When I asked my English professor for a recommendation letter for admission to the Library Science graduate program at Kent State University many years ago, he gave me a puzzled look and asked me why I wanted to read all day. Since then, I’ve met quite a few people who, upon hearing I’m a librarian, suggest something quite similar.
After 35 years in this profession, I can assure you that a librarian is expected to be a form of superhero, blending the skills of educator, social worker, technology expert, and sleuth. Behind the scenes, she’s a marketer, graphic designer, website developer, CEO, CFO, paralegal, and occasionally a politician. Not a week goes by that I don’t comment to myself or others, “They didn’t teach this in library school.”
So, as we celebrate Labor Day and all the good people who do such wonderful work to make our town shine, I salute the staff of the Ruby Sisson Library.
For the past year, they have twice cheerfully moved thousands of books (26,889 each move, to be exact), endured chemical smells, sewer backup, and shrieking power tools reminiscent of dentist drills. They’ve shoveled snow, braved dark parking lots, survived hours without working plumbing, and found room for everything in half the space they needed. They dragged wagons of books home to catalog, carloads of supplies for off-site programs, cleaned and cleaned again in defense against the endless construction dust.
Worst of all, they lost their dear friend Jeanne Colburn Hanson unexpectedly one dark day last winter.
Despite the challenges and heartbreak, the Ruby Sisson Library staff met each person walking through the door with a smile. Every person who asked them how to copy, print, fax, enlarge images, or format a resume, was patiently helped. When kids crowded the too-few computers or got too loud, they gave them a second chance, learned their names, asked them how their days went, and offered them a snack after school. They did it because they care. They care about their community and each other. Their work has a purpose, and they live it every day.
It takes a certain temperament to be a public librarian. I can say with deep pride that we have the best of the breed on staff at Ruby Sisson.
So, let’s celebrate the people who make the Ruby Sisson Library so special. This Saturday you will see the finished library for the first time at our Grand Opening Celebration. As you walk through in awe of the new spaces, I hope you take a few minutes to thank a staff member for the extraordinary effort it took to make this community dream a reality.
See you Saturday!
Hiring for Custodian/Janitor
Interested in joining a fun and welcoming staff team? Our new building and gardens are going to need lots of tender loving care. We’re hiring for a part time, 24 hour-per-week combination custodian/gardener to keep things looking lovely. See the full job description on our website at www.pagosalibrary.org.
New Craft and Hobby Database Marks Makerspace Opening
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
Hoopla E-Book Collection Replaces CloudLibrary
On August 18th, our library consortium adopted Hoopla, an e-Book and e-Audiobook platform that replaces CloudLibrary. Our entire CloudLibrary collection has migrated to this new Hoopla platform, so if you were on a waitlist for a book in CloudLibrary, try a search for it in Hoopla.
To get started, download the Hoopla app, and register as a Ruby Sisson patron with your library card number. If you are already a Hoopla user with another library, you can add the Ruby Sisson collection by choosing “settings” on the bottom app menu, then “Library Settings.” If you need a little extra help, stop by and we’ll work with you. For extended help, our tech time drop-ins are every Thursday from 2-4pm.
2026 Colorado Parks Passes for Checkout
Fall is coming. Have you visited a Colorado state park this year? 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.
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.
Our New Books Collections
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.
During our transition period, most books are in storage, but the new books are available to browse, as well as items recently returned, and you can reserve items 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
Masters of horror Stephen King and Peter Straub pair up to deliver “The Talisman,” first published in 1984. Twelve-year-old Jack Sawyer goes on a terrifying quest for the mystical Talisman to save his dying mother.
Erik Larson’s “Dead Wake: The Last Crossing of the Lusitania,” first published in 2015, tells the true history of the luxury liner disaster.
New Fiction
“Whisper Creek,” a new thriller from Allison Brennan, features widow Ellen McKenna as she faces mysterious evil forces while she works to save her Texas farm during floods and heavy rain.
“Everything Was Beautiful and Nothing Hurt,” from Ben Reeves, follows Travis, a man whose job it is to comfort people in their final hours, but has no one to comfort him. Until a midwife and her boisterous 8-year-old daughter move in across the hall.
“Desert Heist,” a thriller from Alex Dekker, features former Green Beret Nate Wilde who leaves the army to pursue his passion for history and archeology, against the wishes of the Saudi government.
New Nonfiction
“Cooking Thai: Heritage and Modern Recipes from My Kitchen Notebooks,” from Silicon Valley tech guru turned master chef Pim Techamuanvivit.
“Protein-Packed Vegetarian: Easy, Nourishing Recipes to Fuel Your Day,” from the former food editor at Real Simple magazine.
“Civilizations Map by Map,” from Smithsonian is a cornucopia of visual world history from ancient empires to forgotten cultures.
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 !