By Barbara Brattin, Ruby Sisson Library Director
Here comes winter! Those words make most of us in the mountains smile, but despite the glorious year-round Colorado sunshine, shorter days and more time inside away from our abundant fresh air are inevitable. Health professionals know winter is a time when we are more likely to catch a cold or fight a bout of flu. It’s also a time when our moods can swing low. But there are ways we can ward off sickness and remain joyful even as those dark arctic nights set in.
Three areas of focus can help us stay healthy year-round, but especially during the winter months: boosting the immune system, improving mental well-being, and staying physically active despite the colder weather. Living where we do, most of us have the third strategy pretty well wrapped up, even if it’s just a daily walk through the neighborhood. Boosting the immune system and improving mental health may not be as easy to do.
We have new nonfiction titles to help:
The Pleasures of Wintering: Winter-Inspired Rituals for Rejuvenation, Serenity, and Joy by Erin Niimi Longhurst. Indulge in rest alongside the earth to refresh your body and spirit.
Age Stronger: Prevent Pain. Preserve Mobility. Age Resiliently by Dr. Matt Weist provides a plan for incremental steps that boost your overall physical strength to build lasting resilience and mobility. No quick fixes, just a prescription to fortify your body against the aging process.
Badass Manifesting: How to Manifest Abundance, Success and the Joyful Life of Your Dreams by Jenny Block. Spend your winter months focusing on life goals and build up your confidence to put them into action.
The Dharma of Healing: The Path of Liberation from Stress, Pain, and Trauma from spiritual teacher Justin Michelson offers techniques on managing the personal trauma inflicted by a world in crisis.
Doing Small Things with Great Love: How Everyday Humanitarians Are Changing the World by Sharon Eubank is filled with stories of people who have chosen to make a difference and identifies the 12 principles of change that you can manifest in your own corner of the world.
The Longevity Formula: Ayurvedic Principles to Reduce Inflammation, Increase Cellular Repair, and Live with Vitality by Dr. Avanti Kumar-Singh provides a blueprint for boosting longevity by reducing inflammation and increasing cellular repair.
Construction update
The exterior walls are up around our new addition and you can clearly see the tall clerestory that will bring abundant natural light into our new spaces. The view from the west outlines the main entry doors below the clerestory and the new program rooms to the south. From the south you will see the outline of the new children’s room and the adjoining children’s garden near 8th Street.
We’re having fun selecting all the wonderful new features in the children’s room and building beautiful collections to fill our new spaces. Your donations go a long way toward making this new library exceptional. The Colorado Gives campaign is underway and your donations are matched through December 9th. Thanks from all of us! https://www.coloradogives.org/organization/RubySissonLibraryFoundation
Activities’ locations are changed
Now that we have much less space for our operations and no meeting rooms during construction, several of our regular activities and special events are happening in other locations.
Please check the listings in this column and on your library’s website at https://pagosalibrary.org for location changes throughout the construction. If no other location is mentioned, the activity will stay at your library.
Online author talks
Our free online author talks with New York Times bestselling authors continue in October with one more talk this month for you to watch live on Zoom or via a recording later this month. For details and to register go to https://libraryc.org/pagosalibrary/upcoming.
Wednesday, October 29 at noon we’ll interact with Philippa Gregory, historical fiction author, on “Courtly Intrigue and Whispers as Weapons.”
Conversational Spanish
The Conversational Spanish group will meet Monday, October 27 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.
Adult book club
Ruby’s Book Club meets from 2-3 p.m. on Tuesday, November 11th to discuss “Astor: The Rise and Fall of an American Fortune” by Anderson Cooper. Copies are available at your library. This free adult book club is held the second Tuesday of each month, alternating between fiction and nonfiction titles. Anyone is welcome to attend. During construction it takes place at the new Harman Park Transit Center, 83 Harman Park Drive, next to the Sheriff’s Office.
Family storytime
Wednesdays from 10-11 a.m. join a free educational hour of reading, singing and free play to build early literacy skills.
Elementary school tutoring
Free after-school tutoring for grades one-three takes place on Wednesdays from 3:30 – 4:30pm. 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.
Writers Guild
Thursdays from 9-11am the Ruby’s Writers Guild welcomes writers looking for support, guidance, resources and camaraderie with other writers at this free gathering. During construction the group will meet at the Senior Center, 451 Hot Springs Blvd. Enter through the left side of the building.
Tech Time
Free in-person slots are available from 2-4pm on Thursdays. Taylor helps with basic questions relating to computers, smartphones and tablets and also provides assistance in accessing the library’s online resources. No appointment is needed, but please bring your device’s charger and passwords with you.
ESL classes
Free in-person evening classes happen on Tuesdays and Thursdays, from 4-5pm for students of all levels at St. Patrick’s Episcopal Church, 225 S. Pagosa Street. Please help us pass the word about these classes.
Clases de inglés
Clases gratis de inglés cada martes y Jueves de 4-5pm. Ayudenos a informar a todos quienes necesitan aprender inglés. Durante el plazo de la nueva construcción en la biblioteca, las clases se llevarán a cabo en St. Patrick ‘s Episcopal Church, 225 S. Pagosa Street.
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.