Monday, February 28, 2011

Would you join hands for your library?

Ancient Library of AlexandriaIn the midst of the unrest and demonstrations in Egypt, and the rallying for a democracy, an example of what the people of Egypt value highly was shown in a simple joining of hands around the Alexandrian Library. According to many reports, as the demonstrators came near the library Egyptian citizens of all ages joined hands and encircled the library. And the library's director, Ismail Serageldin says that in all the protests, not a stone was thrown at the library, and not a pane of glass was broken.

"This revolution in Egypt was a liberal revolution. People who believe in democracy and freedom of expression, in pluralism, and openness," he said. "And I'm proud and happy that the Library of Alexandria may have contributed in some small way to supporting the kinds of ideas that have found their expression in the young people who led this revolution."

Libraries are at the center of learning and provide knowledge openly and freely to all. That is the mission of libraries whether they are in Egypt or Santa Fe. Open libraries are a sign of a strong democracy.

by PCH @Main

Image of the ancient Library of Alexandria courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.

Friday, February 25, 2011

Free Filmmaking Workshops

The award winners of the New Visions/New Mexico program provide a series of free, professional filmmaking presentations and workshops each year as part of their contract award with the NM Film Office.

Check out the schedule of upcoming workshops in the Northern New Mexico area below. They are all free and open to the public, and a full presentation schedule and information about the program can be found here.


PRODUCTION: REALITY AND TRICKS OF THE TRADE
UNM-Taos Klauer Campus, South Taos
Saturday, Feb 26
9:00 am - 3:00 pm
A filmmaking workshop/seminar conducted by New Visions winner, Andrea Heckman.


STORYTELLING 3.0
Santa Fe University of Art and Design
Room 219 in Moving Image Arts Dept. (The Screen)
1600 St. Michael’s Drive
Wednesday, March 2
4:00 pm
Presented by New Visions winner Jason Silverman, this will be an Interactive lecture celebrating digital storytelling, filled with clips and examples, that examines the history of storytelling in the age of media and points us towards the future.


POST PRODUCTION: Getting it Done
Harwood Museum Theatre: Ledoux Street, Taos
Saturday, March 19
9:00 am - 3:00 pm
A filmmaking workshop/seminar conducted by New Visions winner, Andrea Heckman.


PACKAGING YOUR VIDEO: Distribution and Film Festivals
Harwood Museum Theatre: Ledoux Street, Taos
Thursday, March 24
6:00 pm - 8:00 pm
A filmmaking workshop/seminar conducted by New Visions winner, Andrea Heckman.


For more information, contact:
Trish Lopez
NM Filmmakers Program Director
NM Film Office
Santa Fe University of Art and Design
1600 Saint Michael's Drive
Santa Fe, NM 87505
(505) 476-5611
http://www.nmfilm.com/

Thursday, February 24, 2011

Santa Fe: 400 Years??

A Presentation By City of Santa Fe Historian Jose Garcia

Santa Fe 400th AnniversaryThursday, March 3
7:00 pm
Main Library Community Room
145 Washington Ave.

Do we really assume that 2010 was Santa Fe’s 400th Anniversary? Jose Garcia will present his own special approach to the telling of Santa Fe’s long and fascinating history in his second presentation at the Santa Fe Public Library as City Historian. The presentation will feature the persons that played special roles in creating the history that has made Santa Fe the City Different.

Some of those personalities include Juan de Oñate, Juan Martinez y Montoya and Cristobal de Oñate.

As a Northern New Mexico historian and genealogist, Mr. Garcia has researched the history of New Mexico extensively. He is particularly well-versed in the history of Santa Fe from the colonial era to the present and has completed research in local archives as well as archives in Spain.

This program is free and open to the public.

Wednesday, February 23, 2011

Dr. Seuss' Read Across America Day

Celebrate “Read Across America Day” in honor of Dr. Seuss' Birthday!

Seussville

Tuesday, March 1
La Farge Library: 10:30 am

Wednesday, March 2
Main Library: 10:30 am
Southside Library: 10:30 am


Come hear Dr. Seuss stories read by a special guest!

This program is free and open to children of all ages.

Seussville Image from the National Education Association.

Tuesday, February 22, 2011

Let us know!

Santa Fe Public Library

We're inviting you to take a very short survey!


The Santa Fe Public Library would like to know what you think of our website. It shouldn't take more than five minutes, it's completely anonymous, and you'll be helping us help you.




The survey link is here. Thanks!

Monday, February 21, 2011

Call for Artists

The Southside Branch Library, at 6599 Jaguar Drive, is accepting applications from artists interested in displaying their work for one month. Applicants must live in the City of Santa Fe or Santa Fe County and be eligible for a Santa Fe Public Library card.

Please pick up and return applications at the Southside Library reference desk. The Art Committee will meet with artists to select and schedule art displays to begin in June of 2011. Applicants should be prepared to present their work on Friday, March 11, at 10:00 a.m. in the café meeting room at Southside.

Contact Christina Dunkin at 505-955-2823 for more information.

Sunday, February 20, 2011

We're open tomorrow!

All branches of the Santa Fe Public Library will be open for regular hours on Monday, February 21, for Presidents Day. Come in to catch up on reading, pick up some DVDs, or do your taxes!

OK, so that last one probably isn't something to get psyched about. Come on in anyway!

Main Library
10 am - 9 pm
955-6780

La Farge Library
10 am - 9 pm
955-4862

Southside Library
10 am - 8 pm
955-2820

Friday, February 18, 2011

It's that time again!

Give us your tired, your poor, your pencils!

PencilThe Main Library is in dire need of your forsaken forlorn writing utensils. Please bring in what you have to either the Information or Check-out Desks.

Many thanks!

Pencil photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.

Thursday, February 17, 2011

Bandstand News

Santa Fe BandstandOK, perhaps it's not quite yet the season to stand outside in the late afternoon, soaking up the summer sun and wonderful tunes and entertainment from the bandstand. However, if you're hoping to perform this season, you can start convincing Outside In, the perennial organizers, starting on March 15.

So get together some video clips, book some shows, invite some friends, and let the Santa Fe Bandstand know that you're ready for the big time. Click here for all the information you need.

Can you tell we're ready for summer?

Wednesday, February 16, 2011

Library Bills

The Santa Fe Public Library will begin sending out bills for long overdue material via the U.S. Postal Service this month. It is our hope that timely billing will help retrieve or replace items that have not been available to our patrons because they have been kept out past their due date and are long overdue.

The bill will include an estimated replacement cost for each long overdue item. Your library account can be cleared by returning all of the long overdue items or paying the item's actual replacement cost which you can obtain from the library, or by replacing the item with an exact copy in new or very good condition. The replacement book cannot have any ownership markings from other libraries.

Please call any of Santa Fe Public Library's branches for information pertaining to the items listed on the bill. Call 955-6803 if you need help interpreting the bill itself. We appreciate your working with the Library to get all library materials back in a timely manner so that everyone has a chance to use them.

Tuesday, February 15, 2011

Empty and Antiquated?

With the interesting economic climate and the crunch felt by government budgets at all levels and in several countries, libraries and their funding are once again a hot topic of discussion. While some folks regard public libraries as empty buildings offering antiquated services, the numbers since the Great Recession and before tell a different story.

The Institute of Museum and Library Services issued a report in June, 2010, whose first sentence is:
"Public library visits and circulations per capita increased almost 20 percent between FY1999 and FY2008, while the number of public librarians per 25,000 people has remained virtually the same during that same period..."

For those of us who learn visually, here's a neat graph explaining that sentence:

Library visits per capita

One Day in the Life of New Mexico Libraries, also known as Library Snapshot Day, provides this same conclusion from a different perspective. For example, on April 14, 2010, "23,159 people visited New Mexico libraries", while only "15,573 people passengers departed from the Albuquerque International Sunport."

Another picture for you:

One Day in New Mexico Libraries
OCLC, a non-profit that serves libraries, also compiled information in their report How Libraries Stack Up: 2010.

Some facts from their report:
"Every day, 300,000 Americans get job-seeking help at their public library."
"Every year, Americans visit the library more often than we go to the movies and six times more often than we attend live sporting events (includes professional and NCAA football, baseball, basketball and hockey)."
"Most public libraries provide free wireless Internet access for their users. Nearly 12,000 now offer free Wi-Fi. That’s more than Starbucks, Barnes & Noble or Borders."

And once again, a pretty graph:

Movie Night

Could public libraries overall do a better job at serving their populations? Of course they could, but it is honestly something we strive to do every day. No matter what your age, think about how libraries "used to be", and then compare them to today's libraries with its online catalog, downloadable audiobooks, new and popular items in all formats, and online resources such as language learning, car repair, and test prep. The one constant in libraries is the human equation: helpful and friendly staff who are able and willing to go beyond Google and Wikipedia to get you what you need.

If you'd like to read these short, well-written, and beautifully illustrated reports yourself, check these links:

Institute of Museum and Library Services Report

One Day in the Life of New Mexico Libraries

How Libraries Stack Up: 2010

To see how the Santa Fe Public Library stacks up, check out our Facts & Statistics pages.

Monday, February 14, 2011

I could not have staged this better

Does this happen to you:

You think you've read or seen something, but when you do read or see it you realize you've been mistaken the entire time?

Cat on a Hot Tin RoofDespite being an avid reader and theater-goer, I discovered a huge gap in my knowledge last year. It started when I checked out Cat on a Hot Tin Roof to "refresh my memory", and I realized I'd never read the play or seen a production of it. I was blown away, and just a bit annoyed at myself for not having devoured Tennessee Williams' output earlier and more regularly. Sure, I'd read a scene or two from The Glass Menagerie in some English class or other, and I know for a fact that I'd watched A Streetcar Named Desire within the past decade. But for some reason, Cat just clicked with me, and I proceeded to seek out Williams' short stories and the film adaptations of his plays. I wished with all my heart that I'd have the opportunity to see one of his plays performed, and soon.

Albuquerque Theatre GuildThat was last year. This year, in a delightful serendipity, the Albuquerque Theatre Guild is organizing the Albuquerque Tennessee Williams Festival 2011. You see, it's his 100th birthday, and playhouses all over the city are putting on plays both written by him and inspired by him. While I may not be able to make each and every event, one I will definitely be checking out is the Vortex Theatre's production of Night of the Iguana, starting on March 25. It seems I discovered Tennessee Williams just in time!

Check out the full schedule of the Albuquerque Tennessee Williams Festival 2011 events here. After all, you may think Albuquerque is far, but it's not as far as New Orleans.

Friday, February 11, 2011

Tax Updates

All branches of the Santa Fe Public Library now have reproducible federal tax forms. You can flip through the binder and make photocopies of the forms you need for only ten cents a page. We also have packets of New Mexico tax forms that you can pick up at any branch.

If you need assistance preparing and filing your taxes, don't forget the ongoing Tax-Aide program here in Santa Fe.

And the best news of all is that the tax deadline is extended this year. You now have until Monday, April 18, 2011, to file your federal taxes. For New Mexico taxes, the deadline for taxpayers filing paper returns is April 18, 2011. The deadline for New Mexico E-filers that also pay online is extended until May 2, 2011. New Mexicans can file their tax returns online by going to the New Mexico Taxation and Revenue Dept. site. More information about the extension and other changes to the 2010 taxes are here.

Thursday, February 10, 2011

eAudiobooks for the Under-18 Set

One-ClickOur One-Click Downloadable Audiobooks have been so popular that we're now subscribing to books for children and teens. As of this writing, we have 31 titles in Children's Classics, 355 in Children's Fiction, and 18 for Children's Nonfiction. For teens, there are 9 titles in Young Adult Classics, 239 in Young Adult Fiction, and 10 in Young Adult Nonfiction. Just like our Adult eAudiobooks, we'll be adding to these collections every month.

One-Click AudioYou can find all these listings on our catalog, or you can Browse by Subject on the One-Click Audio site. For step-by-step instructions, be sure to visit our One-Click Audio page.

Wednesday, February 09, 2011

Sunday mornings aren't just brunch

Travel BugIn addition to coffee, internet access, and all the maps and traveling information your globe-trotting heart desires, Santa Fe institution Travel Bug has a Sunday morning lecture series. The presenters vary from representatives of local non-profits to authors and book signings. The series is sponsored by Journey santafe, which describes the eclectic line-up as "a group of liberal thinkers who meet each Sunday to explore life values and seek community".

The programs start at 11 am and are free and open to the public. A $3-$5 contribution is encouraged, and any donations received go to organizations locally and globally who are trying to build a better world in positive ways. Coming attractions include Korea's Military History on Feb. 20, the Waldorf School Student Council on Mar. 6, and Mark Rudd on Mar. 20. Check out the Travel Bug site or visit Journey santafe for a full schedule of upcoming events.

The Travel Bug Bookstore is located at 839 Paseo de Peralta between Palace and Alameda. You can call them at 992-0418 for more information.

Tuesday, February 08, 2011

Yoga and Nutrition

with Gio Minardi and Sue Perry:

A Free event for children and their families.

Apples
Tuesday, February 22
3:30-4:30
Southside Library

Wednesday, February 23
3:30-4:30
Main Library

Thursday, February 24
3:30-4:30
La Farge Library

Gio Minardi has taught yoga to children. She will present a half-hour program of playful yoga poses that members of the audience can do.

Sue Perry, City of Santa Fe Human Resources Specialist for Wellness, will make a healthy snack for those present and give information on lunch ideas for kids. She will present stories, games, and other activities on farms and dairy products and production.

Registration required. Registration begins two weeks before each program.



To register and for more information, call:
La Farge Children's: 955-4863
Southside Children's: 955-2828
Main Children's: 955-6783

WheelchairSponsored by The Friends of the Santa Fe Public Library.


Apple Photo courtesy of the USDA Agricultural Research Service.

Monday, February 07, 2011

Eating Across the Nation

Food AtlasSanta Fe is a world-class destination for its dining options, and it's also well-known for its Farmers Market, Farm to Table organization, and Farm to School program. However, at the other end of the spectrum are members of our county and other communities in the United States that do not have access to healthy food at their grocery stores, or lack access to a good grocery store at all. There are also other variables such as food prices, food taxes, and food insecurity.

The US Department of Agriculture has created a Food Environment Atlas where you can choose different variables related to health indicators and cost, access, and nutrition of food, and see how those measures change from state to state, or by county within a single state. You can also download the data directly if you need specific numbers for various criteria. The data is being regularly updated, so as more information pours in it will be possible to track this over time. For example, in 2007, New Mexico overall was above the US average in Household Food Insecurity. In 2009, New Mexico was in the average range.

While this is a great resource, my one request would be that the USDA enables the selection of multiple variables at once. For instance, it might be useful to overlay the fast-food expenditures per capita with the various obesity rates available. But for an easy-to-use overview of food and health in the country that's chock-full of information, the Food Environment Atlas is a great start.

Friday, February 04, 2011

The emergency has abated

As of this writing, all branches of the Santa Fe Public Library will be open on Saturday, February 5th. We will have our regular hours, 10 am - 6 pm. The Santa Fe Trails bus service will also resume normal operations tomorrow. Stay tuned to the City of Santa Fe website for any updates.

Sum Yourself Up in Six Words

Not Quite What I Was PlanningNot Quite What I Was Planning. This is my new favorite book. It’s all about six word memoirs. This is trickier than you think. Oh, anyone can write a sentence. But summing up an entire life? Unless you are four, that’s rough! Just give it a try yourself. You’ll see exactly what I mean. What’s the important thing to stress? Is your career the focal point? Or is it your family relationships? Or maybe just love of tennis. You could spend hours doing this. Go ahead, give it a try!


By AA @Main

Thursday, February 03, 2011

Library and City Closings

Due to the State of Emergency, the City of Santa Fe, including all branches of the Santa Fe Public Library, will be closed on Friday, February 4.

Please check the City of Santa Fe website for more details.


Valentine Sale

Booksale SetupFebruary 12 & 13
La Farge Library
1730 Llano St.


Open to the Public!
No Members-Only Hours

Saturday: 10 am - 4 pm

Sunday: 1 pm - 4 pm
$3 Bag Day!


Hardcover books - $1.00 ea.
Paperback books - $0.50 ea. or 3 for $1.00
Children's books - $0.25 ea.
Videos & DVDs - $1.00 ea.
Cassettes - $0.25 ea.

Sponsored by the Friends of the Santa Fe Public Library.
All proceeds from the sale of these donated books are used to purchase new books for the Library.

Wednesday, February 02, 2011

Two-Part Internet Workshop

LaptopFebruary 16 & 23

Main Library
Community Room
145 Washington Ave.


Take this two-part workshop to learn the basics about getting online.
This free workshop is limited to ten adults, aged 18 and over.

Participation in Part 1 is required for Part 2.
Registration is recommended and will start on February 7.
Call 955-6781 or register in person at the Main Reference Desk.

Wednesday Mornings
10:15 - 11:45 a.m.

Part 1: February 16
Mouse, Links, and More! –

An introduction to using a mouse, clicking on links, filling out web forms, using search engines, and beginning web surfing.

Part 2: February 23
Get Your E-mail –

Set up a free e-mail account, send and receive messages, forward and reply to messages, delete messages, create folders, and Sign Out.

Sponsored by the Friends of the Santa Fe Public Library.

Tuesday, February 01, 2011

Southside Bookstore Closures




The Southside Friends of the Library Bookstore will be closed today and tomorrow, February 1st and 2nd, due to the weather. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause.

February Art in the Library

Main Library
Poet, Painter
Acrylic on Canvas
by Lenora Lowe



& In the Glass Cases:
Book Selections
by The Children's Department



La Farge Library
Pastry Art
by Mary Coonts



Southside Library
Home
Oil on Canvas
by Liz Falconer

For more information, check our Art page.

For upcoming events, check our Calendar and Children's pages.