It may seem like a cruel thing to bring up gratitude when our community is reeling from the devastation of two back to back flood events. Clearly, I am one of the lucky ones, with only a foot of water in my home’s crawlspace to contend with. But as I worry about both my own home and the library building, I can only find gratitude for the losses we did not experience.
During the campaign to build the library, I often second guessed myself about starting the project when we hadn’t completed fundraising, and often as the project continued, we felt like we took one step forward and two steps back as we faced unplanned expenses to repair the existing building. Our existing crawlspace was full of mold, one of the sump pumps had stopped working and an old unused boiler left behind continued to leak into the space. The foundation needed repair. The old roof was in need of reinforcement.
This week, I look back on what could have been during the recent flooding event, had we not moved forward with the new building when we did. As it is, both our crawlspaces are dry and the building sustained no damage at all. Thanks to the diligence of our architects and the workmanship of our contractor, we have built the new building to withstand many years of weather to come. I couldn’t be more grateful.
The Library will be closed for the Thanksgiving holiday from Thursday, November 26 – 29. Don’t find yourself short of good books! Stop in and stock up soon!
New Fall Titles Ready for Checkout
Thanks to the State Grants to Libraries program offered through the Colorado State Library, we will be investing an extra $1482 in large print titles this year and providing a year of access to Hoopla e-books and e-audiobooks. We greatly appreciate this state support!
New In Large Print
Author Madeline Bell delivers a time travel romance in “The Austen Affair.” Two feuding actors starring in a stage adaptation of “Northanger Abbey” are transported back in time to Jane Austen’s era where they need to ad-lib their way through regency England to make their way home.
Tom Clavin and Bob Drury team up to deliver a true story of extraordinary heroism in “The Phantom: The Untold Story of the American Marine the Nazis Could Not Kill.”
William Johnstone is back, this time co-writing with J.A. Johnstone to deliver a new western, “Fury Over Texas.” A confederate soldier escapes New York’s infamous Elmira Prison and starts a new life in Pine Lick, Texas where he becomes the sheriff.
New Nonfiction
From journalist Cory Doctorow comes a new prescription for surviving the future, “The Reverse Centaur’s Guide to Life After AI: How to Think About Artificial Intelligence Before It’s Too Late.” The centaur is a concept from automation theory where the machine makes the human stronger and more productive but remains under human direction. The reverse centaur is a variation on the centaur model where AI is now directing the show. Doctorow warns us of the impending shift to the reverse centaur state.
In “The Best Kind of American,” Middle East expert Kim Gattas takes us back to 1984 Beirut and the assassination of Malcolm Kerr, the president of the American University in Beirut at the time, and father of basketball star Steve Kerr. There was no investigation of his death and four decades later the mystery lingers within the complexity of the region’s war torn history
The director of the Memory and Healthy Aging Program at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Dr. Zaldy Tan, brings us “What to Remember When You Are Forgetting: How to Live and Thrive with Memory Loss, Alzheimer’s, and Other Dementias.”
“Animals Taught Me Everything,” from Creede, Colorado author Pam Houston, is a delightful compendium of stories about her furry friends and the wisdom they left behind.
Celebrity astrophysicist Neil DeGrasse Tyson teams up with head writer for the StarWars podcast Lindsey Nyx Walker in “Lost in Space: 5,000 Facts for Navigating the Universe.”
New Fiction
“The Memory of Borrowed Books” by Meg Anderson follows one librarian who discovers a hidden room of unfinished memories and must find the one that can save her beloved library from closing forever.
In “Night Objects” by Eli Raphael, protagonist Lenny is enrolled at Blanchard, a prestigious boarding school for the ultra-wealthy after the unexpected death of her mother. Haunted secrets and the dark side of privilege await her.
“Natural Way of Things” by Charlotte Wood is a dark tale of escape from bondage. When women awaken from a drugged sleep to find themselves imprisoned in a broken-down property in the middle of a desert, they have no idea where they are or how they came to be there. As time goes by it becomes clear that the only ones to save them are themselves.
For a full list of new titles and to reserve your copy, go to www.pagosalibrary.org and choose Search the Catalog at the top of the screen. Don’t forget, if there is a waiting list for the book, it may be available now in eBook or eAudiobook on Hoopla or Libby.
Need help? Just ask! We love talking about books.
Upcoming Programs
Beginner’s Quilt Square (adults) Thursday, November 19, 2-4pm
Crafternoon Paper Towel Roll Towers (ages 3-5 with a caregiver) Friday, November 13, 4-5pm
Lego Build Robots (all ages) Saturday, November 14, 11am-noon
Tween Book and Art Club Tuesday, November 17, 4-5pm
Escape Room Enchanted Forest (Teens) Tuesday, November 17, 4-5pm
Early Explorers Grocery Store (ages 3-5 with a caregiver) Friday, November 20, 4-5pm
Puzzle Palooza (all ages) Saturday, November 21, 11am-noon
For a full list of upcoming programs, check our website at www.pagosalibrary.org
Public Comment Period Open on the 2027 Budget
If you’re interested in seeing where our income comes from and how we spend the funds, now is the time for public comments on our 2027 budget proposal. You can view a copy of the proposed budget on our website at www.pagosalibrary.org. From now until November 18th, you can submit your comments to director@pagosalibrary.org. A budget hearing will take place on November 18th at the library, at which time the Library Board will hold an open forum for your feedback before finalizing the budget.
Required Minimum Distribution Looming? Consider the Library.
Our library foundation recently received a major gift from a couple who was looking to donate their RMD. We are so grateful for their support! If you’re pondering how to manage this year’s required minimum distribution from your tax-deferred retirement account, consider making a direct transfer to the Ruby M. Sisson Library Foundation. You’ll avoid income taxes on the amount you transfer directly, and you’ll help the library do even more wonderful things. The Foundation EIN is 83-1063172. Contact foundation@pagosalibrary.org with any questions. And thank you!
Six New Computers Available for Public Use
Thanks to a grant from the Statewide Internet Portal Authority, we’ve added six new public computers to our technology offerings. Internet, Microsoft Word, and printing available. You’ll find them in the quiet area under the east windows.
GED Program
Are you interested in becoming a volunteer tutor to help members of our community get their GED? Are you a retired teacher? Are you an expert in Math, Science, Language Arts or History who wants to make a difference and has some extra time to give? The library is looking for tutors to work with students one-on-one for a few hours a week to help us keep our Adult Education GED program thriving. If you are interested in becoming a tutor for the GED program; or are a student seeking tutoring; please email our Adult Basic Education Coordinator, Nicole at esl@pagosalibrary.org. No experience required; training and supervision provided.
Intercambio/English as a Second Language (ESL)
If you are someone who enjoys cultural exchanges, or are looking to brush up on your Spanish, think about joining our new Intercambio program at the Library. Intercambio connects volunteers with adult English language learners through relationship-based one-on-one classes. Our English as a Second Language (ESL) curriculum requires no prior teaching or second language experience. Just a positive attitude and a little extra time in your week. Our curriculum, training, and ongoing support make teaching easy, enjoyable, and impactful.
If you are interested in learning more about our Adult Basic Education classes, either as a volunteer tutor, or a student, please email our Adult Basic Education Coordinator, Nicole at esl@pagosalibrary.org.
New Meeting Rooms Ready to Reserve
Your new library offers one large community room that can be divided into two smaller rooms. We also have two new study rooms. If you or your club or organization would like to reserve a room, give us a call. (970-264-2209)
New Craft and Hobby Database Available Anywhere
To celebrate the opening of our new makerspace, we are launching a new database called Craft and Hobby. Packed with videos for all ages teaching skills like sewing, woodworking, gardening, and outdoor photography, Craft and Hobby is available free with your library card online from home or on the go. We are planning lots of hands-on activities in the new makerspace and will be using Craft and Hobby to provide instruction for participants. Take a look at their extensive catalog of instructional video at https://www.pagosalibrary.org/how-to
Radon Detectors Available for Checkout
The Colorado State library recently partnered with the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) to provide a limited number of radon detectors to libraries for circulation. Ruby Sisson Library has two units available to check out with a library card for a three-week loan. Instructions are included in the kit. Reserve one through the library catalog or ask at the front desk.
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.
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 !