wrong,” he said.
 
Daniel Aragaki, U.S. Army, Vietnam ’67–‘68, believes Sedona Public Library is a great location for the Veterans History Project. “There are many veterans and civilians from the Verde Valley who took part in the war effort. It’s important to have their stories preserved for future generations.”
 
Jolene explains that for every soldier on the front lines of conflict, there were nine others who supported that soldier, including civilians involved in war efforts such as defense industry workers, flight instructors, medical volunteers, etc. The stories of those who served behind the scenes are also an important part of the record.
 
The trained volunteers interview veterans privately in the Quiet Study, and the recording is transferred to DVDs: one for the participating veteran; one for the Library of Congress; and two are retained at Sedona Public Library. These copies are available at the reference desk and may be viewed on the library’s computer.
 
If you or a veteran you know are interested in participating in the Veterans History Project, or if you would like to volunteer, please contact Jolene Pierson at sedonajcp@hotmail.com. For more information on the national Veterans History Project, visit the Library of Congress at www.loc.gov/vets.
 
The Library is able to offer this, and other high-caliber programs because of support from individuals like you, support from the City of Sedona, the property tax dollars we receive from Yavapai and Coconino Counties, and support from Friends of the Sedona Library. Thank you!
 
Please remember the Library and all of its free programs, services, and resources when you consider your year-end giving. In fact, consider a monthly gift to help the Library build sustainable revenue; we’ve made it easy at sedonalibrary.org/donate.
 
Finally, please join the monthly “Coffee with a Vet” program at the Library, held on the second Friday of the month from 10 a.m.-12 p.m. in the Library’s Si Birch Community Room. All are welcome.

Sedona Public Library
Column for November 9, 2018
Written by Anne Marie Mackler, Development Director

Recently, we announced the winners of Sedona Public Library’s 60th anniversary writing contest and published excerpts from the first-place winners in each age category. In this column, we’re pleased to present the entire submission from young local poet Felicia Foldes, the third-place winner in the teen category.
 
In her inspiring poem, Felicia describes 60 library programs and activities she has enjoyed over the years, from her early childhood to the present day. Congratulations, Felicia, on your winning entry, and thank you for highlighting many wonderful library programs for people of all ages. We’re delighted you consider the Library your “second home”!  
 
“All Booked Up”
By Felicia E. Foldes
 
Your head may start to spin when reading this poem,
But it has been so enjoyable in my second home
 
I started with Story Time when I was only two,
The Sedona Public Library watched me as I grew
 
Magic shows, fairy houses, Chess Club, Games Day,
StoryWalk at Sunset Park now stands proudly on display
 
Six activities down, fifty-four more, and so…
Happy Anniversary to the library! Ready? Set?... Go!
 
Singing Cowboy and Dusty, Music Morning with Annette,
CrafterTune, Embroidery—such experienced ladies that I met
 
Tie dying, Sirius Lookers, I gazed at the eclipse,
I’m getting busier and busier—there’s many more library trips!
 
Paws to Read, Rocks and Minerals, JavaScript in the morning,
Summer reading, Healthy Heart, volunteering and cartooning
 
Library lunches, crafts, and dancing,
Going and going, I’m advancing!
 
Rock art, wolves, checking out DVDs,
My very first library card, forty more activities
 
Colorful quilts, audio books, Matthew Henry Hall,
Hero show, movies…  Stick with me, that’s not all!
 
Christmas show with Santa—he always brings Mrs. Claus,
Let’s give all of our librarians a roaring round of applause!
 
Cline Library Archives, Camp Navajo,
Sedona Youth Theatre—it was no ordinary show!
 
El Diá de los Niños, El Diá de los Libros,
Tengo doce años de edad.  ¡Oh dios mío!*  
*translation: (The Day of the Children, The Day of the Books
I am twelve years old.  Oh, my goodness!)
 
Marionettes and a clown, Gross Science, Mindful Eating,
More than halfway to sixty, no way that I’m leaving!
 
Preserving Hopi Culture, Make It and Take It, Animal Tracks,
Please keep on listing along with me, up to the max!
 
Arizona Science Center, that makes forty-three,
Book Club, tragic Slide Fire photography
 
Art exhibits, wildflower displays, Haiku program,
Friends of the Library Bookstore and Poetry Slam
 
I met Sedona Schnebly’s great-granddaughter—she gave an extraordinary speech,
Sedona greets me at the library door: offering an apple, out she does reach
 
Black History Month with John Henry, poetry workshop…inspiration!
Concerts, model railroads, calming meditation
 
Secret codes, reading prizes, trying out the Teen Zone,
Karen, Meghan, and Marcia always make me feel at home
 
I’m one away from sixty, and now…last, but not least,
I’ve been reading all along!  Oh, what a delicious feast!
 
With eighty-two thousand, nine hundred and sixty-five items to discover,
I will forever be a Sedona Public Library book lover!

​Sedona Public Library
Column for November 2, 2018
Written by Virginia Volkman, Director