Looking over my 2026 property tax bill, I was surprised to see that I pay a whole $43 per year as my contribution to the Ruby Sisson Library. In return for this meager fee, the equivalent costs of two lunches in a local restaurant, I can check out hundreds of books per year, download endless ebooks and audio books, and use the fastest Internet in town.
This is the library where I will continue to enjoy outstanding public programming, bring my grandchildren for storytimes and summer reading events, get personal help with my confusing technology devices, notarize my last will and testament, and continue to learn anything I want to know… with the help of smart, caring library staff.
There’s a reason we call the library the best bargain in town. It is!
Ruby Sisson Library is a special district library. We tax local property to fund our library at a rate of 1.5 mills, the lowest tax rate of any library district in the state of Colorado. That tax provides basic library service and little more. Yet with the help of generous community members and herculean efforts to secure grant funding, we have made terrific strides.
Over the past 18 months we’ve completely overhauled our collections, weeding out torn and worn out copies and replacing them with fresh new materials. We’ve invested in more large print and classic literature. Our bookshelves are brimming every month with new selections. With help from a collections grant from the Colorado State Library, we added Overdrive ebooks and eaudiobooks and retained CloudLibrary collections. A local benefactor helped us replace our dying staff computers and another grant helped us grow our after school tutoring program for elementary school students.
As we get closer to opening the new wing on our library, I am reminded about just how much this community loves its library. To everyone who has contributed to our building campaign, thank you from the bottom of our hearts. With your help, we have avoided asking our taxpayers to fund the library expansion. But we’re still short, and time is running out. If you’ve been considering a gift, now is the time to reach out to us. Any gift, large or small, is welcomed with grateful hearts.
For more information, please contact Katie Dobbins, Ruby Sisson Memorial Library Foundation, 970-264-2102, foundation@pagosalibrary.org or Barb Brattin, Library Director, 970-264-9360, director@pagosalibrary.org
Thank you!
GED by Appointment Only
As we gear up for the grand opening of our new library space, we’re taking a break from regular GED hours. If you are working toward your General Education Degree or a high school equivalency exam, or if you could use a tutoring session to help you with your educational goals, give the library a call at 970-264-2209 and we’ll connect you with our
instructor.
New 2026 Colorado Parks Passes for Checkout
It may seem like the wrong time of year to visit Colorado state parks, but with our mild winter, why not get outside and enjoy the parks’ off-season? The Ruby Sisson Library has free Colorado Parks passes for checkout that include a backpack with nature guides, binoculars, and fun activities. Reserve yours today.
New Tumblemath for Kids
Ask AI if good readers are good at math, and here’s the answer you get:
“Yes, good readers are often good at math because reading skills like comprehension, vocabulary, and logical reasoning are crucial for understanding word problems, mathematical language, and complex concepts, with strong early reading ability being a key predictor of later math success. Both subjects rely on creating mental images, using context, and persevering through challenges, and brain areas used for reading are also involved in math tasks like multiplication, showing a deep connection.”
That’s the idea behind the library’s brand new online offering for kids, Tumblemath. Kids can learn math concepts through fun picture books that tell the story of why math works. Concepts range from basic addition all the way through geometry for older readers. You can find Tumblemath in our digital library on the alphabetical list or in the homework section.
Activities calendars
Pick up monthly calendars at the library or check the website at https://www.pagosalibrary.org/events-calendar so you don’t miss any of the free programs, events and activities available to you and your family.
Online author talks
Our free online author talks with New York Times bestselling authors continue in February with new authors. On February 24 th , join us for Smithson’s Gamble: The Incredible History Behind the World’s Largest Museum with Smithsonian Curator Emeritus Tom Crouch. Watch live on Zoom or via a recording later this month. For details and to register go to https://libraryc.org/pagosalibrary/upcoming.
Conversational Spanish
The Conversational Spanish group continues on Mondays 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.
Writers Guild
Thursdays from 9-11 a.m. 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 2-4 p.m. 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.
Our New Books Collections are Brimming with Interesting Titles!
New Fiction
The Seven Moons of Maali Almeida by Shehan Karunatilaka, described as “a satire set amid the murderous mayhem of the Sri Lankan civil war.”
Orbital by Samantha Harvey, a novel about a day in the lives of six people hurtling through space, described by Anthony Doerr as a “remarkable, gorgeous novel.”
Ice to Water, a novel by M. Jackson, a geographer and glaciologist, about a woman who discovers a rare ice cave on her property in Alaska.
That Kind of Girl by Jacey Bici. Cover blurb: “She’s moving up and wants it all. He wants the unthinkable in return.”
Notable Nonfiction
Nature Anatomy: The Curious Parts and Pieces of the Natural World by Julia Rothman.
In the Lateness of the World, poems by Pulitzer Prize finalist Carolyn Forche
5-Ingredient Mediterranean Cookbook: Amazingly Healthy Quick-Fix Meals
Neptune’s Fortune: The Billion-Dollar Shipwreck and the Ghosts of the Spanish Empire by Julian Sancton
New in Large Print
Marriage at Sea: A True Story of Love, Obsession, and Shipwreck, listed as one of the best books of the year by NPR.
Freida McFadden, Dear Debbie, starring a vengeful advice columnist.
Barbara Brattin is honored to lead the Ruby M. Sisson Memorial Library through this exciting time in its history. When she's not at the library, she's hiking with her Anatolian Shepherd Gigi and Rez dog Vic, traveling the world, visiting her grandchildren, or... you guessed it... reading !