June Art in the Library Galleries

Main Library
On The Road
Oil Paintings, Etchings & Prints
by Nick Gadbois

La Farge Library
Summer Reading Program Exhibit

Southside Library
New Portraits
Oil Paintings
by Bert Goldman

For more information, check our Art page.

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

Is that you, Spring?

Tra la, tra la. The trees are in bloom on the Southside Plaza. The thornless Hawthorns were purchased with a gift from Jeff and Michelle Branch in honor of the Santa Fe Community Foundation’s 25th Anniversary. The trees were planted after the creation of the Southside Branch Library’s Plaza. Councilor Carmichael Dominguez was instrumental in securing funding for the completion of the Southside Plaza last Fall.

by PCH @Main
Photos by TT @SS

Books vs. Movies for Teens

This summer, the Southside Library will be taking a break from their regular teen meet-ups to offer Books vs. Movies! Teens ages 13-18 will be able to watch a movie one week, and to compare the flick to the book the next week.

All programs start at 3:30 pm on Thursday afternoons. The movie viewings will last 2 hours, and the book discussions will be 1 hour.

Since June has 5 Thursdays, the last one will be a Teen Party! Just show up and have some fun.

Call 955-2828 for movie & book titles and for more information.

June 2: Movie
June 9: Book

June 16: Movie
June 23: Book

June 30: Teen Party!

July 7: Movie
July 14: Book

July 21: Movie
July 28: Book

The Southside Library is located at 6599 Jaguar Dr. off of Country Club Rd.
These programs are free and registration is not required.

The Teen Programs are sponsored by the Friends of the Santa Fe Public Library.

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.

A Treasure Trove of Musical History

Are you jaded with the melodic offerings from Pandora, Last.fm and iTunes? If you're a music freak and need something new, check out the National Jukebox from the Library of Congress. Pick a playlist, search by artist or genre, or try a sampler of over 10,000 rare and historic sound recordings. You can select tracks from different categories and add them to a playlist. There's also a neat feature, Day by Day, where you can pick a date and focus on music recorded that day.

One of the neat things about this project is that it has all the hallmarks of library organization: narrowing results by language, date range, artist, and place, in addition to excellent Search and Browse features. They've even included a full-text interactive version of the Victrola Book of the Opera to help put many of the recordings in context. If you're new to the Jukebox, there's a First Time Here page that covers the basics.

Thankfully I've got headphones in, so no one needs to overhear the 32 different yodeling tracks I'm listening to for the sake of "research".

Memorial Day Library Closures

All branches of the Santa Fe Public Library will be closed on Monday, May 30 for Memorial Day.

All libraries will be open regular hours, 10 am - 6 pm, on Saturday, May 28.

Main Library will be open regular hours, 1-5 pm, on Sunday, May 29.

All libraries will resume normal hours on Monday, May 31.

Primary Sources

Last week, the New Mexico State Library Facebook page asked some interesting questions about the first governor of the New Mexico Territory, Charles Bent. The Santa Fe Public Library, aka me, was the only one to attempt the answer to their questions. I won't step on their toes in the local history quiz category, but I will share where I got the (correct) answers from. Hint: I didn't get them from reading a book or article about Charles Bent.

For years, Taos, NM, has been one of my favorite locations for both weekend mini-cations and day trips. There's always a lot of art, culture, poetry, cuisine, history, and natural beauty to explore up there. On my last visit, I did the double-whammy of visiting Kit Carson's house and Charles Bent's house on the same day. While the two men were quite related in their time, their homes and how history is currently presenting them could not be any more different. Mr. Carson's house is more of a hands-off museum, with the information about his life carefully edited and doled out. Mr. Bent's house is more of a jumble, a warts-and-all presentation about a still-controversial figure. I learned more about New Mexico history and culture in that juxtaposed museum day than I had in more than a dozen years of residency and study.

If you're looking for an incredibly entertaining and educational way to spend a day, I highly recommend visiting both places in Taos, with a tasty lunch between the two. It will not only give you a lot of food for thought, but hopefully it will give me some healthy competition in local history quizzes.

Portrait of Charles Bent from Find A Grave.

A Science Fiction "Secret"

My sleeves are rolled up and my clothes are getting dusty as I go through our Science Fiction section. I'm looking at all the books that haven't been checked out in ages, and also seeing which SF gems the collection may be lacking. While librarians have very specific criteria about which books to keep or add, sometimes a book or author may try to break the rules and make me check it out so that it appears to have more fans than it does.

One such author is Theodore Sturgeon. His works are strange and weird, even for a genre that thrives on strange and weird. I first came across his work in a collection of short stories, The World Treasury of Science Fiction, which has his brilliant short piece, "The Man Who Lost the Sea". My appreciation for him grew slowly, however. I would occasionally acquire one of his battered paperbacks in a used bookstore, but they would collect dust on my own shelves as I devoured new acquisitions by writers such as Philip K. Dick or Ursula Le Guin.

And then, the "secret" was revealed to me. I was talking about Kurt Vonnegut, Jr. with a friend some years ago. If you've read just a few of Vonnegut's novels, then you're probably well-acquainted with one of his recurring characters, Kilgore Trout. Trout is a beleaguered science fiction writer who lives in abject poverty and can only manage publication in some rather questionable fora. However, in several of Vonnegut's novels, Trout's ideas are either the cause for the end of the world, the salvation of humanity, or both. My friend revealed the open secret that Kilgore Trout was based on Theodore Sturgeon. Trout...Sturgeon, funny that I hadn't connected the two before!

Curiosity compelled me to crack open the dusty paperbacks on my bookshelves, starting with More than Human. Now when I hit a used bookstore I head to the Sturgeons before the PKDs or Le Guins. He is not for every taste, and I can't promise that his books will save humanity. I can promise that if you want to read something unlike anything you've read, Theodore Sturgeon is worth the dust.

Loving Icarus

About a month ago, we sort of quietly asked our Facebook fans to vote for Icarus, the SFPL Blog, in Salem Press's Library Blog Awards. Thanks to the support of our readers, we've made the finals in the Local Blog category!

Please vote for us before June 1. And if you're so inclined, check out some of the other Library Blogs that made the finals. I think you'll see that Icarus is in good company.

Catalog Outage

Due to a scheduled power outage in downtown Santa Fe, the Santa Fe Public Library catalog will not be available after 9:00 pm this evening, Tuesday, May 17.

We anticipate it being back up and functional by 9:00 am tomorrow morning, Wednesday May 18.

We apologize for any inconvenience.

El Portal for all New Mexico

"Your doorway to a world of information"

The New Mexico State Library has created an exciting and useful resource, El Portal. Through a single website, all New Mexico residents are able to access various online databases such as Chilton's Auto Repair, Opposing Viewpoints, and Gale Magazines Online. There are also links to full-text New Mexico newspaper articles, reference eBooks, small business resources and a database just for kids.

El Portal provides one-stop access to a local library finder, "Ask a Librarian" service, tutorials for using the site, and a link to Salsa, the State Library's online catalog. It's available 27/7 everywhere in the great State of New Mexico. You don't need to login, just go to the site and start searching!

The web address for El Portal is elportalnm.org
The El Portal project is made possible by grant funds from the U.S. Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) admistered by the State of New Mexico through the New Mexico State Library, a division of the Department of Cultural Affairs.

Yay for Statistics!

OK, I admit it, I love statistics. I love it in the same way I love ballet: I love seeing the product of all that hard work and training, but could never attempt it myself. I got to meet a statistician once, and when I started gushing about what an awesome job she must have, the befuddled woman replied, "Wow, no one's reacted that way before." It's not that I curl up with The basic practice of statistics after a day's work, but the procession of numbers can still be fascinating.

The motherlode of facts and statistics in the US is getting rolled out right now. That's right, the results of the 2010 Census are finding their way across the web. Just a few to try on: Between 2000 and 2010, the population of the City of Santa Fe increased from 62,203 to 67, 947. That's almost six thousand people! The County also saw a jump, from 134,525 to 144,170. New Mexico finally crossed the 2 million mark, hitting 2,059,170 residents on April 1, 2010, up from a count of 1,829,146 in 2000. But don't take my word for it: check out the American FactFinder site for all the statistics and numbers and charts that you could hope for.

If you're not a statistics fan but still have a bit of interest, go to Worldometers. They have real-time numbers for everything from world population to food, water, and energy. As of this writing, the world population is inching towards the seven billion mark; 342,828 new book tiles have been published this year; almost 17,000 people have died of hunger today. An interesting, if somewhat jarring, snapshot of the world we live in.

Interested in statistics closer to home? The Library has a Facts and Statistics page that we update annually, and we hang onto the historical data so you can get a glimpse of our popularity and growth. Enjoy the numbers!

Bike-to-Work Week

…and that includes your branch library!



May 16-20, 2011

Bike to Main or Southside Library all week!

Register for the Kids' Backpack Raffle!

The Main and Southside Libraries will have a giveaway for bicyclists who come to the Children’s Desk (while supplies last). Goodies include water bottles, a bike-friendly book list, Summer Reading Program information, fun stickers for kids, and more!

Main Library
145 Washington Ave.
955-6783

Southside Library
6599 Jaguar Dr.
955-2828

Check out the City of Santa Fe website for a full schedule of activities!

NASA's Space Programs

Wednesday, May 18
Main Library
145 Washington Ave.
4:00 - 5:00 p.m.

Explore current and future NASA missions with Dr. Leonard Duda. Geared for children ages 8 and up, Dr. Duda will present a program on current NASA missions, in particular "Cassini" at Saturn, "Messenger" at Mercury and recent comet flybys. The presentation will include slides about these missions.

Dr. Duda has worked at Sandia Laboratory for over 30 years in several scientific areas, including geothermal energy and microwave calibration standards.

This free program is geared for children and their families and is funded by a grant from the Los Alamos National Laboratories Foundation.

For more information call 955-6783.

Image is an "artist's concept of Cassini at Saturn".

Hooray for Summer Reading!

June 1 through July 30

This summer, travel around the world with songs, crafts, dancing, puppets, exotic beasts, and Reading! The 2011 Summer Reading Program, One World Many Stories, kicks off on June 1 with registration at all 3 Santa Fe Public Library branches. Kids from birth to age 12 can win prizes just by reading books! There's also a bicycle raffle.

For a full schedule of events, crafts, parties, and registration and location information, check out our Summer Reading Page.

Happy Travels this summer!

Water Challenge!

Despite some May Day snowfall, no one can deny that it was a very dry winter this year. According to a City of Santa Fe press release last month, "Average precipitation for Santa Fe this time of year is 3.03 inches; as of now we have only received 0.59 inches of precipitation or 19.5% of average precipitation."

While water conservation efforts have resulted in a 42% decrease in water use from 1995 to 2009, it's time to care for our water even more. The National Weather Service, U.S. Drought Monitor reports that almost all of the Southwest, including New Mexico, is in severe to extreme drought conditions.

Warmer weather means more time in yards and gardens, and the City is asking you to water your plants just twice a week in May. There are many other ways to conserve water, both in and outside the home. For information on incentive programs and ways to conserve water visit the City's Water Conservation Office website.

Image: 2004 Children's Water Conservation Poster Contest Grand Prize Winner.

Summer PreSchool Storytime

Since our popular and amazing Summer Reading Program is geared towards school-age children, we make sure to continue offering weekly programs for the younger set. Bring your kids ages 2-5 to PreSchool Story Time, where they'll enjoy stories, songs, finger games, puppets, and crafts. Best of all, it's free and no registration is required!

Tuesdays
La Farge Library
June 7 - July 26
10:30 am to 11:15 am

Wednesdays
Southside Library
June 8 - July 27
10:30 am to 11:15 am

Fridays
Main Library
June 10 - July 29
11:00 am to 11:45 am

For more information, call:
La Farge Children's: 955-4863
Southside Children's: 955-2828
or Main Children's: 955-6783

Another Knitting Post

So, we might be plunging right into one of the insidious stereotypes about librarians by having another blog post about knitting. After all, we've already posted about charity knitting and knitting with pet fur. Despite the absence of numbers on knitters by occupation, 2005 data shows that 36% of American women "know how to knit or crochet", a 51% increase from 10 years prior. Since about 84% of librarians are women, it's a short leap to say that many librarians are also knitters.

Our efforts to get more updated statistics on yarn addiction, um, I mean, yarn hobbies, in the United States were unsuccessful, but the UK Hand Knitting Association regularly posts numbers that show a steady increase in interest in that part of the world. In fact, a return to having knitting in school for both boys and girls is improving literacy, test scores, and behavior. The Santa Fe Waldorf School introduces knitting into the curriculum starting in first grade, and perhaps it will catch on in other schools.

In the Less-than-Educational Department, there is also a form of public art utilizing yarn, sometimes known as yarn bombing or knit graffiti. While the American Library Association has yet to issue a statement about this form of "urban improvement", there were a couple of yarn bombs close to the Main Library this past winter. It was definitely a cheery sight to see a tree trunk or light post swathed in some cozy-looking stitches. While most of the knitters I know like to place their works into friendly hands, that next yarn bomb you see just might have a librarian behind it.

CommUNITY Days / El Dia de la Gente

18th Annual!
Saturday, May 14
Santa Fe Plaza
10 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Local non-profit organization booths will be on the Plaza from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

Mayor David Coss and Ike Pino, Director of Community Services, will kick off the festivities at 11:30 a.m. Entertainment will start at noon and end at 10:00 p.m.

Entertainment includes:

Jerry Nelson Blues Band
Baile Español
The Albert Martinez Band
Baile Folklorico
Boomroots (Formerly known as RubixZu)
Sol Fire
Sorela
Equal Cut

All parking in City owned lots will be free. Handicap and zoned parking will be enforced.

For more information, call Laneia Gonzales at (505) 955-6621.

Research Pro Interruption

Today, Wednesday, May 4, from about 10:00 am to noon, Research Pro will be down for scheduled maintenance. You will still be able to access the library catalog and online databases, both in and outside of the library.

This upgrade will increase the speed and performance of Research Pro, and will allow us to include more of our resources such as Britannica Online. If you have any questions, please call or visit your local reference desk, or email library@santafenm.gov.

Music Together with Fam Jam!

A free event for children and their families!


An Interactive, "hands-on" performance for parents and children of all ages.

Main Library:
Wednesday, May 11
3:30 - 4:30 pm

La Farge Library:
Thursday, May 12
3:30 - 4:30 pm

Southside Library:
Saturday, May 14
11:00 am - 12:00 pm

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

May Art in the Library

Main Library
Contemplative Collage: From Symbol to Story
Collage
by Dante Jericho

La Farge Library
Photorealism in Colored Pencil
by Charles Jones

For more information, check our Art page.

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