Free Computer Workshops for Adults

Winter Session
Beginning January 12, 2010

Southside Library
Jeff & Michelle Branch Community Room
6599 Jaguar Dr.
955-2820

Do you want to use the internet or e-mail but not sure where to start? Take one of our free, hands-on workshops! We'll start you off with the basics, and work with you on your level of experience. If you already know the basics, we'll show you tricks and tools to make you more comfortable and skillful with using online resources and e-mail.

Registration is recommended and will start on December 21 for the January workshops. Call 955-2820 or register in person at the Southside Reference Desk.

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

January 12:
Basic Internet E-mail -
Set up a free e-mail account on the internet to send and receive messages.

January 26 :
Basic Internet Searching -
An introduction to web site navigation, using a browser, web addresses, and links, and searching the internet.

February 9 :
Basic Internet E-mail -
Set up a free e-mail account on the internet to send and receive messages.

February 23 :
Basic Internet Searching -
An introduction to web site navigation, using a browser, web addresses, and links, and searching the internet.

Thursday Afternoons
5:30- 7:00 p.m.

January 21 :
Basic Internet Searching -
An introduction to web site navigation, using a browser, web addresses, and links, and searching the internet.

February 4 :
Basic Internet E-mail -
Set up a free e-mail account on the internet to send and receive messages.

February 18 :
Basic Internet Searching -
An introduction to web site navigation, using a browser, web addresses, and links, and searching the internet.

Sponsored by the Friends of the Santa Fe Public Library.

Holiday Book Sales

Two Days! Two Selections!

Open to the Public.
Gift books individually priced.

Great stocking stuffers and holiday gifts!

Main Library
December 5 - One Day Only
Saturday: 10 am - 4 pm

Southside Library
December 12 - One Day Only
Saturday: 10 am - 4 pm


The Holiday Sales at Main and Southside will feature different selections of books at each site.

All sales sponsored by the Friends of the Santa Fe Public Library. Funds raised by the Friends are dedicated to purchasing new books for the Library.

Three Cheers for the MVD!

As someone who provides information for a living, I've learned to appreciate what it's like on the "other side" of the desk. Despite the collective nationwide groans at the mention of the Department of Motor Vehicles, I have to say that here in New Mexico, our own MVD bucks that national trend. Whether I've gone to the MVD in Albuquerque, Aztec, or Santa Fe, the staff are always informative, helpful, and very often, quite friendly.

While it's true that the lines at the Field Office can be something out of Kafka, once you speak to the person behind the desk you get a wealth of helpful information and efficient service. Even better, calling up the MVD (505-476-1501) allows you to speak with a person who will help you be prepared before heading out to the long lines. Every time I've had to call over the past 13 years, the MVD staffer has been patient with my questions, succinct and precise with the information I need, and very helpful and reassuring. The MVD website wouldn't win any awards for zazz (but honestly, neither would ours), but it is well-organized, full of useful forms, publications, and an FAQ, and the Online Registration Renewal is an easy-to-use timesaver—or in my case, lifesaver!

When we're on the "other side" of the desk, it's natural to feel nervous and apprehensive, especially when dealing with the dreaded MVD. But I have to say, despite the maligning of motor vehicle workers everywhere and the state budget crunch, the New Mexico MVD public servants go above and beyond as a matter of course. If you don't quite believe me, you can always ask one of us helpful reference librarians to help you navigate the MVD site to get you the forms and information that you need. After all, we've all been there at one time or another.

Thanks MVD!

Holiday “Stocking Stuffer” Sale

Friday, November 27 -
January 8, 2010

Santa Fe Community Gallery
201 W. Marcy St. at Sheridan

The public is invited to an opening on Friday, November 27, 2009 from 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM. Free hot cider and cookies will be served. The Community Gallery is located inside the Santa Fe Community Convention Center. Public parking is available in the Center garage, located off S. Federal Place. The Community Gallery is open Tuesday through Saturday, 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM.

“The ‘Stocking Stuffer’ Sale promotes locally-made art as a personal and creative gift-giving alternative,” states gallery manager Rod Lambert. “Supporting local artists and artisans, while encouraging Santa Feans to both appreciate and acquire local art objects is at the core of the Community Gallery’s mission.” The work of over 50 artists will be represented, with a variety of media, styles and price points.

Perfect for memorable gift-giving, works featured in the show are all one-of-a-kind, original artworks, created by local artists and artisans, priced between $5 and $200. The sale is unique in Santa Fe, offering the opportunity to support the locally-made art market while purchasing affordable, high-quality artworks.

The sale will include: jewelry by Linda Apodaca, Patricia Boehnlein, Connie Gaussoin, David Gaussoin, Wayne Nez Gaussoin, and Marion Martinez; ceramics created by Maggie Mae Beyeler, Heidi Loewen, and Greta Ruiz; small-scale sculptures by Matthew Chase Daniel and Rand Marco; book art by Joy Campbell; tin by Justin Gallegos Mayrant; and basketry by Felicia Trujillo.

For more information about the Community Gallery, visit the Santa Fe Arts Commission site , send an email to rdlambert@santafenm.gov or call 505-955-6705.

Buy Into Santa Fe

With Free Holiday Parking at Two City Garages

Shop Local Campaign Kicks off for the Holiday Season

The City of Santa Fe will offer free parking during the holiday season as part of the “Buy Into It” campaign, which encourages people to support the local economy by spending in Santa Fe whenever possible.

Once again this year, Santa Feans will be able to park free and shop local beginning on November 27, aka Black Friday, and running through Sunday January 3, 2010. Parking will be free at the Santa Fe Community Convention Center garage and the Railyard garage every Saturday and Sunday. Monday through Friday the first two hours of parking will be free. In addition, the City’s Parking Division will offer a 20% discount on all CashKey reloads.

Free parking will be offered according to the following schedule:

Santa Fe Community Convention Center garage:
201 W. Marcy Street
Hours: M-Sun: 6:30 am - 10:00 pm
Saturday and Sunday - Free all day
Monday thru Friday - First two hours free, normal rate (.90 per ½ hour) will apply beginning the third hour or any part thereof

Railyard Garage:
500 Market St.
Saturday and Sunday - Free all day
Monday thru Friday - First two hours free, normal rate will apply beginning the third hour or any part thereof

Standard daily rates will apply to other parking facilities and lots.

Parking Garage Hours:
Convention Center: M-Sun: 6:30 am - 10:00 pm
Railyard: M-Sat: 5:45 am-10 pm; Sun: 10 am-7 pm

The “Santa Fe - Buy Into It” partners (The New Mexican, The Santa Fe Reporter, Hutton Broadcasting, The Journal Santa Fe, The Santa Fe Chamber of Commerce, The New Mexico Free Press, Comcast Spotlight, Santa Fe Place, HK Advertising and the City of Santa Fe) are launching the holiday campaign in order to promote consumer confidence and awareness of the local economy. The campaign is an unprecedented partnership, which brings these organizations together in a cooperative, proactive effort to support Santa Fe’s economy.

Persons who need to reload their CashKeys can do so Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. until 5 p.m. at 120 S. Federal Room 312. Due to the manufacturer’s limited supply no new CashKeys are being sold, but anyone who owns a CashKey can reload it.

"Gingerbread Houses" Craft

Join us for winter holiday fun making “gingerbread houses” using paper, ink pens, and glitter!

Thursday, December 10th
4 pm at the La Farge Library

Wednesday, December 16th
4 pm at the Southside Library

Thursday, December 17th
4 pm at the Main Library

All materials are provided for these free programs.
Please call to register and for more information:
La Farge: 955-4863
Southside: 955-2828
Main: 955-6783

These programs are sponsored by the Friends of the Santa Fe Public Library.

Telling New Mexico Lectures

The Telling New Mexico Inaugural Lecture Series kicks off at 1 pm on Sunday, Nov. 22, at the New Mexico History Museum in Santa Fe. A special reception will be followed by former Palace of the Governors Director Thomas E. Chávez, speaking on Chasing History: Quixotic Quests for Arts, Artifacts and Heritage.

Tickets cost $10. Until Nov. 20, subscribers to all five lectures in the series can get a reduced price of $40. To purchase tickets go to Telling New Mexico Tickets or visit the museum’s shops. Future lectures will cover Blackdom, Navajo women and Japanese internment camps. Click here for the full lecture series schedule.

The New Mexico History Museum is located at 113 Lincoln Avenue next to the Palace of the Governors.

NM Literary Arts Fundraiser

"An Evening of Gratitude and Praise"

Collected Works Bookstore
202 Galisteo St. at Water St.
Monday, November 23
6:00 - 8:00 PM

Support and celebrate New Mexico Literary Arts at this fundraiser. Featured readers are Anne Valley-Fox, Joan Logghe, J.B. Bryan, Miriam Sagan, and Michelle Holland. Poetry Gratitude Awards honoring the generosity of poets in our community will be given.

Suggested donation is $10. Call (505) 988-4226 for more information.

Main Library Anime Club

Starting on December 3rd, the Main Library will be hosting Anime Club for teens ages 13-18. The Club will be held the 1st and 2nd Thursday of each month, from 4:15 pm to 5:15 pm. Each month will feature a different anime film and snacks.

Anime is a style of Japanese animation. It's similar to the popular manga comics. Whether you've been an Anime fan for years or just getting started, you're welcome to just drop by, watch some anime, and help choose the movie for the following months!

Coming Attractions:



See you on December 3!

For more information, call 955-6783.

Thanksgiving Closings

For the Thanksgiving Holiday, all Library Branches will be closed on Thursday and Friday, November 26 and 27.

The Libraries will resume normal hours on Saturday, November 28.

Main Library
145 Washington Ave.
505-955-6780
Saturday: 10 am - 6 pm
Sunday: 1 - 5 pm

La Farge Library
1730 Llano St.
505-955-4860
Saturday: 10 am - 6 pm
Closed Sunday

Southside Library
6599 Jaguar Dr.
505-955-2810
Saturday: 10 am - 6 pm
Closed Sunday

Photo courtesy of NWTF

The Art of Slow Communication

I still handwrite letters with my holiday cards. I know that may seem old-fashioned, but I like doing it and hope the recipients enjoy the personal touch. It seems in this world there is no limit as to how fast we must act, talk, read, and write to meet the ever increasing demands on our time.

Of course, I was raised by an English teacher, so good penmanship was taught and valued in our home. In fact my first job was to hand-letter the library code on all the fiction books in my Junior High library. I used a pen and white ink. So for me there is nothing better than to curl up in front of a fire with my note cards and pens…except maybe to curl up in front of a fire with a good book.

If you are interested in learning tips and techniques for hand-addressing holiday envelopes and making simple heartfelt cards, the La Farge Branch Library will host artist and professional calligrapher, Sherry Bishop, on Tuesday, December 1st from 6:30 – 8:30 pm. Ms. Bishop will present a two-hour hands on adult workshop entitled, “Calligraphy, Handwriting, and the Gift of a Letter”. All materials will be provided. Bring your address book. Space is limited, so call 955-4862 to register.

by SAS

Amnesty for Overdue Fines -- For Life!

Recently, we received the following anonymous note in an overdue book:

So sorry I'm overdue, I feel extremely guilty and my only excuse is that this is such a wondrous book, I couldn't rush it coz if makes you think too much.

Sorry again & enjoy the ride

This note received one librarian's "Best Excuse Award", and elicited sighs of empathy and understanding from several others. This patron is not alone in finding a book that is thought-inspiring, life-changing, epiphany-having—a book that you want to keep for a long time, but also want to return so that others can enjoy it.

While several of us are dying to know which book inspired such sentiment, we all agree that it doesn't matter. We invite all of you to peruse our bookshelves and catalog and find something so compelling that you may be tempted to return it a bit late as well. And remember, we don't charge overdue fines, but we do ask that you return your items in a timely manner so that others may "Enjoy the Ride!"

Three Art Workshops

by FACT (Fine Arts for Children and Teens)

Rothko Inspired Paintings -
art that expresses emotions and ideas through color. Presented by Megan Bersett.

Southside Library
5 to 8-year-olds:
Weds., Dec. 2 / 4:00 - 5:30 pm

9 to 12-year-olds:
Weds. Dec. 9 / 4:00 - 5:30 pm

Finger Puppets and Wire Sculptures -
creating art that celebrates favorite storybook characters. Presented by Aline Hunziker.

Main Library
Finger Puppets: 5 to 8-year-olds:
Sat., Dec. 5 / 2:00 - 3:30 pm

Wire Sculptures: 9 to 12-year-olds:
Sat. Dec. 12 / 2:00 - 3:30 pm

Tin Relief Insects -
creating unique bugs detailing the body shape, number of legs, and tentacles. Presented by Megan Bersett.

La Farge Library
5 to 8-year-olds:
Weds., Dec. 16 / 3:30 - 5:00 pm

9 to 12-year-olds:
Weds. Dec. 23 / 2:00 - 3:30 pm

All these programs are free. Materials are provided.
Call the library where the program is being held to register.

Sponsored by the Friends of the Santa Fe Public Library.

Recycle Santa Fe Art Festival

Do some holiday shopping and be eco-friendly!

Pre-Winter Book Sale

November 21 and 22
La Farge Library
1730 Llano St.

Open to the Public -
No Members-Only Hours :
Saturday: 10 am - 4 pm

Sunday: 1 - 4 pm
Bag Day --$3.00 a bag: the Friends provide the bags.

Discount Books Only

Sponsored by the Friends of the Santa Fe Public Library.

Documentary Filmmaking: Getting Started

Wednesday, November 18
7:00 pm - 8:30 pm
Main Library
Community Room
145 Washington Ave.

Do you have a great idea for a documentary film but are not sure how to get started?
Join award-winning filmmakers Jilann Spitzmiller and Hank Rogerson for a free talk about documentary filmmaking. They'll discuss how to develop documentary ideas, where to look for funding and how to begin production. They'll show clips from their own work and take your questions.

The program is free and open to the public.

Wild Things

Constantly, patrons with their little ones come into the Children's Room at Southside looking for a book they loved when they were young. And often they look for Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak. We hear “It was one of my favorite books,” or “I love Max.” We have Wild Thing posters in the room and the kids love them. The book's illustrations are eye-catching, and the story is one that every child can relate to. Max is wearing a costume. Who doesn’t like to dress up? He goes on an adventure, and is crowned king where he wants everyone to be happy. Isnt that what we all want? And when things get rough, we just want to go home. Oh Yeah. There is a beginning, a middle, and an end to the story in 10 sentences. Sublime.

And now that there is a new Where the Wild Things Are movie, we can’t keep the book on the shelf. We even had a "Max" at our preschool story time Halloween party. Santa Fe fireman came to celebrate with us and give a trick or treat safety lesson and let the little goblins see the trucks. So if you haven’t read the book yet—come to the library and get in line like you would at the movies.

by TT @SS

Memoir Writing:

Use Your Shimmering Images
to Tell the Story of Your Life

Lecture, discussion, and mini-workshop
by Lisa Dale Norton

Tuesday, November 17
7:00 pm - 8:45 pm
La Farge Library Community Room
1730 Llano Street

In this evening lecture, discussion, and mini-workshop you learn about shimmering images, the building blocks of memoir. You practice finding them, teasing out the meaning that hides inside them, and putting them together to write a story about your life. Books by Ms. Norton will be available for purchase.

Lisa Dale Norton is the author of the popular book, Shimmering Images: A Handy Little Guide to Writing Memoir published by St. Martin’s Press, and the critically acclaimed literary memoir Hawk Flies Above: Journey to the Heart of the Sandhills. She blogs about story for The Huffington Post, teaches online memoir writing classes at Lisa Dale Norton The Official Site, and is on the faculty of the UCLA Extension Writers’ Program. She lives in Santa Fe.

Sponsored by the Friends of the Santa Fe Public Library.

Hillerman Book Launch

Tony Hillerman’s Landscape—
On the Road with Chee and Leaphorn

Sunday, November 8
4:00 - 6:00 pm
Santa Fe Community Convention Center
201 W. Marcy at Sheridan

Actor Wes Studi and author Michael McGarrity will join the celebration of the late author Tony Hillerman. This event will feature a slide show of photographs from the book, showing the places in Indian country that served as the inspiration for Tony Hillerman's mystery novels. It will be narrated by Anne Hillerman, his eldest daughter. She and her husband, photographer Don Strel, spent three years visiting the iconic landscapes Tony used as settings for his Indian country mysteries. She will share memories of her life with her father, and his travels. Billie Blair will serve as mistress of ceremonies. The program will be followed by a reception and book signing. Books will be available for purchase.

Tickets are available from the Lensic at 988-1234. Tickets are $20.00 in advance; $25.00 at the door.

Anne Hillerman and Don Strel are generously donating the proceeds of the book sales and event to the Friends of the Santa Fe Public Library.

For more information, call Maria at 955–6789.

Tony Hillerman Week

Dedication of the Tony Hillerman Teen Patio

Sunday, November 8
1:30 pm
Southside Library
6599 Jaguar Dr.

November 1-8 is Tony Hillerman Week. To celebrate the life and work of this influential Southwest writer, you're invited to attend the unveiling of the Tony Hillerman Teen Patio and memorial stone plinth dedication at the Southside Library. The Hillerman Family will be present to accept this honor for Tony Hillerman.

Mayor Pro Tem Rebecca Wurzburger will be emcee, and Mayor David Coss will read a proclamation. Mr. Tommy Pino, a Navajo spiritual man, will bless the stone memorial and patio. Refreshments and social time will follow.

Free and open to the public.

BRAVO KIDS! Concert

Saturday, November 14th
4:00 pm to 5:00 pm
Southside Branch Library

The Santa Fe Public Library will host the Santa Fe Concerts Association's BRAVO KIDS! Program, coordinated by Gina Browning. The program will present five of the eight EPIK Artists in concert. The November 14 program includes cellist Pecos Singer, violinists Eric Illick and Sarah Rogowskey, and singers Eric Illick and Maya Rose Tweten.

The young performers will also talk with the audience about their instrument and what it’s like for them to be a performer, as well as taking questions from the audience.

Sponsored by a grant from the EPIK Foundation, these talented young performers are all from Santa Fe. This is a free event open to the public.

Veterans Day Library Closures

All branches of the Santa Fe Public Library will be closed on Wednesday, November 11, in observance of Veterans Day.

All branches will be open for regular hours on Tuesday, November 10, and will resume regular hours on Thursday, November 12.


Please check out the City of Santa Fe Calendar for more information about this year's Veterans Day Parade.

November Library Exhibits

Main Library
La Tieria
Acrylic Paintings
by Steve McLellan

La Farge Library
Calligraphy, Handwriting and the Gift of a Letter
by Sherry Bishop

Southside Library
Landscapes and Memories
Photographs
by Peter Wagner

For more information, check our Art page.

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