Taylor and I were delighted to attend the League of Women Voters of Archuleta County’s movie night and nonprofit showcase on July 9 at Liberty Theater. “Join or Die” chronicles social scientist Robert Putnam’s career as he studies the factors that make a society thrive.
Conclusion? Social capital, the networks of relationships, trust, and shared norms that allow individuals and groups to cooperate and achieve common goals, is the key factor, and the meeting places in a town like Pagosa Springs are the support structure that allows social capital to grow.
Here in Pagosa, the library is social-capital-central. Here you will find small children and their families gather to hear stories and test their artistic talent. Children meet each other after school and in the summer at the library, young mothers form friendships and the elderly overcome social isolation in book clubs and crafting classes. Here is where the community learns about local issues like wildfire mitigation, avalanche safety, and growing healthy food. Language learners come together in conversation to improve their skills, writing groups gather for feedback from other writers, community organizations post their flyers announcing new opportunities and new events.
In a country where fewer people join social organizations, our Ruby Sisson Library is alive and well, and social capital continues to grow here, helping our community to thrive. Our new library opening this fall includes even more space for community gatherings. We can’t wait to show you what we’ve created!
Join us for our grand opening on Saturday, September 12, 9am-3pm.
See you at the library!
Read Wild! Summer Program Off to Great Start
As the first month of summer reading wraps up, we’re proud to share that readers have already logged over 165,000 minutes of reading time since June 1st! We are well on our way to crushing our 250,000 minute community reading goal by August 28th. This is the library’s first summer using the Beanstack platform, which makes it simple and convenient to log reading and track progress towards rewards. We’ve been giving milestone prizes like putting readers’ names on the Wall of Recognition in the library and offering “community coupon bundles” to local businesses. Readers are also earning raffle tickets to our grand prizes which include gift cards, and special experiences in the library – like private time in our makerspace – and around the area – like a fly fishing trip with Piedra River Anglers. Congrats to all the readers out there on your progress this summer and if you’d like to join, visit: pagosalibrary.org/summer
1,000 Books Before Kindergarten Prepares Your Child for Success
Want to give your little one this best possible start to a successful life? 1,000 Books Before Kindergarten is an early childhood initiative that helps inspire a love for reading and literature while also helping our youngest readers get exposure to print and phonetics while earning prizes along the way! The goal is not to read 1,000 different books before KG, but to simply read 1,000 times before they begin their journey to expand their knowledge. If your little one has a favorite book that they want you to reread to them immediately after finishing it the first time, then that counts as another book read. Every 100 books is a milestone where our young patrons can receive a small prize or an experience at the library. At the end of their journey, they will receive a grand prize as well as an invite to a celebration at the library with all of those who have finished their 1,000 books before kindergarten. Sign-up is free and easy. Get enrolled today by visiting the library.
Group Meeting Room Available
While we’re waiting for the full library to be completed, we have carved out a meeting room space for small groups of 6-8 people to use by reservation. Give us a call at 970-264-2209 to reserve your spot today.
Adopt-a-Tree Program
We have a few trees left to name in our outdoor community garden. Why not dedicate a tree to someone you love in exchange for a $500 donation? Individuals, families, clubs, businesses and organizations are welcome to participate.
Interested? Here’s how to get started. Write a check to Ruby Sisson Library or donate online at https://www.pagosalibrary.org. Fill out a donation form telling us what you want your garden stake to say in 6 words or less. Forms are available on our website or in paper form at the library. Thanks for helping us create a beautiful new outdoor space in our community.
2026 Colorado Parks Passes for Checkout
The weather is perfect to get outside! Colorado state parks require a paid pass to enter, but you can borrow one from the library for a few days at no cost to you. Passes come with a backpack filled with nature guides, binoculars, and fun activities. Reserve yours today. Note: Colorado State Park passes are not valid for Chimney Rock National Monument.
Meet Us Out in the Community
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 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.
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
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 CloudLibrary or Libby.
During our transition period, most books are in storage, but the new books are available to browse, and you can reserve any title in the catalog and have them brought in from other libraries. All the children’s collection is available in our bright new shiny children’s room.
Need help? Just ask! We love talking about books.
New in Large Print
Author Richard Paul Evans delivers a memoir of his childhood and writing career in “Sharing Too Much: Musings from an Unlikely Life.”
“Agnes Aubert’s Mystical Cat Shelter,” from author Heather Fawcett, follows Agnes, a woman who has devoted her life to finding homes for stray cats, and her infamous magician landlord who runs an illegal magic shop from his basement.
Janet Skeslien Charles returns with another fiction title set in Paris. “The Parisian Chapter” follows Mary Louise, an American who lands a job as programs manager at the American Library in Paris where she meets an incredible cast of characters.
New Fiction
“The Stars Don’t Lie,” from author Boo Walker, is a love story about a man who returns to his home town in Vermont to support his mother and faces the emotional baggage of his adolescence.
Iris Johansen returns with co-writer and son Roy Johansen in the new thriller, “Wait and See.” Investigator Kendra Michaels owes FBI agent Adam Lynch her life, so when she receives a cryptic message from Lynch that he is in danger, and only Kendra can save him, she has to act.
Lisa See’s “Daughters of the Sun and Moon,” follows three Chinese women who arrive in Los Angeles in 1870 who face hardship and heartbreak together.
New in Nonfiction
“Red Dawn Over China: How Communism Conquered a Quarter of Humanity,” from China expert and Stanford professor Frank Dikotter, recounts the revolution and aftermath that built today’s Beijing regime.
“RFK Jr.: The Fall and the Rise,” from New York Post journalist Isabel Vincent reviews the storied life of the public figure based on diaries and interviews.
“The Stimulated Mind: Future-Proof Your Brain from Dementia and Stay Sharp at Any Age,” from neuroscientist and performance coach Tommy Wood, “challenges the idea that cognitive decline is inevitable.”
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 !