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As published in the Red Rock News.
As we often do at this time of year, we look back on all we’ve accomplished and consider what the approaching year might bring. We review, calculate, remember, snap our fingers and say, “Oh, that’s right, I need to write that down.” And, if you’re like me, the best way to remember, for yesterday or today, is to make a list. I am a list maker in my personal life, and yes, I still handwrite them. For all the apps that are out there for making grocery, holiday, or party lists, for me, there is nothing like the sight of my many-itemed chicken scratched list, and the feeling of drawing a fast line through the task I just completed. Finished! As a professional, I have the same practice, and as a fundraiser for Sedona Public Library, it is vital that I tally all that we do. I simply can’t ask for support from individuals, businesses, or foundations without being able to tick off the ways we make Sedona a vibrant and wonderful place to live. So, once again, please bear with me as I present my annual list of 50—count them, 50!—items: services, programs, and more that we make available to the community. These benefits and activities are waiting for you at two locations, for free! By the way, as we’re in the throes of our end-of-year campaign, I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention that when you support the Library, you support everything on the list. Special bonus? Your gifts will be matched, dollar for dollar, UP TO $50,000! Our matching donors have upped the game and challenged the community to contribute $50,000 to their Library. We’re halfway there, help us hit the $50K mark? Giving to the Library is really the best deal in town, worth every dollar. Read on!
If you’ve already made your gift, or you’re just now putting it on your to-do list, thanks! Happy Holidays from all the staff of Sedona Public Library! Please visit Sedonalibrary.org/donate. Sedona Public Library Library News Column for December 23, 2022 Written by Anne Marie Mackler, Development Director  As published in the Red Rock News
One of the best things about working at Sedona Public Library is learning people’s library stories. Everyone has one and most rave about getting their first library card; remembering a favorite librarian who helped them hone their love for reading books; favorite books they check out again and again; or moving to a new town and hurrying to find the library. Kay Bork, a reference librarian at Sedona Public Library, is not only an avid reader, but has dedicated her careers to books, language, and service. “I’ve had two wonderful careers,” Kay explains. “And both have involved intellectual stimulation and helping people.” Kay’s first job was when she was very young, and she was an “Instacart Lady.” She delivered groceries to neighbors and fondly remembers her nickel tips. From there she went on to be a typist at the University of Illinois, and then majored in French and political science at DePauw University with the dream of becoming a Foreign Service Officer. That plan leaned in a new direction when she was on the Queen Mary en route to Switzerland to study at the University of Geneva and met Ken Bork. She married Ken and taught high school French for 21 years in Granville, Ohio. And then her career took another shift. She received her Master of Library Science and worked for another 15 years as both a branch manager and then a reference librarian. In 2010, when she and Ken visited Sedona knowing it would be their retirement home, what did Kay do? She began volunteering at the Library and continued volunteering after they relocated here. In 2016 we were glad to bring her on board as a part-time librarian. Of course, with someone like Kay, the story doesn’t end here. As a librarian, Kay has taught our French conversation and grammar course, and she holds our monthly book discussion group which alternates between fiction, classic fiction, and non-fiction books. Kay is an avid reader and as patrons always want to know what our librarians read, Kay shared that two of her current favorite fiction authors are Maggie O’Ferrell and Barbara Kingsolver. Two non-fiction favorites are Michael Pollan and Isabel Wilkerson. In fact, Kay and Ken just held a workshop for the Osher Lifelong Learning Institutes (OLLI): Kay & Ken Consider Non-fiction. They took turns discussing their favorite non-fiction books. “Everyone participated and enjoyed talking about what books they love and why,” Kay explained. Kay has dedicated her life to service and intellectual stimulation, and if she’s not too busy at our reference or circulation desk, ask her about a book or an author. Chances are she has already read the book, knows the author, or will help you find what you’re looking for in a jiffy. Ask Kay about her reading journal—imagine tracking a life of reading! We always ask our featured staff members a few other fun questions, and here are Kay’s responses. Where were you born? “I was born in Champaign, Illinois, and lived there until I went to college.” What book influenced you the most? “Candide by Voltaire. During the time that I was a French teacher, I read it each year with my seniors, and I never failed to find both wit and wisdom in it, which are still applicable today.” Are you team dog or team cat? “Neither. My husband is a paleontologist, and we have two cute metal T-Rex silhouettes on our patio. So, I guess you could say that I am Team Dinosaur.” Have you ever seen a ghost or a UFO? “No, but the day that I do I’ll feel like a real Sedonan.” We believe Kay is a real Sedonan, and certainly a gem of a librarian. We’re so grateful that her life of reading brought her to Sedona Public Library. Kay and Ken have been generous supporters of the Library for many years, and we couldn’t be more glad to have them in our library family. Thank you! It's that time of year! You can make twice the difference to your Library when you make an end-of-year gift. Your gifts will be matched, dollar-for dollar, up to $40,000 because of generous library donors like you. Please consider supporting Sedona Public Library when you make your end of year gifts. Visit sedonalibrary.org/donate, or stop by and ask for me, I’m always happy to talk about donating to Sedona Public Library. You can email me at amackler@sedonalibrary.org. Happy Holidays! Sedona Public Library Library News Column for December 16, 2022 Written by Anne Marie Mackler, Development Director As published in the Red Rock News.
Hello Red Rock News readers! December 6 marked my first full year at Sedona Public Library as its Program and Marketing Coordinator. However 2022 marked my third year working in what I affectionately call “library land.” It’s no different than when I worked at previous places of employment. Whether it was managing the image assets for various collegiate text books when I worked for Pearson Education in Upper Saddle River, N.J., or the years I spent working for this very newspaper, The Red Rock News, writing movie reviews for The SCENE or working in its production department, designing and updating ads, and helping layout the newspaper. The one common denominator that every job I have ever held had is that I have to have the ability to listen. Entering this month, December, I appreciate that I now have clearer view of what my role at the library and in the community is: listen. My December start last year was a quiet one as a lot of the community groups that meet monthly at the Library were on their holiday break. This was followed by a busy January as they all returned with gusto! Being given the task of reintroducing in-person programs at the Library was no easy feat, and I completed it gradually. I’m fond of using the analogy of the neighborhood restaurant switching from Italian to Tex-Mex and having a soft opening. And that’s what January was, we soft opened the return of in-person Youth Services Programs. It was nice, seeing families come in and children running around. February we soft-opened the return of Monday Movie Nights. It’s probably one of my favorite Library programs. People enjoy a cup of free popcorn and watch a movie they maybe didn’t get a chance to see in theaters or rewatch a classic film, for free. I’ve had fun with movie nights, showing a Star Wars movie on May 4th (May the 4th be with you) or a holiday movie in July. I hope you all come out next Monday at 6 p.m. to watch the best Christmas movie EVER starring Bruce Willis as a man trying to get home to his family in Los Angeles for the holidays. Last January, I was behind the scenes a we organized and set up the annual quilt show we host for the Red Rock Quilters. It was really amazing and beautiful to look at all the intricate designs and materials the quilters use. I didn’t go up on the mechanical lift to hang the quilts last year, but this year I will. Sorry to break it to you, dear readers, but you don’t spend your days reading books if you work at the Library. There’s always something that needs to be done and someone new and interesting to meet. There’s an ebb and flow to working in a library. As one month of programs ends, we look forward to a new month of possibilities. I learned that on Wednesdays, around noon, the library comes alive with activity as we welcome our neighbors – students from Sedona Charter School who have a half day. It’s been nice seeing teens at the Library. They’ve grown accustomed to our Teen Area, that corner of the library with comfy couches, decorated with toys – they’re mine by the way – and superhero posters, and signs featuring Jim Belushi from Animal House and Bruce Willis from his Moonlighting heyday. What is it with my fascination with Bruce Willis? The teens come to the library to gather, socialize, play Dungeons and Dragons, and have taken well to our new courtyard. An open space for them to get out all their energy. I also find it rewarding that I see a core group of them in the Teen Area, past the normal pick up time, using the area as a place study and wait for their parents to pick them up. I’ve come to know a lot of our patrons, and I still feel bad when I can recall the face but not the name. You have us at a disadvantage, we wear nametags! But I welcome every interaction to say “hello” and see how you are doing. I relish practicing my Spanish skills with native speakers and attendees of our Conversational Spanish Class, taught by Jami Rangel, our bilingual outreach librarian. It’s always interesting to meet the many visitors who come to Sedona and are drawn to the Library, whether to visit the Friends of the Library book store or take a picture with Steve, the Tyranosaurus Rex. I always tell visitors that the building was built in 1994 on the remains of an old pirate ship and point to the large wooden beams in the ceiling. A treat is when the visitors are also fellow library folk from other states. It’s always nice to meet the cousins. Now that the Library is back to being open later on Wednesdays, closing at 8pm, and our brand new courtyard is now open sunrise to sunset, I’m working on scheduling more programs utilizing both. ‘Tis the Holiday Season and our tree is up, and various community organizations are using our Library for toy and clothing donation drop-off sites. We hope you’ll support them and their good causes. As I write this, the fog has lifted and the sun is shining, welcoming a new day. Thank you for welcoming me into the community and for a rewarding first year at Sedona Public Library. Please remember Sedona Public Library in your year-end giving. We currently have a dollar-for-dollar matching gift opportunity, up to $40,000! Please make twice the difference in your community when you support your Library. Visit sedonalibrary.org/donate to donate online, or send your check to Sedona Public Library, 3250 White Bear Road, Sedona, AZ 86336. If you’re one of the nearly 100 donors who have already made a matching gift? Thank you! Sedona Public Library Library News Column for Dec 9, 2022 Written by Jan Marc Quisumbing, Program & Marketing Coordinator  As published in the Red Rock News
Hello Red Rock News readers! Next month will mark my first year as the Program and Marketing Coordinator at Sedona Public Library. My first few months at the Library were a bit of a whirlwind. My first day consisted of a planning meeting for the annual quilt show, and my first weeks were a blur of introductions to all the groups that use our meeting spaces for monthly gatherings. I also learned the ebb and flow of the busy library calendars for our monthly programs, and I discovered the array of listings we provide. If you want to know what is going on at Sedona Public Library and Sedona Public Library in the Village, all you have to do is visit our website, sedonalibrary.org and click the EVENTS tab. There you can choose ‘CALENDAR’ which takes you to the main library listing or ‘SPL IN THE VILLAGE CALENDAR’ which takes you to listing for the Village Library. The third dropdown option in the EVENTS tab is ‘SCHEDULING’ where you can inquire about date/room availability for hosting a meeting or propose a library program. This is an important form that I use to track and review our proposals and events. You are always welcome to call the Library at 282-7714 and ask about the day’s events at either library location, or, for instance, on Mondays, to find out what film will be shown. But if you find yourself at our main library branch in West Sedona, and want to learn what’s going on, there are many ways to find out. When you stop by the Circulation or Reference desks, keep an eye out for something I like to call “the snapshot” This “at-a-glance” printout provides a quick review of the day’s library events. Just like you’ll find on our online calendar, it gives you the name, time, description, and location of the events. You can also find a copy of the snapshot on the door of the Si Birch Community Room and next to the door of the Quiet Study. Fun fact: Events on the snapshot are color coded: for example, the Quiet Study’s events will be in a salmon-colored box. Remember to check with staff as schedules can change at the last minute. It took me about five months, but I am most proud of our newly organized bulletin boards inside the Library. We now provide three separate boards with event listings: one near the giant T-Rex head, whom I lovingly call ‘Steve,’ with our Library programs; one that lists events in the community, including the Verde Valley, and can be found near the restrooms and water fountain; and one that lists the programs and events in the Si Birch Community Room which can be found outside that room. We also have an entryway easel and a display board on the front porch. These five display options are just another way the Library keeps you informed about our programs and events. If you wish to post a flyer on a bulletin board, first contact me or leave your flyer with library staff. Finally, please subscribe to our monthly newsletters to learn about both adult and children’s programs and events. Visit our webpage and event calendars to learn more. A library without programs is just a building full of books. Our programs help keep the community engaged by bringing a variety of people together for an array of exciting learning and conversation opportunities. Maybe there is a group or activity you’d like to organize, join or attend? Check out our options! As we finish 2022, we have a busy December ahead and we’re looking at a full and informational 2023. Thank you for staying with us, for participating in the many things we do, and for being a part of Sedona Public Library. We are a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. To make a tax-deductible donation to our end of year campaign—where your gifts will be matched dollar for dollar up to $40,000—please visit sedonalibrary.org/donate or send your check to Sedona Public Library, 3250 White Bear Road, Sedona, AZ 86336. Remember you can direct your gift to the Village Library as well. Thank you! Sedona Public Library Library News Column for 12.2.22 Written by Jan Marc Quisumbing, Program & Marketing Coordinator |
