Best of Santa Fe Poll

The 2010 Best of Santa Fe poll from the Santa Fe Reporter is up and ready to go! Can Icarus make it back from last year's upset?

If you're a New Mexican resident, you have until midnight on Friday, May 21, 2010 to show us — and other local organizations and businesses — your love. Go vote!

p.s. Vote for Icarus in item #10: Best local online news site/blog site.

p.s.s. Feel free to write in the Santa Fe Public Library where applicable, such as for Free Wi-Fi!

Thanks!

Music from All Over the Earth

The Santa Fe Women's Ensemble
Under the direction of Dr. Linda Raney
Singing a program for children

Saturday, May 8
2:00 - 2:30 pm
Southside Branch Library
6599 Jaguar Dr.
955-2828

A program of a cappella music using percussion and flute for children and their families. Individual children may be invited to participate with percussion instruments provided by the Ensemble. The thirty-minute program will include hand-on music-making.

No registration is required for this free program.

Sponsored by the Friends of the Santa Fe Public Library.

Inked: Tattoo and Graphic Arts

A class for teenagers ages 13 to 18
Presented by FACT- Fine Arts for Children and Teens

Saturday, May 15th
2:30 pm – 4:30 pm
Southside Branch Library
6599 Jaguar Drive
955-2820

Drawing inspiration from the inked lines of well-known tattoo and graphic artists, instructor Aline Hunziker will introduce participants to a variety of techniques using nib pens. Participants will also explore cross hatching, shading, gesture, and scale.

All materials are provided for this free program. Please call to register.

This program is sponsored by the Friends of the Santa Fe Public Library.

Santa Fe Triathlon

Research and the Art of Writing a Novel

A Presentation and Reading by Irene Blea

Thursday, May 13
7:00 pm
Main Library Community Room

Join Irene Blea as she discusses the research conducted at libraries, historical societies, research center archives, and villages in order to write her novel, Suzanna. She will review places and people not very well known outside of northern New Mexico: Ocate, Springer, Loma Parda, Watrous, Cimarron, Reyado, and Miami. Blea found she could blend her love of visiting and studying communities to write about Suzanna, a twelve-year-old girl in an arranged marriage to a thirty-nine-year-old man.

After 27 years of writing university sociology textbooks and articles, Dr. Blea has written her first historical novel. She’s also a lecturer and Chautauquean for the New Mexico Humanities Council.

This program is free and open to the public.

Annual Arts Awards Nominations

The City of Santa Fe is seeking nominations of individuals or organizations that deserve an award for their outstanding work in the arts through the 2010 Mayor’s Recognition Awards for Excellence in the Arts. This award recognizes individuals and organizations that have made significant, ongoing or legacy contributions to the success of the arts in Santa Fe.

Nominations of youth artists—aged 21 and under—who have demonstrated artistic excellence and achievement with a deep commitment to the arts are also considered for the Melissa Engestrom Youth Artist Award. The public is invited to submit nominations of outstanding young individuals who deserve special recognition even though they are not yet well-established in their careers.

A nomination form can be obtained through The Arts Commission website or by contacting the Arts Commission office at 955-6707 or artscommission@santafenm.gov. The deadline for submitting nominations is Friday, May 14, 2010. Current Commission members and recipients of the Governor’s Awards for Excellence in the Arts within the last five years are ineligible. Please note that there is no need to submit multiple nominations for one person or organization. One thorough nomination will ensure consideration by the selection committee.

This year’s awards are sponsored by Century Bank. For more information about the 2010 Mayor’s Recognition Awards for Excellence in the Arts, nomination forms, or to see a list of past recipients, go to The Arts Commission website.

Even More One-Click Information

Do you like using the One-Click Downloadable Audiobooks? Are you a little overwhelmed by the 2,100+ titles we have? There are a couple of ways you can locate the books you're looking for on the One-Click Netlibrary site itself.

If you're in the NetLibrary site and you click on "Home" in the upper left-hand corner, you'll see a screen like the following:



You can find variety of books by keyword, author, title, and subject by using the search box in the middle of the page.

On the right-hand menu, there's a link that says: "Browse by Subject". If you click on that, you're directed to the following list, where the Audiobooks are sorted by genre and age.



If you're a first-time user, make sure you go through the Library Catalog before heading to the NetLibrary site. If you have trouble downloading an audiobook, check out both our website and the NetLibrary Help pages. Also, check out the NetLibrary Online Demos. If you're still having trouble, call your local branch's reference desk for assistance.

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Ideal Bookshelves

I discovered Jane Mount’s “Ideal Bookshelves” through a post on Design*Sponge’s site. As a librarian, I was drawn to the familiar subject matter, and enjoyed seeing it in a different light. Her paintings are simple, yet convey deeply personal information. It amazes me, the story a quiet shelf of books can inspire.

You might not be able to judge a book by its cover, but you can tell a lot about a person by the books they own. What do your bookshelves say about you?

My shelves? They say that I’m an art lover and maker, and that I enjoy children’s literature. They also say I’m a librarian, because they’re arranged by subject.


Bookshelf images courtesy of Jane Mount.

By DB @LF

Keep Santa Fe Beautiful Clean-up Day

Volunteer on
Great American Clean-up Day!

Saturday, April 24
7:00 am - 2:00 pm

Registration 7-9 am at 1142 Siler Rd.

On this day, volunteers young and old help clean up our city streets, parks, arroyos and school grounds. Afterwards, Keep Santa Fe Beautiful hosts a picnic to thank our many hard-working volunteers.

For information call Gilda at 955-2215 or email gjmontano@santafenm.gov.

La Farge Library Closure Extended Through April 20

Delays in the sewer line replacement at the La Farge Branch Library, 1730 Llano Street will extend the closing of the Library until Tuesday, April 20th. The Branch plans to reopen with regular hours of 10:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. on Wednesday, April 21st.

Patrons will not be able to pick up Holds or Interlibrary Loan books at La Farge during the closure.

The La Farge weekly Tuesday PreSchool Story Time will not meet next week on April 20.

Meetings scheduled during this time have been cancelled, rescheduled or moved to another Library location.

The latest project will replace an original clay pipe sewer system. During the last four years the 1978 building has had several renovation projects including the installation of a new lighting system, heating and cooling systems, re-painting and new carpet.

During this closure we encourage patrons to use the Main Library, 145 Washington Avenue, (505) 955-6781 or the Southside Branch at 6599 Jaguar Drive, (505) 955-2810.

Creative Call

A friend recently asked me to explain surrealism. Rather than send him a Wikipedia article, I said that surrealism needed to be explained with florid hand gestures and audiovisual aids. I then remembered going through my art books with another friend just a few days prior, and discovering a mutual love of the painter Remedios Varo. So in lieu of an explanation, I decided that a few of Ms. Varo's artworks would be the best introduction I could provide.

In some ways, knowing about Varo is like belonging to a secret club or being a subject of her paintings. As far as surrealism goes, she's not nearly as well known as her former classmate, Salvador Dalí. Compared to other women artists of this time period, she is overshadowed by Frida Kahlo. I was lucky enough to be clued in to her work on a visit to the Mexican Fine Arts Center Museum—now the National Museum of Mexican Art—ten years ago. Several years later, with a couple of free hours in Mexico City, I discovered that the entire second floor of the Museo de Arte Moderno was an exhibit of her work. And on a re-read of the labyrinthine The Crying of Lot 49, Varo's work is an important plot device in the enlightenment of the protagonist.

If you're interested in discovering more about this fascinating artist, there are several websites out there, especially The Hungry Flower. If you're ready for more art like it, check out Leonora Carrington. If you're skeptical about what place surrealism or art in general has in a busy lifestyle, this essay about The Call (pictured at right) is a must-read. While you may not become a devotee of Remedios Varo, you may find it difficult to see the world the same way again.

El Día de Los Niños / El Día de Los Libros

A Day to Celebrate Children and Reading: April 30 With a Craft: Ojos de Dios/God’s Eyes A yarn weaving and traditional Mexican folk craft

A free program for children 6 to 12. All materials are provided. Please call to register.

Wednesday, April 28 3:30 pm to 4:30 pm La Farge Library Thursday, April 29 4 pm to 5 pm Main Library Friday, April 30 4:30 pm to 5:30 pm Southside Library

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

The Show Must Go On

Anyone who was in the downtown area of Santa Fe on Sunday knows about the power outage we had. There are lots of inconvenient places you can find yourself when the power goes down — like on a library computer! But what happens when the power goes out in the middle of a theater performance? Well, if that performance is Dead Man's Cell Phone at the Santa Fe Playhouse, the audience will be patient, but when staff offers are made for postponement or restitution, the audience will say "But can't the actors just finish now?" To which the amazingly flexible actors will enthusiastically agree, and finish out their performance in the semi-gloom by the light of the opened side door, earning themselves a standing ovation and awarding the audience with one of the coolest theater experiences ever.

And the power outage just made the final line of the play shine like a diamond, but if you want to know what that line was and why it was so perfect, you'll have to see or read the play!

by AA @Main

Searching for a Poet Laureate

Coinciding with National Poetry Month, the City of Santa Fe is searching for its next Poet Laureate.

The Santa Fe Arts Commission Poet Laureate program, established in 2005, strives to promote a meaningful poetic presence as part of the diverse cultural fabric of the city. This is an honorary position given to a person who has established a presence in the world of poetry, has demonstrated a commitment to and passion for poetry, and embraces the opportunity to engage in civic discourse.

Arthur Sze was the city's first Poet Laureate, serving from 2006-2008. The new Poet Laureate will succeed poet Valerie Martínez, who has served as the city's public voice since 2008.

REQUIREMENTS

The Poet Laureate will make four appearances per year at City-sponsored events as determined by the Arts Commission. The Poet Laureate must be over 21 years of age and a resident of Santa Fe County for at least two years, or have been employed in Santa Fe County for at least two years, with a deep involvement in and commitment to the community. The Poet Laureate will serve two years based on the city's calendar year.

Nominations are due Monday, May 10. Additional information and application forms are on the Santa Fe Arts Commission web site, or contact the Arts Commission at (505) 955-6707 and artscommission@santafenm.gov.

Census Information

The 2010 Census has started! As of April 12, it has a 66% National participation rate. New Mexico has a 57% rate, and Santa Fe County has a 59% rate.

If you haven't received a form, you can find the nearest location to pick one up at the Census Bureau's Find Locations page. Just type in your ZIP Code and receive a listing of nearby centers.

If you have questions about the Census and forms, you can call the toll-free number: 866-872-6868.

Also, check out the 2010 Census Page. There's a wealth of interesting information on there, which should only increase as more forms are turned in.

No Annual Household Hazardous Waste Collection Event

For the past 10 years the Santa Fe Solid Waste Management Agency, City of Santa Fe, Santa Fe County and Keep Santa Fe Beautiful have sponsored annual household hazardous waste (HHW) collection events at the Buckman Road Recycling and Transfer Station (BuRRT). This year, however, because of budget constraints and economic downturn, there will not be an annual event. In addition, the construction schedule for the much anticipated new permanent Household Hazardous Waste (HHW) collection facility at BuRRT is delayed until Spring 2011 when funding is secured.

The library published a blog last year about recycling all things. There are a lot of useful links there about where and how to dispose of trash or well-used items. Also, the City has a handy guide to curbside recycling. For items deemed hazardous, the following information is also helpful:

• In past years, one of the most significant materials brought to the HHW events was latex paint. Contrary to popular belief, dried latex paint is not a hazardous waste material and it can be solidified by mixing sand and kitty litter in the can and letting it dry. It can then be placed with regular household trash.
  
• The second largest material in volume at HHW events was used motor oil. Used motor oil may be taken to local businesses in the city and county year-round such as Auto Zone, Pep Boys and Jiffy Lube at no charge. You can also call the city or county for a list of locations.
  
• Residents can check with participating retailers that accept old cell phones and rechargeable batteries. Car batteries can be taken to a local scrap yard or BuRRT.
  
• The agency recommends that pesticides be completely used before disposing of empty containers. If the materials cannot be used, the residents should check with neighbors to see if someone can use them.

The Santa Fe Solid Waste Management Agency accepts electronic waste (computers, CPU’s, monitors, keyboards, mice, and peripherals) and fluorescent bulbs year around at BuRRT for a small fee. Keep Santa Fe Beautiful has plans to hold an Electronic Waste Drop-Off Day on March 20 and August 20 to take used computers, computer peripherals, electronic equipment, cell phones and televisions. There will be a $5 charge for each television.

Residents can bring recyclables to BuRRT at no charge. Recyclables include plastic bottles with #1 and #2 coded inside the recycling chasing arrows (soda bottles, laundry soap bottles, and milk jugs), corrugated cardboard, newspapers, junk mail, magazines, office paper, aluminum cans, steel cans, and glass bottles. Residents can also take recyclables to one of the county’s transfer stations at no charge. Residents living inside the city limits are encouraged to participate in the city’s curbside recycling program.

BuRRT is located at 2600 Buckman Road, which is adjacent to the old city landfill. BuRRT is open 7 days a week from 8:00 a.m. to 4:45 p.m. Driving directions to BuRRT can be found here.

For more information:
Santa Fe Solid Waste Management Agency: 820-0208 or 424-1850 and press 0.
City of Santa Fe Solid Waste: 955-2200
Santa Fe County Solid Waste: 992-3025
Keep Santa Fe Beautiful: 955-2215

The Dark Side of Peeps

With our recent foray into the world of Peeps, we've gotten all sorts of responses from our patrons. Some have even delivered care packages of spooky Halloween Peeps, Peep decorating kits, and, my favorite, a Peep notebook and matching Peep pen. We've been wondering, however, if something so sweet and cute might not have a dark side.

We did a thorough and exhausting literature search, and came up with the following:

• A ground-breaking experiment measuring Fear Response in Peeps. While the methodology possibly exposes the dark side of humanity rather than that of Peeps, it is definitely worth reading.


• A fight to the death among different tribes of Peeps, using Jousting. A highlight: "In every single battle the losing Peep simply inflated faster and impaled itself on the winner's toothpick." Evil, or just hapless bad luck?


• The Ultimate in Peep Horror: Evil Peeps cause a man's demise in a video straight out of Poe.

If these images are just too shocking, too horrific for you, you can always dispose of your leftover peeps in a more productive fashion, by making Peeps Sushi. Enjoy!

Thanks to all the patrons and readers who sent us links!

Image courtesy of Make.

Meander:

Works Inspired by the Santa Fe River
Friday, April 9 through Saturday, June 5

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

Opening Reception
Friday, April 9
5:00 pm - 7:00 pm
Free and Open to the Public.
Appetizers and sparkling water will be served.

The Arts Commission Community Gallery, in collaboration with the Santa Fe Watershed Association, announces the exhibit “Meander: Works Inspired by the Santa Fe River”. The exhibition honors the rich history and culture of the Santa Fe River. Over 30 artists in all media will offer a full range of work that expresses both the beauty of the Santa Fe River as well as commentaries on its past, present, and future. Numerous community events will connect visitors to the river through informative workshops and presentations, public performances on the river, and community education.

The work of over 30 artists will be represented in the "Meander" exhibit, with a variety of media, styles and price points. The exhibit will include: sculpture by Elizabeth Hunt, Bobbe Besold, Matthew Chase-Daniel, Fairley Barnes, Dominique Mazeaud and Rebecca Lyon as well as realistic photography and landscape paintings by Ward Russell, Kim McCloud, John Hogan, Laura Brink, Sally McDevitt and Jennifer Schlesinger.

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.

My Penitente Land

Fray Angélico Chávez 100th Birthday Symposium


April 10, 2010
10:00 am to 4:30 pm
Fray Angélico Chávez History Library
120 Washington Avenue

Fray Angélico Chávez was born on April 10, 1910, and to mark what would have been his 100th birthday, the New Mexico History Museum’s Fray Angélico Chávez History Library will hold a daylong symposium. "My Penitente Land," a free, public event, takes place from 10 am to 4:30 pm on Saturday, April 10, in the museum auditorium (enter from Washington Avenue).

The symposium will gather the general public and scholars to exchange thoughts on Fray Angélico’s influence on New Mexico and share their stories about him. The History Library has a posted schedule for this event. Attendees will receive a commemorative poem by Jimmy Santiago Baca, printed on the historic presses at the Palace of the Governors.

We Make an IMPACT

Last spring, we asked you to participate in the IMPACT study. This first-ever nationwide survey examined “how people use the free computers and Internet connections in public libraries”. Well, now the results are in, and it looks like more people are relying on public library computers than anyone could have guessed.

Some highlights from the study:

• One third of Americans, about 77 million people, use public library computers
• Patrons living below the poverty line had the highest rate of library computer use at 44%
• One in four Americans use a public library computer while traveling
• One quarter of teens used their library at least once a week
• 80% of users made a change in their diet after using the library computers
• Two out of three patrons using library computers are helping out friends or family

The Huffington Post has a summary about the study, or you can read the full report Opportunity for All: How the American Public Benefits from Internet Access at U.S. Libraries in HTML or PDF - 212 pages. Minnesota Public Radio has also published a commentary that brings life to these statistics.

Thanks to all our patrons who participated!

National TV Turn-Off Week

April 19-25

The Santa Fe Public Library will be participating in a city-wide initiative to encourage families to turn off screens and engage in other creative and social activities.

Presenting:
Mike McCartney – “Indiana Bones”
telling “Stories from the Sky”
with Draco the Dragon Puppet
for Children ages 2-12

Tuesday, April 20
6:30 to 7:30 pm
Southside Library

Wednesday, April 21
6:30 - 7:30 pm
Main Library

Saturday, April 24
2 to 3 pm
La Farge Library

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

La Farge Library Closures

Monday, April 12 through Friday, April 16
1730 Llano St.

The La Farge Branch Library will be closed beginning Monday April 12th through Friday, April 16th for sewer line replacement. The Branch plans to reopen with regular hours of 10 am – 6 pm on Saturday, April 17th. Patrons will not be able to pick up Books on Hold or Interlibrary Loan books at La Farge during this time. For options prior to the closure concerning holds or ILL books please talk with a La Farge staff member or call:

La Farge: 955-4860
Main: 955-6785
Southside: 955-2810

The La Farge weekly morning programs PreSchool Story Time (Tuesday) and Books and Babies (Wednesday) and the after school program Mars: Inside & Out (Thursday) will not meet this week.

The contractor for this work will be Cartwright Plumbing, Cooling and Heating of Santa Fe. During the last four years the 1978 building has had several renovation projects including the installation of a new lighting system, heating and cooling systems, and carpet. This latest project will replace an original clay pipe sewer system.

During this closure we encourage patrons to use our Main Library, 145 Washington Ave. or our Southside Branch location at 6599 Jaguar Drive.

We are sorry for the inconvenience.

The cruellest month?

April is National Poetry Month. Started by the Academy of American Poets in 1996, it has grown into a celebration involving poets, schools, libraries, bookstores, publishers, readers and listeners. To participate, you can attend a poetry reading, check out books of poetry from the library, or subscribe to Poem-A-Day with your email account.

If you're not ready for such commitments but are willing to take baby steps, we're presenting the first four lines from Clive James' poem, "The Book of My Enemy Has Been Remaindered". If you like it, you can read the rest of the poem and an interview with the poet here, or check out Opal Sunset for more.

The Book of My Enemy Has Been Remaindered
by Clive James

The book of my enemy has been remaindered
And I am pleased.
In vast quantities it has been remaindered.
Like a van-load of counterfeit that has been seized...

Happy National Poetry Month!

* "The Cruellest Month" is from T.S. Eliot's poem, The Waste Land.

by JP @SS and AM @Main

April Library Exhibits

Main Library
Multiplicity: A Passion for Patterns
Digital photography and Prints
by Will Karp

La Farge Library
Salute to Volunteers

Southside Library
Study of Nature and Light
Acrylic Paintings on Canvas
by Judi Ewert

For more information, check our Art page.

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