Build a Better World - Summer Reading Program 2017

This year's Summer Reading program runs from to June 3rd to July 29th. Join us for fun activities and prizes for the whole family! All ages are welcome to participate. Summer Reading is a free 8-week program at branches of the Public Library ABQ-BERNCO that encourages babies, children, tweens, teens and adults to read throughout the summer. The books you read and any reading goals you set are chosen by you, but the library offers fun incentive prizes - babies, kids, tweens, and teens get weekly incentives, and adults turn in completed reading logs (10 hours per log) to be entered to win weekly prizes and to be entered in the system-wide grand prize drawing (prizes for adults include a Kindle Fire, as well as gift certificates to Southwest Airlines, Amazon, and Bookworks) at the end of the summer.

In addition to prizes, the library is featuring special events for all ages during the program! Magic, music, dance and stories with Princess Unicorn, Keshet, Recycleman, and more for the children and family. Programs from ¡Explora!, a Lego movie extravaganza, and a variety of craft programs for tweens and teens (book art pages, duct tape wallets, Minecraft. rocket cars, pipe-cleaner ninjas, and others) - plus, tweens and teens attending the programs for their age group will be entered to win a special grand prize! For adults, there will be a bevy of concerts for your listening pleasure - Sage & Jared's Happy Gland Band! Le Chat Lunatique! Watermelon Mountain Jug Band! Jill Cohn! - as well as two lectures about architecture in ABQ, presented by the New Mexico Architectural Foundation (the theme this year is building a better world!).

We hope to see your face in the place! Check out the branch near you - there will be kickoff parties on June 3rd where you can sign up, pick up an event schedule, and have fun! If you like to visit multiple branches, don't forget to pick up your Library Passport - for each different five branches visited and stamped in your passport, you will receive an entry for a Passport Prize (a party for 10 children and 2 adults at Fuddruckers!). You can also find more information, including an online signup option (available already), using our handy-dandy guide.

All of the great Summer Reading prizes, performers, and events are paid for with the generous support of the Friends for the Public Library, a non-profit 501(c)3 organization.

Get in the Game: Read!/¡Entra en el Juego: Lee!

Today kicks off our Summer Reading Program! From June 4 through July 16, visit any Public Library of Albuquerque and Bernalillo County to sign up and get a reading log. Our Summer Reading Program is for all ages--kids, tweens, and teens can receive weekly prizes for reading, and adults can enter into weekly prize drawings, as well as grand prize drawings at the end of the summer.

You can also participate in our passport program; for every five library branches you visit, get an entry form for a prize drawing. And, as we've done in the past, we have great programs happening for all ages this summer.

For more details about the Summer Reading Program and for information about the different events we'll have throughout the summer, visit our Summer Reading Program website.

When I talk to people about our Summer Reading Program, I get a lot of questions: What counts as reading? Who can participate? Is it just for kids? What if a child can't read yet? If you have similar questions, here are some ways you can participate.

Adults

It can be hard to find time to read, but adults read more often than they think. Aside from traditional print books and ebooks, here are some ways to get your summer reading hours:

• Audiobooks
• Magazines and newspapers
• Graphic novels and comic books
• Blogs
• Online articles (news articles or other articles)

Babies and Kids

Is your child not reading on their own yet? That's okay! Reading with your child or bringing your child to storytime counts!

Do you have a child who loves to read graphic novels and comic books? This counts, too! Kids are always surprised when I tell them that graphic novels and comic books count as reading.

Do you have a child who loves to participate in the library's Read to the Dogs program? If so, make sure they mark it down on their reading log!

Teens

Sometimes, teens are a bit harder to reach. When I was a teen, I didn't read as much as I did when I was a kid. Comic books, graphic novels, manga, magazines, and blogs and other online articles all count for teen reading!

The key thing to remember with summer reading is it's supposed to be fun. If you're reading or listening to a book you enjoy, or a newspaper or magazine, or a blog or online article, you're doing it right. And if you're reading this summer, we want to see you, so make sure you stop by, sign up, and tell us about what you're reading!

Summer Reading Challenge Wrap-Up

At the beginning of the summer, I decided to challenge myself with my summer reading. You can read my first post about here. I wrote an update a few weeks later to see where I was with my reading goals, which you can read here. Today, I'm wrapping up my challenge, which I officially ended yesterday.

To refresh my memory (and yours!), here's what I said I was going to read this summer:

El Deafo by Cece Bell
Absolutely Almost by Lisa Graff
Ensnared by A.G. Howard
Half a Chance by Cynthia Lord
My Life With the Walter Boys by Ali Novak
Better Than Before by Gretchen Rubin
The Mistborn series (only the first four books) by Brandon Sanderson
Lumberjanes by Noelle Stevenson
Analyzing Mad Men: Critical Essays on the Television Series edited by Scott F. Stoddart

So, how did I do? In terms of following my list, I did okay. I read El Deafo, Ensnared, Better Than Before, and Lumberjanes. I tried the Mistborn books, but I couldn't get into the series, so I have officially crossed those off my list of things to read. Last, since I'm not done watching Mad Men, I decided not read Analyzing Mad Men.

I read far more than that this summer, but most of what I read wasn't on my list of books to challenge myself. Here's what I read in addition to the few books I got through on the official list.

Sparks:The Epic, Completely True Blue, (Almost) Holy Quest of Debbie by S.J. Adams
Some Assembly Required: The Not-So-Secret Life of a Transgendered Teen by Arin Andrews
Mistakes I Made at Work: 25 Influential Women Reflect on What They Got Out of Getting It Wrong edited by Jessica Bacal
How Remarkable Women Lead: The Breakthrough Model for Work and Life by Joanna Barsh
Conspiracy of Blood and Smoke by Anne Blankman
City Love by Susane Colasanti
Columbine by Dave Cullen
The Devil You Know by Trish Doller
Rethinking Normal: A Memoir in Transition by Katie Rain Hill
Violent Ends edited by Shaun David Hutchinson
The Improbable Theory of Ana and Zak by Brian Katcher
Revival by Stephen King
Things We Know By Heart by Jessi Kirby
Splitting an Order by Ted Kooser
Craftfail: When Homemade Goes Horribly Wrong by Heather Mann
Freshman: Tales of 9th Grade Obsessions, Revelations, and Other Nonsense by Corinne Mucha
The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath
Extraordinary Means by Robyn Schneider
A Sense of the Infinite by Hilary T. Smith
Hello, Goodbye, and Everything in Between by Jennifer Smith
The Light Between Oceans by M.L. Stedman
Survival Strategies of the Almost Brave by Jen White
Brown Girl Dreaming by Jacqueline Woodson

I read several other books, but can't name them because I read them for an award committee I'm on. Needless to say, I did a lot of reading, and I enjoyed most of what I read. Do I wish I had done a better job sticking with my challenge and reading the books I said I would read? Yes and no. I do wish I had gotten around to some of them, but I'm glad I didn't force myself to read all of them, because then I wouldn't have enjoyed my summer reading nearly as much as I did.

What books did you read this summer? Is there anything you think I should add to my list of books to read? Tell me in the comments!

Every Hero Has a Story

Our Summer Reading Program, Every Hero Has a Story, is winding down!  The last day to participate is Saturday, July 25th. We hope you and your family have enjoyed yourselves! Don't forget to fill out our Customer Survey and let us know how we're doing!

The theme for each year's Summer Reading Program is different, but we've particularly enjoyed this one. Merriam-Webster defines a hero as a person who is admired for great or brave acts or fine qualities; a person who is greatly admired. Who are your heroes? We grew up on stories of Helen Keller's triumph over adversity; Eleanor Roosevelt's outspokenness and activism ; Amelia Earhart's derring-do. "Every Hero Has a Story" has included its fair amount of superheroes and the like; but we still enjoy celebrating everyday acts of courage.

If you would like to continue celebrating heroes after July 25th, we have some items in the catalog you might enjoy! Or, just let us know in the comments who your heroes are.

Adults 

Wildlife Heroes: 40 Leading Conservationists and the Animals They Are Committed to Saving by Julie Scardina and Jeff Flocken [eBook]

Heroes: From Alexander the Great and Julius Caesar toChurchill and de Gaulle by Paul Johnson

Autism Heroes: Portraits of Families Meeting the Challenge by Barbara Firestone [eBook]

Dog Heroes: Saving Lives and Protecting America by Jen Bidner

Young Adult

Women Heroes of World War I: 16 Remarkable Resisters, Soldiers, Spies, and Medics by Kathryn J. Atwood [eBook]

Women Heroes of World War II : 26 Stories of Espionage, Sabotage, Resistance, and Rescue by Kathryn J. Atwood

Women Heroes of the American Revolution: 20 Stories of Espionage, Sabotage, Defiance, and Rescue by Susan Casey 

Kids

War Heroes: Voices From Iraq by Allan Zullo

Heroes For All Times: A Nonfiction Companion to Magic Tree House #51- High Time For Heroes by Mary Pope Osborne and Natalie Pope Boyce  [eBook]

On the Wings of Heroes by Richard Peck

Portraits of Jewish American Heroes by Malka Drucker

Amazing Heroes: Spend a Day with Firefighters, Police Officers, Rescue Workers [DVD]

Baseball Heroes by Glenn Stout [eBook]

Native American Heroes: Osceola, Tecumseh & Cochise by Ann McGovern [eBook]

Alaska's Dog Heroes: True Stories of Remarkable Canines by Shelley Gill

Portraits of Hispanic American Heroes by Juan Felipe Herrera [eBook]

Every Hero Has a Story!/¡Cada Heroé Tiene Una Historia!

Our Summer Reading Program begins on Saturday, May 30th, and runs until July 25th! There will be kick-off parties at many branches on the 30th - check our Summer Reading events tab for listings or call your local branch.

Even if you miss the kick-off, all ages can still sign up for Summer Reading any time during the program and get a reading log, collect weekly prizes, attend events, and fill out a "library passport" (visit different library branches and get entered to win a fantastic family prize).

Summer Reading is for everyone! Click on the links below for lists of events, prizes, and more.

• Babies/Kids
• Tweens 
• Teens
• Adults

In a nutshell, babies and kids, tweens and teens will receive a weekly incentive when they bring in their reading logs. Teens and tweens can earn grand prize drawing entries by attending special events held at library branches. Adults bring in their completed 10-hour logs to be entered in weekly prize drawings, and will be eligible to win one of the grand prizes at the end of the summer. Visit our Summer Reading guide for more information.

It's going to be a great summer! Please join us!

Summer Reads

Now that summer is almost here, I'm ready to dig into my pile of young adult books that take place during the summer. For me, there's something about books that take place during the summer that have a kind of magic that books set during the school year don't. Here are my top young adult summer reads.

Great by Sara Benincasa

Perfect Escape by Jennifer Brown

Along for the Ride by Sarah Dessen

An Abundance of Katherines by John Green

Wanderlove by Kirsten Hubbard



13 Little Blue Envelopes by Maureen Johnson

In Honor by Jessi Kirby

Open Road Summer by Emery Lord

Twenty Boy Summer by Sarah Ockler

The Summer I Wasn't Me by Jessica Verdi



I'm also looking forward to several books that are set during the summer.

Reunited by Hilary Weisman Graham

We Were Liars by E. Lockhart

Second Chance Summer by Morgan Matson

Since You've Been Gone by Morgan Matson

The Art of Lainey by Paula Stokes

What are you planning on reading this summer?

Spark a Reaction! / ¡Enciende una Reacción!

Our Summer Reading Program begins tomorrow, Saturday, May 31st, and runs until July 25th! There will be kick-off parties at many branches tomorrow - check our Summer Reading events tab for listings or call your local branch.

Summer Reading is for everyone! Click on the links below for lists of events, prizes, and more! You can even register online.

• Children
• Tweens (a new age group this year)
• Teens
• Adults

Please note that this year, tweens and teens will receive a weekly incentive when they bring in their reading logs, and can earn grand prize drawing entries by attending special events held at library branches.

Even if you miss the kick-off, all ages can still sign up for Summer Reading any time during the program, collect weekly prizes, attend events, fill out a "library passport" (visit different library branches and get entered to win a fantastic family prize), and get entered in our grand prize drawings for tweens and older. Visit our Summer Reading guide for more information.

It's going to be a great summer! Please join us!

Duct Tape Crafts

Crafting with duct tape is such a fun idea that Duck Tape has its own page of "Ducktivities". So popular that Project Runway made prom dresses from duct tape. So popular that "Duct Tape Crafts" has its own Pinterest page with more than 4,000 followers.  So popular that the Duct Tape World Art Workshop will be a featured teen activity for the Summer Reading program at Alamosa, Cherry Hills, East Mountain, Erna Fergusson, Ernie Pyle, Juan Tabo, Lomas Tramway, Los Griegos, Main, and North Valley Libraries!  Make sure to bring your own duct tape!

Have you never crafted with duct tape? You can use festive duct tape (it's not just silver anymore!) to make jewelry, decorate your boots,  make party favors, spruce up an old recliner, make yourself a new wallet, and more!  Intrigued? Consider checking out one of these books from the catalog before or after the workshop for your teen!

Dazzling Duct Tape Designs: Fashionable Accessories, Adorable Décor and Many More Creative Crafts You Make at Home by Tamara Boykins

Go Crazy with Duct Tape by Patti Wallenfang

Just Duct Tape It! by Patti Wallenfang

Ductigami: The Art of the Tape by Joe Wilson

Summer Reading: Can You Dig It?

The reviews are in!

Biggest summer sensation since "Dream Big, Read!" 

The talk of Albuquerque libraries!

Amazing sights to be seen!
Delightful sounds to be heard!

A good time to be had by all!

What is it, you ask?  It's Summer Reading 2013! Here's a little ditty we've composed to give you an idea of this summer's infotainment:

This summer Dig into Reading's the theme

As the good times unfold, your happiness will be extreme!

But lest you think you've heard it all before,

Here's a sampling of some of the treats in store!
 

Kids will find there's nothing tragic

About John Polinko's magic.

They'll find it easy to get into the mood

With the music of Ticklefish Dude.

There will be fun without end

With Wings of Enchantment's Lepidoptera friends.

At East Mountain you can try Cave Painting with Dirt,

At Lomas Tramway we promise Miss Cheryl's Stomp, Stomp Roar! won't hurt.

The Recycle Man will be stopping by

Also Sean Etigson, Indiana Bones, and Loren Kahn's puppets, oh my!
 

Teens can make sushi charms

And use zombie make-up on their arms.

There will be recycle bracelets to make and upcycle collage,

Wire wrapped words and Mod Podge Decoupage!
 

Grownups, we haven't forgotten fun stuff for you

There are concerts with Ian Cooke, Tortilla Junction, The Casualz too!
 

There will be prizes of all sizes for all ages

All you have to do is read a few pages!
Your picture could even be on our website, if you are a sport
Just visit all the libraries in the city with your Library Passport!

This is only a bit of what's in store for those who enroll -

Lest you think that I'm exaggerating the pleasures I extol

Just visit our home page, abclibrary.org, for a full program listing

Or stop by your local branch, and tell them you need assisting.

 

 

As always, ABC Library thanks its Summer Reading partners.

 

Dream Big: READ!

ABC Libraries' Summer Reading Kickoff is fast approaching!  Dream Big: Read! is the theme of this year's Summer Reading Program for kids (the teen theme is Own the Night & it's Between the Covers for adults).  The kickoff is June 1st - for a list of kickoff events, visit the Dream Big LibGuide Events page, or head over to the LibGuide of your branch of choice.

There will be different events for all ages at library branches from June 1st until the program ends on July 20th, including Ticklefish Dude, Drumfest, A Celebration of Drums!, Solar Telescope Viewing, & Magic with Animals with John Polinko - & that's just for kids!  Teen events include: Hacky Sack and Juggling; Mayan Calendar Workshop; Birds of Prey with Wildlife Rescue Inc.; & Designing Paquime Pottery with Explora! Adults can enjoy Un Viaje Por Mexico - Folkloric Ensemble or History of Rock and Roll or Introduction to Acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medicine, with Dr. Kimberly Workman or an Art Workshop with Micaela Seidel, just for starters.  Pick up an events calendar at your local branch or print one out from here.

Of course, it wouldn't be Summer Reading without reading, so make sure to sign up (not just kids - teens & adults, too!) to win weekly prizes by filling out reading logs throughout the program! Teens & adults will also be entered for the system-wide grand prize drawings at the end of the program - adult grand prizes include a $250 gift card from Southwest Airlines & a Kindle Touch, & teen grand prizes include an iPod Touch & a digital production class! 

Why take part in Summer Reading? It's not just about prizes. Studies have shown that children who read during the summer generally maintain their reading skills, and that children who see their parents read, or who read with their parents generally have scored higher on standardized tests.

For more information, such as how to sign up for the program, forms to fill out for teens ages 12-18 who'd like to volunteer during Summer Reading, & recommended Dreamy Books for Little Readers, check out the Dream Big LibGuide, or stop by a library branch near you!

Last Week of Summer Reading 2011!

20, 247

That's how many people have signed up for our Summer Reading program, One World, Many Stories/Un Mundo, Muchas Historias, so far!  We've had programs aplenty-from tunes by Mr. Stinky Feet to cooking classes with Gilda Latzky,  Kanji Luck Stones to Wii Play, Balinese Dance with Sari Megumi to Ikebana Flower Arranging workshops, with 18, 735 attendees. Some branches still have programs this week-check your local branch's website!  Our Battle of the Bands finale will be at Main Library on July 30th, featuring the song stylings of Sean Cairns, Focus'd, & My Shadow Plays Beside Me.  We've had 8 individuals, families & teams qualify for the "World Traveler" prize by visiting all 16 branches. I hope you've had a good time-I know I have!

& we're not done yet! There's still a week to go-the program ends on July 30th. This week babies, kids & teens will all get books for their prize, & there will be one last prize drawing for adults on Saturday. (We've given out a total of 17, 664 prizes to kids & babies so far.)

Of course, after June 30th will be the drawing for the grand prizes: for adults, the Dine Around the World certificate package or the Continuing Education gift certificates or the Isotope family pack of tickets; for teens, the netbook or digital camera. So stop by your local library, sign up if you haven't already, & make sure to drop off your reading logs by July 30th!

Also, special thanks to our 1,072 teen volunteers for all your hard work!

A Library Tour: East Mountain Branch

Located midway along Tijeras Canyon, just adjacent to Exit 175 off of I-40, the East Mountain Library serves a wide area and diverse population. Customers come from not only the surrounding communities of Carnuel, Cedar Crest, Sandia Park, and Chilili, but also from as far away as Edgewood, Moriarty, Corona, and even Portales. Many of the branch's regular customers work in Albuquerque but live to the east, and stop at the East Mountain Library as part of their daily commute. Other customers live on ranches far out on the eastern plains and visit when they "come to town".

As the Village of Tijeras is rather small (population less than 600 in the village area), the East Mountain Library has a vital role as a community center and meeting place. (It is not unusual to see people who live 40 miles apart running into one another at the library.) The meeting room is often utilized for a wide range of purposes including lectures, cooking demonstrations, guitar lessons, movies, theatrical performances, and storytime. A variety of clubs and organizations use the meeting room, as do some of the area's many homeschoolers.

Other public buildings nearby in the "village center" are a Wells Fargo Bank, the U.S. Post Office next door, a recently-completed Senior Center, and the Los Vecinos Community Center which features a gymnasium, athletic fields, and a skateboarding park. The "Office Stop"across the street provides office supplies and services, helping to augment the Library's important provision of internet access for area residents.

Like all ABCLS Libraries, the East Mountain Library features free internet access (via 10 computer stations, two of those reserved for children) up to three hours a day with an active SmartCard, and free wi-fi throughout the building. Two study rooms are available that may be reserved in advance; the meeting room can hold up to 38 people and tables, chairs, a whiteboard, and projection screen are available.

Directly adjacent to the library is the Luis Garcia Park and Veteran's Monument, which incorporates a playground, central gazebo, and Vietnam Veteran's Monument. On the grounds of the Park is an old church now used for public events and historical displays; sharing a parking lot with the library is the Village of Tijeras Information Center/East Mountain Chamber of Commerce building.

The East Mountain Library, along old Route 66, is at the gateway to the mountains east of Albuquerque. A short distance south of the library is the Cibola National Forest & Visitor Center (often referred to locally as the "Sandia Ranger Station") with regional information about access to the trails and attractions of the Cibola National Forest, which includes both the Sandia and Manzanita mountains and the Sandia Crest National Scenic Byway. The Turquoise Trail National Scenic Byway, the "back road to Santa Fe", begins at the Library's door and heads north among some classic New Mexico scenery and through the towns of Cedar Crest, Sandia Park and the historic towns of Golden, Madrid, and Cerrillos. Madrid, a former coal mining town, has become an arts community and is a popular destination for area visitors. To the south are the Manzano Mountains, often a destination for daytrips from Albuquerque, especially Fourth of July Canyon with its brilliant Fall foliage.

Visitors should be aware that there is no gas station in Tijeras proper; stations are available further east along I-40 and in the town of Cedar Crest to the north. However, the village offers other amenities for visitors. The Tijeras Open-Air Arts Market, hosted by the Just Imagine Gallery directly across the road from the library, is open every weekend from May to mid-October, offering juried arts & crafts booths, food, drink, and live entertainment. The Gallery also has a coffee shop that is open year-round. A Subway sandwich shop is close at hand; further to the east is Trail Rider Pizza, "the best smelling trailer in the world", which offers salads, sandwiches, and pizza. Further to the north are the Cedar Point Grille, Pete's Mexican Restaurant, Ribs Hickory Pit BBQ, and Burger Boy. The Western Mercantile directly across from the library also has cold drinks in addition to a wide range of livestock feed and supplies.

Ongoing programs at the East Mountain Library include:

• Celebrate Classic Literature, crafts and activities about classic children's literature. Past titles include The Wizard of Oz, Alice in Wonderland and Where the Wild Things Are; upcoming titles include The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe and The Jungle Book.
• Kid Picks, a book club for kids, created by a young East Mountain customer to encourage young people to share and discuss the books they have been reading.
• Stitch Along, exploring the world of embroidery.
• Read to the Dogs -- young children read to trained therapy dogs. Read to Leuka every Wednesday, and the other dogs the second Saturday of every month.
• Family Movie Matinee, on the 4th Thursday of every month. A classic family film, usually presented in conjunction with the "Celebrate Classic Literature" program.
• Kids Write. Young writers 7-17 learn about the techniques professional writers use to create great stories.
• Sandia Stitch 'n Time. A drop-in afternoon needlework group.

The library's recently reworked amphitheater is host to a wide variety of events including magic shows, musical performances, and visits from a variety of animal friends.

Winners of the Battle of the Bands, Focus'd , performing in the amphitheater.

Of course, being in the mountains means being closer to the snow! Any snowfall in the Albuquerque area usually means even more snow in Tijeras, so after a snowfall you might want to give the branch a call to be sure they've had time to dig out:

The East Mountain Branch is a true example of the "Albuquerque/Bernalillo County" Library System -- the building is a County facility, staffed with City of Albuquerque employees. The building won an Award of Merit in 1994 from the Albuquerque Conservation Association for "Contributing to the Urban Quality of Albuquerque", and a New Mexico Business Journal Best Buildings Award Honorable Mention in 1997 in the "Energy Conscious Design" category. The grounds were recently re-landscaped for better water efficiency.

While it may seem "out of town" for folks who haven't visited before, the East Mountain Library is actually just 7 minutes along I-40 from Tramway Blvd. It's closer than you think! And cooler up in the mountains -- worth the trip!

A Library Tour: Westgate Branch

Wending my way to Westgate Library, the only library in the system I had never been to before, I did have the sensation of being on an adventure!  I drove from Coors to 98th on Sage, affording me views of the edge of town, big sky, & desert underbrush-although I found Westgate to be in a pleasant residential community, definitely less rugged than some of the landscape I passed.

Westgate Library is located at 1300 Delgado SW, just south of Carlos Rey Elementary School in the NW corner of Carlos Rey Park. This branch shares its parking lot with the Carlos Rey Child Development Center. For directions by car or bus, visit the ABC Libraries' website. The library has 8 public computers including 1 express and 2 Spanish terminals. Westgate also offers many of the standard amenities of the ABC Libraries' branches: fax service; voter registration forms, None for the Road DVDs, & bus schedules are all available, but the branch does not have a magazine swap, community room, or study rooms.

Westgate is a small, cozy library-kind of library equivalent of the one-room schoolhouse.  Everything happens in this one room-though they have to move some tables & chairs for storytimes, & their Summer Reading programs take place outside, in the shade of a big tree.  Their one desk provides circulation assistance & information, the first ABC Libraries branch where one tiny desk does everything!

Westgate is Puerta del Oeste on your Summer Reading passport. If you stop by the branch to get your passport stamped, you can still enjoy programs such as Storytelling with Margaret Edmundson on July 17th & Ready to Read storytimes (for ages 5 and younger) on Thursday mornings until Summer Reading ends on July 30th. Westgate is also featuring a Drop-In Crochet Circle on Thursday afternoons until July 28th. For more information on Westgate's programs & events, visit the library's website!

Why you should make Westgate one of your Summer Reading destinations: location, location, location! Carlos Rey Park, right next door, is an 8-acre park with a playground, two unlit tennis courts, and a playing field. If I wasn't heading back to my own branch after my visit to Westgate, I would have loved to have spent some time there!  Also, if you don't make it Westgate during Summer Reading, Carlos Rey Park will be the site for Arts in the Park in September-a good chance to meet some of Albuquerque's local artisans, musicians, and performers.

While you are at the branch, make sure you take a minute to stop by the plaque honoring library staff member John W. Bell, in whose memory Westgate is dedicated.  I don't know much about Mr. Bell, but it's a very touching tribute.

A Library Tour: Alamosa/Robert L. Murphy Branch

Journey Ahead by Kevin Zuckerman

What more appropriate image for our Summer Reading program this year?  Fly away with "One World, Many Stories/Un Mundo, Muchas Historias" at Alamosa Library!  When you visit the branch, make sure you don't miss this wonderful sculpture out front.

The Alamosa/Robert L. Murphy Library is located at 6900 Gonzales SW,  inside the Alamosa Multi-Service Center.  Look for the large sign that reads "Alamosa Multi Service Center" on the corner-the library is the light gray building. For driving & bus directions, visit the ABC Libraries' website. The library has 13 public computers including 2 express and 2 children's. Alamosa also offers many of the standard amenities of the ABC Libraries' branches: fax service; voter registration forms, None for the Road DVDs, & bus schedules are all available, but the branch does not have a magazine swap or a community room or study rooms for public use.

Since the library is in the center, it is one of the smaller branches.  But the interior is quite charming, with some nice seating & a real can-do attitude at their Information Desk!

Alamosa's children's section is jam-packed with delights for your perusal, with Madeline on hand to welcome you. I especially like (not pictured here) the half-moon-shaped enclosure where I imagine storytimes are held.  Please note that Alamosa is a branch that has a bunch of readalongs (children's book with accompanying tape)!  They also have a section for young adults.

Alamosa is Alamosiana on your Summer Reading Passport-"a beautiful country famous for its many stately and shady cottonwood trees. The friendly people of Alamosiana welcome visitors from all over the Summer Reading Program world to come and enjoy themselves." Their Summer Reading table looks very inviting! Won't you stop by & sign up or drop off your reading log here?

A 3-D snowflake made by staff member Tina!

Alamosa is a very kid-friendly branch! Stop by on July 13th for music by Red Rooster Trio or on July 20th for Storytelling with Margaret Edmunds! You can also attended Ready to Read storytimes on Monday mornings until August 22nd. All Summer Reading programs take place in Meeting Room B of the center. During the school year, Alamosa also has monthly arts & crafts programs & open Wii play.  Visit the library's website for more information on programs & events.


 

The library's placement in the Alamosa Multi-Service Center makes it easy to find other activities for the day of your library visit.  Alamosa Center staff provides emergency food, clothing, utility assistance, as well as community meeting rooms and seasonal services and activities to residents of the Southwest Mesa (South Valley and Westside) areas of Albuquerque, & there are onsite health care & social service agencies. The Child Development Center has childcare services  for children ages 0-5. There is also a Community Center, which includes access to a gym, exercise room, & game room, all free of charge.  (Classes are offered in yoga & boxing for a small fee.) The Summer Lunch Program takes place at Alamosa Center until July 29th, open to children and youth 1 through 18 years old. The Summer Recreation Program is offered for six to eight weeks (June to July) every year to school age children and youth from 6 -15 years old at the Community Center-it's a very popular program, & registration is required.

Make sure you check out Alamosa's fotonovela collection!

A Library Tour: Lomas Tramway Branch

The library's official banner, created by former volunteer Ken Dobies.

Lomas Tramway Library is located at 908 Eastridge NE, on the southwest corner of Lomas Boulevard and Tramway Boulevard, but there is no access from Tramway. The parking lot entrance is on Eastridge Drive, which runs parallel to Tramway. For directions by car or bus, visit the ABC Libraries' website. The library has 16 public computers including 3 express. Lomas Tramway also offers many of the standard amenities of the ABC Libraries' branches: fax service; voter registration forms, None for the Road DVDs, & bus schedules are all available, & the branch has a magazine swap & Fiction to Go. This branch has a community room for public use but does not have study rooms.

Bottom row of photos is by former Lomas Tramway volunteer Ken Dobies.

Lomas Tramway reopened last year after a lot of remodeling & inside you'll find a very welcoming atmosphere! They have kept the big window, facing the Sandias across Tramway, but many other areas have changed a bit-really opening up the space, in my opinion. There is a lot of comfy seating, tables to spread out on, & spectacular lighting.

I like the children's & young adult sections at this branch. Both have cool chairs & the children's section has that great entry arch & displays of artifacts from around the world, supplied by staff!

Alligator Vase photo is by Ken Dobies.





Lomas Tramway branch also has several art pieces on display. Amuse yourself by tracking down all six!  They are: The Mall by Enrique Montenegro (in the lobby); Dendrite Fusion by Xuan Chen (above library card desk); Sandia Sunset by Robert Hooten (by the newspapers); Velocipede by Robert Hooten (by periodicals); Sa Sara by Yulia Pinkusevich; & Alligator Vase by Tom Waldman (by the outdoor entry). Also look for the sculpture La Blessure by Collette Perazio-Itkin (on one of the outdoor patios) & the photographs of James Dietsch from his "Light in Albuquerque" series (above the computers).

"O, say can you see, where the prairie dogs roam,

Is the Czech Out Republic of Lomapalooza!

You can read to a dog, search online for a job.

The books are all free, so what can you lose-a?

There's a wonderful view! Staff who love helping you!

Since this time last year, all our walls look brand new!

O! Say, will you join us for Summer Reading here

We have prizes to give out, not again till next year!"

~Robert William Stewart Rogers, former Lomas Tramway employee

(sing to the tune of "The Star Spangled Banner")

This Summer Reading theme, "One World, Many Stories/Un Mundo, Muchas Historias", has been a lot of fun for me.  I think each library turning itself into a country for the program has been a fabulous idea & I have really enjoyed being able to see what each library has made its theme.  So my hat's definitely off to the Lomas Tramway staff for creating "The Czech Out Republic of Lomapalooza", complete with flag, anthem, & mascots.  You can even read a story about Lomapalooza's mascots, Clementine & Wilson, on the library's website!

Also on the Lomas Tramway website, you can see all the programs that are happening at the branch!   For kids, Natalee Roe's storytime is July 14th & Balinese Dance with Sari Megumi will be on July 21st! There will be T-Shirt Stencilling for teens aged 12-18 on July 14th! A Family Movie on July 23rd! Lomas Tramway has a book discussion group for adults, monthly Read to the Dogs, the Two Poets discussion group, & more!  Their Program & Events page has a full listing.

Have I tempted you into taking a trip to Lomas Tramway?  I hope so.  Besides a trip to the library, there is so much to do in the area: the Sandia Peak Tramway; hiking & biking trails; Chelwood Park; & another small park next to the library with a play area, climbing wall, & volleyball court.  To feed your stomach as well as your mind, check out Weck's or the Owl Cafe (both nearby).

Just to show you how popular libraries are lately, the picture on the left above is Lomas Tramway's parking lot at 9 a.m. & the picture on the right is the same parking lot at 10 a.m., when the library opens.  There are always people waiting to get in first thing!