We have several new books published just in time for your holiday reading and Christmas gifts for family and friends. They are available in a variety of formats including regular print, large print, as an e-book, and on CD.
‘Twas the Bite Before Christmas by David Rosenfelt is about a murder investigation interrupting a holiday party at a dog rescue organization.
Bright Lights, Big Christmas by Mary Kay Andrews is a mystery featuring a brother-sister team selling Christmas trees in New York.
The Sounds of Sleighbells by Janet Dailey is a romance about a woman creating new holiday traditions for her son after a divorce.
The Twelve Books of Christmas by Kate Carlisle focuses on 12 missing books and a murder in Scotland.
Santa & Company by Fern Michaels, book two in the Santa’s Crew series, is set in a ski lodge.
Craftapalooza tomorrow
All ages are invited to create a variety of crafts Friday, December 8. We will have several different craft stations set up. Stop by anytime from 2-4pm.
Library fundraiser on Saturday
We hope to see you this Saturday, December 9 at 5pm for Late Night at the Library, a fundraiser for our Mountains of Opportunity campaign to expand and renovate your library. The event will offer hors d’oeuvres catered by SOCO Mountain Lifestyles, drinks provided by Riff Raff Brewing Company, and a fun time turning old books into repurposed treasures. Tickets are $50 per person in advance and $60 at the door. They can be purchased online at https://pagosalibrary.org or in person with cash or check at the library.
Hot chocolate hullabaloo
We’ll have free hot chocolate to help you celebrate winter while you join in the fun with seasonal crafts next Thursday, December 14 from 4 – 6pm.
Early library closure
Your library will close early on Monday, December 11 for a staff meeting at 5pm. This is our regular new staff meeting schedule – on the second Monday of the month.
Chess Club Saturday
Learn how to play chess with free quick lessons and game time to practice your skills on Saturday, December 9 from 9:30-11:30am. All ages and abilities are welcome.
Adult knitting Saturday
Join new and experienced knitters this Saturday, December 9 for our free Knitters Circle from 1-3pm. It is aimed at anyone over the age of 18 who would like to knit together or get some help if you are stuck on your project.
Adult book club Tuesday
Ruby’s Book Club meets from 2-3pm next Tuesday, December 12 to discuss “We Begin at the End” by Chris Whitaker. Copies are available at your library. This free book club is held the second Tuesday of each month, alternating between fiction and nonfiction titles, with snacks provided. Snacks provided. Everyone is welcome to attend.
Therapy dog visit
Next Wednesday, December 13 from 11 – 11:45am you are invited to come to the library for a free visit with a certified therapy dog. Visits are limited to 10-15 minutes – just the right amount of time to pet the dog, read to the dog or just say “Hi.” This is an all-ages activity.
Health insurance literacy
Drop in to talk to a representative from San Juan Basin Public Health and sign up for Connect for Health Colorado resources at this free session Wednesday, December 13 from 11am – 2pm.
Trauma workshop
Come to this free Trauma Informed Practices workshop hosted by experts from Rise Above Violence Wednesday, December 13 from 4:30 – 5:30pm to learn how to provide love and support to those struggling with trauma this holiday season.
Elementary tutoring sessions
Children ages six-11 are welcome at these free sessions on Wednesdays from 3:30 – 4:30pm where they will build essential skills in core subjects. Pre-registration is required. This tutoring will happen only the first two weeks of December because the rest of the month the schools are on winter break.
Family storytimes
Wednesdays from 10-11am join us for a free educational hour of reading, singing and free play to build early literacy skills.
ESL class times
Free in-person evening classes take place on Tuesdays and Thursdays, and there is a change in the way the time is divided: 4-5pm is reserved for beginners, 5-6pm for intermediate and 6-7pm for advanced students. Please help us spread the word about these classes to others in our community who would be interested, and contact us by phone or email if you have any questions.
Las clases de inglés (ESL)
Las clases de inglés se imparten en persona y gratis los martes y jueves en la biblioteca Ruby Sisson. El horario ha cambiado recientemente. Efectivo inmediatamente, 4-5 p.m. es para principiantes, 5-6 p.m. es para intermedios y 6-7 p.m. es para avanzados. Por favor, ayúdanos a informar a nuestra comunidad de estas oportunidades para aprender el inglés. Si tienen preguntas, favor de ponerse en contacto por correo electrónico: ruby@agosalibrary.org o por teléfono: 970-264-2209.
Downloadable books
CloudLibrary has a wide variety of downloadable e-books and audiobooks for all ages. To access this free digital collection, download the cloudLibrary app, answer a few simple questions, select AspenCat Union Catalog for the name of your library, then enter your library card number and 4-digit PIN. Library staff are happy to help you set up your device if you need assistance.
DVDs
“Grease: Rise of the Pink Ladies” is season one. “Headcount” is an adventure focused on a stolen gun. “The American Buffalo” is the PBS series by Ken Burns. “Sound of Freedom” is based on the true story of child traffickers. “The Blind” is based on a true story of Duck Dynasty founder Phil Robertson.
Nonfiction travel guidebooks
“Best of the World” is a National Geographic guide to 1,000 destinations chosen by their travel experts. We also have five more new guidebooks: “100 Bikes Rides of a Lifetime” by Roff Smith from National Geographic, “Southwest USA” and “Costa Rica” from Lonely Planet guides, “Florida Keys & Key West” from Insiders and “The Best of the Best” from Lonely Planet. “Clanlands in New Zealand” by Sam Heughan and Graham McTavish documents the travels of these two friends.
Other nonfiction
“Behind the Seams: My Life in Rhinestones” by Dolly Parton explores the stories behind the singer-songwriter’s favorite clothes. “Being Henry: The Fonz…and Beyond” by Henry Winkler is a memoir about his life and stardom. “Same as Ever” by Morgan Housel shows how timeless wisdom from the past can help navigate today’s uncertainty. “Sun Sign Book” by Alice Deville is a Llewelln 2024 horoscope book. “EMT Exam Prep” is the sixth edition of this Kaplan Medical guide. “The New Secret Language of Dreams” by David Fontana is an illustrated guide to understanding the mysteries of the unconscious.
Novels
“Canary Girls” by Jennifer Chiaverini features women working in munitions factories in England in World War I. “A House for Alice” by Diana Evans tells of a woman and her three daughters facing the agony of where to live after a horrific fire. “The Sweetheart List” by Jill Shalvis is a romance set in Lake Tahoe about a woman who opens her own bakery.
Quotable Quote
Older adults who connected every day with others had less shrinkage in key brain areas than those who seldom had contact with pals and relatives, according to a 2023 Japanese study in the journal “Neurology.” Perhaps that’s why memory declined fastest and furthest in people who felt lonely most often, notes a 2022 University of Michigan study that tracked 9,032 U.S. adults for 20 years.
Website
For more information on library books, services and programs – and to reserve books, e-books, books on CD and DVDs from the comfort of your home – please visit our website at https://pagosalibrary.org.
The Ruby Sisson Memorial Library has been located at 811 San Juan Street (corner of S. 8th and Hwy 160) since 1989. The library is overseen by the Upper San Juan Library District, a tax-funded special district in Archuleta County.