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.
