Tuesday, September 30, 2008

Library Card Changes

Starting tomorrow, Wednesday, October 1st, there are changes to the requirements for getting a library card. YOU will need to provide a photo ID and proof of current city or county address if you are 13 or older. However, you will not need to provide the name and phone number of a reference anymore.

If you have any questions, visit your local branch or call the Library at:

Main: 955-6780
La Farge: 955-4860
Southside: 955-2810

Monday, September 29, 2008

Marking Time

No, it is not the New Year 2009 yet, and not even Halloween. But it is calendar month! Those of us who love nice paper, gilt-edged pages and leather covers know to hit the ground running when local paper shops announce “The 2009 Calendars are in.” Only if you dash to the stores can you get the special calendars you want.

Calendars are so personal. The size. The color. The pages themselves. A few years ago I was in a job where everyone was required to keep their work calendar on line; others could check for times available for meetings right from your calendar. I of course complied, but kept my paper calendar also. And you can guess who saved the day more than once when our network went down and no online calendar was available, it was my gorgeous, gilt-edged, leather-covered calendar.

Calendar: humanity's epic struggle to determine a true and accurate year And by now my 2008 calendar is a little worse for wear—coffee stains on the front, frayed ribbon between the pages and perhaps the start of a crack in the spine. And it is filled through 2009 with events, programs and deadlines. It is time to start off the new year and the new calendar. The only thing that gives me pause, is that at the end of my 2009 calendar are two weeks of calendar days for 2010 to start off that year. I am not ready for that, 2009 is just far enough.

by PCH @ Main

Friday, September 26, 2008

Up, Up and Away!

Balloons at Evening Autumn is definitely upon us. Crisp mornings, turning leaves, scent of roasting chile from just about every parking lot. But there's something else about fall in New Mexico that is different from just about anywhere in the world: Balloons!

The Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta is just a week away, but there's a good chance that you'll see hot air balloons aloft before then. It's doubtful that you'll see any taking off or landing from the Plaza, but once you leave the city limits, and possibly head south, you're almost guaranteed a peek at one of these dancers in the sky.

Mass AscensionWhen I worked on the west mesa of Albuquerque, we had the best views in the city of the pink Sandias at sunset, with a carpet of lights at its foothills flickering on. In the fall, we were also treated to the best views of balloon flights, especially when one would founder on the ridge directly below us. It became common to arrive at work early with coffee, sit outside and watch the balloons stream overhead. We'd wave, and if we got a wave back from one of the tiny people in the basket, a cheer would go up.

cover of book Even if you've never had a chance to ride in a balloon, or can't make it to the mass ascension at the crack of dawn, it's worthwhile to spend the next few weeks looking towards the sky. You never know what might be floating overhead.

Photos courtesy of the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta.

Thursday, September 25, 2008

Teen Vampire Party!

Christopher Lee as Dracula Come celebrate Teen Read Week 2008 at the Teen Vampire Party on Friday, October 17th from 6pm to 8 pm at the Southside Library. Teens aged 13 to 18 are invited to attend in costume. There will be refreshments, a costume contest, and vampire trivia games.

Teen Read Week is sponsored by the American Library Association. This year’s theme is "Books with Bite," inspired by the great popularity of vampire books with teens, particularly the NY Times Bestselling Series Twilight by Stephenie Meyer.

The Southside Library is located at 6599 Jaguar Dr. at the corner of Country Club Rd. Interested teens should call 955-2820 to register.

The Teen Vampire Party is sponsored by the SFPL Teen Advisory Board, The Buckaroo Ball Foundation, Santa Fe Community Foundation, and LANL Foundation.

Wednesday, September 24, 2008

The Russians are Coming!

Sarov Coat of Arms The Russians are coming! In this case, we mean Russian librarians and educators. We have partnered with the Los Alamos Public Library to host their Sister City program for Sarov, Russia. The Russians are sending librarians to meet with their counterparts in the US under the auspices of the 2008 One World Program. One of their stops will be the Southside Library because it is a “green”, new modern branch and because of its dynamic, innovative children’s outreach and programs. What a whirlwind visit—seven days of the best of the Southwest and libraries.

The Russian librarians’ credentials are impressive, with experience in school and public libraries. Some of their own projects are ones we can learn from, such as the children’s literature studio for creative writing; creating children’s family exhibitions and book discussions with writers; and such projects as the “Change Yourself, Change the World.”

Hosting a group of librarians and cultural ministers from Belarus a few years ago, I was asked to explain marketing libraries and fundraising. It was as foreign a concept as one could be asked to explain. I think the closest I got to an exchange of ideas was when I asked what US companies had made the biggest inroads in their country. The answers were Coca-Cola and “soon” McDonalds. They were shocked when I suggested they ask those companies for funds for their libraries as well as free product and gift cards for their programs. It was a totally foreign concept. They were shocked to hear that the library that I worked at then received over $125,000 in product from McDonalds and $50,000 in cash from a soft drink company. The buzz as they discussed this fact in Russian got louder and louder. The translators double checked that they had translated it correctly. As nice as the invitation was, I did not accept going to Belarus on an exchange—I would have probably spent all my time seeking funds from “foreign” companies.

I think the key word to describe this project is “exchange.” We will share and exchange information on what works and what doesn’t. From past interactions with librarians around the world, I can say pretty definitively that kids are the same the world over—what works here will work there and vice versa.

Now how do you say Green or Red?

С огромным приветом!!! (My best wishes)

by PCH @ Main

Tuesday, September 23, 2008

National Hispanic Heritage Month

Celebrate National Hispanic Heritage Month from September 15 to October 15. We will have several programs throughout the fall to celebrate the culture and history of Hispanic-Americans. Also, the libraries have displays of Hispanic books from their wide array of materials.

Make sure to bring the whole family to the following children's program!

Mary Ellen Gonzales
Bilingual Storyteller

Friday, Oct. 10th
Southside: 4:00 pm

Saturday, October 11th
La Farge: 11:00 am
Main: 2:00 pm

Sponsored by the Friends of the Santa Fe Public Library.

Monday, September 22, 2008

It's Open! La Farge is Open!

Rainbow Tunnel to Children's Room The La Farge Library is now open for business! The building is now bright, cool, airy and green! Environmentally green, that is. Some of the construction work was infrastructure, like new locks, public address system and cleaning air ducts. But what you will notice are the environmentally good lights, the air/heating system and new ceiling tile.

We'd like to thank all the La Farge Library staff for helping out at Main and Southside, and the Main and Southside staff for making the La Farge staff so welcome while La Farge was closed. We'd also like to thank the construction company, GEW Mechanical, for doing a great job. But most of all, we'd like to thank you, our patrons, for your patience during this renovation.

Stop in, all of the new 14 day books are there waiting for you—a treasure trove!

La Farge Library is located at 1730 Llano Street between St. Michael's Drive and Siringo Road. Call them at 955-4860 if you need assistance.

The hours of operation are:
Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Thursday, Friday, Saturday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Closed Sundays.

Saturday, September 20, 2008

Wildflowers

Wildflowers of the Mountain Southwest Anywhere you walk, bike or drive this month, the roadsides and fields are filled with wildflowers. More so than usual, as the rains in August seemed to be just what these hardy wildflowers needed. For the first time in years, I travel with a flower identification book.

I used to think I knew most of the blooming plants (weeds to many), but this summer some have come up that I had to search to identify. Around our house are dozens of sacred datura (jimson weed) still blooming, Indian Paintbrush have just gone to seed, mullein spikes are yellow with small trumpet-shaped blooms and asters are clouds of lavender everywhere. Small-leaved glove-mallow flourish between the chamisa bushes. Even White horse-nettle has invaded my gardens. I have learned to live with these colorful “wildflowers”, even turning a part of my yard into a wild garden.

National Audubon Society first field guide. WildflowersMy philosophy on most colorful weeds is that if they had the ability to take root in my garden, I can live with them. As an artist, the colorful banks of flowers are inspiring. I think this is what Monet would have done if he had lived in the Southwest, created gardens from the hardy wild plants rather than pull and trim and make a formal garden.

Check out the Library’s wildflower identification books, we have many that can help you identify your “weeds.”

by PCH @ Main

Friday, September 19, 2008

New Junot (with Lannan)

In anticipation of Junot Díaz's appearance in Albuquerque next Tuesday, The Alibi has published an interview with him.

If Tuesday is too soon to get down there, he'll be back at The Lensic on January 21st, chatting with Samuel L. Delaney as part of the Lannan Foundation's excellent Readings & Conversations series. Even if Mr. Díaz is not your cup of tea, the 2008-2009 season is full of world-class writers and conversationalists who shouldn't be missed!

But, if you must miss them, the conversations are rebroadcast locally on a regular basis, or you can listen to their audio archive.

We may have to temporarily rename our blog Oscar Wao if this keeps up.

Buccaneer-Americans

Jolly Roger - The Pirate Flag
Argghhh! Today is International Talk Like a Pirate Day! While some of us may observe this day with an occasional "Avast, ye hearties!", others go all out with eyepatches, fake parrots, or full pirate regalia.

PiratepediaWhile pirates have made a comeback in recent years, partly due to Johnny Depp in the Pirates of the Caribbean films, there are many who'd say that pirates, privateers and buccaneers have never gone out of style.

If you're not sure how best to celebrate this important day, the Library has tons of pirate books, and there are online instructional videos and several vocabulary sites to help you out. And who says you can't dress like a pirate today!

So don't hang the jib or be a scallywag, or we'll make you walk the plank!

Thursday, September 18, 2008

Books and Babies is Back

The popular “Books and Babies” program has returned to the Southside Branch Library. Come join this play and language group for children ages 6 months to 24 months. Your child will enjoy books, and songs, and finger games from the comfort of your lap. Oral traditions and books will provide an important pre-reading experience for your child.

This six week session at Southside Branch is on Thursdays at 10:30 am to 11:00 am and again at 1:00 am to 1:30 am and runs from September 18th to October 23rd.

Open enrollment. This free program is sponsored by the Brindle Foundation.

For information call the children’s desk at the Southside Branch Library, 6599 Jaguar Drive, 955-2828.

Where the Heck is Abo?

Outside of Cerrillos Are you curious about New Mexico? Wondering about that little town you once drove through on your way to somewhere else? Do YOU know where Abo, New Mexico is?

F. Stanley was, and did. He is the man responsible for the run of New Mexico pamphlets we have here at the Santa Fe Public Library, which until recently were uncataloged and hiding in the Southwest room. Written in the sixties, these little booklets run about twenty to forty or so pages each and have information about every little town you could possibly think of in New Mexico, and some you couldn’t possibly (have you heard of Koehler? Causey? Tiptonville?). And the ones you’ve heard of may surprise you.

Ghost Town outside of PecosFor instance, we all know of Pojoaque, but did you know that in 1909, there were forty-four variations of that name? Or that familiar Bernalillo was “as wild as Dodge or Tombstone” and home to all manner of ruffians such as “Cyprians, gold-brickers, con men, horse thieves, and boot-hill tenants”? Okay, maybe you did, but I didn’t! And how can you resist a book that starts out: “Abiquiu is to New Mexico what Salem is to Massachusetts. A witch lurked behind every adobe wall, and a wizard was doling out love potions that kept husbands home at night.” Or, “Alma is no more. Only the name remains.” Intriguing!

These babies do not have a series statement, but if you search the catalog by author: Stanley, F, you will pull up all of them, freshly cataloged, and we have made sure they sit all together on the shelf, at 978.9 Sta. They all share the same title, too – The Mora, New Mexico Story, The Chilili, New Mexico Story, etc., except for the ominously named The Dawson, New Mexico Tragedies and the grandly titled Mescalero Epic. They’re all shelved alphabetically though, so even if a story is tragic or fabulous, it can easily be located. None of the series can be checked out of the library, since only 400 to 500 copies exist in the world, but at twenty pages, you could read each one twice just hanging out in the library. And after that, you are sure to start itching to take a road trip all around the state to see whether Carbonateville still exists.

And I’m sorry to report that there is no The Clines Corners, New Mexico Story. You know you were wondering.

by AA @ Main

Wednesday, September 17, 2008

Dragons & Dinosaurs Redux

The Santa Fe Public Library
Presents a Special Reopening Event
For the La Farge Branch Library

Indiana Bones
Storyteller
Michael McCartney
As Adventurer Indiana Bones

Telling Stories of Dragons & Dinosaurs

Saturday, September 27th
11:00 am to noon

La Farge Branch Library
1730 Llano Street
(505) 955-4863

Did you know that before the word “dinosaurs” (terrible lizards) was invented in 1861, most dinosaur bones were considered “Dragon Bones” and used as medicine? To this day many cultures still believe that dragons live in deep caves under the earth and cause volcanoes.

There’s even more exciting and interesting information when you travel along with “Indiana Bones” as he guides you on an action packed, fun-filled adventure into the world of Dragons and Dinosaurs. With the aid of his dragon puppet “Darwin” and his dinosaur fossils, Indy sheds light on the stories, legends and myths of these mystical magical creatures. Don’t miss out on Dragons and Dinosaurs with adventurer storyteller “Indiana Bones” and “Darwin” his dragon puppet.

This FREE family event is sponsored by the Friends of the Santa Fe Public Library.

Wheelchair Symbol

Tuesday, September 16, 2008

New Mexico Women Authors Book Festival

LogoSAVE THE DATE for the first New Mexico Women Authors Book Festival on Saturday, September 27th, from 10 am to 5 pm. The festival is modeled after the Library of Congress' National Book Festival, and will be held on Milner Plaza on Museum Hill in Santa Fe.

This book festival features 75 New Mexican women authors in Fiction, Poetry, History, Art, Biography, Children's Books and more. Attendees include Ana Castillo, Valerie Plame Wilson, Deborah Madison, and Santa Fe Poet Laureate Valerie Martínez.

New Mexico Creates has a new, and continually expanding category to feature New Mexico Women Authors!

Monday, September 15, 2008

Sites We Like

Here are a couple of web sites that have come in handy here at the Library:

Reading New Mexico is a new website consisting of book reviews "with a New Mexico connection." The reviews are organized by fiction and non-fiction, title and author. So far, the reviews posted are short enough to read quickly, but long enough to give you good information about the book. The site is also accepting reviewers if your favorite books aren't reviewed yet. Keep an eye on Reading New Mexico as it grows in its coverage of our state's rich and varied literature.

In a different vein, Project Vote Smart has been indispensible since the national political conventions, and will only get more popular as Election Day draws closer. It's a reliable, unbiased source of information about political candidates at all levels of government. While some of the availability of information depends on what the candidates supply, the inclusion of voting records, issue positions, and interest group ratings make this a valuable clearinghouse for voter information.

Have you come across any good sites lately? Let us know!

Friday, September 12, 2008

War to End All Wars?

World War I soldiers in the trenchesThis coming November 11th is the 90th anniversary of the signing of the armistice ending World War I, also known as “The Great War” and “The War to End All Wars”. Since there have in fact been additional wars since the original Armistice Day in 1918, WWI often gets overshadowed by subsequent events. A number of excellent online resources bring the magnitude and daily experience of this conflict to life.

WW1: Experiences of an English Soldier is a daily posting of letters from the front. The solider is Private Harry Lamin, and the first letter posted is from training camp, written on February 7th, 1917. The letters are posted online almost 90 years to the day that they were written. Start at the beginning, and share Harry's observations and experiences as the Great War progresses.

Other sites can assist with background information. First World War provides a multimedia history, the BBC offers a comprehensive overview, the World War I Document Archive contains primary sources, including photos, and World War I - Trenches on the Web is a labor of love from history buffs that offers online tours of the war and real-life battleground tours.

Of course, the Library has plenty of books about World War I, covering all facets of the war, for all ages. To find out what the women were doing while soldiers like Harry in the trenches, check out Vera Brittain's Testament of Youth. We also have DVDs, audiobooks, and VHS videos about the war, both fiction and non-fiction. So unlike Harry Lamin, you don't have to wait until Armistice Day, or, as we call it in the United States, Veterans Day, to find out how the War to End All Wars ends.

Thursday, September 11, 2008

In Memory

Mayor Coss and Firefighters March
In memory of the events of September 11, 2001, The Santa Fe Firefighters Association Local 2059 and the New Mexico Professional Firefighters Association marched in “Firefighter’s Day of Remembrance” this afternoon. Firefighters from all over Santa Fe County and Mayor Coss, pictured above to the left of the wreath, marched in a solemn tribute to the fallen. The parade ended at the Roundhouse, and speakers included Santa Fe Mayor David Coss and Fire Chief Chris Rivera.


Old Firetruck

Diagram Prize

cover of book The United States has the Pulitzer, but the United Kingdom has the Diagram Prize. Sponsored by the online magazine the Bookseller, this prize usually goes to the oddest book title of the past year. Since this year was the 30th anniversary of the prize, we're treated to the oddest book title of the last 30 years!

And the winners of the 2008 prize are . . .

*drum roll*

1st place: Greek Rural Postmen and Their Cancellation Numbers

2nd place: People Who Don't Know They're Dead: how they attach themselves to unsuspecting bystanders and what to do about it

3rd place: How to Avoid Huge Ships, or, I never met a ship I liked

Alas, we don't carry these interestingly-titled books here at SFPL. But I'm thinking of getting the 2nd place book through interlibrary loan as we head into Halloween season.

Wednesday, September 10, 2008

I can read it, but I can't say it.

cover of book Junot Díaz is making a splash in the literary world, and I wanted to pick up The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao. Placing a hold and checking the book out presented no challenge, but trying to figure out how to pronounce Mr. Díaz's first name without being embarrassed took a little research.

Apparently I'm not the only one with this problem, because there's the Author Name Pronunciation Guide which has sound clips of writers pronouncing their own names. Unfortunately, Junot isn't on that one. Then there's the Say How? page from the Library of Congress, which covers all public figures. No Junot there either. There's also a helpful blog in which folks weigh in on how they think an author's name is pronounced at The Millions.

Thankfully for someone who doesn't listen to much radio or watch much television, there's an abundance of both online. This YouTube clip from the Google campus gives me a good idea of the pronunciation, as does this interview from NPR. And as a final confirmation, this printed interview with the author answers this question for me right at the top!

Tuesday, September 09, 2008

Giving for the Web-Bound

We've let you know about Free Rice as an easy and entertaining way to fight world hunger. But sometimes 5 minutes of Free Rice has a way of turning into 10, 20, or many more minutes. Or sometimes you feel you know all the vocabulary there is, and other times your brain just can't think of what an amyloid means. Then there's the whole ethical quandary about the colleague who plays Free Rice with a dictionary at his side...

Fortunately, for those of us who like to give back to the world, there are a couple of other options to do so online. We do a lot of searching here at the Library, and GoodSearch is a great way to contribute to favorite charities while finding answers to all your questions. Fifty percent of GoodSearch's revenue goes to charity, and you can select the charity of your choice as well. If your charity is not on their list, such as Big Brothers Big Sisters of Northern New Mexico, you can Add a New Charity on their website.

There are also many sites that have Click to Give buttons, such as The Breast Cancer Site. For example, just by a simple mouse click at this site each day, you are contributing to free mammograms. Just type "Click to Give" in GoodSearch, and you'll find other programs for animal rights, saving the rain forest, and promoting literacy.

If Free Rice and GoodSearch are a little passive for you, you might want to check out Kiva. Despite it's familiar name, it's not a sacred ritual center in the Pueblos, an auditorium, gallery, or real estate office, but a microlending program for small entrepreneurs in developing countries. You can read through the entrepreneurs' profiles, limit by region, economic sector, or gender, and lend small sums of money to assist them with their business. The minimum investment is $25, and 100% of your investment goes to the entrepreneur. Kiva also gives you the opportunity to contribute a small amount to their operating expenses.

Banker to the Poor book coverFor my first loan, I selected the Corazones de Oro association, a group of women who prepare and sell food in El Alto, Bolivia. In 6-12 months, my loan will be paid back to me, credited directly back to my bank account, so I can select a new entrepreneur to invest in. However, I'm sure I'll invest in other entrepreneurs in the meantime. It's amazing how a fraction of a restaurant tab in Santa Fe, or less than a tank of gas, can make such a difference in someone else's life. This may get as addictive as Free Rice!

Monday, September 08, 2008

How much does genius cost?

A Room of One's Own I recently, finally, read Virginia Woolf's classic, A Room of One's Own. Her main thesis is that in order for a woman to express her genius, or at least her creativity, she requires a room of her own and an independent income of 500 pounds a year. Between dreaming of an afternoon in the British Museum and assessing my retirement strategy, I kept wondering what 500 pounds in 1928 would equal in today's dollars.

To begin, I needed to find out what the value of a United States dollar in 1928 was compared to today's dollar. According to
this 2007 article, if we go by the price of gold, "the value of today's $20 bill is about $0.59 in 1928 dollars." Good enough, especially since my next source yielded 6 different values for this.
Next search: the exchange rate between the US dollar and the British pound sterling in 1928. I lucked onto this site, Measuring Worth, which has several useful calculators. According to the "Dollar-Pound Exchange Rate" calculator, the pound was worth $4.87 in 1928, and $2.00 in 2007. According to the "Exchange Rates Between the United States Dollar and Forty-one Currencies" calculator, one dollar was worth £0.21 in 1928, but £0.50 in 2007.

After covering some scrap paper and post-its and revising some initial calculations, I discovered that when Virginia Woolf said a woman needed an income of £500 per year, she didn't intend for that woman genius to eat ramen in an efficiency.


In 2007, her £500 would be either $80,710.25 or $82,542.37. While Woolf believes that poverty or frugality in women has been a hindrance to their creative success, $80K seems like a lot of money for the basics of food, shelter, clothing, or even the solitude, travel and gourmet meals that Woolf decrees as essential to genius. Factoring in modern tools of creativity, such as a laptop and cable internet, or art supplies and agent's fees, Woolf's 500 pounds sterling could still go a long way. And I'm not even going to tackle converting the cost-of-living in 1920s London with that of 21st century Santa Fe. I guess I don't need all of it to be creative, but perhaps that's the real cost of genius?

Reassessing my retirement strategy, wondering if I'll ever see the
British Museum, perusing the family tree to see if there might be some aristocrat or robber baron who may have left me a small sum with which to fund my creative unemployment while I write my work of genius...

Since I'm not permitted to use this forum to
solicit benefactors, please feel free to check my math and equations instead.

Friday, September 05, 2008

Go Kiss a Book Today!

Franklin While working in the Southside children’s room yesterday, I happened to disengage myself long enough to observe a small child clutching a book to her heart and then kissing it! I asked her to show me her treasure, and there it was- a modest little picture book whose cover sported a green turtle named Franklin.

Portrait of a LadyThis morning while ironing and thinking about the little girl, I thought back to my childhood and pondered what book made an impression on me. Well, there’s no mistaking it, posing coyly on the cover of a huge art book, the “Portrait of a Lady” c. 1455 by Rogier van der Weyden, this mysterious, vaguely Scarlett Johansson-looking creature has fascinated me all these years. I would spend hours taking a tour of the National Gallery of Art between the pages of that book and committing the images to memory like old friends.

So, go ahead, Kiss A Book Today!, even if the cover reminds you of Marge Simpson. No matter how old you are, we all know it's what's inside that counts.

by CD @ SS

Thursday, September 04, 2008

¡Que Viva La Fiesta!

Viva la FiestaIt's exciting to see the decorations for this weekend's Fiestas all over the Plaza. The family crests and City and Pueblo seals over the portal of the Palace of the Governors are an interesting snapshot of local history. They're also good for making residents feel like tourists as they roam around with a camera!

As the air turns cool, it's a great time for the burning of Zozobra. All the gloom that has accumulated over this past year will be incinerated away. If you've never been before, it's highly recommended. If it's been a while since you've gone, perhaps it's about time? I'd hate to know how much gloom has accumulated in your absence.

For children, there's the popular Pet Parade around the Plaza on Saturday morning at 9 am. And of course, the Historical/Hysterical Parade on Sunday at 1 pm. Check out the schedule of events for more details about the bandstand entertainment and other activities.

Crests at the PalaceSo whether you're a visitor, a resident, a local, or your last name is displayed proudly for all to see, be sure to attend the Fiestas de Santa Fe, where everyone is part of la familia.

Wednesday, September 03, 2008

La Farge Update

Covered Books La Farge Branch Library will reopen to the public on Monday, September 22.

It was planned that the branch would reopen earlier, however, finding energy efficient light fixtures delayed the project. This process has delayed the opening of the Branch Library until September 22, however, this is the best opportunity to ensure a more energy efficient building for our community.

The City of Santa Fe is making every effort to implement energy efficiency in its buildings. An expert was hired by the City of Santa Fe this year and this Planning and Energy Specialist recommended new energy efficient light fixtures for the La Farge Branch Library. The architect searched for light fixtures which are both energy efficient and appropriate for the Library. They are now being installed at the Branch Library while it is undergoing renovation. Additional funding was received from the Housing and Community Development Department. They will monitor the energy usage in the Library after the installation.

In addition to new lighting, the La Farge Branch has a new air conditioning and heating system, new ceiling tiles, WiFi, public address system and safety issues have been addressed. The La Farge branch is 30 years old.

photo by Mark Kane

Tuesday, September 02, 2008

Fiesta Closings

Zozobra The Santa Fe Public Library will be open the following hours for Las Fiestas:

Thursday, September 4th: 10 am - 6 pm

Friday, September 5th: 10 am - 1 pm

Saturday, September 6th:
Southside Library: 10 am - 6 pm
Main Library: Closed

Sunday, September 7th: All branches closed

Main and Southside Libraries will resume regular hours on Monday, September 8th.

Photo courtesy of Zozobra.com

Literature Database!

Mark TwainNow that school is back in session, we would like to remind you of our new database, Gale’s Literature Resource Center! Check it out at our database page and click on the appropriate link for the Literature Resource Center.

You'll be able to find biographies, criticism, overviews, reviews and primary sources for many of your favorite writers, inside or outside the library. Students of any age who need to do a report on an author will love this, and many author biographies have photos!

You can access full-text articles and print them out or e-mail them. The database has links to Tips, Help, and a Guided Tour at the top to help you with this research tool.
If you're inside the library and need research assistance, be sure to ask a librarian at the Reference Desk. If you're outside, please call your librarian at one of the following numbers:

Main Reference: 955-6781
Southside Reference: 955-2820
La Farge Reference will be closed until September 8.