The Book Van

Book Van driver Sisto unloads the Book Van

Recently, we were able to take a ridealong in the Public Library's Book Van. What is the Book Van, you ask? The Book Van provides free public library service to senior living facilities whose residents cannot easily access neighborhood branch libraries. It has been active since 2001, when it was bought with funds raised by Friends For the Public Library.

The Book Van set up in a facility's common area

The Book Van has a list of sixteen facilities which it delivers to, stopping at most once every three weeks.  It makes deliveries three days a week, going to two locations a day, one in the morning and one in the afternoon, stopping for about an hour in each location. The Book Van is now loaning DVDs, Playaways, and books on CD as well as books, and tries to get books for residents in Spanish as requested. Once set up in the common room of the facility, a mobile hotspot is used to connect to the library so that its two staff members can make library cards, check-in, check-out, and place holds. They also answer questions on a variety of topics, including helping residents with their Kindles.

The reference desk and checkout in one

Before the delivery day begins, staff members must get the Book Van ready, assembling holds and refreshing the materials to be loaded on for the day's stops. The van is custom-made with a special frame to hold four book trucks, three for fiction titles and one for non-fiction. They also have a bin for returns and a bin for holds which have been placed for the residents. New books are added to the mix as needed - there are around 600 titles available to the Book Van at any given time, with the emphasis on current and high demand adult fiction and large print materials.

If you know someone at a senior living facility, have them check if the Book Van stops there so they can take advantage of this great resource! If your senior is not at one of the stops listed, the Book Van is not currently adding new stops, but there is a wait list.

Community Picks:Checkout Suggestions From Our Customers

Many library branches offer Staff Picks to their customers, be they books, movies, or other media. We love to recommend the things we have discovered and enjoyed from the library catalog - you can find 1243 items labeled "staff pick" just by searching the catalog! But there is often a give and take to checkout suggestions - we have found out about some really interesting titles from talking with our customers! So, we thought we might turn the tables for a change, and publish some of our customers' recommendations. We've enlisted the help of some library users from the community for this post, but we are always looking for more - let us know your suggestions in the comments or email your name and recommendations to abcreads@gmail.com and we'll post them next time.



Keif from the Guild Cinema recommends some DVDs from the library catalog:

Pickpocket: un film de Robert Bresson

Theory of Obscurity: A Film About the Residents

También la lluvia

Hunt for the Wilderpeople

Rumble Fish

Rebelle [War Witch]


Brandon, a deejay on KUNM's Afternoon Freeform, would like to put in a good word for some of our music CDs!

Camel's Back by Psapp

Feitiço Caboclo by Dona Onete

Metropolis: The Chase Suite by Janelle Monáe 

Sketches Of Ethiopia by Mulatu Astatqé

Black Power: Music Of A Revolution by Various Artists

Artemis by Moussu T et Les Jovents


And Neal from AMP Concerts, a seasoned library user, would like to share some of his favorite library items and services:

I have the pleasure of working in the libraries regularly, as AMP hosts free concerts at the libraries twice a month.  It’s always a fun adventure to get to visit different parts of town and play with the different spaces.  We have some music-loving regulars who follow us around the county, as well as some groups that sometimes come en masse, but the bulk of our attendees come from the local communities, which is a lot of what the program is about.

So I’m guaranteed at least two library visits a month, though I often find myself popping in to some of my regular library stops more often than that.  There are so many features to love in the libraries, and all of our libraries have so many different personalities (which is probably a blog post on its own).

Several years ago I reconnected to my youthful love of comics and started catching up on the book length volumes of GRAPHIC NOVELS that I had missed over the years.  The library has a great collection of graphic novels.  They are a great alternative to my regular reading and it seems like I regularly have a half dozen out at any time.

Every once in a while, I’ll find a hole in the series that I’m reading.  That’s how one of the librarians turned me on to the magic of the INTERLIBRARY LOAN.  For no extra charge, you can put in an ILL and usually in short order, some dedicated librarians somewhere else in the country have shipped the book off to Albuquerque for my enjoyment.  

I usually have my own plans for what I’m reading, but I’m in the libraries enough that I always have time to browse the STAFF PICKS, where I frequently find myself knocked onto a new reading course that’s always been interesting and rewarding.

I’m old fashioned and like books, but I’ve been traveling a lot lately and the books I’m reading are too bulky for long trips.  While I’m not won over, the fact that I can get EBOOKS from the library is a pretty cool thing (and even readers too!)

I also like the history that our libraries capture - from the historic ERNIE PYLE house to our beautiful first library, re-opened as the SPECIAL COLLECTIONS LIBRARY (which even makes a star turn in "Better Call Saul”).  I’ve caught a few history lectures at the libraries too, which are a nice compliment to the buildings and collections.

Those are just a handful of the many great experiences I’ve had at our libraries.  I’m looking forward to my next visit!

 

Picture credit: The Striped Tablecloth. Fine Art. Britannica ImageQuest. Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc., 25 May 2016. http://quest.eb.com/search/107_3349913/1/107_3349913/cite. Accessed 18 Oct 2016.

Freegal

Have you checked out Freegal yet? Freegal is our music streaming eResource! Freegal Music gives you access to over 9 million songs from over 28,000 labels including the Sony Music catalogue of your country. To use, you simply have to have a valid library card.

Freegal has playlists such as "Today's Grammy Hits", "Broadway", "One Hit Wonders", and "Classic Rock" to choose from as well as standalone albums. The Home page will show you Top Albums and Top Singles, and also has a list of Featured Artists and Composers - everything from One Direction to Barbra Streisand to Miles Davis. You can also see our library system's Top 10, New Releases, and you can search by genre. Freegal also stores your streaming history for 2 weeks, so you can go back and find titles or listen again.

How Freegal Music Works:

• Library users have a weekly download limit of 3 songs per week, and have a streaming limit of 3 hours per day. You will be able to keep track of your downloads in the upper right corner of the site. "My wishlist" is a tool for you to use when you have reached your weekly download limit. You can add your email address to receive twice-weekly email reminders of your available downloads.
• Every song has a sample clip you can listen to before you download. You must be logged in to enjoy the sample clips. The downloads on this site are all in the MP3 format with no DRM, and videos are in the MP4 format with no DRM. This service will work on almost any computer, player, tablet or smartphone. The Freegal Music mobile app is free in the Apple® App Store and in Google® Play.
• Music videos will cost you 2 of your allotted downloads. If you do not have 2 downloads available you will not be able to download a music video.
• The search engine is both a simple and advanced search, and will return results primarily by the album that the song is from. You can "Search All" for Albums, Artists, Composers, Songs at the same time. For example: Elvis Blue Suede Shoes.

 Give Freegal a try, and let us know what you think!
 

Get to Know Your City...Website!

So you think you know Albuquerque? We bet many of you can tell us the best breakfast burrito or your favorite park, or even some our most famous authors.  But have you ever looked at the city's website?  It's a handy compendium of things to do, employment options, transportation info, community and business services, and more! We've cherry-picked a few links you may or may not have seen before, and encourage you to explore the site yourself.

• Current Municipal Development Projects: Active DMD projects from the Admin, CIP, Construction, Facilities, Parks, Storm, Street Maintenance, and Traffic Engineering divisions, mapped.

• Free Things To Do: Gallery talks, folclórico music, art fests, and more.

• Albuquerque Clean Team: The Albuquerque Clean Team (ACT) is a group of individuals keeping their communities clean and safe. Under the direction and support of the City of Albuquerque's Solid Waste Management Department, ACT brings together community groups and individual homeowners who want to take responsibility for creating and maintaining a clean community, and in the process create a better living, working, and playing environment.

• Quick Facts: Quick facts, demographics, and statistics for Albuquerque and the surrounding metro areas.

• Online Town Hall: A snapshot of what's going on in the City along with ways you can give input and get involved.  Have something to say? Want to learn more? Join the discussion that’s happening right now around the city.

• Air Quality in Albuquerque: Air quality (includes indexes for carbon monoxide, fine particulates, and sulfur dioxide), pollen count, OK to burn?  You can sign up for alerts.

• Rock Climbing Wall: Information about a climbing wall that can be transported to any location in Albuquerque! The use of the climbing wall is for people who want to participate in an introduction to climbing. Users must have at least 25 climbers participating. Users can not charge or profit financially from the use of the climbing wall. The climbing wall is best utilized by schools, youth groups or other learning organizations. All participants must be taller than 43” and under 300 lbs.

• Bicycling: View an interactive bike map, the Paseo del Bosque bike map, learn about trail etiquette, Tingley Bike Rentals, the Esperanza Community Bike Shop.

• Volunteer Opportunities: Foster grandparents, senior companions, education and literacy, outdoors, for youth.

• Tree Information: suggested tree species for planting in Albuquerque; reporting dead trees; contact the City Forester.

• ABQ Apps: Check out these mobile apps developed for the City of Albuquerque! Includes ABQ Ride, ABQ Parks, ABQ 311, Albuquerque Museum Sculpture Garden Guide, and more. 

Visit the city's website for even more links! You can also check out the Albuquerque A-Z page.  And check out the city on Twitter!

Our Website's New Look!

We've given the library's website a new look! Don't worry, same address, same great content, only now the site will be the same whether you are accessing it from your computer or your smartphone. We’ve also added a dropdown menu so that you can find what you’re looking for faster.

The beta site has been available for preview for a while now, but here's some features we'd like to mention:

Top Menu

• My Account: View your checked out items, renew them, place holds, view (and pay) fines; access your reading history (if you've opted in), your preferred searches, and your lists. This link now takes you to Encore instead of Classic Catalog, for you to take advantage of the Overdrive & 3M Cloud Library integration (check out digital media directly from the catalog!).


• Books and More: Have questions about Interlibrary Loan?  Want to Suggest a Purchase? Want to see lists of new music, DVDs, and audiobooks? You can also sign up for library emails to get book suggestions by mail and access Classic Catalog, if that's your preferred catalog search.


• Downloads: Use this to search our copious digital media offerings (3M Cloud Library, eBrary, OneClickDigital, Overdrive, and Zinio).  There's also an "About and Help!" page, which includes descriptions of the services, printable instructions, and links to in-person assistance through our Gizmo Garage programs.


• Research: Includes an A-Z list of of eResources and databases, a list of guides for 23 subjects (from Career Resources to Grants to New Mexico Interest and beyond), and links to our Genealogy Center and Special Collections Library.


• Events: Want to just see today's events?  How about just Storytimes or just computer classes?  You can find them here, or search by branch, age group, or subject.


• About Us: Read library news (nice pictures of our new Central & Unser Library!), view our mission statement, learn about special programs, services, and how you can get involved! Includes links to the Library Advisory Board, Friends for the Public Library, and Albuquerque Library Foundation.


• Ask Us: Really, ask us. Type in your question or see if the answer is already in our popular topics!  You can also text us a question.

Click on Mi Biblioteca for information about the library in Spanish.  Click on Hours & Locations for an overview of library locations, hours of operation, and contact information.  Click on the branch of your choice to find out more about their ongoing programs, amenities and services, and meeting and/or study room availability.

Note: If you enter a search term in Find Books, eBooks, DVDs, and more, you will be searching in Encore.

Right Sidebar

Much of the same information you can find in the top menu, but no searching required for those who want to scroll a list of events, visit the Teen Zone or Kids Corner (find events in these age groups, get homework help, see library eResources for youth...and for parents!), or see a list of Gizmo Garages and Computer Classes. How Do I...? has a dropdown menu of FAQ, such as Get a Library Card, Suggest a Purchase, and Pay Fines. Tutor.com links you to our homework help learning suite and the Library Card Mobile App shows you how to put your library card barcode on your phone - one less thing in your wallet! There's also links to a Value Calculator, our digital media info page, and a link to items labeled as "staff picks" in the library catalog.

Bottom Menu

Yay, you made it to the bottom of the page!  This menu contains many of the same links mentioned above, but includes contact information and links to the library's social media accounts - Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, and this blog.

Any questions?  Ask Us! Either use the link from the library website or leave us a comment below.
 

ABC Library Museum Discovery Pass Program

Did you know you can now check out passes to local museums at your library? The Museum Discovery Passes are offered at all ABC Library locations except for the Special Collections branch. 

Museum passes may be checked out by adult and juvenile (with parental consent) cardholders with full access accounts, in good standing.  Museum passes check out for 7 days and may not be renewed. Only one museum pass at a time may be checked-out by a family. Each pass allows 2 adults and 2 children free entry to the museum of choice below:

• Albuquerque International Balloon Museum
• Albuquerque Museum of Art and History
• Explora
• Maxwell Museum of Anthropology
• National Museum of Nuclear Science & History
• New Mexico Museum of Natural History and Science

To check out a pass, find the Museum Pass display at your branch and select a ticket for the museum of your choice. Bring your ticket to the desk and the pass will be given to you and checked out on your account. You will be asked to fill out a short borrower agreement. When you return your pass, it must be returned at the desk of the branch from which it was checked out. At this time you will be asked to fill out a short survey about your museum experience - this helps us evaluate the program and secure funding for the passes in the future.

Please note that not all branches have passes for all the museums and the passes are available on a first-come, first-served basis - holds cannot be placed on the passes.

The Museum Discovery Pass Program ends March 15, 2015 - check out a pass today!

Visit our Museum Discovery Pass LibGuide for more information.

Genealogy

Each month we highlight one of our most popular eResources on our homepage. For April, we are highlighting our Genealogy eResources - Fold3, Heritage Quest, Newspaper Archive, and Ancestry. For those unfamiliar with these eResources, Ancestry Library Edition has most of the features of the subscription version of Ancestry.com - you can search records, including international records, download charts and forms, send documents to your email address - except for personalized functionality and access to a couple of Ancestry's online research collections. Heritage Quest gives you access to PERSI (Periodical Source Index) and Freedman's Bank records, among other features. Fold3 includes Native American Archives. Genealogists looking for online access to large-scale maps of towns and cities in the United States, for the time period 1867-1970, might also use the Digital Sanborn Maps eResource; the American Ancestors eResource, a collection of databases for the New England states, is available only at the Main Library. Please note that Newspaper Archive only searches New Mexico newspapers. Explore these databases on your own with your valid library card and PIN (you must access them via the library homepage to get free access), or visit our Genealogy Center for more information!

From our homepage, you can head over to our Genealogy LibGuide just by clicking on the Genealogy heading! This will show you all the resources our Genealogy Center has to offer.

The front page of the guide includes upcoming programs, recommended books, information about our Genealogy Center (all ABC Library's genealogy materials are housed on the second floor of Main Library), and links to local genealogical societies. The How To Begin tab includes handy tips and even a printable ancestor chart! Other informational tabs include Obituaries, Census Research, Microfilm, and Researching New Mexico Families.

Genealogy Research Day is April 29, the last Tuesday of April!  Come anytime between 10:30 am and 3:30 pm and get individual help from expert volunteers from the Albuquerque Genealogical Society.  They're happy to help beginners or experts and can provide assistance on special interest areas and locations, DAR applications and research, Internet research assistance (the Genealogy Center has a dedicated computer lab), and more. Bring your charts and questions!

Would your group like a tour of the Genealogy Center or an overview at your next meeting of the available resources?  Contact us (see Hours and Location on the Genealogy LibGuide for contact information) and we can schedule a tour at the Genealogy Center or come to you with a half hour presentation about the many resources available at the Genealogy Center to support family history research.

Cake Pans @ Your Library

Sometimes you just need a special cake pan. You want to try to make cake pops, or one of your children wants Hello Kitty birthday cake and your other child's soccer team won a big game and wants to celebrate. But maybe you just need a special cake pan just to make one cake and you don't want to buy a special pan.  What can you do?  Go to the library!

Beginning April first, you will find cake pans in the library catalog! Cake pans will check out for 3 weeks.  Customers are limited to 1 cake pan at a time per library card, and you will not be able to check out another "Gizmo" (Kindle Keyboard, Every Child Ready to Read Literacy Kit, Kill-a-Watt) while you have a cake pan checked out.

If you are looking for baking and/or handling tips for your cake pan, the cake pan's record in the library catalog will link to our Cake Pan LibGuide and many of the pan records link to a PDF document with additional baking and decorating ideas. The Cake Pan LibGuide also has a list of available cake pans and a list of helpful links.

Most of the pans are medium gauge aluminum. We do ask that you please wash the cake pan according to handling instructions before returning it to the library.  A damaged item fee of $2 will be charged for cake pans returned dirty. Return your cake pan to the circulation desk of your local library.  Please do not put the cake pan in the book drop.

If you want to share a picture of the cake you made using one of the library's pans, send a picture and we will post it on Facebook!  Email them to library@cabq.gov.

The Seed Library!

One of the latest things that ABC Library is proud to bring you is our new seed library.  The collection of seeds to borrow on your library card will be available at the Juan Tabo branch, and you can begin checking out seed packets starting on March 22.

What is a seed library?  How can someone "borrow" seeds?  At our seed library a library patron can check out up to 15 packages of seeds on their library card.  The checkout is good for one year.  Over that year you can grow your borrowed seeds in your garden and extract seeds from the new plant, which you can then return to the library.  If you already have a green thumb, this is a great way to pick up some new vegetables and herbs you've never tried growing before.  For those of us who are beginners in gardening, this is a great opportunity to learn some skills by trying to grow some "easy" seeds, like tomatoes.  A list of all the seeds that will available for checkout is on our catalog.

Join us at Juan Tabo for our kick-off event on March 22.  You can ask questions about our seeds, meet other gardeners, and of course, pick out some seeds to borrow!  Find out the latest news about the seed library on abclibrary.org/seeds. 

You can also check out these books about gardening and seed saving for an idea of what seeds you might want to borrow.

Seed to Seed: Seed Saving and Growing Techniques for Vegetable Gardeners by Suzanne Ashworth

Heirloom Vegetable Gardening: A Master Gardener's Guide to Planting, Growing, Seed Saving, and Cultural History by William Woys Weaver

The Complete Guide to Saving Seeds: 322 Vegetables, Herbs, Flowers, Fruits, Trees, and Shrubs by Robert Gough and Cheryl Moore-Gough

The Seed Underground: A Growing Revolution to Save Food by Janisse Ray

Easy Growing: Organic Herbs and Edible Flowers From Small Spaces by Gayla Trail

Zinio

ABC Library is offering another new eResource, free with your valid library card - Zinio! Zinio offers full digital copies of your favorite magazines, plus some issues include features like video, audio and live links. Zinio allows you to download the magazines to your computer, tablet or mobile device, including Kindles and Nooks, iPhones and iPads, Androids, PCs and Macs. Magazine issues are not checked out so they're always available any time. Browse through genres such as Automotive, Crafts, Food & Cooking, Literary, Men, Teen, or search by title, such as Working Mother, ESPN the Magazine, Woodworker's Journal, or National Geographic Traveler.

There are just a couple of easy steps involved to get you using Zinio. First, set up a library account at the ABC Library Zinio Authentication page.  Once your account is created, you will get a confirmation notice in your email inbox with a link - simply click on the link, and you will be able to view available magazines.  The first time you select a magazine, you will be taken to a new window to create a Zinio.com account. (Your ABC Library Zinio account and Zinio.com account must have the same email address.)  Bingo, you're in! All magazines must be checked out via web browser, even if you choose to read them on an app, but you can read your magazines on the app even if you are offline. Now you don't have to kill time reading whatever magazines are on the table in the doctor's waiting room - not when you have Zinio!

For more info, including printable instructions and some upcoming Gizmo Garage classes for Zinio, check out our Zinio Digital Magazines Help page.  Note: The Zinio app cannot be used to browse the Library's collection of free magazines.

Back to School

What is a school supply that everyone needs and is completely free?  

Your Library Card!

Now that the hubbub of the first week of school has died down - school supplies are purchased and routines have been worked out - we can focus on making the school year successful.

With your library card, you have access to a number of online resources, including free online tutoring with a professional tutors.  Tutor.com helps K-12 and college students with homework, studying, projects, essay writing and test prep in English, Math, Science, and Social Studies, including subjects like Chemistry, Algebra, and Calculus.  Adults can get help with resume writing, GED prep, and academic support.  All sessions are online and one-to-one with a live tutor, available every day from 3 to 10 p.m.

ABC Library has other helpful online resources to complement these tutors, with language learning software, research article databases, test preparation software, encyclopedias, biography and literature reference centers, hot-topic event viewpoints, and reading lists for teens and kids.  We have guides to conducting Science Fair projects/experiments and how to use article databases for research.

In addition to our collection of books, audiobooks, music, and movies, we also have downloadables like eBooks and eAudiobooks.  Students can use library public PCs to do research, work on projects, and print, as long as a parent has signed permission on their library card application.  The public PCs have Microsoft Office Suite installed, with Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Publisher available.  (Remember to bring a USB drive to save your work.)

We also have programs to help your child get ready for school or participate in activities that will reinforce learning.  Teens are encouraged to get involved in our Teen Advisory programs, a valuable extracurricular to add to a college application.  Stop by your local branch, visit our Programs & Events page to see what's happening, or look at the list below.

• Every Child Ready to Read Storytimes (ongoing)
• Community Science Connections (ongoing)
• Teen Advisory programs (ongoing)
• Invention Club (monthly)
• Family Reads Book Club (monthly)
• College Knowledge: Writing the College Essay (special event)
• Read to the Dogs (ongoing)
• Events for Children
• Events for Teens

Lastly, we have expertise.  If you have questions, difficulties, or want more information, simply ask!  In-person reference assistance is available at all of our branches.

Playaways

You may have already noticed a new format in ABC Library's audiobook collection - Playaway.  If you haven't, you might want to check one out!

If you are a fan of audiobooks, but don't always have a CD player to hand (for instance, if you are exercising), Playaways are for you!  Each Playaway is an entire audiobook contained in one small, portable, easy-to-use device, which you check out with your library card. Playaways in the catalog are denoted by this symbol to the left of the item record:

You can also look them up in the system using an author search of  "Playaway Digital Audio". Try one out today and let us know what you think! The library does not provide headphones or batteries.

According to the Playaway website:

Playaway is the only format that makes audiobooks accessible for everyone—providing the portability of a digital audiobook with the grab-and-go convenience of a physical format. Unlike CDs, Audio Cassettes or downloads, Playaway does not need a separate player. Playaway comes preloaded and ready to use with High Definition Audio Content, earbuds, and a battery.

• Holds up to 60 hours of audio content
• Equipped with a universal jack; works with almost
  any type of headphone or mobile accessory
• 5 narration speeds; listen at your own pace
• Automatic bookmarking remembers where you stopped listening
• Lockable keypad for on-the-go usability
• Weighs only 2 ounces

Refresh Your Browsers, The Library Home Page Has Changed!

Hello library customers!  The library website is in the midst of a redesign, so we wanted to check in & make sure that we are all on the same (web)page, so to speak.  This is the library's new home page:

If this is not what you are seeing when you try to access the library's home page, please go to the new web address: http://library.cabq.gov/.  Please note, this is no longer the same address that is on the side of your library card, so if you've bookmarked the old address, you'll want to change that!

As you can see, the new home page looks a little different, although all the content you know & love is still there, we promise.  If you have questions or comments about the new site, please leave them in the comments of this post, or feel free to contact us via any of the methods listed below!  We welcome your feedback.

Call (505)768-5170

SMS (505)819-3563

Email library@cabq.gov

Kindles!

ABC Libraries now has Kindles available for checkout, for those curious about eReaders - whether you are thinking of buying one, but want to try it first, or you just want to get a feel for eBooks! The 32 Kindles started circulating on April 1st.  Place your hold now!

While you are waiting to receive your Kindle hold, you might want to peruse our Kindle LibGuide, with its handy sections on How Borrowing a Kindle Works, How to Use the Kindle, & Help (lists an array of common  problems & how to correct them).  You will want to make special note of the ABC Libraries Kindle Borrowing Agreement, which a staff member will walk you through at checkout.

Also, many libraries have classes that can help you use your Kindle!  You can find answers to FAQ, links to branches with classes, & printable handouts in our Downloading Digital Media LibGuide.

Happy eBorrowing!

Vote on October 4th!

A Municipal Election will be held on Tuesday, October 4, 2011. This Municipal Election will fill the City Council positions from the even-numbered districts - 2, 4, 6, and 8. Voters will also be voting on eleven municipal bond issues, a gross receipt tax revenue bond to finance ABQ the Plan projects and a Red Light proposition question.


Qualified registered voters within the City limits are eligible to vote in this election. All eligible voters can vote on the municipal bond issues and on the other ballot propositions. If you live in an even-numbered district you will also be eligible to vote for a City Council candidate from your district.

Pick up your League of Women Voters Guide at any library branch! There will also be a PDF of the Voters Guide  available at a later date from the League of Women Voters of Central New Mexico website.


***Vote early through absentee ballot or, starting September 14th, at early voting locations . 

***Polling places have changed, so, if you intend to vote on October 4th, be sure to review the list of voting centers.  This year you can vote at Cherry Hills Library, Erna Fergusson Library, or Lomas Tramway Library!

***City resident but not registered? September 6th was the deadline to register to vote in this election.

***Check the County Clerk's website for bureau of elections information & to find out how to become a poll official.

Erna Fergusson Renovation

The Erna Fergusson Library is closing for renovations beginning on September 9th. When we reopen, we’ll have more space for computers, more space for books, and more space for people to work. We’ll also have better air conditioning, so it will be a more comfortable library to visit.

While Erna Fergusson is closed, we will add Sunday (1 p.m. – 5 p.m.) and Monday (10 a.m. – 6 p.m.) hours at the Juan Tabo Library, 3407 Juan Tabo NE, between Comanche and Candelaria.

Other nearby libraries are:

• Tony Hillerman Library – 8205 Apache NE, just off the corner of Menaul and Wyoming

• Cherry Hills Library – 6901 Barstow NE, off of Harper just east of Wyoming

• Los Griegos Library – 1000 Griegos Road NW, east of 12th Street

• San Pedro Library– 5600 Trumbull SE, off of San Pedro two blocks south of Zuni

If you usually pick up your holds at Erna Fergusson, they will be sent to Juan Tabo unless you let us know you would rather have them delivered to another library. You can call our Customer Services Office at 505-768-5170 or email us at library@cabq.gov. Just include your name, library barcode number and where you want to pick up your holds.

A section of the library will be open and accessible on October 4th for the municipal election. 

Coming Soon: Greater Account Privacy & Free Computer Access!

Beginning on September 8th, PINs will be added to all Library account logins to provide greater security and privacy for cardholders. When logging in to your online library account, you will be asked for your card number and PIN. PINs will also be required to use the self check-out machines, and to access library eBooks, digital audiobooks, and databases.

Requiring both the library card number and a PIN presents a challenge for anyone who might try to gain unauthorized access to your library account. The ABC Libraries have introduced many new online account features, such as saving favorite searches and making online payments, and will have more coming soon. Your account privacy has become more important than ever before. And requiring PINs at the automated check-out stations means that if your card is ever stolen, it cannot easily be misused to check out library items.

Starting September 8th, you can set your PIN:

• by logging in to your account at the Library's website: www.cabq.gov/library
• at any ABC Library on the catalog terminals
• in person at any ABC Library service desk.

Staff will be ready and available during this transition to help you activate your PIN. 

Also on September 8th, we will begin an upgrade to the software that manages all public computers in the libraries. The new software saves money, and we are passing that savings on to our community. After September 8th, ABC Libraries will no longer charge for computer access!

The new system requires installation and testing on hundreds of computers across 17 branches. Individual branches will come back online as their installations are completed. Some branches will have access beginning on September 10th, and the Library expects to have full service restored to all the branches by the first week in October.

Please let us know if you have any questions!

Unusual Things You Can Check Out At The Library

Most people think of books when they think of a library, but you would be surprised to know that libraries also circulate non-traditional items. These days most libraries offer non-book items such as ebooks, databases, music records and CDs, films on DVDs and video tapes, laptops and tablets, however, some libraries go beyond these typical offerings.

At the Yale University Lillian Goldman Law Library, patrons can check out a dog named Monty. This cute cuddly therapy dog is available for 30 minute intervals.

Residents of Berkeley, California can check out tools from the Tool Lending Library. Available items include ladders, cement mixers, power saws, and drill presses.

For patrons with green thumbs, residents in Richmond, California can enjoy visiting the Richmond Grows Seed Lending Library. Patrons can bring in and borrow seeds from the library.

The Toronto Public Library hosts a human library program where patrons can check out human books to learn about diverse life stories. Other human libraries events can be located at the humanlibrary.org.

Finally at our very own Albuquerque / Bernalillo County Libraries, energy conscious patrons can check out a Kill A Watt energy measuring device that will help users determine which devices are using too much energy.

ABQ Ride: Your Ticket to Summer Fun!

There are 40 bus routes in Albuquerque.  How many have you ridden?

I am a big fan of the public transport & hope to take some bus rides rides around our fair city myself this summer (I'll be the one at the bus stop with the parasol to protect my delicate skin, plugged in to my iPod & reading a book).

I was checking in with ABQ Ride to start the arduous process of consulting the system map to find my routes, when I discovered this neat new (to me) service called Plan Your Ride!  It's super easy to use- just enter your starting location & your destination; indicate the desired date and time of arrival or departure; & click on the "Get Trip Plan" and get ready to ride.  For "origin" & "destination", you can even choose landmarks such as high schools, libraries, shopping centers & Rail Runner stations, instead of putting in a physical address.  Alternatively, you could just check a list of popular Albuquerque destinations, from CNM campuses to the VA Hospital to the Albuquerque Aquarium, to see which bus routes serve your destination.

Also, did you know that you can plan a trip on ABQ Ride via Google Maps by simply going to maps.google.com and selecting "Get Directions"? The public transit link is shown each time driving directions are requested by the viewer who may not be aware that transit is even an option. For those using a smartphone, you can download the latest version of Google Maps for free from your respective app store or access it in your mobile browser. A link to Google Maps can also be found on www.myabqride.com.

Not convinced that riding the bus is worth it?  Try ABQ Ride's Albuquerque Commute Calculator & learn how much commuting is costing you a month.  You can compare that with the cost for bus fares & passes here.  You could also be eligible for a Student Bus Pass or Honored Citizen Discount. Also, the Summer Fun Bus Pass entitles students ages 10 - 18 to unlimited bus rides from May 1st - Aug. 31 for only $13.

Looking forward to some late night fun? From June 4th to September 25th, Rapid After Dark (Red Line Only) runs along the Red Line every Friday and Saturday night from 9:00 p.m. until 2:30 a.m.

Don't forget the Park & Ride option!

ADA-certified riders can take advantage of the SunVan, ABQ Ride's paratransit service, provides accessible transportation to persons residing in or visiting the metro area whose impairment makes it impossible to ride the fixed route service. ABQ Ride Paratransit provides curb-to-curb service to and from any address in Albuquerque and most of Bernalillo County.

Last year in May, ABQ Ride had a Strive Not to Drive event.  During this week, ABQ Ride encouraged the public to minimize the driving of single occupancy vehicles and experience the benefits and opportunities of alternative modes of transportation, emphasizing a different mode each day, from carpooling to biking. Watch for it this year!  There probably will be more prize giveaways!

A Day in the Library Life

Well, perhaps a day in the library life is not exactly like the video above. But it has a lot of the elements...bookdrop, Information Desk, customers needing assistance.

Recently the staff at my library kept track of the kinds of questions we were asked during the average day. For instance:

--Library cards: We created 10 new customer records! We also answered questions like "The machine says my card is invalid, why is that?" [Most of the time, the card has expired or your record is open in 2 locations, such as check-in & check-out.]

--Location, location, location: a good deal of the library day involves helping people find things, as you might imagine-the restrooms, the holdshelves, the book return, the DVDs, the study rooms. We also might get questions like "How are the holdshelves organized?" [Alphabetically, by the customer's last name.]

--Reference: In an average day, we might get asked (in person or by phone) for book recommendations, help placing holds, help renewing items, to print a document off a USB drive, how to download books, & for help on the computer (ranging from "I can't get on the internet" to "Can you help me create a resume?").

In addition to the basic reference questions, we might get something a little out of the ordinary, such as:

• "How many hits on Electrical Sensitivity?" (Google site hits)


• "What sounds do horses make & what are the names of those sounds?"


• "I need a book about Joan of Arc. Not a novel. Not what she might have done."


• "Do you have any books about maneaters?"


• "Do you have any books about parkour?"


• "What were Ancient Egyptian cosmetics made of?"


• "I just moved to New Mexico. Can you tell me information about New Mexico counties, county seats, & general New Mexico demographics?"


• "I'm teaching an editing class-can you recommend some badly written books?"

The great thing about working in the library is you never know what kind of people, questions, & situations you'll run across in a day. Some days you get a hard reference question, & you end up researching online & in books for quite some time. Some days you find yourself tied to the public computers-either there are lots customers needing assistance, or something is wrong with the system. Other days, you end up helping little kids find picture books, or there's an interesting program going on that you get to look in on, or a customer introduces you to something cool (a book or movie, perhaps) that you hadn't heard of before.