As 2018 comes to an end, it’s time to consider your new goals for 2019!

Do you want to eat healthier, save more money, start a new job, exercise more, or just read one bestseller a month?  Whatever you decide to do think positive and get those goals done!  Make a list of 10 things, then hide it in a place you will be surprised when you find it months from now.

Treats~~stockings~~cookies~~candles~~cards~~tinsel~~ festive lights~~gifts However you choose to celebrate the holidays this season, do it with joy! (and a good book!)

Celebrate the month of November by being thankful.  Do it publicly by just saying thank you to someone who does something for you.  Do it privately by quietly reflecting on appreciating what you have.

“When you practice gratefulness, there is a sense of respect toward others.” Dalai Lama

The leaves are changing and the air is cooler.  That means Fall is here!  Why not fall into a good book.  Check out the New Reads shelf for a great selection of nonfiction, sci-fi, mysteries, fiction and westerns.

There are 2 things you should do this month.  First, September is National Library Card sign up month.  Come in and apply for your card and we’ll tell you all of the fun things that are accessible with your new number.  Second, arghhh maties, September 19th is talk like a pirate day.  Go to the Mango Language database and take the pirate’s language course.

The month of August is almost complete.  Did you celebrate anything fun this month?  Book Lover’s day of course was complete when the book you were reading was finished.  Back to School and get ready for kindergarten month are also done.  My favorite for August was eating peaches for peach month and thinking about what makes me happy for Happiness Happens month.  What will entice us next month????

Tune in to two music events here at the library.  On July 23rd at 3 pm. Steve Weeks returns with fun songs that will appeal to both kids and their parents. On July 25 at 7:30 pm we’ll wrap up our Summer on the River series with a performance by Blue Canyon Jazz.  Both events are free!! Come join us!!

Join us for music and an outdoor movie in celebration of “Libraries Rock”!  Call for details.  There will be a PS-4 gaming system and tickets to the Telluride Jazz Festival awarded at the end of our Summer programming.  How can I get in on this, you ask??? Stop at the circulation desk for all the information.  Children’s programming is also scheduled thru the end of July.

May is a month to show teachers that you appreciate all they do for their students.  May is Foster Care, Water Safety, and Chamber Music Month.  If you are hungry for more, May is Barbecue, Asparagus, Salad, & Strawberry month.  Of course a libraries favorite May celebration is “Get caught reading” month.  Send us a photo of you in your favorite reading spot.

April is Poetry month. Add your original or favorite poem to our “Poetree”.

April also celebrates libraries.  Here are just 5 of many things you can do at the library.

1. Download e & audio books
2. Check out a foreign film
3. Learn to use a computer
4. Research a family history database.
5. Check out a Colorado State Park Pass.

Think about marching into spring with a new read or two.  Take an adventure with Clive Cussler in “The Rising Sea” or sit down with Susan Wittig Albert’s latest “The Darling Dahlias & the Unlucky Clover”.  In between chapters, keep an eye out for those first flowers of spring,  typically lilacs, irises, lilies, tulips, daffodils, and  (of course) dandelions.

It’s February, thoughts of Valentines, red hearts, and handmade cards fill the air.  We would love for you to attend a Foreign film night or a Winter Tales lecture.  Share some love by recommending to others that great book you just read!  We’d love to hear from you, fill out a comment card the next time you are here.

What are your plans for the new year?  Why not find a good book to read–listen to a book on CD–download an e-book.

Try something new and sign up for e-mail notifications through Shoutbomb.  All this and more is always available with just a library card.

Best wishes to all for a happy holiday season!!  May 2018 bring you good health and happiness.  Make a resolution to attend at least one of our featured events. Our 3rd Annual Winter Lecture Series begins January 11th and Foreign Film night begins January 16th.

Thanksgiving is a time to express gratitude no matter how small.  A smile of thanks goes a long way and it often makes someone’s day brighter!  Find a book that guides you into being a more thankful person.  Recommend a book that you thought was great to others.  Pass it on.  Enjoy this November holiday season!

Fall into a computer tutorial session or fall for a lesson on one of our many databases.  Fall for Halloween activities.  Fall into after school programming.  Fall for a 12:00 noon movie matinee.  Fall into a Saturday yoga session.  Checkout what’s happening at your library!!

Did you know you could receive text messages when the book you’ve placed a hold on has arrived??  Now along with e-mail notices you can also get a text!  Ask a staff member about “Shoutbomb”.

It’s July!! Get out and celebrate “National Anti-boredom” month by stopping by the library and seeing what’s on the new reads shelf.  You can also cure the “I’m bored’s” by checking out our mobi-cruisers and games like Kan Jam and Ladderball.  State Park passes are also available for when you plan that fishing trip to Jackson Lake!

June 21st is the official first day of summer.  Where will you spend your day?  We have a variety of outdoor games available for checkout.  Plan a day at one of the Colorado State Parks by using one of our “checkoutable” State Park Passes.  Play bocce ball, kan jam or ladder toss at the park.  Enjoy a cool beverage while answering trivia questions at the Dolores River Brewery.  Whatever you choose to do, do it well!!

Outside is the place to be in May.  Head for the river, go fishing in the reservoir, hike a canyon, take a nature walk, identify birds, or just sit and watch the world go by!  Come in for hiking, birding, nature books for your inspiration.

Saguache Public Library

On my drive home from a workshop in Denver, I stopped to visit a few libraries in southern Colorado. My first stop, Saguache, is a charming little village that’s located at the northern gateway to the San Luis Valley and takes its name from the Ute’s word for “sand dune”.  The Saguache Public Library sits adjacent to a park on Pitkin Avenue. A colorful mural of larger than life sized books adorns the side of the otherwise modest building. The reading room contains a special collection about the town’s history, Southwest Colorado, and railroad expansion into the region. A quilt depicting the historic town hangs on the wall. There are four public computers in the main room and an large section set aside for the children’s collection.

South Fork Branch

About 60 miles down the road, I was surprised to discover that the tiny town of South Fork boasts a large and impressive public library. The South Fork Library is a branch of the Monte Vista Carnegie Library and opened in South Fork’s community building in 1975. The current stone laden building was constructed just 10 years ago and is beautifully situated at the confluence of the South Fork and Rio Grande rivers. It features many modern amenities, including A/V materials and a long row of public computers along the north wall.

Ruby Sisson Memorial Library

The Ruby M. Sisson Memorial Library is located just off HWY 160 on the west side of Pagosa Springs. The current building, which opened in 2005, features two community meeting rooms and a shaded courtyard with picnic tables facing the Rocky Mountains. The lobby contains racks of paperbacks available for purchase from their Friends of the Library group and signage about upcoming programs and events.

Pine River Library

Pine River Library is located in Bayfield, a so-called bedroom community 20 miles east of Durango. The large modern building was constructed in 2004. The spacious setting allows for plenty of parking, a sizeable courtyard with several colorful tables and chairs surrounding a fire pit, and a substantial community garden. Director Shelley Walchak acquired a Go Grow grant to develop the adjacent green space into a community park that will feature sports fields & an outdoor amphitheater. They’re celebrating on May 20th with a Pop-Up Playground and Park Groundbreaking party.

Cheers, Virginia Mattingly
Dolores Public Library Director

Celebrate the month of April by creating your own haiku for poetry month. Try something new like yoga here at the library, ask at the front desk for days and time. Do you have lots of cookbooks you never use? Bring them in to donate to the 3rd annual Cookbook exchange. Taste some of the recipes and go home with other cookbooks to try new things at home.

The official first day of spring is here.
Celebrate by downloading an e-book to read while enjoying the springtime sun. Also have some fun and only use a pencil on March 30th for National pencil day. Then switch to a crayon (any color!) on March 31st for National Crayon day!

Continuing on my quest to tour as many libraries in the area, I was able to visit four in February: Durango Public Library, Dove Creek Library, San Juan County’s Monticello Library, and the John F. Reed Library at Fort Lewis College.

Durango Public Library

My first stop was at the Durango Public Library, which is beautifully situated on the Animas River and is home to the Durango Botanic Gardens. It’s by far the largest public library I’ve yet visited. The lobby houses Lela’s Place, a bookstore run by the library’s Friends group, and the Common Grounds Cafe, a collaborative community partnership. Be sure to pick up an Art at the Library brochure, a project of the Durango Public Art Commission. The circulation desk, copy center, and program rooms lie just beyond the double doors, followed by a large children’s room and glass walls opening onto decks overlooking the river trail.

The second floor houses the reference, large print & non-fiction collections, and is lined with several enclosed study rooms that were fully occupied while I was there on a weekday evening. Director Sandy Irwin said they could use ten more. She mentioned that the library is engaged in a small redesign project that will include new furniture, more bookcases on wheels for flexibility and a more open layout for the public computer area.

Reed Memorial Library, Fort Lewis College

On my way to hear Craig Childs, the Common Reading Experience Keynote at Fort Lewis College, speak about his latest book, Apocalyptic Planet, I stopped by the John F. Reed Memorial Library. It contains all the typical features of an academic library, including a help desk, computer lab, reading room, and private study spaces. Surprises included a recording studio, a classic red British phone booth, and a family designated study room featuring children’s books, toys & a wall-size chalkboard. Director Martha Talman said the bound periodicals are being removed to make way for more e-books for their recreational reading collection. She said, however, that students and researchers still prefer printed books. If time allows, follow the path north to the Center for Southwest Studies, which houses The Robert Delaney Southwest Research Library. While there, peruse its special collection of materials pertaining to the Four Corners region.

Dove Creek Library

A few weeks later, I had the pleasure of visiting Dove Creek Library, located about 35 miles north on Route 491. The library is housed at Dolores County Public School and is open only on weekdays. Public access is available from a separate exterior entrance and patrons are restricted from entering the school itself.  Library Assistant, Linda Deremo, was very friendly and encouraged me to look around. Because it’s a school/public library, the collection features a sizeable non-fiction collection with nice signage to help young readers navigate the Dewey Decimal Classification system.

Next, I had intended to visit Norwood’s Public Library, but missed my turn and found myself in Utah.

Monticello Branch, San Juan Public Library

Lucky for me, I arrived in time for the Annual Book Sale at the Monticello Branch, which is one of five locations in Utah’s San Juan County Library System. The iconic building was constructed in 1962, during Utah’s Uranium Boom. Director, Pat Smith, told me that a similar building at the Blanding Branch has a bomb shelter.  The structure is aging well and benefitted from a new roof and carpet last year. While the San Juan County Library System is not part of the Colorado Library Consortium, free library cards are available to Dove Creek residents. The library also participates in a nationwide Interlibrary Loan program, which includes Colorado. Patrons pay a nominal fee for postage.

Cheers, Virginia Mattingly
Dolores Public Library Director

One of my goals during my “first hundred days” is to visit as many nearby libraries in the Colorado Library Consortium (CLiC) as possible. The purpose of these site visits is to network with my colleagues and to glean ideas to enhance the Dolores Public Library’s services and collection.

There are 13 public libraries within 100 miles of Dolores, from Cortez to Pagosa Springs. In January, I had the pleasure of visiting Mancos Public Library, Mesa Verde National Park’s Visitor and Research Center, Cortez Public Library, and Silverton Public Library.

Cortez Public Library

Located just 10 miles west of Dolores, near the city center sits Cortez Public Library. The expansive wall of north-facing windows provides lovely views of Centennial Park, which Director Eric Ikenouye said draws large crowds in the summer. Of all the libraries I’ve visited thus far, Cortez was the busiest. Some of the library’s features include a large Genealogy section, a charming Children’s Room, Spanish-language resources and a private meeting room for patrons.

Mancos Public Library

Twenty miles to our south sits the historic town of Mancos. The sleek modern exterior of Mancos Public Library, built in 2008, is not only visually impressive, but is also energy efficient. Director Lee Hallberg mentioned that the 13 solar panels offset the library’s energy bill by 10%. In addition to the library’s extensive programming, I was impressed that it has a large room dedicated solely to children and a separate area for teens.

Mesa Verde NP Research Center

Mesa Verde National Park’s Visitor and Research Center includes a library, archives, and special collection. Unfortunately, the closed collection is accessible only to archeologists and researchers by appointment, but visitors may peer in the windows and view displays describing its contents and artifacts. The beautiful setting, art sculptures, and exhibits alone are well worth the visit.

Silverton Public Library

Silverton is an old mountain mining town located 50 miles north of Durango. Built in 1906, this compact architectural gem is one of few Andrew Carnegie libraries that hasn’t been altered from its original design. In fact, the entire town is a federally designated Historic Landmark. Be sure to pick up a souvenir bookmark and chat with Anita, a part-time library assistant who conducts tours of the Old Hundred Gold Mine during the summer.

Stay tuned for more reports from the road. I’d love to hear which are your favorite libraries and why.

Cheers, Virginia Mattingly
Dolores Public Library Director

Best wishes for health and happiness to all for 2017!  Stop in this month to start your New Year’s resolution by reading more books.  Pick out a new author, try an audio book, attend a lecture or view a foreign film.  Come in and introduce yourself to Virginia, our new director.