Our community’s children are benefiting from two new positive acts in their favor – the resumption of free after-school tutoring plus a generous donation of books.
The free after-school tutoring is slated for grades one-three on Wednesdays from 3:30 – 4:30pm. beginning October 1. Registration is required because of limited space so call your library now at 970-264-2209 to enroll your child. This invaluable tutoring involves one-on-one and small group help for math, literacy, writing and spelling. Note that because of construction at the library these sessions will take place at the Elementary School.
As well, our children’s reading enjoyment and literary skills got another big boost this month because of the generosity of multiple donors.
First $1,200 worth of gorgeous new books were added to your library’s collection, thanks to a Pilcrow Foundation grant. Then other generous donors plus a contribution from the Friends of the Library provided new math, science, health and wellness books.
We are extremely grateful for these actions that support the reading enjoyment and core skills education of our community’s youngsters, and we hope parents and caregivers will take advantage of these new opportunities with their families.
New services
We may have a smaller library for the coming year, but even so we are expanding our services to you:
We now are receiving a paper copy of The New York Times Sunday edition. The latest edition will stay at the library but we will circulate past editions.
As well, starting October 1, we will join the Across Colorado Digital Consortium, offering Overdrive e-books and e-audiobooks through the popular Libby app. This purchase is funded by the State Grants to Libraries program through the Colorado State Library. While our Cloud Library subscription offers access to 9,615 items in our digital collection, membership in the Across Colorado Digital Consortium offers access to more than 19,000 items, many of them unique.
You, our library users, rank #1 among AspenCat libraries in use of CloudLibrary. We’ll subscribe to both CloudLibrary and Overdrive in the coming year while we analyze your use of both.
Construction update
Here’s the latest news on your library’s construction project from Barb Brattin, library director:
“If you peered through the fence last week, you noticed a deep hole on the south side of the library. That’s where the new foundation will be laid for the new library addition.
“Why so deep, you ask? That’s a taller than the usual crawl space so we are grateful. More like a ‘hunch’ space.”
No more book donations, please
Regretfully, director Barb Brattin has made the decision to cease accepting book donations for a year beginning immediately. The reality of operating in a much smaller space while construction happens on the first phase of your library’s long-awaited expansion has made the action a necessity.
Adult knitting and needlework
Join new and experienced knitters Saturday, September 27 for our free Knitters Circle from 1-3 p.m. at the Natural Grocers back room. 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. Any type of needleworker is welcome.
Conversational Spanish
The Conversational Spanish group will meet Monday, September 29 from 4-5 p.m. at St. Patrick’s Episcopal Church at 225 South Pagosa. This is a great opportunity to practice your Spanish in a free group setting. No minimum skill level needed.
Teen Advisory Board
Teens aged 12-18 are invited to build leadership skills, mentor others and plan programs that interest you on Tuesday, September 30 from 4-5 p.m. in the library courtyard. Snacks provided.
Family storytime
Wednesdays from 10-11 a.m. join a free educational hour of reading, singing and free play to build early literacy skills.
Pagosa Adult Learning Services (PALS)
Join Mark or Sally for free individualized PALS sessions Tuesdays and Thursdays from 5:30 – 8 p.m. to help with high school equivalency, GED, college prep, financial aid, tutoring and more. No appointment necessary.
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 on our website, 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.
Books on CD
“We Are All Guilty Here” by Karin Saughter is book one of a new North Falls mystery series. “The End of the World as We Know It” by Stephen King, Christopher Golden is a short story anthology. “The Deathless One” by Emma Hamm is a paranormal romance fantasy. “Not Quite Dead Yet” by Holly Jackson is thriller about a young woman trying to solve her own murder. “Deringer” by William W. and J.A. Johnstone is a western set in Cheyenne. “The Best of Enemies,” also by William W. and J.A. Johnston, is the first book in their new Trace and Chaw western series.
Nonfiction
“The Wild Dark” by Craig Childs is a field guide to seeing the stars away from too much light. “Shamanism and Your Shadow” by Granddaughter Crow (Dr. Joy Gray) presents a four-step process to help you acknowledge, understand and respect your shadow. “Far From Home” by Alaska Senator Lisa Murkowski is a memoir.
Large print
“Who Is Government?” edited by Michael Lewis tells of the lives of essential government workers through their own words. “On Air: The Triumph and Turmoil of NPR” by Steve Oney is a history of this public radio network. “When the Shooting Starts” by William W. and J.A. Johnstone is a Smoke Jensen western. “The Snake River” by Win Blevins is a Mountain Man Rivers of the West series western.
Mysteries and thrillers
“Emma on Fire” by James Patterson and Emily Raymond centers on a young girl’s shocking act at school. “We Are All Guilty Here” by Karin Saughter is book one of a new North Falls mystery series. “The Unseen” by Ania Ahlborn begins when a mysterious orphan appears at a Colorado home.
Other novels
“What Hunger” by Catherine Dang follows two American Vietnamese siblings dealing with a tragedy. “We Loved to Run” by Stephanie Reents takes readers inside a women’s cross country team before a major championship. “The Unbroken Coast” by Nalini Jones is about a friendship between a young girl and an aging historian in a Mumbai fishing village.
Quotable Quote
“After graduation [from Princeton], I had no plan and no job. I wound up putting labels on shelves in a warehouse for six months, and I didn’t feel great about that…. You know what? We all move at our own pace, and that’s okay. Fifty years later I can tell you something I did not know then: The vast majority of what you need to know about work, about relationships, about yourself, about life, you have yet to learn. And that itself is a tremendous gift. Over the remainder of your life, you can and you nust continue to educate yourself and to grow as a person, becoming more focused on what really matters, more widely knowledgeable, better read, more disciplined, more strategic; but also wiser, kinder, more empathetic, more generous, more loving, more forgiving of others — and not least of yourself. Each of us is a work in progress, and the possibilities for self-improvement are limitless, which is a wonderful thing.” – Jerome Powell’s commencement speech at Princeton University May 25, 2025. He is an investment banker, lawyer and chair of the Federal Reserve since 2018.
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