Dragon Mask Craft

Make a Dragon Mask!

This free craft is open to children ages 5-12. All materials are provided. Registration is required, and starts 2 weeks before the craft.

Tuesday, January 24
3:30-4:30 p.m.
Southside Library
955-2828

Wednesday, January 25
3:30-4:30 p.m.
Main Library
955-6783

Thursday, January 26
3:30-4:30 p.m.
La Farge Library
955-4863

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

PreSchool Storytime

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
January 10 - May 1
10:30 am to 11:15 am

Wednesdays
Southside Library
January 11 - May 2
10:30 am to 11:15 am

Fridays
Main Library
January 13 - May 4
11:00 am to 11:45 am

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

Diane, the Magicienne

A Magic Program for All Ages

Friday, January 13
4:00-5:00 p.m.
Main Library

Saturday, January 14
10:30-11:30 a.m.
Southside Library

Saturday, January 14
1:30-2:30 p.m.
La Farge Library


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

Holiday Music with Andy Mason

Andy Mason will perform fascinating Christmas History and Trivia through music. It’s an opportunity for the whole family to sing along to their Holiday Favorites and get in the mood to celebrate the Season.

Thursday, December 8
La Farge Library
3:30 - 4:30 pm

Friday, December 9
Main Library
3:30 - 4:30 pm

Saturday, December 10
Southside Library
10:30 - 11:30 am

This free program is open to the public.

Sponsored by the Friends of the Santa Fe Public Library.

Holiday Paper Jewelry Craft

Monday, December 12
Main Library
3:30 - 4:30 pm

Tuesday, December 13
Southside Library
3:30 - 4:30 pm

Thursday, December 15
La Farge Library
3:30 - 4:30 pm

Children ages 6-12 will enjoy making custom decorated paper brooches, charms, rings, or hanging mobiles and window ornaments for yourself or as a gift this holiday season.

All materials are provided for this free craft. Registration is required. Call your branch to register two weeks before the program.

Sponsored by the Friends of the Santa Fe Public Library.

Taking a Break

Happy Winter!

Our wildly popular Children's and Teen programs will be taking a break for the holidays.

For the week of November 21-25, Thanksgiving Week, there will be no PreSchool Story Time at all three branches. Also, the Teen Program at Southside will not be held on Thursday, November 24.

PreSchool Story Time is taking a winter break starting the week of December 19. Storytime will resume after the new year starting the week of January 9, 2012.

The Teen Programs are taking a break as well. The last one of the year will be on Thursday, December 15. They'll resume on Thursday, January 5, 2012.

In the meantime, check out the Children's page for some special holiday events that are fun for the whole family!

Photo of the Winter Wonderland courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.

Johnny Moon

And the Magic Hats Comedy Magic Show!

La Farge Library
Tuesday, November 8
3:30 - 4:30 pm

Southside Library
Wednesday, November 9
3:30 - 4:30 pm

Main Library
Thursday, November 10
3:30 - 4:30 pm

A funny, interactive and educational show with amazing magic effects and Krazy Komedy for Kids.

This program is free and open to the public.

Sponsored by the Friends of the Santa Fe Public Library.

True Brit Book Signing

Artemesia Publishing is proud to announce the release of its tenth book in print and Rosemary Zibart's first installment of the Far and Away series, True Brit: Beatrice, 1940, about young people displaced and relocated during World War II.

What would it be like for an English girl to come from rainy, war-torn England in 1940 and arrive in sunny bohemian Santa Fe? In True Brit: Beatrice, 1940, a spoiled English girl, Beatrice Sims, comes to Santa Fe to live with a practical, hard-working nurse, Clementine Pope. At first, the twelve-year-old hates the dusty little town, and is accused of being “faceta” – stuck up. But soon Beatrice makes friends with goofy Arabella, develops a crush on handsome Esteban, aids Ana, a shy Indian girl, and learns that she has more courage and ability than she ever imagined.

Join Artemesia Publishing and Ms. Zibart for a book signing and special presentation of book excerpts on Sunday, October 30 from 2-4 pm as part of the Dia de los Cuentos (Day of Stories) at the Santa Fe Children's Museum on 1050 Old Pecos Trail. Admission is free with museum entry.

For more information, call 505-603-2656.

Native-Inspired Sand Painting

With FACT: Fine Arts for Children and Teens

A Free Art Workshop For Children Ages 6-12
In honor of Native American Heritage Month

Tuesday, November 8
3:30-5:00 p.m.
Main Library
955-6783

Tuesday, November 15
3:30-5:00 p.m.
Southside Library
955-2828

Tuesday, November 22
3:30-5:00 p.m.
La Farge Library
955-4863

Make your own native-inspired sand painting. FACT instructor Robin Samadhi brings her solid experience as an artist and educator to guide children through a positive art-making experience.

Space is limited. All materials for the workshop will be provided.
Please call your library to register. Registration begins 2 weeks before the workshop.

Sponsored by The Friends of the Santa Fe Public Library.

Powalawu Sand Mosaic courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.

Día de Los Muertos Craft

Tuesday, November 1
3:30 - 4:30 pm

Celebrate the Day of the Dead with a family craft. Each branch will offer a different spoooooky activity!

Día de Los Muertos is celebrated in Mexico and by Mexican Americans throughout the United States. The holiday focuses on gatherings of family and friends to pray for and remember friends and family members who have died. Traditions connected with the holiday include building private altars honoring the deceased using sugar skulls, marigolds, and the favorite foods and beverages of the departed and visiting graves with these as gifts.

Space is limited. All materials are provided.
Registration is open two weeks before the craft.

Call your local branch to register:
Main: 955-6783
Southside: 955-2828
La Farge: 955-4863

Sponsored by the Friends of the Santa Fe Public Library.

Image courtesy of Nathaniel C. Sheetz.

Raptor Center Visit

The Raptor Center is coming to the Santa Fe Public Library!

Main Library
Friday, October 21
3:30 - 4:30 pm

La Farge Library
Saturday, October 22
10:30 - 11:30 am

Southside Library
Saturday, October 22
1:00 - 2:00 pm

Seeing live raptors up close and personal is an exciting experience people of all ages never forget! Come and learn about these fascinating animals.

This program is free and open to the public.

Photo of the Northern Red-Tailed Hawk courtesy of Scot Campbell via Wikimedia Commons.

Decorate Your Own Owl Craft

Whooooooo's ready to design and decorate your own ceramic owl?

Southside Library
Tuesday, October 11
3:30 - 4:30 pm

Main Library
Wednesday, October 12
3:30 - 4:30 pm

La Farge Library
Thursday, October 13
3:30 - 4:30 pm

This program is for 5-12 year olds and registration is open two weeks before the event.

Space is limited.
Call your local branch to register:
Main: 955-6783
Southside: 955-2828
La Farge: 955-4863

Owl illustration courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.

Leopoldo the Frog

A comic opera for Pre-K to Grade 3

Saturday, September 10
10:30 - 11:30 a.m.
Southside Branch Library
6599 Jaguar Drive
955-2828

The Hall Ensemble will perform an hour-long, interactive, bilingual performance of the story of Leopoldo the Frog.

The recognized musical legend of his local swamp, Leopoldo has his world turned upside down when a new frog with a booming voice shows up on the scene. His personal journey that follows results in the growth of his own self-worth, motivation, and friendships.

This comic opera-style program will introduce children to a whimsical new fairy tale through bilingual narration, music, and Ellen Murray's original illustrations.

This is a free event open to the public.

Sponsored by the Santa Fe Concert Association

Paper Bag Piñata Craft

for National Hispanic Heritage Month

Main Library
Monday, September 12
3:30 - 4:30 pm

Southside Library
Tuesday, September 13
3:30 - 4:30 pm

La Farge Library
Thursday, September 15
3:30 - 4:30 pm

Join us in celebrating National Hispanic Heritage Month this September by making a piñata out of things you already have at home. Everyone will be ready for their own fiesta at the end of this project.

This program is for 5 - 12 year olds and registration is open two weeks before the event.

Call your local branch to register:
Main: 955-6783
Southside: 955-2828
La Farge: 955-4863

Fall PreSchool Storytime

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
September 6 - December 13
10:30 am to 11:15 am

Wednesdays
Southside Library
September 7 - December 14
10:30 am to 11:15 am

Fridays
Main Library
September 9 - December 16
11:00 am to 11:45 am

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

Please Use Us

Over the past few years, we've added a bunch of online resources that can help enrich and improve your life. For example, we now have One-Click Downloadable Audiobooks, Mango Languages, Research Pro, Grzimek's Animal Life, and Britannica Online. While we're all busy, and all the information out there can be overwhelming, we need to know that we're spending your money wisely on these products.

Two resources that we feel a need to remind you about are the LearningExpress Library and the Literature Resource Center:


LearningExpress has over 800 online courses, tests and e-books. It includes GED, AP, SAT, and ACT test prep, as well as modules for different jobs and careers. You can create your own account and help track your progress as you take practice tests and skill-building modules. There are modules for Elementary, Middle, and High School students to improve their math, reading, and writing. There's also a section to help you with a job search, résumés, cover letters, and interviews.


With the Literature Resource Center, you'll be able to find biographies, criticism, overviews, reviews and primary sources for many of your favorite writers. Students of any age who need to do a report on an author will love this, and many author biographies have photos!

All these resources are available both inside the library and from home with a SFPL library card. If you have any questions about using them, please ask a reference librarian, on the phone, in person, or by email at library@santafenm.gov.

So please, if you need them, use them!

Speaking of school supplies...

From Santa Fe Public Schools:

This week, our community lost “Faith At Work” — a non-profit that provided school clothing and school supplies, among many other necessities. They annually filled backpacks for approximately 200 students in the public schools. Our school district statistics tell us that 74% of Santa Fe's children need free or reduced price lunch — this is dramatic increase from last year. So more families than ever are needing this assistance. Thankfully, ¡Youthworks! has volunteered to sponsor a school supply drive for needy families. Please take any donations of school supplies to the new location of ¡Youthworks! for sorting and distribution. Its entrance is next to KSWV (Que Suave) Radio Station parking lot on Taos Street.

The most needed supplies:

· 3-inch binders, 1 ½-inch binders
· Sturdy backpacks
· Packages of 10 thick markers
· Packages of 10 thin markers
· Glue and glue sticks
· Wide lined notebook paper
· Wide lined spiral notebooks
· Composition books
· Colored pencils
· Rulers
· Two-pocket folders
· Compass and protractor

AND more:

Santa Fe Public Schools and Boys and Girls Clubs of Santa Fe have partnered in a Back to School Clothing Drive. Beginning Monday, August 1st, the Boys and Girls Clubs of Santa Fe will accept your donation of all clothing, including clothes that meet the uniform code. Donations may be dropped off at the Alto Street location of the Boys and Girls Clubs. The clothing distribution to families will begin on Monday, August 8th at 8:00 a.m. at the same Alto Street location. With strong community support, we hope to continue the drive throughout the school year. If you have any questions, please call the Boys and Girls Clubs at 983-6632. There is also a link on the Santa Fe Public Schools website for further information. Thank you for helping the children of Santa Fe. All contributions are tax deductible.

Santa Fe Escuelas Públicas y Boys and Girls Clubs de Santa Fe se han unido en un disco Volver a la Escuela de ropa. A partir del lunes 1 de agosto, el Boys and Girls Club de Santa Fe aceptará la donación de ropa, incluyendo ropa que cumplan con el código de uniforme. Las donaciones pueden ser dejados en el lugar de la calle Alto de los Boys and Girls Clubs. La distribución de ropa a las familias comenzarán el lunes, 8 de agosto a las 8:00 am en la misma ubicación Alto Street. Con un fuerte apoyo comunitario, esperamos mantener este impulso durante el año escolar. Si usted tiene alguna pregunta, por favor llame al Boys and Girls Clubs en 983-6632. También hay un enlace en la página web de la Escuela Pública de Santa Fe para más información. Gracias por ayudar a los niños de Santa Fe. Todas las contribuciones son deducibles de impuestos.

Summer Reading Survey

Hey parents! Do you have a kid in this year's Summer Reading Program, One World, Many Stories? If you did, please do us a favor and fill out this survey from the New Mexico State Library.

If you'd prefer to fill it out by hand, you can print a copy here. You can either return the finished survey to your local branch's Children's Desk, or you can mail it directly to the following address:

Eleanor Bernau
Continuing Education Coordinator
New Mexico State Library
1209 Camino Carlos Rey
Santa Fe, NM 87507-5166

There are still a few weeks left in Summer Reading, and don't forget to register your child for one of the End of Summer Parties!

Change Your Reality

Youth Conference

Wednesday, June 22
8:00 am - 4:00 pm
Santa Maria de La Paz Community Hall
11 College Ave., Santa Fe

For youth ages 10 - 13 living in Santa Fe, Rio Arriba, and Torrance Counties.

Conference Workshops include:
DWI Prevention * Domestic Violence Prevention * Suicide Prevention * Internet Safety * Being Green

Registration ends June 10! Go to the Change the Reality site or call (505) 992-9856 for more information.

Sponsored by Santa Fe County.

Rescheduled: Van of Enchantment at Main

Due to mechanical difficulties, the Van of Enchantment from the New Mexico History Museum is cancelled for Thursday, June 9, at Main Library. It has been rescheduled for Tuesday, August 2, from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

You can also catch the Van of Enchantment at:

Southside Library
6599 Jaguar Dr.
Tuesday, June 14
10:00 am - 4:00 pm

Please check our Summer Reading page for a full schedule of children's activities!