The 2011 New Mexico Book Awards!

The 2011 New Mexico Book Award winners have been announced!

The full list of winners can be found on the New Mexico Book Co-op website Congratulations to all the winners!






This year's list of award winners is long, so here's a sample:



Young Readers
Grandpa's magic tortilla
by Demetria Martínez and Rosalee Montoya-Read ; illustrations by Lisa May Casaus ; Spanish translation by Rosalee Montoya-Read.

Juvenile
Tortilla sun
by Jennifer Cervantes.

Young Adult
Split
by Swati Avasthi.

Anthology
Rio Arriba : a New Mexico county
compiled and edited by Robert J. Tórrez & Robert Trapp.

Biography
Open range : the life of Agnes Morley Cleaveland
by Darlis A. Miller.

Biography
Kit Carson : the life of an American border man
by David Remley.

Gardening
Gardens of Santa Fe
by Anne Hillerman ; photographs by Don Strel.

Multi-cultural Subject
Chief Loco : Apache peacemaker
by Bud Shapard.

Nature/Environment
The return of the river : writers, scholars, and citizens speak on behalf of the Santa Fe River
edited by A. Kyce Bello.

Nature/Environment
Raptors of New Mexico
edited by Jean-Luc E. Cartron.

Enchanting Autumn

In addition to the foliage from aspens, the bright blooms of Halloween costumes and Día de Los Muertos altars, and the hues of harvested fruit and vegetables, autumn in New Mexico has some of the most striking skies around. Whether it's the sapphire blue of midday, or the play of light and shadow at sunset, simply stepping out your front door is a steady reminder of Enchantment.

Thanks to a SFPL librarian for recording this often ephemeral event for posterity:



by JP @SS

Another way for the Santa Fe New Mexican

The Santa Fe Public Library has the Santa Fe New Mexican in paper format, Main Library offers it on microfilm going back to 1870, and the paper is also available for searching in our Gale database from 2000-present.

Now, you can also access the Santa Fe New Mexican through our NewsBank New Mexico Newspapers database, from 9/07/1994-present, from in the library and from home with your library card. Just click on one of the NewsBank links, then New Mexico Newspapers, and you'll be able to search and access full-text New Mexican articles.

So now you can stay up-to-date on local and statewide news, as well as having another option to dip into the recent backfiles. If you have trouble accessing this database, please see or call your reference librarian, or e-mail us at library@santafenm.gov.

Artists & Poets Collaborative Call

The City of Santa Fe Community Gallery is seeking artists to participate in the upcoming “Odes and Offerings” exhibit. “Odes and Offerings” will be an exhibition in collaboration with City of Santa Fe Poet Laureate, Joan Logghe, and is intended as a rare opportunity for local artists working in all media to create original works in response to the written work of a local poet.

The Community Gallery is inviting artists to apply who are interested in the collaboration of their visual medium with the written word. All selected artists will be partnered with a local poet and given two works from that person’s poetry collection. Artists will then be asked to choose a line, phrase, stanza or the entire poem to incorporate into their final piece. "The idea is not a poetry-inspired piece, but a piece where the text becomes part of the work of art," states Logghe.

The Community Gallery is planning the exhibit for the spring of 2012 and it is tentatively scheduled to run from April through June 2012. Artists are asked to provide portfolios of previous work for review no later than October 28, 2011. Artists will be notified of their participation by the middle of November 2011 and asked to submit digital images of their work to the Community Gallery by the end of February 2012. Approximately 35 artists from a variety of media will be selected to offer a full range of work that expresses the breadth and depth of work being created in New Mexico.

Any interested artists should submit an artist portfolio of their work to Rod Lambert, the Community Gallery Manager. Portfolios should consist of 5-10 printed images of the artist’s work on standard digital print paper and an artist statement, resume and/or bio. Portfolios should be addressed to Community Gallery, PO Box 909, Santa Fe, NM 87504. Please specify that you would like to be considered for the ODES & OFFERINGS Exhibit. Portfolios must be received by October 28, 2011 for inclusion.

Arts Commission Community Gallery
201 W. Marcy St. at Sheridan
In the Santa Fe Community Convention Center

Community Gallery Hours of Operation:
Tuesday through Saturday: 10 am to 5 pm
Public parking is available in the Center garage, located off Federal Avenue.

For more information:
Rod Lambert, Gallery Manager
Call (505) 955-6705
Email rdlambert@santafenm.gov
Visit The Arts Commission Website.

In New Mexico Writing Mystery

A Book Discussion by
J.P. Hudson and Michael Arkin

Saturday, October 1
2:00 - 3:00 pm
Main Library Community Room
145 Washington Ave.

Kidnapper’s Moon by J.P. Hudson:
When Paul awakes, he finds his world reduced to a small circle defined by the sweep of a chain tethering him to an eyebolt. Boredom turns to horror when he learns that he will not be alive to celebrate his eleventh birthday party, whether or not the ransom is paid. People who love him are powerless to do anything but meet the kidnapper’s demands. Bill Hamilton and Freddie Herrera are the only ones who can possibly solve the riddle of a shadowy criminal network, rescue Paul and find those responsible.

Out of Balance by Michael Arkin:
Matt Lucas, a lawyer who has devoted his professional life to obtaining justice for women and children in a rural community, is in the process of retiring and relocating to Santa Fe, New Mexico, when he is called upon to assist Linda Lawson, an award-winning San Diego reporter, in a seemingly routine investigation of an incident of domestic violence. Their investigative assignment quickly transforms into a suspenseful mystery that plunges the reader into the worlds of domestic violence, child abuse, corruption, and judicial cover-up. Michael Arkin is a former attorney for the U.S. Department of Justice. He now lives in Corrales, New Mexico.

This program is free and open to the public.

Where's the Data?

With all apologies to New Mexico Magazine's popular feature, One of Our Fifty is Missing, a reference librarian at Main noticed a glaring omission in the latest US Census data:



Our feelings should probably be hurt, but first we need to stop laughing.

A Bright Sunshiny Day!

No, this isn't referring to long glorious summer weather. As budgets, personal and municipal, around the country get tighter, it helps to see where every dollar goes. Both the State of New Mexico and Santa Fe County have come up with Sunshine Portals, to encourage transparency and accountability in governance. Such portals supply information about public employee salaries, contracts with outside businesses, and how much money various programs are allotted. It's great to be able to access all this information in one place for each government agency.

However, as an information user, having these portals as separate sites can sometimes be a disadvantage. Several months ago I spent some time looking for salary information on the state site, before finding the separate link to the Sunshine Portal. The County has improved the design by including this data within the site itself, but the link to it is a sun icon. I'm used to that icon telling me that it's going to be good hiking or gardening weather. It's also possible that many citizens won't know to check a separate site for essential budget information.

But, it's still a good step forward that this information is readily available to anyone with computer and internet access. It's an improvement on the time and expense of public records requests. In addition to the links on their respective homepages, the State's Sunshine Portal can be found here, and the County's Sunshine Portal can be found here. Bookmark these links, and remember to check them the next time you have questions about how your tax dollars are spent.

Sun in Celestia with Addon by Runar Thorvaldsen, courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.

Rep. Luján’s Staff at La Farge

La Farge Library
1730 Llano St.
Thursday July 21
Noon to 2 p.m.

During Mobile Office Hours, Congressman Ben Ray Luján’s staff is available to residents who need assistance with casework, but may not have the means or time to travel to one of Luján’s six district offices. Staff will be on hand to assist residents who have questions regarding Social Security benefits, immigration applications, veterans’ services, and other federal programs.

Brownbag Lectures!

The wildly popular Brainpower & Brownbags lecture series sponsored by the Fray Angélico Chávez History Library starts its new season on Wednesday, July 13 at noon. These free lectures are now being held in the New Mexico History Museum's Meem Community Room, but you should still get there early if you want a seat. Enter the Museum at 120 Washington Ave., and feed your brain while feeding your belly!



Can't make it to the lecture of your choice? The Library has audio recordings of older lectures on this site, and videos from 2011 onward. For more information, contact the Fray Angélico Chávez History Library at 505-476-5090 or email historylibrary@state.nm.us

Trail Closures & More

From the City of Santa Fe Fire Chief:

Trial closures are being implemented by the City of Santa Fe, Santa Fe County and the Forest Service due to the ongoing wildland fires surrounding the City. These fires are posing significant risk to the public and are limiting availability of resources.

The following City trails will be closed immediately until further notice:

Dale Ball Trail
Nature Conservancy Trail
Dorothy Stewart Trail
Atalaya Trail

The following County trails will be closed immediately until further notice:

Rio En Medio Open Space
Little Tesuque Creek Open Space
Lamy Park
Dale Ball Trail at Talaya Hill Open Space

The following Forest Service trails will be closed immediately until further notice:

TR 183 (Chamisa Trail head)
TR 254 (Winsor Trail head)
TR 163 (Rio en Medio Trail head)
TR 160 (Rio Nambe Trail head)
TR 154 (Rio Frijoles Trail head)
TR 150 (Borrego Trail head)
TR 155 (Rio Medio Trail bead)
TR 153 (Dome Trail head)
TR 257 (Jacks Creek Trail head)
TR 288 (Panchuela Trail head)
TR 254 (Cowles Trail head)
TR 283 (Holy Ghost Trail head)

Additionally, in order to preserve lives and property during these emergency conditions, the City of Santa Fe Fire Department prohibited the following activities in April and they will remain in place until further notice:

• All open burning, including camp fires, bonfires, pit barbecues, and the burning of weeds, trash, or other vegetation.


• The use of charcoal barbecue grills in public parks and recreation areas.


• Smoking in public parks, recreation areas, or on any public trail.


• The use of any motorized ATV’s or motorcycles on City owned open space, parks, trails, or other recreational areas.

Penalties for violating these restrictions may include fines up to $500 and/or up to 90 days in jail as specified in SFCC 1-3.1(A).

Charcoal barbecuing at home will be permitted providing the fire is closely monitored and fire-extinguishing equipment, such as a garden hose or fire extinguisher, is readily available. Currently, all burn permit requests are being rejected until weather conditions improve and the fire danger has been reduced significantly.

Have a Safe and Happy Holiday Weekend!

Food Donations Accepted at All Library Branches

All branches of the Santa Fe Public Library have bins for easy food donation collection, courtesy of The Food Depot.

Main Library - 145 Washington Ave.
Southside Branch - 6599 Jaguar Dr.
La Farge Branch - 1730 Llano St.

Also, individuals can drop their donations off at the food bank, 1222 Siler Road in Santa Fe. The Food Depot will supply nonprofit organizations that provide direct service to those affected by the fires. To cover the costs of disaster response efforts, the food bank also encourages financial contributions. Donations can be mailed to
The Food Depot, 1222 Siler Road, Santa Fe, New Mexico 87507.

Suggested donations include:
Bottled water
Handheld snacks such as granola and breakfast bars, trail mix, nuts, dried fruit
Protein items such as peanut butter and beef jerky
Meal supplies such as dried beans, rice and pasta
Personal care items such as deodorant, toothpaste/toothbrushes, bar soap, shampoo/ conditioner, handwipes
Paper products such as toilet tissue, napkins, cups, plates, towels, plastic cutlery
NO clothing or household items will be accepted

Fire Information Contacts

Today is Day 7 of the Pacheco Canyon Fire. Many in our community are directly threatened by this wildfire, and it's important for us all to stay informed about its progress.

The following resources are available for you to get all the information about fire conditions in the Santa Fe National Forest:

Forest Fire Management Hotline: 1-877-971-FIRE
Pacheco Fire Information Center: 505-473-3760. Open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily.
Pacheco Fire Website: http://www.inciweb.org/incident/2344/. (Updates, maps and photos available here!)
Santa Fe National Forest Website: http://www.fs.fed.us/r3/sfe
NM Fire Information Website: http://www.nmfireinfo.com/
Follow us on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/SantafeNF
To receive daily updates about active wildfires, please call Lawrence Lujan at 505-438-5321 or e-mail him at lmlujan@fs.fed.us to be added to our contact list.

For more smoke information and air quality forecasts, please visit the New Mexico Environment Department’s website at: http://www.nmenv.state.nm.us/aqb/WildfireSmokeResources.htm.

Other websites with useful information concerning smoke are: http://smoke.airfire.org/sw-outlook, http://smoke.airfire.org/sw-outlook/map, http://smoke.airfire.org/sw-monitoring.

Road and Fire Area Closure: New Mexico Route 475, also known as Hyde Park Road, and Artist Road are closed at mile post 9, at the Forest boundary. Forest Service Road 102 to Pacheco Road is also closed.

A Fire Area Closure has been enacted. Review it at: www.fs.fed.us/r3/sfe/conditions/index.html
Open and active: Communities in and around the Santa Fe National Forest remain open and accessible including Tesuque, Nambe, Santa Fe, and Pecos (including the Highway 63 corridor).

Fire Restrictions: The entire Santa Fe National Forest, encompassing 1.6 million acres, is under Stage II fire restrictions due to severe drought conditions and extreme fire danger. The Santa Fe National Forest includes National Forest System lands near Jemez, Cuba, Coyote, Gallina, Santa Fe, Los Alamos, Espanola, Pecos, Las Vegas and Mora. Under Stage II fire restrictions, campfires, smoking, explosives, fireworks, welding and driving off road are not allowed. Chainsaw use is not allowed from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Internal and external combustion engines must have properly installed, maintained and effective spark arresters. For a copy of the Stage II fire restriction order, please visit: http://www.fs.fed.us/r3/sfe/.

The Santa Fe National Forest will be implementing Stage III Fire Restrictions across the Forest beginning today, Friday, June 24th. Stage III Fire Restrictions will restrict access to/use of certain parts of the Forest, yet there will be recreational opportunities available. A detailed list of areas that will be off limits (restricted) and areas that will remain OPEN will be available sometime today. Open areas will remain under Stage II restrictions.

Additional information, maps and photos may be found at: http://www.inciweb.org/

More Numbers for You

Each year, Santa Fe Public Library staffers have to crunch numbers and analyze services to answer a plethora of surveys. Some of these surveys are for the State of New Mexico, some for non-profits like the American Library Association, and others are for various federal agencies. Since these annual surveys can sometimes feel like a Sisyphean task, it's always nice to see some results come out of them.

The following facts were sent out as talking points for this year's Library Legislative Day. While 2011's day has passed, it's good to keep in mind year-round how helpful public libraries are for a variety of tasks for everyone in the community. Locally, the Santa Fe Public Library answered YES to all the following questions this year:

85.0% of New Mexico's public libraries help people access and use employment resources, including helping with job searches, creating resumes and submitting employment applications.

95.9% of New Mexico's public libraries offer IT and other technical training, helping people gain essential technology skills for the 21st Century workforce.

91.8% of New Mexico's public libraries act as the bridge between government and its services, offering free access and assistance to help people complete online government forms.

54.3% of New Mexico's public libraries are often the only free source of Internet access in their communities, providing a vital link to technology and information.

Data: The Public Library Funding & Technology Access Study survey is managed by the Center for Library & Information Innovation at the University of Maryland and funded by the American Library Association and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. More information about libraries & the Internet is available at http://www.plinternetsurvey.org/. 2009-2010 & 2010-2011 data presented.

Rep. Luján’s Staff Holds Mobile Office Hours

Main Library
145 Washington Ave.
Thursday June 23
11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

During Mobile Office Hours, Congressman Ben Ray Luján’s staff is available to residents who need assistance with casework, but may not have the means or time to travel to one of Luján’s six district offices. Staff will be on hand to assist residents who have questions regarding Social Security benefits, immigration applications, veterans’ services, and other federal programs.

Imagination Conversation

Thursday, June 16
5:00 to 7:00 p.m.
Warehouse 21
1614 Paseo de Peralta
Railyard District


You're invited to a free panel discussion about imagination and education sponsored by the City of Santa Fe Arts Commission. The first half hour will be a reception with refreshments, then an hour and a half of discussion. The panelists include people working in the arts, science, business, and education. They will discuss the various roles of imagination in their work, how innovative ideas emerge, and their strategies for encouraging their own creativity. They will consider ways in which students’ imagination can be encouraged and developed in our schools. The Santa Fe area includes a rich diversity of traditions and approaches to the admittedly broad topic of “imagination,” and we look forward to a lively exchange of ideas.

The panel members are:

Eric Blinman
Director, New Mexico Office of Archaeological Studies

Denise Johnston
Associate Superintendent, Santa Fe Public Schools

John Kennedy
Composer, Artistic Director of Santa Fe New Music & Resident Conductor of the Spoleto Festival

Jennifer Kimball
Chairman of the Board, Corporación de La Fonda

Dolly Naranjo Neikrug
Artist & Principal, Santa Clara Day School

Laura Mayo Rodriguez
6th Grade Teacher, Nava Elementary School

Moderator: Peter Chapin, Artist & Retired Art Department Chair, Drew University

This Conversation is part of the Lincoln Center Institute’s Imagination Conversations. The two-year project, featuring conversations throughout the United States, will culminate in America’s Imagination Summit to be held at Lincoln Center in New York City, July 21-22, 2011.The outcomes of the Santa Fe Conversation will be disseminated to Santa Fe educators in the form of a DVD and a written summary, in order to encourage much needed “imagination education” for students who will face the challenges of the 21st century. Distribution will be timed to provide inspiration to educators as they plan the 2011-12 school year.

For more information about Santa Fe’s Imagination Conversation, please visit the Santa Fe Arts Commission website.

A Resource for Tenants and Landlords

Law Access New Mexico provides landlord and tenant dispute services to all New Mexicans. These services include:

• Landlord and tenants rights and remedies
• Evictions
• Security deposit disputes
• What to do if your utilities are shut off
• Public housing rights and responsibilities
• How to request repairs from your landlord
• Mobile home issues
• Advice for “pro se” cases
• Referrals to other legal services
• Help regardless of citizen status (se habla Español)
• Prerecorded answers to FAQs – 24 hours

These services are provided by law professionals free of charge to residents of New Mexico who earn less than 200% of Federal poverty guidelines and for a small fee for those who earn above these guidelines. Law Access New Mexico is paid in part through fees collected from civil court cases and their service is available to persons statewide. Law Access New Mexico can be reached at (800) 340-9771 or at lawaccess.org.

Learning to Drive

If you're a first-time driver, or have just moved from another state and need a New Mexico driver's license, one thing you'll need access to is the New Mexico Driver's License Manual [PDF]. Since more government forms and publications are saving paper and going digital, it may be difficult to actually get your hands on a copy. While we have a paper copy at the Main Library Reference Desk, at 40+ pages it would take a lot of in-library study time to absorb all of it. You can make photocopies of it at ten cents per page, which might be your best bet if you only need a few sections here and there, but photocopying can be time consuming if you need the whole thing.

If you need the entire manual in hard copy, your best bet may be to sign up for one of our free public PCs and just print it up. The New Mexico Motor Vehicle Department has links to PDF versions of it in both English and Español. Our printers only accept cash and coin, but with five singles you should be able to get it done in no time. If you have internet access and a computer, you can study the whole thing just by going to any of the above links.

Just remember: don't use your laptop or smartphone while driving, and best of luck on your driving test!

Van of Enchantment

The traveling museum known as the Van of Enchantment will be visiting the Santa Fe Public Library over the next few weeks. The current exhibit is Riding the Rails, exploring both the Santa Fe Trail and the railroads and their effect on New Mexico's development. Exploring the Van of Enchantment is free, open to all ages, and you don't need to register.

The Van will be in the parking lots of the respective libraries between 10:00 am and 4:00 pm. The Van will be closed for the lunch hour midday at each location.

The dates of the Van's visit are:

La Farge Library
1730 Llano St.
Tuesday, June 7

Main Library
145 Washington Ave.
Thursday, June 9

Southside Library
6599 Jaguar Dr.
Tuesday, June 14

Fire Restrictions and More:

It's no surprise that New Mexico is experiencing a drought. Now that the weather is encouraging hiking, camping, and other outdoor activities, it might be more confusing about how the drought might affect you. The Public Lands Information Center is a fantastic resource for you to check weather, road conditions, and recreational information for Western states. They also have a special section for Fire News for New Mexico and Arizona, with up-to-date information on fire restrictions and closings for federal and state public lands and how they will affect you. The Center also has a mobile site for when you're already on the road to the backcountry.

So in addition to an extra pair of socks and some ready-to-eat treats, be sure to check out this site before you head for some outdoors fun.

New Mexico Homegrown Media

Launch on Saturday, June 11
6:00 - 10:00 pm
The Screen
1600 St. Michael's Dr.

The City of Santa Fe, SantaFe.com, and Hutton Broadcasting, are proud to announce the launch of the NM Homegrown Media project, a collaborative effort designed to assist the growth and promotion of locally produced film and media. It kicks off with a screening of award-winning New Mexico-made films at The Screen on Saturday, June 11.

The pre-show party will take place from 6-7 pm in Studio One next to The Screen, then winning films from the NM State Film Office Filmmakers Showcase will show from 7-10 pm. The event is sponsored by The Santa Fe University of Art and Design and Albertsons. Admission is free and food and beverages will be provided.

Both the City of Santa Fe's Channel 28 and SantaFe.com will air award-winning New Mexico-made film and media from mid-June onwards. Student material from the Santa Fe University of Art and Design and the Santa Fe Community College may also be showcased.

The City of Santa Fe’s Economic Development Division has worked with Lucy River from Leadership Santa Fe, Scott Matthews from Hutton Broadcasting, the New Mexico Film Office and the new SantaFe.com in order to create the NM Homegrown Media effort. A fund for locally based or locally originating media has been established through the Santa Fe Chamber Opportunities Fund and grants will be awarded to filmmakers by New Mexico Homegrown Media through a competitive application process.

Those interested in donating to the fund should contact Lucy River at 505.216.1626.