Library News, by David W. Keeber
Red Rock News
Date: August 15, 2008
Who among us has not considered another career? Whether your job is not providing enough financial compensation, or not enough personal satisfaction, whether you have a lousy boss, or you maybe you’ve been down-sized, the desire to do “something else” is a not uncommon. Yet, making such a change is no easy. A bit of guidance would be helpful. That is where the Sedona Public Library comes in – we have lots of books that can assist you as you figure out what sort of new career would be right for you.
The grandfather of all books on rethinking your working career is Richard Bolles’ What Color is Your Parachute? Truth be known, I used this book when I made the change from food service to librarian and I am convinced that it was the correct move. Full of self-examination exercises to give you a better understanding of your skills, strengths and natural inclinations, it offers you a path to dig deeply into yourself and learn what manner of career would give you the most satisfaction. Updated every couple of years, whether it is an “older” title or not, it remains relevant and worthwhile.
Thomas Moore gained popularity with his Care of the Soul, but his newest book, A Life at Work, is based on the premise that your chosen avocation should give you a sense of joy and satisfaction. In his book, you learn about the “joy of discovering what you were born to do.” In it, Moore “explores the often difficult process – the obstacles, blocks, and hardships of our own making – that we go through on our way to discovering our purpose.” As readable as his other works, Moore provides a wonderful resource of delving into our true purpose in life.
Some of us are shy, others more gregarious. Imagine being in a job that doesn’t take into account basic personality features, forever forcing the person to be someone he or she is truly capable of being. The new book, Do What you Are, by Paul Tieger and Barbara Barron gives you the tools to discover the perfect career for you through the secrets of personality type. It provides you with the tools to understand how you process information, make decisions, and interact with the world around you. With this understanding of yourself, you can more easily find the career that is right for you.
If one person’s insight into the topic is good, the insight of fifty should be fifty times better, right? In The Power of Experience, that many great writers opine on the quest for a lifetime of meaning. Not necessarily restricted to career matters, the authors examine the value of a life lived deeply in which wisdom is gained and accessible. Presenting the ideas and thoughts of such notable writers as Gail Sheehy (author of the Passages books), Mary Oliver, a remarkable Southwestern writer, Amy Tan, Robert Bly, Elmore Leonard and many more, it presents a wide range of ideas based on experience. Maybe you don’t have a job you want to change, but only wish to “live deeply” – this book will prove a satisfying read.
Ann Patchett, author of Bel Canto and other titles, writes in her small book What Now? Explores the arc of her varied life and asks, “What now represents our excitement and our future, the very vitality of life?” Highlighting the possibilities of the unknown, she reminds the reader that there is as much joy in the journey as there is in reaching the destination.
Sometimes, just learning to be comfortable with life as it is, not as it should be is the best lesson of all. Given our penchant for wanting the “next thing,” Eleanor Wiley believes that There Are No Mistakes in our lives, only rich experiences that have the opportunity to let wisdom grow in our hearts. She helps the reader to recognize the need for and gain the ability to know where you came from, know your story, accept yourself, laugh at yourself, take care of yourself, and more. It may be a short read, but it holds lots of gems within its pages.
Finally, there are moments in life that offer up the chance for change if we only recognize that opportunity. Jeanne Safer wrote Death Benefits: How Losing a Parent Can Change an Adult’s Life – For the Better. Having recently lost my father, I was intrigued by the book’s premise. I didn’t have a relationship that could be called problematic the end of which might have offered a new start, but Safer’s basic questions for self-examination can open one’s eyes to things even the happiest of parent-child relationships might have disguised. And if you did have a challenging relationship with your parent, moving beyond it can be hugely beneficial. I believe that there is something here for most readers.
Friday, August 15, 2008
Friday, August 8, 2008
Keeber's Kolumn
Library News, by David W. Keeber
Red Rock News
Date: August 8, 2008
Television is such an odd invention. I have a friend who calls it the haunted fish tank and that seems an apt name for something that occasionally provides something of real interest, but mostly doesn’t change. Yet, recently there have been a great deal of shows that exhibit real writing and characterizations that deserve our attention. There still remains the problem of all the advertisements, and of course the fact that you have to be in front of the TV at the right time every week. Now, Sedona Public Library has a solution to these – whole TV series on DVD.
A couple of years ago, I became aware of the show “Joan of Arcadia,” a decidedly different program about a teenage girl who spoke with God. The writing and characters were so good that I had to see the whole series. At the same time, the Library began to receive requests to purchase the show and we found it on DVD. After adding it to the collection, we began to receive requests for other shows, also on DVD. Suddenly, we discovered that many shows, especially those on HBO, were available, just as was the Joan series.
Did you watch the “Planet Earth” series, that magnificent weekly event that had the most stunning images of life on this planet? We discovered that you could get that whole series, too. I don’t think that there are any more beautiful shots of animals, weather and landforms than in that series. The Library offers the entire array of shows to take home and enjoy at your leisure – and with no commercials.
Critical acclaim was heaped on the show “The Wire,” about a newspaper office in Baltimore. We offer the entire series, allowing you to keep abreast of the numerous story lines, uninterrupted.
After September 11th, the show “24” gained considerable traction when it portrayed CTU agent Jack Bauer in his pursuit of terrorists. Tough, gritty, and decidedly pointed in its view of the threats against this nation, it was both loved and hated, but definitely watched.
HBO seems to have it fair share of truly oddball shows that would not be able to show on regular network TV. “Six Feet Under” is just such a show about a family that runs a funeral parlor in LA. Each show begins with someone’s death who then becomes a “customer” of the family business, around whom all sorts of other story lines revolve. It’s well worth checking out. Just don’t say that I didn’t warn you about the oddball nature of the show!
The BBC has loads of great shows of all sorts – drama, comedy, intrigue and more. One great example of their comedies is the show “Keeping Up Appearances.” With episode titles like “The Name is Bouquet: B-U-C-K-E-T,” “Welcoming the Dishy Vicar,” or “A Fate Worse Than Senility,” you are bound to be entertained for hours. Given the fact that Sedona Public Library offers a complete set of all the episodes, that entertainment will last for hours.
Everyone loves a good western (or should!), and most of those same folks love a good science fiction tale. Why not combine them into one western-flavored science fiction series called “Firefly?” Add great characters, good writing, clever combinations of the two genres and you have a series that is eminently watchable and loads of fun. The show even spawned a feature length movie that we have added to the collection.
This list of shows is by no means complete. We have dozens of great sets of shows, whole seasons worth, that you can check out and enjoy, commercial free and on your own schedule. Take the time to visit the DVD section and discover them for yourself. And then curl up in your favorite chair with a bowl of popcorn!
Red Rock News
Date: August 8, 2008
Television is such an odd invention. I have a friend who calls it the haunted fish tank and that seems an apt name for something that occasionally provides something of real interest, but mostly doesn’t change. Yet, recently there have been a great deal of shows that exhibit real writing and characterizations that deserve our attention. There still remains the problem of all the advertisements, and of course the fact that you have to be in front of the TV at the right time every week. Now, Sedona Public Library has a solution to these – whole TV series on DVD.
A couple of years ago, I became aware of the show “Joan of Arcadia,” a decidedly different program about a teenage girl who spoke with God. The writing and characters were so good that I had to see the whole series. At the same time, the Library began to receive requests to purchase the show and we found it on DVD. After adding it to the collection, we began to receive requests for other shows, also on DVD. Suddenly, we discovered that many shows, especially those on HBO, were available, just as was the Joan series.
Did you watch the “Planet Earth” series, that magnificent weekly event that had the most stunning images of life on this planet? We discovered that you could get that whole series, too. I don’t think that there are any more beautiful shots of animals, weather and landforms than in that series. The Library offers the entire array of shows to take home and enjoy at your leisure – and with no commercials.
Critical acclaim was heaped on the show “The Wire,” about a newspaper office in Baltimore. We offer the entire series, allowing you to keep abreast of the numerous story lines, uninterrupted.
After September 11th, the show “24” gained considerable traction when it portrayed CTU agent Jack Bauer in his pursuit of terrorists. Tough, gritty, and decidedly pointed in its view of the threats against this nation, it was both loved and hated, but definitely watched.
HBO seems to have it fair share of truly oddball shows that would not be able to show on regular network TV. “Six Feet Under” is just such a show about a family that runs a funeral parlor in LA. Each show begins with someone’s death who then becomes a “customer” of the family business, around whom all sorts of other story lines revolve. It’s well worth checking out. Just don’t say that I didn’t warn you about the oddball nature of the show!
The BBC has loads of great shows of all sorts – drama, comedy, intrigue and more. One great example of their comedies is the show “Keeping Up Appearances.” With episode titles like “The Name is Bouquet: B-U-C-K-E-T,” “Welcoming the Dishy Vicar,” or “A Fate Worse Than Senility,” you are bound to be entertained for hours. Given the fact that Sedona Public Library offers a complete set of all the episodes, that entertainment will last for hours.
Everyone loves a good western (or should!), and most of those same folks love a good science fiction tale. Why not combine them into one western-flavored science fiction series called “Firefly?” Add great characters, good writing, clever combinations of the two genres and you have a series that is eminently watchable and loads of fun. The show even spawned a feature length movie that we have added to the collection.
This list of shows is by no means complete. We have dozens of great sets of shows, whole seasons worth, that you can check out and enjoy, commercial free and on your own schedule. Take the time to visit the DVD section and discover them for yourself. And then curl up in your favorite chair with a bowl of popcorn!
Friday, August 1, 2008
Keeber's Kolumn
Red Rock News
Date: August 1, 2008
It is hard to believe the month of August is here, and school will start for most children in the area in the next days and weeks. Another Summer Reading Program is about to end. Friday, August 8 is the last day to report reading and for pick up prizes from either the
The number of participants in the 2008 Summer Reading program this year was 204 compared to 270 participants last year! This is a 34% decrease in participants compared to last year! Despite the fact that the library offers this program opportunity free as are the majority of the workshops and programs we offer weekly, the library does compete with many opportunities and other programs the area offers for kids. From the Humane Society summer camp to the College for Kids classes at
The participants included 18 pre-schoolers, 14 home-schooled youth, 10 students from
Over the years, some have questioned the need for children's programming. They have asked “Why is it so important for a library to offer a summer reading program and events for kids in the summer?” They have employed the thought that children should automatically visit the library, check out books and read during the summer for enjoyment. Are we wasting our time and money and efforts to attempt to "spoon feed" kids into doing an activity that they should naturally want to do? And is it the Library's "job" to hold activities for children, much like what they would receive at summer camp or pay to see for entertainment?
A survey of questions in English and Spanish developed by a representative group of Children’s librarians across the State of
I love seeing the enthusiasm kids showed when they came to the Library to report their reading progress. It is so much fun to hear the creative songs, read the stories and see the wonderful bugs made out of recycled materials, 50th anniversary bookmarks, and book covers children created. It is thrilling to hear kids express their feelings about what excites them about reading. Some comments kids share tell how reading cures boredom and makes them feel better and happier, helps them with spelling, makes them feel good, helps them read faster, and helps them get smarter.
Many people have involved in the execution of the summer program this year. Thanks to all the staff; especially my assistant Mrs. Lusher and my summer assistant Ms. Wilkinson and all my teen volunteers who took phone calls, registered kids, and helped patrons find what they were looking for. Finally, I want to extend a big thank you to all the parents and grandparents who assisted children’s participation in this program, despite road construction and travel delays.
Friday, July 25, 2008
Keeber's Kolumn
Library News, by David W. Keeber
Red Rock News
Date: July 25, 2008
This summer hasn't been the hottest on record, but the Sedona Public Library knows a thing or two about hot. Whenever an author of repute puts out a new book, things get hot here. People want to read it and they rush into the Library to find the book. Sometimes, the book has already been checked out, so they get into the Holds queue, and if they wait too long, they get hot. But, we have a new solution to cooling off these temperatures – our new Popular Collection.
Located next to the Checkout Desk is a wooden shelf unit that previously held the Playaway units. Now, we offer you all the latest bestsellers in book form, or DVD, or audio format. You can check these HOT new titles out just like the New Books section selections, but with a few caveats.
Our goal is to encourage people to come into the Library. Folks are getting better and better at searching the catalog online and placing holds on items they want. But, sometimes the queues can get long and that frustrates people. So, the Popular Collection offers the same titles, but without the ability to place a hold on them. Instead, by coming into the Library, you will find a shelf chock-full of the newest titles on a first come, first served basis. Given the newness of this collection, for now we are limiting the number of books you can check out at one time to one item, but only until the collection grows. The other "rules" for their use are the same as all of our other items – three week check out.
By doing this, we are offering a "reward" for those who have braved the current traffic challenges. You will certainly find lots more to do and read while you are here, so plan to spend a few hours in the Library's cool environs, but stop at the Popular Collection shelves first!
Another solution to the traffic delays we are all experiencing lately is to make the very best use of your time in the car. As you sit in the line of cars learning to negotiate the roundabouts, rather than fretting and getting your blood pressure up, "read" a book!
I am not suggesting that you pour over pages of text while driving. Instead, how about a book on tape or CD? The Library offers hundreds of titles, both fiction and nonfiction, that you can pop into your player and spend your time in the car more productively. We even offer the previously mentioned Playaways, an MP3 player with a book preloaded. You can listen to your favorite book anywhere, anytime. So easy, and so much better than "going postal" while waiting in lines of traffic.
Be sure to keep your calendars marked for Friday's here at the Library as we offer our 50th Anniversary Authors series, weekly. Every Friday, we offer a local, regional, national or youth author as they present their work and sign copies you may have. It is a great opportunity to meet the author you are interested in. Last Friday, we had Wayne Ranney, geologist, as he presented his theories and those of others regarding how the Grand Canyon was formed. That big old hole in the ground to the north of us is in no way a settle issue as to how it was formed and when. Wayne's presentation was fascinating and well worth the time to attend. Our other authors are also well worth your time.
On Friday, August 1st at 6 PM, local author Kris Neri will sit in the moderator's seat with a panel of mystery writers to discuss the work of writing about the darker side of human nature and the challenges of making these stories entertaining. Sitting the panel will be Doris Casey, Kerrie Droban, Ben Small, and Betty Webb. A departure from our usual one author event, this is sure to be a fascinating trip into the minds of the people who delve into the minds of murders and their pursuers. Don't miss this one!
Sedona often empties out during the summer and folks think that there is nothing to do here in the hottest months. Contrary to that idea is the Sedona Public Library's many programs, services and of course, our great collection of materials. Come and spend time here and you will see how to take the hottest months and spend a cool time! Visit us today!
Friday, July 18, 2008
Keeber's Kolumn
Library News, by David W. Keeber
Red Rock News
Date: July 18, 2008
It's a new world. So much has gone electronic nowadays and at Sedona Public Library, we have gone electronic in spades. Whether it is the computer-based catalog, or the Library's website, there are myriad ways that we have taken advantage of computers. For some, the new technologies present a challenge, for others it is much easier. Let's look at the many ways we have incorporated technology at the Library.
First and foremost is the computer-based catalog that replaced the old card catalog. Here is where the real strength of computers has been brought to bear on the search for information. Whether the catalog is paper-based or computer-based, it is still a database. Searching a database, whether paper or electronic, can be either simple or complex. The paper version in the old maple cabinets always yielded a simple search – you plugged along one topic at a time – and that tended to be pretty time consuming.
The computer catalog always searches for the most information when you hit the button. That is why you get a list of similar spellings, similar topics, and so on. Quite often, a search term is misspelled, but with the computer's power, you can easily see a list that will show you the correct spelling, thereby reducing your time spent "hunting and pecking." With the many ways things have related links, computers make those "side searches," such as different authors who have written about the same topic.
Other ways in which the Library has gone electronic is in the form of books on tape, CD, Playaways and now, downloadable books. There has been, and will continue to be lengthy debates about the death of printed books. While I used other columns to discuss this topic, for now, consider the fact that by having books in a myriad of formats allows the "reader" to enjoy them in places you simply cannot read. Can you use your long commute to read a book in print, or can you simply pop a tape or CD into your car's player and still enjoy your reading time?
A number of years back, librarians debated whether to allow books on tape into the collection as they weren't really books. I am glad that we have concluded that debate in favor of their addition because we now have even more ways to offer our users access to the information they seek. Playaways and downloadable books are simply the next incarnation of the earlier formats.
We have all seen kids walking around with the Walkman players and iPods. We may mutter about how they are ignoring the world around them, but they are onto something – the ability to go anywhere and enjoy their music. Few adults have made the transition to owning an iPod or a similar device, and have considered a book on tape or CD something you only enjoy in your car or in front of your stereo system. With the advent of the Playaway, you can now enjoy your favorite book while taking a walk, or gardening, or doing your hobby.
The Playaway is an MP3 player, the equivalent of an iPod that has a single book loaded on it that you can easily carry around with you. Now, you don't even need to own your own player, but can simply use one of these to "read" a book on the go.
Once you get accustomed to reading on the go, you may well decide that you want other titles than the ones we offer on the Playaways. Now, the Library offers downloadable books that you can place on your own device. The offer the same convenience as Playaways, but you will find even more selection. These titles are available on our website by clicking on the link to "ebooks" under the Find Books and More heading.
And speaking of the website, any and all of our services are available on that electronic resource. Do you want to browse the catalog? Go to the website. Do you want to see what books you have checked out and maybe even renew them? Go to the website. Do you want to learn about the programs we are offering? Go to the website. It is the electronic doorway to Sedona Public Library. By the way, the address for the website is www.sedonalibrary.org
One can certainly be a book lover and still take advantage of the many electronic resources that the Library offers. But, if you find that some of them present a hurdle for you as you attempt to learn how to use them, simply seek help for the Library staff. We are happy to show all the features of our catalog, or how to download a book, or where you can find the information you need on our website. Just because we have many new electronic resources doesn't mean that we have abandoned our commitment to service to our users.
Tuesday, July 8, 2008
Keeber's Kolumn
Library News, by David W. Keeber
Red Rock News
Date: July 11, 2008
Whenever you visit the Sedona Public Library, you are sure to find something new. Whether it is a book, an audiotape or book on CD, a Playaway audio book, a new movie on VHS or DVD, magazines, or whatever, if you are into new things you can pretty much find something here every day. But, there are also new displays all the time, each of which offers intriguing information on a subject. We have lots to look at here, and right now there are some fascinating displays.
First and foremost, there are always books on display. Sometimes the books are brand new to our collection, or if you are out in the stacks, you can find great titles you might otherwise overlook simply displayed on the shelves. The staff is always putting "new" old titles, books that have been on the shelves for awhile onto the display racks throughout the Library. So often folks go directly to the newest items on the shelves and pass by the older, but really wonderful titles. Spend a few minutes in the stacks noticing the recommended titles there. I'll bet you can easily find something interesting to read.
Also, just to the right of the front door as you enter is another display of books on topics that may be seasonal, current news, or just plain fun. Right now, we are displaying books on "summer fun," but recent ones have been on pets, Father's Day and so on. Check out the display and then check out the books!
On a table outside my office window is a display of pop-up books. These charming and fun books are for children and adults. We don't add pop-ups to the collection because they are so fragile and never last long. So, whenever we find or someone donates a good one, we keep it for just such a display as this. Take a look at the Book of Nightmares, or the bible story books. Or try flipping through the variety of ways that pop-ups are made. There are some real tricks to getting them to do what the author envisions. Give yourself about 20 minutes, though, to look at them because we have a lot!
Another way we provide displays is to ask the community to bring in things they wish to show off. Examples of course include the annual quilt display, as well as the local photography club's truly creative work. There is the Sustainability Resource Center that offers ideas on how to go green and conserve precious resources like our air, water and petroleum.
Right now, though, we have a really fascinating display of maps produced by local cartographer Alex DiNatale. He produced six maps, each with a unique story to tell. Maps come in all forms and each tells a different tale. Look in any atlas of quality and you will see maps that inform about borders, locations of geographical and political features, and highways. But, you will also find maps that describe the spread of populations, resources, historical information and more. Maps can tell all sorts of stories, limited only by the cartographer's imagination.
Mr. DiNatale has created six maps of local interest. These show horse trails and homesteads in Oak Creek Canyon, the Navajo Nation, Mormon Lake area, the San Francisco Peaks, and Bill Williams Mountain, as well as trans-canyon corridor trails in Grand Canyon. All drawn by hand, they show fascinating historic and geographic information that no other maps that I have seen offer.
They are on display around the main desk at the front of the Library where you check your books in and out. Take a few minutes to study these by picking up the guide sheets located at that desk that offer in depth explanations of each.
Lastly, take a look at Sakina's doll display which she changes quite often. She has a huge collection of dolls and a smart sense of what she is trying to say with her displays. You'll find it located near the fireplace area.
If you have an idea for a display that you would like to share with the rest of the community, please let us know by contacting us for a display proposal form. We would love to find ways to show your interesting ideas here.
Red Rock News
Date: July 11, 2008
Whenever you visit the Sedona Public Library, you are sure to find something new. Whether it is a book, an audiotape or book on CD, a Playaway audio book, a new movie on VHS or DVD, magazines, or whatever, if you are into new things you can pretty much find something here every day. But, there are also new displays all the time, each of which offers intriguing information on a subject. We have lots to look at here, and right now there are some fascinating displays.
First and foremost, there are always books on display. Sometimes the books are brand new to our collection, or if you are out in the stacks, you can find great titles you might otherwise overlook simply displayed on the shelves. The staff is always putting "new" old titles, books that have been on the shelves for awhile onto the display racks throughout the Library. So often folks go directly to the newest items on the shelves and pass by the older, but really wonderful titles. Spend a few minutes in the stacks noticing the recommended titles there. I'll bet you can easily find something interesting to read.
Also, just to the right of the front door as you enter is another display of books on topics that may be seasonal, current news, or just plain fun. Right now, we are displaying books on "summer fun," but recent ones have been on pets, Father's Day and so on. Check out the display and then check out the books!
On a table outside my office window is a display of pop-up books. These charming and fun books are for children and adults. We don't add pop-ups to the collection because they are so fragile and never last long. So, whenever we find or someone donates a good one, we keep it for just such a display as this. Take a look at the Book of Nightmares, or the bible story books. Or try flipping through the variety of ways that pop-ups are made. There are some real tricks to getting them to do what the author envisions. Give yourself about 20 minutes, though, to look at them because we have a lot!
Another way we provide displays is to ask the community to bring in things they wish to show off. Examples of course include the annual quilt display, as well as the local photography club's truly creative work. There is the Sustainability Resource Center that offers ideas on how to go green and conserve precious resources like our air, water and petroleum.
Right now, though, we have a really fascinating display of maps produced by local cartographer Alex DiNatale. He produced six maps, each with a unique story to tell. Maps come in all forms and each tells a different tale. Look in any atlas of quality and you will see maps that inform about borders, locations of geographical and political features, and highways. But, you will also find maps that describe the spread of populations, resources, historical information and more. Maps can tell all sorts of stories, limited only by the cartographer's imagination.
Mr. DiNatale has created six maps of local interest. These show horse trails and homesteads in Oak Creek Canyon, the Navajo Nation, Mormon Lake area, the San Francisco Peaks, and Bill Williams Mountain, as well as trans-canyon corridor trails in Grand Canyon. All drawn by hand, they show fascinating historic and geographic information that no other maps that I have seen offer.
They are on display around the main desk at the front of the Library where you check your books in and out. Take a few minutes to study these by picking up the guide sheets located at that desk that offer in depth explanations of each.
Lastly, take a look at Sakina's doll display which she changes quite often. She has a huge collection of dolls and a smart sense of what she is trying to say with her displays. You'll find it located near the fireplace area.
If you have an idea for a display that you would like to share with the rest of the community, please let us know by contacting us for a display proposal form. We would love to find ways to show your interesting ideas here.
Friday, July 4, 2008
Keeber's Kolumn
Library News, by David W. Keeber
Red Rock News
Date: July 4, 2008
I have just returned from a trip to fish along the US/Canadian border and was casting around for a topic to write about for this column. When I get into that sort of predicament, I often go the shelves and find some interesting books that deserve special mention. In addition to fishing, I enjoy woodworking and so this week, I gravitated towards books on the subject that are among our newest additions.
First and foremost, readers of this column may recall that I often tout our magazines as the most up to date sources of information on a topic. Delivered weekly, monthly or quarterly, they tend to be "fresher" than a book that takes much longer to write and publish. If you are seeking the most recent information, start with the magazines. While woodworking may not seem to be a topic that requires really, really new information, we do carry two publications that come to us monthly – "Fine Woodworking" and "Fine Homebuilding." Both are published by Taunton Press, a company out of Connecticut that produces numerous titles focusing on crafts.
Their names describe their focus and they do an excellent job of offering tips, tricks, solutions, and very clearly rendered plans that can serve to untangle the thorniest problems that someone might face as they build a home or furniture. Published in color, they are a pleasure to look at and extremely useful for the reader.
You cannot do excellent work without good tools or a good work space. That's why Wood Magazine's How to Build a Great Home Workshop is such a treat. It offers excellent advise on customizing your work space, dust removal, shop heating systems, workshop safety and security, workbenches, storage for lumber, tools and parts, and even offers advise on stands, stools and supports. Also published in color and with simple and clear plans, you will want to gut your existing space and start over entirely after reading this valuable tome.
Black and Decker's Complete Guide to Windows & Entryways is another excellent reference manual as well as an idea book that is chock full of things your can do to improve these crucial points of any home. The most common points for leaks into your home, whether of rain water in or of heat escaping are your windows and doors, so building them correctly, installing them securely and tightly and doing so in a manner that is pleasing to the eye and absolutely functional makes them on a par with building chairs – much tougher than they appear. While not a comprehensive textbook, the book offers sufficient information that your next such project will turn out better for reading the information contained within its covers.
Author Doug Stowe has written a very handy book entitled, Basic Box Making. There is no end to the clever ways one can create this most basic of shapes and Stowe offers many basic tips and tricks to ensure that you produce an eye-catching item every time. His contention is that by learning the basics of a number of forms and features, you will have the solid foundation you need to create your own designs. He offers step-by-step instructions for a number of versions of boxes and you hardly know you are learning something useful when you are simply following along.
Many is the home that has a valued and valuable piece of furniture that has some flaw or problem that could use repair. Repairing the piece is one challenge, but ensuring a matching finish and even maintaining a valuable piece's worth is much more so. Ina Brosseau Marx and Allen Marx have written Furniture Restoration: Step-by-Step Tips and Techniques for Professional Results, a treasure trove of great ways to bring a worn or broken piece of furniture back to life and to refinish that piece expertly. Obviously, expert work requires years of efforts based on trial and error, but this book offers a savings of many years in its well written and sound advice on the subject. Even if you don't plan on doing the work yourself, you would do well to glance through it before taking your family heirloom to a workshop that does this work. At least you will know whereof you speak!
If you enjoy any craft or hobby, you are likely to find plenty of materials on the shelves or through the Network loan system that will improve your knowledge, advance your skills and ensure a better end product by reading the numerous titles we can offer you. Check out your hobby at the Sedona Public Library!
Red Rock News
Date: July 4, 2008
I have just returned from a trip to fish along the US/Canadian border and was casting around for a topic to write about for this column. When I get into that sort of predicament, I often go the shelves and find some interesting books that deserve special mention. In addition to fishing, I enjoy woodworking and so this week, I gravitated towards books on the subject that are among our newest additions.
First and foremost, readers of this column may recall that I often tout our magazines as the most up to date sources of information on a topic. Delivered weekly, monthly or quarterly, they tend to be "fresher" than a book that takes much longer to write and publish. If you are seeking the most recent information, start with the magazines. While woodworking may not seem to be a topic that requires really, really new information, we do carry two publications that come to us monthly – "Fine Woodworking" and "Fine Homebuilding." Both are published by Taunton Press, a company out of Connecticut that produces numerous titles focusing on crafts.
Their names describe their focus and they do an excellent job of offering tips, tricks, solutions, and very clearly rendered plans that can serve to untangle the thorniest problems that someone might face as they build a home or furniture. Published in color, they are a pleasure to look at and extremely useful for the reader.
You cannot do excellent work without good tools or a good work space. That's why Wood Magazine's How to Build a Great Home Workshop is such a treat. It offers excellent advise on customizing your work space, dust removal, shop heating systems, workshop safety and security, workbenches, storage for lumber, tools and parts, and even offers advise on stands, stools and supports. Also published in color and with simple and clear plans, you will want to gut your existing space and start over entirely after reading this valuable tome.
Black and Decker's Complete Guide to Windows & Entryways is another excellent reference manual as well as an idea book that is chock full of things your can do to improve these crucial points of any home. The most common points for leaks into your home, whether of rain water in or of heat escaping are your windows and doors, so building them correctly, installing them securely and tightly and doing so in a manner that is pleasing to the eye and absolutely functional makes them on a par with building chairs – much tougher than they appear. While not a comprehensive textbook, the book offers sufficient information that your next such project will turn out better for reading the information contained within its covers.
Author Doug Stowe has written a very handy book entitled, Basic Box Making. There is no end to the clever ways one can create this most basic of shapes and Stowe offers many basic tips and tricks to ensure that you produce an eye-catching item every time. His contention is that by learning the basics of a number of forms and features, you will have the solid foundation you need to create your own designs. He offers step-by-step instructions for a number of versions of boxes and you hardly know you are learning something useful when you are simply following along.
Many is the home that has a valued and valuable piece of furniture that has some flaw or problem that could use repair. Repairing the piece is one challenge, but ensuring a matching finish and even maintaining a valuable piece's worth is much more so. Ina Brosseau Marx and Allen Marx have written Furniture Restoration: Step-by-Step Tips and Techniques for Professional Results, a treasure trove of great ways to bring a worn or broken piece of furniture back to life and to refinish that piece expertly. Obviously, expert work requires years of efforts based on trial and error, but this book offers a savings of many years in its well written and sound advice on the subject. Even if you don't plan on doing the work yourself, you would do well to glance through it before taking your family heirloom to a workshop that does this work. At least you will know whereof you speak!
If you enjoy any craft or hobby, you are likely to find plenty of materials on the shelves or through the Network loan system that will improve your knowledge, advance your skills and ensure a better end product by reading the numerous titles we can offer you. Check out your hobby at the Sedona Public Library!
Friday, June 27, 2008
Keeber's Kolumn
Library News, by Andrea Lhotka for David Keeber
Red Rock News
Date: June 27, 2008
"The computers are winning." I saw these simple words scrawled on cardboard in permanent ink hanging in the window of an abandoned building in Tucson, AZ. If you've seen the movie "The Terminator" then images of Arnold Schwarzenegger, cyborg metal endoskeletons, and total world annihilation are appearing before your eyes. I say "disregard" all that. Prophesy is certainly not our business at the Sedona Public Library. We deal in books and information at a smoking bargain. What I'm talking about is the conflict between digital and analog resources or more expressly the tension amongst their respective users.
The opening was intended to catch your attention, but in a matter of speaking the computers have attained great success in this endeavor, though not in any dystopic futuristic sense. The evidence is pervasive: spellbound coffee shop inhabitants clacking away at their laptops and cell phone users willfully rewriting the codes of social interaction. The inexorable march into the future is without pity, but for some the beat is a bit muffled.
This is in fact an alarming topic for many librarians: the digital divide which is essentially an obstacle to accessing information from a lack in training or deficit in resources. Since the World Wide Web was created in the early 90's and its subsequent proliferation, information has been repositioned and now inhabits a seemingly inexplicable, shadowy electronic environment. Frequently the information and services that we need once available in hardcover, on a microfiche reel, by telephone, and so on are now only obtainable with a computer and an Internet connection.
For many, gaining the requisite knowledge to operate a computer is a terrifying concept, and this phenomenon most acutely impacts those who attended schools before the explosion of computer labs, computer instruction and the Internet. It is this audience specifically that I address, in hopes that a feeling of comfort with information technologies can be realized.
As a librarian working with the public and information technology on a daily basis, my suggestion is that before you chastise yourself and make a payment in the service of self-doubt, identify the cause of your fear. In this regard I submit that uncertainty, and lack of experience and training are the major reasons. Humans do not achieve new proficiencies by virtue of charisma or magic without the advantage of training, study and hard-work. They do so out of personal curiosity or necessity. Gaining new skills can start out ever so slowly. Be patient with yourself. Talk to people. Sign up for a class. By all means, ask your local librarian. We love to help!
The advantages of electronic media are difficult to dispute, and the flaws cannot be left out. Contrasting Wikipedia with twenty substantial and burdensome volumes of the Encyclopedia Britannica is like comparing a walk down the street with a ride on an $8,000 road bike. For those that do not know, Wikipedia is an online multi-lingual encyclopedia updated continuously by volunteers like you and me. It is a highly successful, collaborative website providing an infinite supply of irritation and admiration to librarians and educators everywhere. Though it is given to vandalism, disorganization, and poor citation from time to time, it is free of charge and unconstrained by the practicalities of time and space on the scale of its physical predecessors. Of course the Encyclopedia Britannica set the standard for authoritative research, and has a reputation constructed on two hundred years of experience.
But it depends which librarian you ask. Ask one of my senior and fabulous colleagues a reference question and you may find yourself in the reference or nonfiction section, and this is a fine place to be! My experience and training do not lend themselves to the reference section as much as they do to databases and online resources. I am merely a product of my generation and I have some catching up to do. Don't we all.
Red Rock News
Date: June 27, 2008
"The computers are winning." I saw these simple words scrawled on cardboard in permanent ink hanging in the window of an abandoned building in Tucson, AZ. If you've seen the movie "The Terminator" then images of Arnold Schwarzenegger, cyborg metal endoskeletons, and total world annihilation are appearing before your eyes. I say "disregard" all that. Prophesy is certainly not our business at the Sedona Public Library. We deal in books and information at a smoking bargain. What I'm talking about is the conflict between digital and analog resources or more expressly the tension amongst their respective users.
The opening was intended to catch your attention, but in a matter of speaking the computers have attained great success in this endeavor, though not in any dystopic futuristic sense. The evidence is pervasive: spellbound coffee shop inhabitants clacking away at their laptops and cell phone users willfully rewriting the codes of social interaction. The inexorable march into the future is without pity, but for some the beat is a bit muffled.
This is in fact an alarming topic for many librarians: the digital divide which is essentially an obstacle to accessing information from a lack in training or deficit in resources. Since the World Wide Web was created in the early 90's and its subsequent proliferation, information has been repositioned and now inhabits a seemingly inexplicable, shadowy electronic environment. Frequently the information and services that we need once available in hardcover, on a microfiche reel, by telephone, and so on are now only obtainable with a computer and an Internet connection.
For many, gaining the requisite knowledge to operate a computer is a terrifying concept, and this phenomenon most acutely impacts those who attended schools before the explosion of computer labs, computer instruction and the Internet. It is this audience specifically that I address, in hopes that a feeling of comfort with information technologies can be realized.
As a librarian working with the public and information technology on a daily basis, my suggestion is that before you chastise yourself and make a payment in the service of self-doubt, identify the cause of your fear. In this regard I submit that uncertainty, and lack of experience and training are the major reasons. Humans do not achieve new proficiencies by virtue of charisma or magic without the advantage of training, study and hard-work. They do so out of personal curiosity or necessity. Gaining new skills can start out ever so slowly. Be patient with yourself. Talk to people. Sign up for a class. By all means, ask your local librarian. We love to help!
The advantages of electronic media are difficult to dispute, and the flaws cannot be left out. Contrasting Wikipedia with twenty substantial and burdensome volumes of the Encyclopedia Britannica is like comparing a walk down the street with a ride on an $8,000 road bike. For those that do not know, Wikipedia is an online multi-lingual encyclopedia updated continuously by volunteers like you and me. It is a highly successful, collaborative website providing an infinite supply of irritation and admiration to librarians and educators everywhere. Though it is given to vandalism, disorganization, and poor citation from time to time, it is free of charge and unconstrained by the practicalities of time and space on the scale of its physical predecessors. Of course the Encyclopedia Britannica set the standard for authoritative research, and has a reputation constructed on two hundred years of experience.
But it depends which librarian you ask. Ask one of my senior and fabulous colleagues a reference question and you may find yourself in the reference or nonfiction section, and this is a fine place to be! My experience and training do not lend themselves to the reference section as much as they do to databases and online resources. I am merely a product of my generation and I have some catching up to do. Don't we all.
Friday, June 20, 2008
Keeber's Kolumn
Library News, by David W. Keeber
Red Rock News
Date: June 20, 2008
Whew! Our surprisingly cool Spring has suddenly made the transition from "darned nice" to "x*!&# hot!" Aside for the usual methods of survival like getting up at the very crack of dawn and using the late afternoons and early evenings to get things done outside, what can the Sedona Public Library do to help you through these summer months?
One can always spend a number of hours here in the cool Library reading, attending programs or just sitting. We have lots of new books and magazines, a large array of daily newspapers and you can even watch a movie on DVD or VHS. Discussion groups like the Socrates Café and the Detective Club, or the 50th Anniversary Author series every Friday are also available. Do you have children? Bring them here to participate in the Summer Reading Program events, read to them, or spend time actually on the computers with them. Not only will you help them learn, but is there a better gift to give to your child than your time and attention?
Is your AC system at home giving your trouble? Maybe you can learn a thing or two about keeping it in top condition by checking out a book from the section on air conditioning in the 697s of the collection. I know it seems antithetical, but there are even books on solar air conditioning!
Maybe, getting up in the morning means gardening. Our collection of gardening books is extensive. We have books that will help you with the many challenges of gardening in this dry climate and the sandy soils we find here. Do you want to learn about how to install a low-water use drip irrigation system? We can help with the many titles on our shelves.
Do you use the cool hours to hike to keep yourself fit? Getting tired of the same old beaten paths? Check out a hiking book or two to learn of the hundreds of trails in this area, some of which you may not have known about.
As a parent, the Summer Reading Program, annually offered to children from pre-reading age to high school, presents programs and reading opportunities and incentives that will maintain your child's reading skills during the summer months in a fun and inspiring way. Our computers offer access to the Internet via controlled sites that are safe and we have links to activity sites you can share with your child. Again, time spent reading to and interacting with your children is the best gift you can give them.
If you are planning on vacationing this summer, our many travel books and titles on how to camp, where to stay (resort or campground), and things to do will give you the information you need to have a memorable vacation.
Then, of course, there is the simple summer pleasure of reading a good book. We are very proud of the fact that our collection here in the Sedona Public Library offers the newest and most talked about titles on the best seller lists. Our membership in the Yavapai Library Network give you access to 1.4 million titles throughout the county and access to them via our transit system means you can get them for free! Looking for something a bit more esoteric? Our Interlibrary Loan system gives access to libraries throughout the nation and the cost for obtaining an item from elsewhere is free if from a library within Arizona or $3 for postage for libraries beyond the state. A marked reduction in the cost of purchasing the title!
Over the years, I have spoken in this column of the fact that this Library has become a community center. Time spent within our four walls is an opportunity to meet your fellow community members and visitors to Sedona. More and more, people are seeking a "third place," not their home and not their place of work, but another place to meet others, be exposed to new ideas and make contact beyond themselves. The Library can be that third place. Come and spend time here enjoying the ambiance, the displays, the large collection, the people and the access to so much information and entertainment. You'll get away from the heat, learn new things that make the summers here more enjoyable and even give yourself that precious gift of slowing down when the hottest days are upon us.
Red Rock News
Date: June 20, 2008
Whew! Our surprisingly cool Spring has suddenly made the transition from "darned nice" to "x*!&# hot!" Aside for the usual methods of survival like getting up at the very crack of dawn and using the late afternoons and early evenings to get things done outside, what can the Sedona Public Library do to help you through these summer months?
One can always spend a number of hours here in the cool Library reading, attending programs or just sitting. We have lots of new books and magazines, a large array of daily newspapers and you can even watch a movie on DVD or VHS. Discussion groups like the Socrates Café and the Detective Club, or the 50th Anniversary Author series every Friday are also available. Do you have children? Bring them here to participate in the Summer Reading Program events, read to them, or spend time actually on the computers with them. Not only will you help them learn, but is there a better gift to give to your child than your time and attention?
Is your AC system at home giving your trouble? Maybe you can learn a thing or two about keeping it in top condition by checking out a book from the section on air conditioning in the 697s of the collection. I know it seems antithetical, but there are even books on solar air conditioning!
Maybe, getting up in the morning means gardening. Our collection of gardening books is extensive. We have books that will help you with the many challenges of gardening in this dry climate and the sandy soils we find here. Do you want to learn about how to install a low-water use drip irrigation system? We can help with the many titles on our shelves.
Do you use the cool hours to hike to keep yourself fit? Getting tired of the same old beaten paths? Check out a hiking book or two to learn of the hundreds of trails in this area, some of which you may not have known about.
As a parent, the Summer Reading Program, annually offered to children from pre-reading age to high school, presents programs and reading opportunities and incentives that will maintain your child's reading skills during the summer months in a fun and inspiring way. Our computers offer access to the Internet via controlled sites that are safe and we have links to activity sites you can share with your child. Again, time spent reading to and interacting with your children is the best gift you can give them.
If you are planning on vacationing this summer, our many travel books and titles on how to camp, where to stay (resort or campground), and things to do will give you the information you need to have a memorable vacation.
Then, of course, there is the simple summer pleasure of reading a good book. We are very proud of the fact that our collection here in the Sedona Public Library offers the newest and most talked about titles on the best seller lists. Our membership in the Yavapai Library Network give you access to 1.4 million titles throughout the county and access to them via our transit system means you can get them for free! Looking for something a bit more esoteric? Our Interlibrary Loan system gives access to libraries throughout the nation and the cost for obtaining an item from elsewhere is free if from a library within Arizona or $3 for postage for libraries beyond the state. A marked reduction in the cost of purchasing the title!
Over the years, I have spoken in this column of the fact that this Library has become a community center. Time spent within our four walls is an opportunity to meet your fellow community members and visitors to Sedona. More and more, people are seeking a "third place," not their home and not their place of work, but another place to meet others, be exposed to new ideas and make contact beyond themselves. The Library can be that third place. Come and spend time here enjoying the ambiance, the displays, the large collection, the people and the access to so much information and entertainment. You'll get away from the heat, learn new things that make the summers here more enjoyable and even give yourself that precious gift of slowing down when the hottest days are upon us.
Friday, June 13, 2008
Keeber's Kolumn
Library News, by David W. Keeber
Red Rock News
Date: June 13, 2008
"Stop walking around with your head down!" This was a pretty common refrain from my mother when I was younger. "Look up, look up.! The whole world's passing you by and you're going to miss it if you keep looking at your feet." While these were sage words and I have taken them to heart, there are times to look down in order to learn more. Sedona Public Library's collection of Oversized books is the perfect example of how looking down will lead you to greater knowledge and understanding.
The Library's shelves are all set to a pretty regular spacing between them, but not all books are the same size. Therefore, whenever we add a book that is larger than the average item, we shelve it at the bottom of the appropriate shelf where it would otherwise be located.
Books are published in an oversized format because the subject matter deserves more "real estate" to do it justice. Examples would be books on art or photography. Sometimes, the design of a book just cannot be given a worthwhile treatment in a smaller format. It is a serious commitment on the part of a publisher to actually publish a book in such large format because the costs are higher, typically fewer people purchase them and even libraries find it difficult to justify their purchase because most people tend to overlook the oversized items.
Here are a few examples of stunning and interesting books published in oversized format that are currently on our shelves in the new book section. Just remember, there are oversized books throughout the entire collection so look around.
With a strikingly unusual cover designed to look like stone brick work, Monuments: America's History in Art and Memory, by Judith Dupre is well worth reading and viewing. Published in black and white images, Dupre examines national monuments from the Alamo to Gettysburg, from Mount Rushmore to the Vietnam Veterans Memorial. This tour de force of our nation's history told in the form of tributes to those who participated in that history, "it tells the stories of real people, the ordinary and the renowned, whose lives, though immortalized, exist most fully in the mind and heart." If offers stories, illustrations, interviews with artists and architects, as it tells the story of our nation written in stone.
One other reason for claiming a book as oversized is that the book is heavy! Phaidon Publishing has produced a massive tome entitled 30,000 Years of Art, as thorough and impressive a collection as one is likely to find between two covers of a book. Stunningly provided with photographs of the thousands of examples cited, it covers all cultures, both past and present, with an image of the artwork and its description, one per page. Offered in chronological order, it is a work of great importance because no other published item is as comprehensive. Take it home, but you may need a teenager to help you carry it!
The world is changing, both environmentally and politically, and one way to keep track of those changes is to refer to an atlas. The new Oxford Atlas of the World is as up to date as anything we own and well worth the look. The maps are clear and current based on political changes, but also includes stunning photography from space. The information within its covers is also updated providing a worthwhile reference.
Focusing more narrowly on only the oceans, National Geographic has published Planet Ocean: Voyage to the Heart of the Marine Realm. The introduction was written by Jean-Michel Cousteau, son of Jacques the famous oceanographer. This is more of a "coffee table book" full of photographs taken with the latest films and techniques. They bring out the wonder and mystery of the ocean depths, while informing and entertaining. The oceans face great challenges and the Cousteau family has made it their life's work to chronicle these, informing us of the impact we are all having on the largest and most vital resource on our planet.
Oversized books are well worth the look. You won't seem them on the higher shelves, though. Instead, keep your head down to find them throughout the Library. And if your Mom tells you to keep your head up, just show her what you are looking at. I am sure she will agree that this one time was well worth it!
Red Rock News
Date: June 13, 2008
"Stop walking around with your head down!" This was a pretty common refrain from my mother when I was younger. "Look up, look up.! The whole world's passing you by and you're going to miss it if you keep looking at your feet." While these were sage words and I have taken them to heart, there are times to look down in order to learn more. Sedona Public Library's collection of Oversized books is the perfect example of how looking down will lead you to greater knowledge and understanding.
The Library's shelves are all set to a pretty regular spacing between them, but not all books are the same size. Therefore, whenever we add a book that is larger than the average item, we shelve it at the bottom of the appropriate shelf where it would otherwise be located.
Books are published in an oversized format because the subject matter deserves more "real estate" to do it justice. Examples would be books on art or photography. Sometimes, the design of a book just cannot be given a worthwhile treatment in a smaller format. It is a serious commitment on the part of a publisher to actually publish a book in such large format because the costs are higher, typically fewer people purchase them and even libraries find it difficult to justify their purchase because most people tend to overlook the oversized items.
Here are a few examples of stunning and interesting books published in oversized format that are currently on our shelves in the new book section. Just remember, there are oversized books throughout the entire collection so look around.
With a strikingly unusual cover designed to look like stone brick work, Monuments: America's History in Art and Memory, by Judith Dupre is well worth reading and viewing. Published in black and white images, Dupre examines national monuments from the Alamo to Gettysburg, from Mount Rushmore to the Vietnam Veterans Memorial. This tour de force of our nation's history told in the form of tributes to those who participated in that history, "it tells the stories of real people, the ordinary and the renowned, whose lives, though immortalized, exist most fully in the mind and heart." If offers stories, illustrations, interviews with artists and architects, as it tells the story of our nation written in stone.
One other reason for claiming a book as oversized is that the book is heavy! Phaidon Publishing has produced a massive tome entitled 30,000 Years of Art, as thorough and impressive a collection as one is likely to find between two covers of a book. Stunningly provided with photographs of the thousands of examples cited, it covers all cultures, both past and present, with an image of the artwork and its description, one per page. Offered in chronological order, it is a work of great importance because no other published item is as comprehensive. Take it home, but you may need a teenager to help you carry it!
The world is changing, both environmentally and politically, and one way to keep track of those changes is to refer to an atlas. The new Oxford Atlas of the World is as up to date as anything we own and well worth the look. The maps are clear and current based on political changes, but also includes stunning photography from space. The information within its covers is also updated providing a worthwhile reference.
Focusing more narrowly on only the oceans, National Geographic has published Planet Ocean: Voyage to the Heart of the Marine Realm. The introduction was written by Jean-Michel Cousteau, son of Jacques the famous oceanographer. This is more of a "coffee table book" full of photographs taken with the latest films and techniques. They bring out the wonder and mystery of the ocean depths, while informing and entertaining. The oceans face great challenges and the Cousteau family has made it their life's work to chronicle these, informing us of the impact we are all having on the largest and most vital resource on our planet.
Oversized books are well worth the look. You won't seem them on the higher shelves, though. Instead, keep your head down to find them throughout the Library. And if your Mom tells you to keep your head up, just show her what you are looking at. I am sure she will agree that this one time was well worth it!
Friday, June 6, 2008
Keeber's Kolumn
Library News, by David W. Keeber
Red Rock News
Date: June 6, 2008
School is out! Summer temperatures are climbing and kid's are at loose ends for the next three months! Few things can strike fear into the heart's of parents as well as that. Parents are looking for ways to keep them occupied, ensure that their minds remain active and that they don't lose the skills acquired during the school year. Sedona Public Library offers some great news for anyone faced with this challenge – Summer Reading Program!
Every year, the Library offers reading-related activities for children from 2 to 18 years of age through the Summer Reading Program. This year's theme is Catch the Reading Bug. The Program runs from May 31st to August 9th and there are lots of fun activities, programs, and reading planned for children. And if the kids are a bit reluctant, just tell them that there are no reports to write and no required number of books to read. Summer Reading should be fun and our Youth Services Library has a great summer planned. This program is funded directly by the Friends of the Sedona Library through memberships and funds raised at the book sales they so ably put on every year.
Every child participating in this program does need to register, but there is no cost and registration takes only a few minutes. We ask for the child's name, age, and contact information (so they can be invited to the end-of-Summer party), as well as their goal for reading throughout the summer. After that, things are on automatic.
As the child reads throughout the summer, they track the number of hours spent reading, using a form we provide for this purpose. The more hours, the more opportunities for prizes and the cooler the prizes, too. In addition, there are many programs scheduled that provide kids of all ages with activities and information on the topic of insects. There are cooking classes, a beekeeper, a program on growing worms, sing-alongs, spiders, storytellers, a handwriting analysis program and much more. Throughout the entire summer, kids will find lots to do here at Sedona Public Library.
In spite of all the great programs, the ultimate goal is to encourage children to read and to maintain their reading skill set. Our Youth Services Librarian, Pam Comello, has worked tirelessly to build a collection of books, videos, DVDs, books on CD and tape and much more for readers of all ages. Whether you child is just listening as others read to them, or deeply engrossed in reading, they will find lots to keep them reading that will hold their interest.
Take for example the Read-Along books we offer parents of children only just starting to read. These clever books include one page for the child to read and one page for the adult to read. These two pages face one another and give the child the opportunity to mirror the behavior of the older reader, thereby further cementing the reading skill set in them.
From there up in age, we offer so many excellent titles. We have a wonderful Young Adult section for teens who might not otherwise be caught dead in a library, reading. We offer titles in English and Spanish, a bi-lingual reading tool that will encourage both reading and speaking skills. The list of the various types of books we offer would take almost this entire column. It should suffice to say that the collection we offer to child readers is extensive, up to date, and very interesting to all styles of readers. You only need to bring your child over, make sure that they have their own library card, and then turn them lose to find what interests them. If they are unsure of themselves in the Library, staff is all able to help them in finding the perfect read.
By the way, just as with the Read-Along titles, parents can model reading skills regardless of the child's age. All you need is a book, a specific time that you call family reading time, then turn off the television, find a comfy chair with good lighting, and you're off to a great start. We even had books on how to create a family reading time in our Parenting section!
Keep your kids involved with reading all summer long. Sign them up for our Summer Reading program and help them develop the lifelong habit of reading, the very best tool for success!
Red Rock News
Date: June 6, 2008
School is out! Summer temperatures are climbing and kid's are at loose ends for the next three months! Few things can strike fear into the heart's of parents as well as that. Parents are looking for ways to keep them occupied, ensure that their minds remain active and that they don't lose the skills acquired during the school year. Sedona Public Library offers some great news for anyone faced with this challenge – Summer Reading Program!
Every year, the Library offers reading-related activities for children from 2 to 18 years of age through the Summer Reading Program. This year's theme is Catch the Reading Bug. The Program runs from May 31st to August 9th and there are lots of fun activities, programs, and reading planned for children. And if the kids are a bit reluctant, just tell them that there are no reports to write and no required number of books to read. Summer Reading should be fun and our Youth Services Library has a great summer planned. This program is funded directly by the Friends of the Sedona Library through memberships and funds raised at the book sales they so ably put on every year.
Every child participating in this program does need to register, but there is no cost and registration takes only a few minutes. We ask for the child's name, age, and contact information (so they can be invited to the end-of-Summer party), as well as their goal for reading throughout the summer. After that, things are on automatic.
As the child reads throughout the summer, they track the number of hours spent reading, using a form we provide for this purpose. The more hours, the more opportunities for prizes and the cooler the prizes, too. In addition, there are many programs scheduled that provide kids of all ages with activities and information on the topic of insects. There are cooking classes, a beekeeper, a program on growing worms, sing-alongs, spiders, storytellers, a handwriting analysis program and much more. Throughout the entire summer, kids will find lots to do here at Sedona Public Library.
In spite of all the great programs, the ultimate goal is to encourage children to read and to maintain their reading skill set. Our Youth Services Librarian, Pam Comello, has worked tirelessly to build a collection of books, videos, DVDs, books on CD and tape and much more for readers of all ages. Whether you child is just listening as others read to them, or deeply engrossed in reading, they will find lots to keep them reading that will hold their interest.
Take for example the Read-Along books we offer parents of children only just starting to read. These clever books include one page for the child to read and one page for the adult to read. These two pages face one another and give the child the opportunity to mirror the behavior of the older reader, thereby further cementing the reading skill set in them.
From there up in age, we offer so many excellent titles. We have a wonderful Young Adult section for teens who might not otherwise be caught dead in a library, reading. We offer titles in English and Spanish, a bi-lingual reading tool that will encourage both reading and speaking skills. The list of the various types of books we offer would take almost this entire column. It should suffice to say that the collection we offer to child readers is extensive, up to date, and very interesting to all styles of readers. You only need to bring your child over, make sure that they have their own library card, and then turn them lose to find what interests them. If they are unsure of themselves in the Library, staff is all able to help them in finding the perfect read.
By the way, just as with the Read-Along titles, parents can model reading skills regardless of the child's age. All you need is a book, a specific time that you call family reading time, then turn off the television, find a comfy chair with good lighting, and you're off to a great start. We even had books on how to create a family reading time in our Parenting section!
Keep your kids involved with reading all summer long. Sign them up for our Summer Reading program and help them develop the lifelong habit of reading, the very best tool for success!
Monday, June 2, 2008
Keeber's Kolumn
Library News, by David W. Keeber
Red Rock News
Date: May 30, 2008
June 6th, 1994 was a Monday. That was the day on which the Sedona Public Library opened its doors to business upon completion of the new library building on White Bear Road. It was a bit daunting to open the place on D-Day, but the day went forward without any major hitches and years of effort to build a new library that would be source of pride for Sedona became a reality. On June 6, 2008, Sedona Public Library will celebrate 50 Years of service to the community when we host a special party in honor of both that anniversary and the opening of the building, fourteen years prior.
The celebrations will include a rededication of the Sedona Schnebley statue in front of the Library, the City's first piece of public art in its collection of Art in Public Places. There will be other celebrations including presentations by Senator Tom O'Halleran, the current Mayor Sedona, and others. There will be a display of the Library's history and much more, including refreshments served by the Friends of the Library. It should be a fun and informative day.
The party runs from 3:00 to 5:00 PM and is open to all. Please note that the Library will close for preparations at 2:00 PM on that day.
In honor of that special day, both the State of Arizona and the City of Sedona have proclaimed June 6th as "Sedona Public Library Day." Governor Napolitano's proclamation reads, "The Sedona Public Library has been an outstanding advocate for freedom through knowledge fro the citizens and visitors of Sedona and all the citizens of Yavapai and Coconino Counties. On behalf of the citizens of the State of Arizona, I offer my sincere thank you for all that you do for the community. Best wishes for success in all the anniversary events and in all future endeavors."
The City of Sedona Proclamation reads,
"WHEREAS, The Sedona Public Library will be celebrating its 50th anniversary on June 6, 2008; and
WHEREAS, The Sedona Public Library patrons, donors, Friends of the Library, volunteers, staff and Board of Trustees are to be congratulated on 50 years of outstanding service; and
WHEREAS, The Sedona Public Library has been an outstanding advocate for freedom through knowledge for the citizens of Sedona, visitors to Sedona and all citizens of Yavapai and Coconino counties; and
WHEREAS, The Sedona Public Library recognizes the ongoing significance of our public library as central to the quality of life and education of families and their children; and the equality of opportunity and access to a global world for the entire community that the Sedona Public Library stands for; and
WHEREAS, The Sedona Public Library continues to fulfill its mission to enrich the lives of Sedona-area residents and to help them and our community succeed by providing information services that are affordable, responsive, efficient and enjoyable, and by serving as a center for community activities, and
WHEREAS, The Sedona Public Library has been an essential partner to the City of Sedona,
NOW, Therefore, I, Pud Colquitt, Mayor of the City of Sedona, on behalf of the entire City Council and Staff do hereby proclaim Friday, June 6, 2008 as
SEDONA PUBLIC LIBRARY DAY in the City of Sedona offering our best wishes as the Sedona Public Library celebrates its 50th anniversary.
The Sedona Public Library has stood as a central feature of Sedona for 50 years. It grew from a set of three shelves of books in the uptown section to a newly built structure on Jordan Road in 1968, to the impressive edifice on White Bear Road, its present location, in 1994. It has served as library, community center, public forum, and entertainment and information center for Sedona's citizens and visitors, alike. Having been built of donated funds entire, and donated labor for much of the work, it stands as a testament of the value and importance of community pulling together to create a much needed resource.
We the Staff, Volunteers, Board of Trustees and the Friends of the Library are all exceedingly proud to have the opportunity to offer a space that serves our community so effectively. Please come and take part in our 50th Anniversary celebration on June 6, 2008 at 3:00 PM. We'd love to see you there.
Red Rock News
Date: May 30, 2008
June 6th, 1994 was a Monday. That was the day on which the Sedona Public Library opened its doors to business upon completion of the new library building on White Bear Road. It was a bit daunting to open the place on D-Day, but the day went forward without any major hitches and years of effort to build a new library that would be source of pride for Sedona became a reality. On June 6, 2008, Sedona Public Library will celebrate 50 Years of service to the community when we host a special party in honor of both that anniversary and the opening of the building, fourteen years prior.
The celebrations will include a rededication of the Sedona Schnebley statue in front of the Library, the City's first piece of public art in its collection of Art in Public Places. There will be other celebrations including presentations by Senator Tom O'Halleran, the current Mayor Sedona, and others. There will be a display of the Library's history and much more, including refreshments served by the Friends of the Library. It should be a fun and informative day.
The party runs from 3:00 to 5:00 PM and is open to all. Please note that the Library will close for preparations at 2:00 PM on that day.
In honor of that special day, both the State of Arizona and the City of Sedona have proclaimed June 6th as "Sedona Public Library Day." Governor Napolitano's proclamation reads, "The Sedona Public Library has been an outstanding advocate for freedom through knowledge fro the citizens and visitors of Sedona and all the citizens of Yavapai and Coconino Counties. On behalf of the citizens of the State of Arizona, I offer my sincere thank you for all that you do for the community. Best wishes for success in all the anniversary events and in all future endeavors."
The City of Sedona Proclamation reads,
"WHEREAS, The Sedona Public Library will be celebrating its 50th anniversary on June 6, 2008; and
WHEREAS, The Sedona Public Library patrons, donors, Friends of the Library, volunteers, staff and Board of Trustees are to be congratulated on 50 years of outstanding service; and
WHEREAS, The Sedona Public Library has been an outstanding advocate for freedom through knowledge for the citizens of Sedona, visitors to Sedona and all citizens of Yavapai and Coconino counties; and
WHEREAS, The Sedona Public Library recognizes the ongoing significance of our public library as central to the quality of life and education of families and their children; and the equality of opportunity and access to a global world for the entire community that the Sedona Public Library stands for; and
WHEREAS, The Sedona Public Library continues to fulfill its mission to enrich the lives of Sedona-area residents and to help them and our community succeed by providing information services that are affordable, responsive, efficient and enjoyable, and by serving as a center for community activities, and
WHEREAS, The Sedona Public Library has been an essential partner to the City of Sedona,
NOW, Therefore, I, Pud Colquitt, Mayor of the City of Sedona, on behalf of the entire City Council and Staff do hereby proclaim Friday, June 6, 2008 as
SEDONA PUBLIC LIBRARY DAY in the City of Sedona offering our best wishes as the Sedona Public Library celebrates its 50th anniversary.
The Sedona Public Library has stood as a central feature of Sedona for 50 years. It grew from a set of three shelves of books in the uptown section to a newly built structure on Jordan Road in 1968, to the impressive edifice on White Bear Road, its present location, in 1994. It has served as library, community center, public forum, and entertainment and information center for Sedona's citizens and visitors, alike. Having been built of donated funds entire, and donated labor for much of the work, it stands as a testament of the value and importance of community pulling together to create a much needed resource.
We the Staff, Volunteers, Board of Trustees and the Friends of the Library are all exceedingly proud to have the opportunity to offer a space that serves our community so effectively. Please come and take part in our 50th Anniversary celebration on June 6, 2008 at 3:00 PM. We'd love to see you there.
Wednesday, May 28, 2008
Keeber's Kolumn
Library News, by David W. Keeber
Red Rock News
Date: May 23, 2008
First things first. In last week's column, I spoke about the Book Sale being held to support the Village Service Center in the Village of Oak Creek. The problem with what I wrote was that I gave the wrong dates for the Sale. It should be May 24th, 25th and 26th, Saturday, Sunday and Monday – THIS WEEK. The Sale will be in the old ice cream parlor storefront in the Weber's IGA marketplace starting at 10 AM to 4 PM. All proceeds will be used to assist in the operation of the Library's service center on Cortez Drive. Even if you are a resident of Sedona-proper, if you are in the Village, help out. Through the years, residents of that side of our community have contributed their time, talents and hard earned cash to support the main site of the Library. Now, we can all help them to get good library service in their community.
When I was a kid, I had a particular fascination for dictionaries. I took to reading through them because I was so intrigued by the many words that I didn't know. When I finally found out about the Oxford English Dictionary (the OED), I was blown away. To actually suggest that a dictionary could possibly contain all the words in the English language – well, my goodness, that was just too much! It was written in an impossibly small font size that needed a magnifying glass to read but that didn't matter to me.
Upon taking the position of Librarian here at Sedona Public Library, I was thrilled to see that the OED could be purchased in a twenty-volume set that didn't need a magnifier. It has a truly impressive weight on the shelves. Remember, it has all the words in the English language. Another impressive fact was that there have only been two versions of the full set since its original publication in the late 1800s.
Now, the news is that the OED will no longer be published in bound paper form. Apparently, according to an article in the New York Times magazine, it just isn't worth the publishers' time and expense to produce the bound version so they are simply transferring to an online version. There are many good reasons for this, not the least of which is that updates to entries can be done at almost no expense and much more quickly.
Those who still fancy "owning" the OED can simply purchase an annual subscription for about $300. Consider that the bound version was nearly $2,000 and suddenly, this seems pretty good. That is, until you realize that you probably only use a dictionary three or four times per year anymore. Computers offer some great automated tools for this purpose. We quickly have come to depend on these new tools. Books seem to be growing more passé all the time.
Here at Sedona Public Library, we offer books you can download, books on MP3 player devices, online access to databases versus books on the shelves and books on tape and CD. It can be a particular challenge to our budget to purchase four or five copies of a title, each in a different format. What happened to the good old book, a simple collection of bound paper, printing and occasionally illustrations or photographs? Are we headed for electronic books only?
It must be said, of course, that having a book in hand is the favored form. You know that saying, "Who would want to curl up on bed with an electronic book?" It is true that for some versions of books, the stuff that populates the best seller lists, I would prefer to have a real book. But, some items simply aren't the type of items you would curl up with. Take for example the Physician's Desk Reference or an encyclopedia or, perish the thought, a dictionary. Typically, items of this sort are used only for quick look-ups, not curling up and comfy reading.
Why pay thousands of dollars for a bound book when it is only taking up valuable space on the shelf and getting used only occasionally? Maybe, just maybe, we need not be frightened by the idea of some books being relegated to electronic-only form.
It is true that one can now find plenty of popular, best seller-type books in electronic form. For some folks, this is actually the way they prefer to read. There are loads of different tastes in this world and, as Dad used to say to me, "The more the merrier!" (He did have a certain philosophical bent!).
We need only recall that there are more books being published how than at any time in human history to recognize that cries of "The book is dead," may well be hysterical. So long as there is a market for bound books, just there is a growing market for electronic books, we will have readers. One can always curl up with one in bed – plugged in or not!
Red Rock News
Date: May 23, 2008
First things first. In last week's column, I spoke about the Book Sale being held to support the Village Service Center in the Village of Oak Creek. The problem with what I wrote was that I gave the wrong dates for the Sale. It should be May 24th, 25th and 26th, Saturday, Sunday and Monday – THIS WEEK. The Sale will be in the old ice cream parlor storefront in the Weber's IGA marketplace starting at 10 AM to 4 PM. All proceeds will be used to assist in the operation of the Library's service center on Cortez Drive. Even if you are a resident of Sedona-proper, if you are in the Village, help out. Through the years, residents of that side of our community have contributed their time, talents and hard earned cash to support the main site of the Library. Now, we can all help them to get good library service in their community.
When I was a kid, I had a particular fascination for dictionaries. I took to reading through them because I was so intrigued by the many words that I didn't know. When I finally found out about the Oxford English Dictionary (the OED), I was blown away. To actually suggest that a dictionary could possibly contain all the words in the English language – well, my goodness, that was just too much! It was written in an impossibly small font size that needed a magnifying glass to read but that didn't matter to me.
Upon taking the position of Librarian here at Sedona Public Library, I was thrilled to see that the OED could be purchased in a twenty-volume set that didn't need a magnifier. It has a truly impressive weight on the shelves. Remember, it has all the words in the English language. Another impressive fact was that there have only been two versions of the full set since its original publication in the late 1800s.
Now, the news is that the OED will no longer be published in bound paper form. Apparently, according to an article in the New York Times magazine, it just isn't worth the publishers' time and expense to produce the bound version so they are simply transferring to an online version. There are many good reasons for this, not the least of which is that updates to entries can be done at almost no expense and much more quickly.
Those who still fancy "owning" the OED can simply purchase an annual subscription for about $300. Consider that the bound version was nearly $2,000 and suddenly, this seems pretty good. That is, until you realize that you probably only use a dictionary three or four times per year anymore. Computers offer some great automated tools for this purpose. We quickly have come to depend on these new tools. Books seem to be growing more passé all the time.
Here at Sedona Public Library, we offer books you can download, books on MP3 player devices, online access to databases versus books on the shelves and books on tape and CD. It can be a particular challenge to our budget to purchase four or five copies of a title, each in a different format. What happened to the good old book, a simple collection of bound paper, printing and occasionally illustrations or photographs? Are we headed for electronic books only?
It must be said, of course, that having a book in hand is the favored form. You know that saying, "Who would want to curl up on bed with an electronic book?" It is true that for some versions of books, the stuff that populates the best seller lists, I would prefer to have a real book. But, some items simply aren't the type of items you would curl up with. Take for example the Physician's Desk Reference or an encyclopedia or, perish the thought, a dictionary. Typically, items of this sort are used only for quick look-ups, not curling up and comfy reading.
Why pay thousands of dollars for a bound book when it is only taking up valuable space on the shelf and getting used only occasionally? Maybe, just maybe, we need not be frightened by the idea of some books being relegated to electronic-only form.
It is true that one can now find plenty of popular, best seller-type books in electronic form. For some folks, this is actually the way they prefer to read. There are loads of different tastes in this world and, as Dad used to say to me, "The more the merrier!" (He did have a certain philosophical bent!).
We need only recall that there are more books being published how than at any time in human history to recognize that cries of "The book is dead," may well be hysterical. So long as there is a market for bound books, just there is a growing market for electronic books, we will have readers. One can always curl up with one in bed – plugged in or not!
Friday, May 16, 2008
Keeber's Kolumn
Library News, by David W. Keeber
Red Rock News
Date: May 16, 2008
Spring is here in full force. For most of us, this is a time of rejoicing at the burgeoning signs of life all around us. But, I have seen full grown men and women driven to tears at the sight of what for most of us is the glorious scene of lovely clouds of yellow pollen drifting from the branches of a juniper tree. Yes, spring is here, but so is allergy season, a long period during which normally happy, free-breathing folks stagger from pillar to post gasping, sneezing, and watery-eyed.
This month, Sedona Public Library has a display of books in our collection that offer some possible avenues to remedies. On the shelves just inside the front doors, you will find a representative collection of titles that deal with allergies and hearing loss. While these books won't stop the symptoms by themselves, they offer many ways to make changes in your life that may well reduce or eliminate the suffering.
Take for example, How to Outsmart Your Allergies, by Dr. Art Ulene. It describes how allergies cause symptoms, how to identify and avoid your allergy "triggers," when to see your doctor and what to ask, which drugs can prevent allergy symptoms and when to use them, and when you need to see an allergy specialist.
Dr. William Briner has written a guide to managing exercise and medication to relieve allergy symptoms in his book Action Plan for Allergies. It shows you how to take control of your health, boost your energy, and reduce or eliminate the need for medication with the latest scientific research and proven exercise plans.
Are your pets the cause of your allergy symptoms? Try reading Allergic to Pets? The Breakthrough Guide to Living with the Animals You Love, by Shirlee Kalstone in which she covers what causes an allergic reaction and how to ward off the worst of it, how to care for your hairy, furry and feathered pets to minimize allergens, how to allergy-proof your home, room by room, and when to get professional assistance, medicines for the sufferer and nontoxic allergen-reducing products for animals.
If you love to garden but hate to sneeze, read Allergy-Free Gardening: The Revolutionary Guide to Healthy Landscaping, by Thomas Leo Ogren. Given that in the move to Arizona, many people have brought along the very plants that caused their allergies elsewhere, this guide offers sane information on what to plant and much more.
Our display also offers books on hearing loss and prevention of hearing loss. Sedona's own Dr. Richard Carmen has edited an excellent consumer handbook on the subject entitled Hearing Loss, Hearing Aids: A Bridge to Healing, now in its second edition. There probably isn't a better overall guide to the subject and its remedies than this book.
Even before you lose your hearing, consider Save Your Hearing Now: The Revolutionary Program That Can Prevent and May Even Reverse Hearing Loss, by Michael Seidman, MD. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, they say.
If, though, your hearing loss is acute and permanent, you may wish to read The Joy of Signing, by Lottie L. Riekehof who offers a basic, yet comprehensive guide to learning International Sign Language, including effective communications with the many subtleties that regular verbal communications offer.
No one wants to suffer from allergies or hearing loss. Yet, many of us either suffer ourselves, or know someone who does. This small representation of the books in our collection may well provide you the information you need to overcome what can be truly impairing problems.
Remember, when you look at the Library's catalog, either online from home or while in the building here, you are seeing the titles offered by all of the members of the Yavapai Library Network, a collection of more than 1.4 million items. When you place an item on hold, whether it is available here or at one of the nearly fifty other libraries in the Network, it will be delivered here free of charge for you to pick up. You can order the item to be available for pick up at either the main Library in west Sedona, or at the Village Service Center on Cortez Drive in the Village.
Finally, as the Village community grows and highway construction continues to place impediments in the path of those seeking to visit the main Library, we are working to provide services at that Village Service Center site. During Memorial Day weekend, May 24th, 25th & 26th, there will be a book sale to support that Service Center held at the Weber's IGA shopping plaza in the old Ice Cream Store site. You can donate books to the sale by calling Carolyn Fisher at 284-4683, and by shopping for your summer reading materials at the sale.
I also wish to encourage residents of Sedona proper to support the sale. For many years, the residents of the Village of Oak Creek have supported this Library through their donations of money and volunteer hours. Let's all help them get local Library service in the Village. That's one more way we can show our commitment to this community. Thank you.
Red Rock News
Date: May 16, 2008
Spring is here in full force. For most of us, this is a time of rejoicing at the burgeoning signs of life all around us. But, I have seen full grown men and women driven to tears at the sight of what for most of us is the glorious scene of lovely clouds of yellow pollen drifting from the branches of a juniper tree. Yes, spring is here, but so is allergy season, a long period during which normally happy, free-breathing folks stagger from pillar to post gasping, sneezing, and watery-eyed.
This month, Sedona Public Library has a display of books in our collection that offer some possible avenues to remedies. On the shelves just inside the front doors, you will find a representative collection of titles that deal with allergies and hearing loss. While these books won't stop the symptoms by themselves, they offer many ways to make changes in your life that may well reduce or eliminate the suffering.
Take for example, How to Outsmart Your Allergies, by Dr. Art Ulene. It describes how allergies cause symptoms, how to identify and avoid your allergy "triggers," when to see your doctor and what to ask, which drugs can prevent allergy symptoms and when to use them, and when you need to see an allergy specialist.
Dr. William Briner has written a guide to managing exercise and medication to relieve allergy symptoms in his book Action Plan for Allergies. It shows you how to take control of your health, boost your energy, and reduce or eliminate the need for medication with the latest scientific research and proven exercise plans.
Are your pets the cause of your allergy symptoms? Try reading Allergic to Pets? The Breakthrough Guide to Living with the Animals You Love, by Shirlee Kalstone in which she covers what causes an allergic reaction and how to ward off the worst of it, how to care for your hairy, furry and feathered pets to minimize allergens, how to allergy-proof your home, room by room, and when to get professional assistance, medicines for the sufferer and nontoxic allergen-reducing products for animals.
If you love to garden but hate to sneeze, read Allergy-Free Gardening: The Revolutionary Guide to Healthy Landscaping, by Thomas Leo Ogren. Given that in the move to Arizona, many people have brought along the very plants that caused their allergies elsewhere, this guide offers sane information on what to plant and much more.
Our display also offers books on hearing loss and prevention of hearing loss. Sedona's own Dr. Richard Carmen has edited an excellent consumer handbook on the subject entitled Hearing Loss, Hearing Aids: A Bridge to Healing, now in its second edition. There probably isn't a better overall guide to the subject and its remedies than this book.
Even before you lose your hearing, consider Save Your Hearing Now: The Revolutionary Program That Can Prevent and May Even Reverse Hearing Loss, by Michael Seidman, MD. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, they say.
If, though, your hearing loss is acute and permanent, you may wish to read The Joy of Signing, by Lottie L. Riekehof who offers a basic, yet comprehensive guide to learning International Sign Language, including effective communications with the many subtleties that regular verbal communications offer.
No one wants to suffer from allergies or hearing loss. Yet, many of us either suffer ourselves, or know someone who does. This small representation of the books in our collection may well provide you the information you need to overcome what can be truly impairing problems.
Remember, when you look at the Library's catalog, either online from home or while in the building here, you are seeing the titles offered by all of the members of the Yavapai Library Network, a collection of more than 1.4 million items. When you place an item on hold, whether it is available here or at one of the nearly fifty other libraries in the Network, it will be delivered here free of charge for you to pick up. You can order the item to be available for pick up at either the main Library in west Sedona, or at the Village Service Center on Cortez Drive in the Village.
Finally, as the Village community grows and highway construction continues to place impediments in the path of those seeking to visit the main Library, we are working to provide services at that Village Service Center site. During Memorial Day weekend, May 24th, 25th & 26th, there will be a book sale to support that Service Center held at the Weber's IGA shopping plaza in the old Ice Cream Store site. You can donate books to the sale by calling Carolyn Fisher at 284-4683, and by shopping for your summer reading materials at the sale.
I also wish to encourage residents of Sedona proper to support the sale. For many years, the residents of the Village of Oak Creek have supported this Library through their donations of money and volunteer hours. Let's all help them get local Library service in the Village. That's one more way we can show our commitment to this community. Thank you.
Monday, May 12, 2008
Library News, by David W. Keeber
Red Rock News
Date: May 9, 2008
As the Book Sale winds down, all of us here at the Sedona Public Library expect things to return to some degree of normalcy. That being said, what is normal here at the Library is not necessarily quite and uneventful. If the truth were told, this vital community center is bustling busy more often than not. One area of heavy activity is that of programs offered here.
Annually, we offer nearly 500 programs! Some are produced by Library staff, such as our Summer Reading Program and children's programs, but we also provide space for local organizations to meet and even rent our rooms when they are not otherwise engaged. Something about rolling stones and moss comes to mind!
Let's take a look at some upcoming programs to be offered here at the Library during the next two weeks. By the way, you need not depend on this column for information of this sort. Simply go to the Library's website (www.sedonalibrary.org) and click on the link for "Library Events" to see the calendar of everything going on here.
During the week of May 11th through the 17th, you will find a program on Successful Brain Aging, a yoga course presented by the Dahn Yoga Center of Sedona. That's at 3:30 PM in the Quiet Study Room. Later that evening, the Flicker Shack Reruns returns after a book sale enforced hiatus at 6:30 PM in the Si Birch Community Room.
Tuesday, May 13th offers the Socrates Café at 10:30 AM in the Quiet Study. Facilitated by Ken Dzugan, this is an open discussion program that begins with a poll of all attending seeking what they wish to discuss that week. Everyone attending has appreciated the chance to hear and share ideas on a range of topics. That same day at 2:00 PM bring the Detective Club in which attendees discuss mystery novels. That evening, Sedonan Chris Anderson will present "Creating Abundance with Rainwater and Greywater Harvesting." As water becomes a more and more crucial issue in the West, this information will be extremely valuable.
Friday, May 16th at 6 PM brings another in the Library's 50th Anniversary Author series when artist Bruce Aiken, who lives in and paints images of Grand Canyon, will present his new book and a discussion on his style, techniques and inspirations.
Saturday the 17th finds the Sedona Integral Life Practice group meeting who key off of the work of Ken Wilber. That's at 10 AM in the Quiet Study. Two PM sees a program on the Psychology of Handwriting Analysis.
The week of the 18th through the 24th again offers Successful Brain Aging Yoga and the Flicker Shack Reruns on Monday. Do you see a pattern developing? Tuesday night at 7:00 PM brings the Sedona Gem and Mineral Society in the Community Room.
Hablamos Espanol and the Sirius Lookers present on Wednesday, the 21st. The first is a conversational Spanish speaking group whose sole interest together is to improve their command of that language. You can learn about our night skies and astronomy in general by attending the Sirius Lookers, whose name refers to the Dog star, not fashion!
Are you fascinated by the fabric arts or archaeology? Then Thursday, the 22nd is your day! From 10:00 AM 'til Noon, you can join with others who Sit and Stitch, enjoying each's company, counted thread and any other form of sewing based crafts. The Archaeology Society of the Verde Valley meets in the Community Room at 6:00 PM to share and learn about our region's rich history.
Finally, on Saturday the 24th at 10 AM, the Integral Life Practice group meets again.
You may be surprised to know that every one of the programs I mention is offered by your fellow citizens, not by Library staff. It is the Sedona Public Library's practice to facilitate the community's use of the building and its resources and all these programs are proof of the success of that approach. If you have an idea and would like to present it to your fellow Sedonans, as a single event or a repeating one, just contact the Library to learn more about how you can make your particular knowledge and skill known to the entire community.
Remember, Sedona Public Library is YOUR library and the staff, volunteers and I work hard to make it so. Enjoy this important community center!
Red Rock News
Date: May 9, 2008
As the Book Sale winds down, all of us here at the Sedona Public Library expect things to return to some degree of normalcy. That being said, what is normal here at the Library is not necessarily quite and uneventful. If the truth were told, this vital community center is bustling busy more often than not. One area of heavy activity is that of programs offered here.
Annually, we offer nearly 500 programs! Some are produced by Library staff, such as our Summer Reading Program and children's programs, but we also provide space for local organizations to meet and even rent our rooms when they are not otherwise engaged. Something about rolling stones and moss comes to mind!
Let's take a look at some upcoming programs to be offered here at the Library during the next two weeks. By the way, you need not depend on this column for information of this sort. Simply go to the Library's website (www.sedonalibrary.org) and click on the link for "Library Events" to see the calendar of everything going on here.
During the week of May 11th through the 17th, you will find a program on Successful Brain Aging, a yoga course presented by the Dahn Yoga Center of Sedona. That's at 3:30 PM in the Quiet Study Room. Later that evening, the Flicker Shack Reruns returns after a book sale enforced hiatus at 6:30 PM in the Si Birch Community Room.
Tuesday, May 13th offers the Socrates Café at 10:30 AM in the Quiet Study. Facilitated by Ken Dzugan, this is an open discussion program that begins with a poll of all attending seeking what they wish to discuss that week. Everyone attending has appreciated the chance to hear and share ideas on a range of topics. That same day at 2:00 PM bring the Detective Club in which attendees discuss mystery novels. That evening, Sedonan Chris Anderson will present "Creating Abundance with Rainwater and Greywater Harvesting." As water becomes a more and more crucial issue in the West, this information will be extremely valuable.
Friday, May 16th at 6 PM brings another in the Library's 50th Anniversary Author series when artist Bruce Aiken, who lives in and paints images of Grand Canyon, will present his new book and a discussion on his style, techniques and inspirations.
Saturday the 17th finds the Sedona Integral Life Practice group meeting who key off of the work of Ken Wilber. That's at 10 AM in the Quiet Study. Two PM sees a program on the Psychology of Handwriting Analysis.
The week of the 18th through the 24th again offers Successful Brain Aging Yoga and the Flicker Shack Reruns on Monday. Do you see a pattern developing? Tuesday night at 7:00 PM brings the Sedona Gem and Mineral Society in the Community Room.
Hablamos Espanol and the Sirius Lookers present on Wednesday, the 21st. The first is a conversational Spanish speaking group whose sole interest together is to improve their command of that language. You can learn about our night skies and astronomy in general by attending the Sirius Lookers, whose name refers to the Dog star, not fashion!
Are you fascinated by the fabric arts or archaeology? Then Thursday, the 22nd is your day! From 10:00 AM 'til Noon, you can join with others who Sit and Stitch, enjoying each's company, counted thread and any other form of sewing based crafts. The Archaeology Society of the Verde Valley meets in the Community Room at 6:00 PM to share and learn about our region's rich history.
Finally, on Saturday the 24th at 10 AM, the Integral Life Practice group meets again.
You may be surprised to know that every one of the programs I mention is offered by your fellow citizens, not by Library staff. It is the Sedona Public Library's practice to facilitate the community's use of the building and its resources and all these programs are proof of the success of that approach. If you have an idea and would like to present it to your fellow Sedonans, as a single event or a repeating one, just contact the Library to learn more about how you can make your particular knowledge and skill known to the entire community.
Remember, Sedona Public Library is YOUR library and the staff, volunteers and I work hard to make it so. Enjoy this important community center!
Friday, April 18, 2008
Keeber's Kolumn
Library News, by David W. Keeber
Red Rock News
Date: April 18, 2008
The Village Service Center, located on Cortez Drive in the Village of Oak Creek, has been operating for two and a half years now. It serves the Village area as a drop off and pick up location for library books, as well as provideing Internet access via a wireless connection and the dedicated computers there. In keeping with the Sedona Public Library's efforts to improve access to our users as needed, that site is the seed for greater services to that community in the years to come.
One part of library services is providing programs, but if you have been to the Village Service Center it is clear that the small space offers no opportunity that. But, now through the cooperation of the Sedona Winds facility on Jacks Canyon Road we are beginning to offer programs to Village residents.
Beginning on Monday, April 28th, at 1:30 PM, Sedona Public Library, working in partnership with Sedona Winds and the Arizona Humanities Council, presents the first in an ongoing series of speakers and book discussion groups. On that Monday, Associate Professor of English and Women's Studies Judy Nolte will speak on "Family Secrets: The Uneasy Tradition of Diarists and Their Readers." The story of diarists, their devotion to their private books, and the tensions diaries raise in families has a long tradition. This presentation covers ordinary pioneers on the Overland Trail, as well-known diarists and examines how today's blogs tease the line between privacy and publicity.
I also encourage attendees to participate in our first book review program by picking up a copy of These Is My Words: The Diary of Sarah Agnes Prine 1881-1910, by Arizona author Nancy E. Turner, following the presentation. Inspired by her own family memoirs, Turner has created pioneer Sarah Prine's dramatic tale of survival in the Arizona Territory in the late 1880's.
This book is the subject of the coming book discussion slated for Wednesday, May 28th, also at 1:30 PM at Sedona Winds. Through the Arizona Humanities Council, we anticipate bringing a speaker to the Village every other month and a Community Book Discussion on alternate months. Information on upcoming speakers and book discussions will be available at the Village Service Center, on the Library website (www.sedonalibrary.org), at the Library's main branch, and on flyers distributed at Weber's IGA, other Village businesses and in the "Villager", "Kudos" and the "Red Rock News" publications. Keep your eyes peeled for these announcements and plan on attending. Finally, programs in the Village of Oak Creek from the Sedona Public Library!
Shifting lanes, the Sedona Public Library is implementing a new procedure with our Internet access computers beginning on Friday, April 18th. The new procedure is called "Authentication" and it is the first step in better managing these extremely busy machines. Authentication changes how you signup for time on the computers. Instead of simply typing in a name to reserve a machine, you will now need your SPL Library card number. Visitors will be issued a temporary, one-day use card for this purpose. The strength of this new method is that one person cannot sign up for multiple sessions on the computer by using names such as Keeber1, Keeber2, etc. Users must use their card number and it cannot be entered until the current session is finished. What this means is users who want multiple sessions must get back into the queue to get those extra times. Coming soon, but not this Friday, are limits to the number of times each day one person can sign up for the computers. This means that more users will have access to the machines and wait a shorter length of time to use them. The system will be more fair for all involved.
Further changes in this system will be announced in this column and via signs and handouts at the Internet computers as they are implemented. With so much use of these vitals tools by which we provide information to our users, we are looking forward to this more equitable method of doing so. Users are thanked, in advance, for their cooperation and understanding of the need for these changes.
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