The Ruidoso Public Library Blog

Library Day at New Mexico's Legistature; Resume Reviews at Workforce Solutions; and birds @your library

2012-01-31T10:36:00.000-08:00

Libraries need you!
Thursday, February 2nd, is Library Day at New Mexico's Roundhouse in Santa Fe.

If you happen to be in Santa Fe, please, stop by the Roundhouse and stand up for libraries in New Mexico.

If that drive is not on your list, can you spare a phone call? Please visit the NM Legislature website to look up your representative's and senator's phone number.

I was an intern in an legislative office, back in college, and learned that legislators notice when the phones are all ringing. You don't have to say anything witty or long, just let the staff know why you are calling. Emails count, too, though they may hide in an e-mail inbox. Every call, letter, and email supports libraries.

If you are looking for help with your resume', Workforce Solutions offers a workshop, today from noon-2 pm and the last Tuesday of each month. Call (575) 257-9296 for more information. Workforce Solutions is now located on White Mountain Drive, in the complex with Sierra Vista Primary and White Mountain Elementary Schools.

Thursday at 4pm, Ruidoso Public Library hosts the Lincoln County Bird Club. Join us (kids welcome, too!) to learn how to identify our local feathered friends.

Questions about becoming a US Citizen? Free ENMU-R class this week

2012-01-25T08:21:00.000-08:00

Wednesday night at 6pm, ENMU-Ruidoso will present a video (with Spanish subtitles) on the new rules to naturalization (becoming a US Citizen). You don't need to register early, just show up tonight! Show up anytime before 8pm, too, at ENMU-Ruidoso's new White Mountain Annex at 201 White Mountain Rd.

If you are a citizen by birth, check out some of the nearly 100 questions on the exam to earn your citizenship.

The US Customs and Immigration Services offers maps, brochures, and FAQs at their site or en Espa ñol.

If you are looking for an opportunity to give back to your community (perhaps as a tutor or advocate), you might want to drop in, too.

For more information please contact Susie Morss of ENMU-Ruidoso's Adult Basic Education, 575-258-1730.

Apple/Mac updates to One-Click Digital e-audiobooks, virtual book clubs, local author Events, and Downton Abbey reads

2012-01-17T08:53:00.000-08:00

At last, One Click Digital has released instructions for Apple/Macintosh users. If you use an Apple or Mac to access the internet, please email me at jenniferstubbs at ruidoso hyphen nm dot gov, and I will reply with the directions as a pdf attachment. If you are looking for the instructions to begin using One Click Digital, they can be found in the column to the right under "e Audiobook How to." Just last week I tried downloading two books on my machine at home, without luck. But when I tried again the next day, both were just fine. Que sera sera, no?

If audiobooks aren't your thing, how about an online book club? Huffington Post has set up a site, along with a Twitter #tag if you prefer, for HuffPo editors and readers to share reactions to The Tiger's Wife. The site discussion has only covered the first 4 chapters, though the second part, chapters 5-8, should be up this week--or take the initiative and begin filling the comments yourself.

Online or virtual book clubs allow you to participate when it fits your schedule. My favorite aspect is how I can skip over comments that feel repetitive or non-productive, while focusing on those with insight from perspectives I missed. (Can you tell I have a patience problem?) If you have any comments on virtual book clubs (Have you tried one? Would you give it a try?), please add them to this post's comments.

If local, live events are your interest Ruidoso Public Library offers two this week. Wednesday, 2pm, Jamie Slack (a local author) will talk about the memoir process, especially from a drawing/visual perspective. She will also sign her book, Now Here's a Thought: A Playful Journal About Life.

Saturday at 11 am, Steven H. Havill (formerly a local English teacher) will discuss and sign his newest book in the Posadas County Mysteries, One Perfect Shot. (Portions of both sales benefit the Friends of the Library.)

Finally, if one hour of Downton Abbey leaves you craving more history and drama, the library has several title suggestions to help fill the six days between (just ask for Jennifer and let me know if you prefer fiction or fact).

Masterpiece Theatre, Tweeting at ENMU, and 2 events at the library

2012-01-10T08:41:00.000-08:00

Did you miss the season two opener of Downton Abbey Sunday night? Never fear! If you are just hearing about Downton Abbey, you can also catch all of season one. PBS's Masterpiece Theater is available to stream online. My sister told me about this show [we are fans of British humor and the cultural anthropology of Gosford Park (same writer/creator, Julian Fellowes)].

If you are more interested in the here and now, today at 5:30pm, ENMU-Ruidoso offers a community education class on Twitter.

If housing is an immediate concern, Ruidoso Public Library is the place to be tomorrow, January 10, 2-4 pm. Tierra Del Sol Housing Corp, out of Las Cruces, presents information on the USDA's Rural Development Housing program, which offer "502" loans to target low income individuals and households to purchase homes in rural areas. Whether you are the house-hunter or a lendor/realtor, please drop in. For more information on Tierra Del Sol and the USDA please call Sonia Jones-575-882-3554 or Jesus Lozoya, Jr- 575-541-0477.

Finally, meet me Friday to learn about the library's genealogical databases. At 10 am, I'll talk about Ancestry Library Edition, Heritage Quest (which you can use from home), and FamilySearch.org. If you haven't looked at your family history, feel free to drop in anyways, as this will introduce you to the how's, tools, and where-to-starts.

Happy Hundredth, New Mexico!

2012-01-03T10:04:00.000-08:00

To mark New Mexico's centennial anniversary of statehood,

Ruidoso Public Library presents Kay Sebring-Roberts Kuhlman, as a chautauqua of Marion Sloan Russell, who kept a diary of her journey on the Santa Fe Trail in the mid-nineteenth century.

This chautauqua has been so popular before, we offer two shows: Friday at 10 am and Saturday at 1pm, in the library's downstairs classroom.

If you are new to the chautauqua idea, here are some resources to learn about the history of the institution.

Looking for other ways to mark January 6th? The University of New Mexico has created an interactive timeline of the events leading up to New Mexico's official statehood.

A 12-page pamphlet of history; see it here

Year's end

2011-12-27T10:51:00.000-08:00

Image by Guerilla Futures Jason Tester

As 2011 wraps up, Ruidoso Public Library is open through Saturday, December 31, 2 pm. We are only closed next Monday, January 2.

Wednesday at 4pm, you have the opportunity to join me, Jennifer, for a seminar on how to manage your library account. That is, see when your books are due back, renew them from any computer (online) anywhere, or forestall an answering machine full of missed messages over your vacation by suspending your requested titles.

Ruidoso Public Library has many books for this time of year, whether planning new resolutions, seeking ideas for resolutions, or gathering new resources for sticking this resolution through to a new habit.

Available here

or, if you are like me and need to get out a few thank-you notes:

In the Library at 179.9 Kra

The Children's Department will have a movie Wednesday morning for Pre-School Story Time at 10:30 am.

And the big teaser for next week's post: Kay Sebring-Roberts Kuhlman--you may remember her very popular shows on Bess Truman, Dale Evans, or Eleanor Roosevelt. She will present a Chautauqua Friday, January 6 at 10 am and Saturday, January 7 at 1pm. Join us for Marion Sloan Russell's diary of her trip along the Santa Fe Trail.

*Edited 12/27, 5:45pm replaced Mabel Dodge Luhan with Dale Evans. My apologies.

The most commercial week of the year!

2011-12-20T09:07:00.000-08:00

In honor of the shopping frenzy besieging us this week, I offer two resources to help with some high tech shopping questions.

Image at Digital Trends

First, this link or this link provide a list of questions to consider before purchasing an e-reader. If you have, or might soon adopt a smart phone, there are (or will be) many apps to provide e-reader access on the major smartphones (Apple and Android). I shared the first list with my mom and she reports she had more questions afterwards, which is a good thing!

Some of RPL's titles (click to enlarge)

Second, I am hosting another e-audiobook session on Wednesday, Dec 21, at 4 pm. MP3 players (such as iPods) are a handy, last-minute gift that offers something new all year. After the initial purchase, the library can connect you with 3,000 professional, unabridged (even current!) novels, self-help books, and juvenile titles. This session includes a "tech petting zoo" to get a chance to hold these devices and the gadgets that help them play in the car or for a crowd. I strongly encourage you to try out the buttons (and especially the touch-screens if you have long nails!) to find one large enough to read and control on your own.

Open House and music all week

2011-12-13T08:58:00.000-08:00

photo by: Chris Runoff

Join us @ Ruidoso Public Library this Wednesday (tomorrow!) December 14, all day long for Open House.

The Friends of the Library are hosting hot drinks and cookies.

Photo by Brian Richardson

At 1pm, Polly E Chavez will share photos and the history of luminarias.

At 2pm, Michelle Caskey will lead a session of Laughter Yoga.

At 3:30 pm a flute-piano duet will play, followed by carol singing at 4 pm.

Join us Thursday at noon for a sing-a-long with Lincoln Winds and noon Friday for Lincoln County Corral.

Support local authors @your Library

2011-12-06T09:19:00.000-08:00

Click above for larger image

Saturday, Dec 10, 10 am til 2pm, Ruidoso Public Library will host 10 local authors with their latest books. These are on sale, available for autographs, and a Friend of the Library will provide gift-wrapping, too! Each author has agreed to make a donation to the Friends for each book sold. Try out the shop-local philosophy this year.

This is a big week, both in history and at the library. Wednesday, Dec 7, is the 70th anniversary of Pearl Harbor. People may choose to observe a moment of silence in memoriam.

Later on Wednesday, Dec 7, at 4pm, I, Jennifer, will sit down with up to 6 people to explore personal laptops. Please call (575 258-3704) to register for the class. There are a few spaces left!

Thursday, join us for "De-stress for the Holidays" also at 4pm. Learn how to cope with family, situations, and learn how to enjoy yourself.

Finally, Saturday is also Melvil Dewey's 160th birthday. This Dewey created one of the earliest systems for organizing information. Several systems have been adopted around the world over the past century, but many public libraries, such as Ruidoso's, still use the Dewey Decimal System for our non-fiction books.

Holiday Transition (updated 11am)

2011-11-29T09:24:00.000-08:00

We hope you had a stuffing and grateful weekend.

This afternoon I invite you to my short class on how to use our online self services, at 3pm. This is how you can renew your books from any computer on the 'Net, request popular books that are currently checked out, or save your requested book while you leave town for a few days or weeks.

My error: The Laughter Yoga is by Michelle Caskey in two weeks. If you haven't experienced Laughter Yoga, it is a treat. You don't have to take my word for it: try this article at Arthritis Today. Robbins and Martin present De-Stressing techniques and information.

Family get-togethers or holidays (especially after losing someone) benefit from "De-Stressing." This Saturday, join Kelly Robbins and James D Martin (of Presbyterian Healthcare Services' Heritage Program) at 10:30 am for "De-Stressing for the Holidays". This program is also available Thursday, Dec 8, at 4pm.

Tune in next week for more details about our Local Authorfest, Dec 10 (Shop local this year!) and our Friends of the Library's Open House on Dec 14.

The carpet is in!

2011-11-23T09:32:00.000-08:00

Ruidoso Public Library is open again until 6pm, today, Wednesday, Nov. 23rd. We are closed Thursday through Saturday, but open again Monday, regular hours.

The carpet took a little longer than planned to install. The Meet the PAC class will come around again next year. The repeat of the class on how to use our online self services, such as requesting a hold, renewing your checked out items, or suspending your holds during a trip, will be as scheduled, next Tuesday, Nov. 29th at 3pm*. Hope to see you there!

Here are some photos from the carpeting days:

*Edited for corrected time: 3pm.

Care 2 share your wreaths? Road safety info & Closed this weekend

2011-11-15T09:42:00.000-08:00

Twig Whispy Wreath

Sharon would like to offer our walls to display your wreaths.

Wine Cork Wreath with directions

The theme is "A Mountain Country Christmas" (no offense intended) and open to any homemade wreath.

Gerber Daisy Wreath

Feel free to call Sharon for details.

Tie Wreath by GoodHousekeeping

With weather starting to oscillate between sunny and otherwise, here are several websites and phone numbers to check before you travel:

http://splash.nmroads.com/ 5 different ways to learn about New Mexico road conditions

Road Advisory Hotline - 1-800-432-4269 (if you are already on the road, please pull over or have a passenger call)

Statewide Map at http://advanced.nmroads.com/ (if you have really fast internet access)

http://net.nmroads.com/ for a simpler map

Text only messages at http://net.nmroads.com/?Display=nomap (if you have a dial-up connection)

The NM Dept of Transportation also offers an RSS feed. When I tested it last week, my email filled with repeated messages, though they covered the whole state. It felt redundant to me, given access to the maps and text messages above.

Finally, Ruidoso Public Library will be closed Friday and Saturday, November 18th & 19th while we begin the process of replacing the carpet throughout the building. Please keep your fingers crossed that we don't have any injuries!

Emergency test and Veterans' Day

2011-11-08T08:30:00.000-08:00

If you haven't heard elsewhere, Wednesday at noon (2 PM Eastern), FEMA is testing the nation wide Emergency Alert System. It will be a slightly longer test than we usually hear on the radio or television and it will be on all stations at the same time. Please let your friends and family know so we don't flood the 911 phone lines.

Picture at Wikimedia Commons

The library will be closed on Friday, November 11, in honor of Veterans' Day. We will be open Saturday, November 12, 10 am to 2pm.

We have memoirs and books on the life of a soldier and military service at Ruidoso Public Library. Kari Dawn Kolander brought in her father's flag as part of the display. Please stop by and remember to thank a veteran this week.

The gentleman in the photo is Joseph Ambrose, an 86-year-old World War I veteran, when he attended the dedication day parade for the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in 1982. He is holding the flag that covered the casket of his son, who was killed in the Korean War (as noted at Wikimedia Commons).

Thank you, families, servicemen, and servicewomen.

Book groups, authors, and helping translate ancient writings

2011-11-01T08:48:00.000-07:00

Book Discussion Group meets tomorrow (Wednesday) at 10 am. If you haven't tried it yet, now's your chance! Bring in your favorite recent read to share.

Friday, at 10 am, hear the Stallings discuss Death in a Red Desert about murder in New Mexico. The book will also be available for purchase and signing.

In a separate vein, Oxford University requests your help in decoding papyri (many papyruses). You don't need to speak or read ancient Greek. The website offers a tutorial on how to participate.

Simply put, you look at the ink in the scanned image and compare them to the alphabet on the side of the screen. Then, using the mouse, select one letter and then select the letter it looks like in the onscreen keyboard. This is called "crowd-sourcing"--anyone can contribute. The power comes from many different eyes checking and verifying the information. If you are snowed in this winter, why not lend a hand across time and space?

Do you participate in any other crowd-sourcing or distributed computing? For example, my friend runs BOINC on his computer to help SETI@home. Thanks for any suggestions!

Happy Hallowe'en!

2011-10-25T10:34:00.000-07:00

This week is more than costumes and treats. Did you know the Very Large Array outside Socorro, NM, is looking for a new name? Anyone may suggest the name here.

Image by NRAO at http://www.vla.nrao.edu/images/tightcenter.small.jpg

The VLA is 27 huge satellite dishes--you've seen them in movies like Independence Day and Contact. Here's your chance to be a part of history!

At Ruidoso Public Library tomorrow (Wednesday) Pre-School Story Time invites you to dress up and create these Owl Treats. I wish I were in Pre-School again, those look so yummy!

Image from Canadian Family at http://www.canadianfamily.ca/2011/08/sweet-treat-oreo-owls-are-a-hoot/

Then, on Thursday, everyone is invited to dress up for a Thriller dance downstairs @ 3:30 pm. The dance routine may begin closer to 4 pm.

If you'd like to read a little horror to build the holiday ambience, try DailyLit.com's 50 Word Frights. Can you compose a spine-tingler in 50 words or less?

Friends Week at Ruidoso Public Library with our Friends group and greeting the new Director!

2011-10-18T09:36:00.000-07:00

To mark the close of Hispanic Heritage Month, check your cultural IQ with this quiz, brought to you through our online resource, Gale. This is where you can repair your car (Chilton's Manuals), identify weeds or mushrooms (e-Virtual Reference books), or learn a little about world cultures. I need to read up, as I only scored about 60% myself!

This week honors Friends of the Library groups across the nation. Please join their 501(c)3 (applications are at the circulation desk). These are the volunteers who make the year-round bookshop possible. They organize the Sponsor-a-Child program each Spring to fund Summer Reading Programs and prizes.

Ruidoso's Friends of the Library host an Open House each December. That may sound like a busy group, but they are open to any sort of support you have to offer.

Thursday, from 3:30-5:30 pm, the Friends are hosting a reception for our new director, Corey Bard.

Maybe you've already seen him around town? Please stop in if you have a chance to say, "Hi!"

Flu shots, 2nd chance at e-audio download class, & Alaskan Bush Pilots

2011-10-11T08:42:00.000-07:00

Wednesday, Oct 13, 8 am- 4pm flu shots, by the NM Dept of Health, are available at the Ruidoso Senior Center by Schoolhouse Park (on Sudderth by the Fire Station). Flu Clinics for the rest of the county are on

October 12, 2011 at these locations and times:

Carrizozo Senior Citizens Center
406 Central
Carrizozo, NM
9:00 AM to 10:30 AM

Capitan Schools Cummins Gym
154th Rd
Capitan, NM
11:30 AM to 1:00 PM

Hondo Valley Senior Center
10686 Hwy 380
Hondo, NM
3:00 PM to 4:00 PM

NMDH has an FAQ or call 1-866-681-5872 for their Nurse Hotline if you cannot make any of these clinics.

Flu IQ Widget.
Flash Player 9 is required.

Also Wednesday, @ 3pm @ Ruidoso Public Library, we offer another chance to look into our downloadable audiobook service. If you have a laptop, MP3 player, or iPod, bring them with you and you'll be off'n'running! If you don't yet, come anyway and meet people who have made the plunge.

Capt Mike in his charter plane

Finally, Friday @ 10 am, meet Capt. Mike Cory, a bush pilot from Alaska in the '70s and '80s. He's sharing photos from the air and stories of the Cold War's Pacific Front. His book, Yukon Kuskokwim Delta Whiteout Blues, is available for checkout in case you already have plans for Friday.

Thank you!

2011-10-04T09:49:00.000-07:00

Ruidoso Public Library is here because of you--your support and your involvement.

Image by Vernhart

Many of you are so kind when you visit, thanking us, the staff, for doing what we love to do. Whether this means finding a book, an online resource, learning how to use something, or connecting with a service, we are happy to help. Your commiserations after an awkward conversation and your compliments really help me (and all of us) keep smiling.

So I just wanted to share my gratitude with you as well! Thank you!

Here's a video, created by the American Library Association, with authors advocating for libraries. This may be 'preaching to the choir,' but it might come in as a handy resource to share with someone who isn't in touch with their library.

Video by the American Library Association

See you at the library!

It's here! One-Click Digital e-audiobooks

2011-09-27T08:54:00.000-07:00

Wednesday, from 3-5pm, meet Mark Haley, of Recorded Books, during our One-Click Digital Bonanza! We will have swag and demonstration videos, a tech-petting zoo (handle these new-fangled devices yourself), and a chance to meet people who enjoy audiobooks.

If you are already scheduled elsewhere for that time, here are the steps to setting up your own account (or skip to the bottom for the video links).

From Ruidoso Public Library's homepage, www.youseemore.com/ruidosopl, find the e-branch tab near the top right corner. Don't click that, but as your mouse moves over it, a drop-down menu appears. Select "e-audio downloads" (the second item).

This takes you to One-Click Digital's page for our library. In the top right corner, select "Create New Account". This will ask for your Ruidoso Public Library barcode number, among other questions.

You will need to install their Download Manager. You may do that now, or will be prompted to when you download your first audiobook title.

One-Click Digital is still in development, so this is not a panacea to our digital audiobook troubles of the summer. Their homepage has a button (on the right) that reads, "Our service is currently in a testing phase" and "Click here to comment." Please email them at support@oneclickdigital.com with screenshots and every step leading up to that situation. Remember to include your operating system, browser, and which type of mp3 player you were using.

I have had problems I reported to them. For example, I had to stop the install process and restart my computer because it hung up on the Microsoft .NET 4 framework. Upon restart, I could find the file in my browser downloads and continue the installation without further hitches. I also found that I had to log out of the Download Manager (DM) and log in again between downloading a book and transferring it to my player. I was told to change the preferences within the DM (top left menu, Global) to NO for "Automatically transfer to device."

I do not know when One-Click Digital will leave testing. Many online services exist in "perpetual beta," which is a nice way to say, they are responsive to any requests you have for improvements. We also carry MP3 formatted discs at Ruidoso Public Library. These can be saved to your computer to transfer to a player.

One-Click Digital has the steps and screenshots for creating an account and installing the DM at
http://ruidosonm.oneclickdigital.com/Help/Player%20Tutorial.aspx
and videos at
20-minute Tutorial http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5hQ5B9-65Yc
Windows 7 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dlvsVyrrUzI
Windows XP http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=th5QguOoSSE
Create New Account http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4cEOji_S95E

Please comment away below on your successes or questions. Thank you!

Recycling, Climate Change, & Peace Day in Lincoln County

2011-09-20T08:57:00.000-07:00

For those of you, who, like me, forgot that yesterday was Talk like a Pirate Day, no fear. There are many more events of note this week.

Here at Ruidoso Public Library, Sharon has two events this Thursday and Friday. Thursday is CarFree; if you have the luck of a sidewalk that connects you safely to work, school, or shopping, give a walk a try. Sharon invites you to attend an event at 2pm, here, when Robert Harper will talk about climate change. I just read Tim Flannery's The Weather Makers, (also available here) myself.

Friday at 10 am, local celebrity, J. Miller will demo the Kill-a-Watt devices you may check out for three weeks to make your own energy efficiency decisions.

September 21 is Peace Day with a walk for children around the Links.

photo by MarkHaertl on Flickr

And, best of all, Friday and Saturday: Ol' Tire Amnesty! If you have tires to dispose of, go to All American Park in the Downs. They also take old pots and pans, less than 17" across. For the latest information on waste and recycling in Lincoln County, check the Twitter feed at http://twitter.com/#!/Greentreeswa.

Meet UC--your chance to learn at your own pace

2011-09-13T09:48:00.000-07:00

Meet Universal Class (24/7 anywhere there's internet)

Tomorrow or next Wednesday

Learn how to

-take an online class (social networking)

-train your dog

-balance bank accounts

-medical terminology

-homeschooling lessons

-cooking

-computer skills

-spirituality

-classroom management

-GED preparation

and almost 500 other topics!

What's special about Universal Class this week is the two chances to learn about it yourself.

If this is all new to you, please call the library today (Tuesday for this week's webinar) and we can have a station ready for you to watch from Ruidoso Public Library, or feel free to click on either link below to register (you will need an email and password to receive a URL unique to you).

Wed, Sep 14, 2011 4:00 PM - 4:45 PM EDT

Wed, Oct 12, 2011 4:00 PM - 4:45 PM EDT

Photos by: Charley Lhasa, VectorPortal, lejoe,

An online educational resource: TED talks (part 2)

2011-09-06T09:08:00.000-07:00

If you haven't tried a TEDtalk yet, here's another hearty recommendation.

This one is Jeremy Gilley's history of starting a worldwide day of peace. It is about 15 minutes long, inspiring, and bittersweet. His peace day is coming up (every year) on September 21.

Join Andrea (of Common Ground) for a Peace Walk on September 21.

TED stands for Teaching, Education, and Design. The speakers share insights into artwork, science, history, technology, economics, activism, teaching/pedagogy, and many more disciplines.

If you are interested in hosting a discussion club at the library with TEDtalks to initiate discussion, we would be happy to work with you. Or, a TED group could be virtual! Ruidoso Public Library (and this blog) could help you create a wiki, email group, or blog of your own, where anyone interested (or by invitation only) could suggest a TEDtalk to watch and then write your comments, observations, or questions online. Virtual groups allow for the most flexibility in scheduling, save gas for driving to a meeting, and help people who can't get out feel involved.

Please email us (under the Contact Us tab on the homepage) or post your comments below if such a group appeals to you. Thanks!

Labor Day Weekend hours

2011-08-30T09:15:00.000-07:00

Ruidoso Public Library will be open regular hours

Friday (9-4) and Saturday (10-2) September 2 & 3.

We will close Monday, September 5 to observe Labor Day,

but will re-open Tuesday at 9am.

Have a safe weekend!

Keeping Safe online

2011-08-23T11:45:00.000-07:00

image by CarbonNYC, http://www.flickr.com/photos/carbonnyc/

Ever worried about your computer's and information's security online? This page covers many of the issues that affect your security online. The author describes many of the vulnerabilities hackers exploit, as well as suggesting software and browser plug-ins to improve your defenses.

Ruidoso Public Library offers several Dummies (R) and Complete Idiot's guides (R) on computing, from fixing your PC to learning your iPad. We also offer wi-fi (or wireless internet access, which includes downloads to your laptop or smart phone) and dozens of computers where you can type up a report or resume', browse the internet, or improve your computer skills at your own speed.

Find Ruidoso Public Library on your smart phone

2011-08-16T08:49:00.000-07:00

Ruidoso Public Library is in your pocket--well, it can be on your smart phone.

Anyone within ten (10) miles of Ruidoso Public Library will be connected to our databases (Chilton's automotive manuals, homework help, health, business, or legal information).

How?

For Android™			For iPhone®, iPod Touch®, iPad®

Find Access My Library, an app by Gale (or use the QR above). It is a free download. You may enter Ruidoso's zip code, 88345, if you are more than 10 miles away, to help your phone find us. AML has an iPhone version and an Android version.

Please visit Gale's glossy website for a video of what you will find on your phone:

http://www.gale.cengage.com/apps/aml/PublicLibrary/

New Website @ Ruidoso Public Library

2011-08-09T09:19:00.000-07:00

I hope you have had a chance to try out Ruidoso Public Library's upgraded online-catalog (search service). We are still located at youseemore.com/ruidosopl, only now we have added features to search for books. The library staff looks forward to answering any questions you have about the new system. This website is graphic-intensive, so it may take several moments to load on dial-up. For dial-up patrons, the classic search layout is still an option, just to the right of the search bar.

Our favorite part at the library is the "Book River" which is a rolling displays of book covers the librarians are currently highlighting. The titles will change with special events or other themes.

The results have a new layout. You can sort by:

format (DVD, audio, book),

age (adult, 10-14, 2-4, etc),

publication year (2011, 2009),

author,

and many more facets.

If you have a favorite author, please sign up to receive an email when a new title arrives. You can request it, too. You can save searches for later or browse book covers by genre (mystery, Christian, suspense, historical, etc).

This search can suggest alternate spellings for tricky words or names.

Ruidoso Public Library is social now, too. Feel free to tag your favorite story, or add tags to books you have read. This helps other searchers decide on a title. These tags could be “fudge recipe” or “training collies” for a novel that also includes such details.

The first page has added a graphic, Scout, to the right of the search bar. Scout looks like a dog and helps our youngest visitors find books through pictures of subjects, topics, or ideas. Scout organizes books by series and only displays books in the juvenile and young adult sections.

If you haven't had a chance to watch someone young use Scout, it is a delight! Please let us know your favorite new feature in the comments:

Amnesty all month @ Ruidoso Public Library

2011-08-02T12:04:00.000-07:00

Please tell your friends (or just chat about it in the check-out line): Ruidoso Public Library is offering amnesty for all late fines in August.

What does that mean?

We will waive all late fines on your account, just come in and ask. If you found that one book from three years ago, last spring, or whenever, bring it into the library and your account could be in good standing again for nothing! This program is all about welcoming past patrons whom we haven't seen in a while.

We want you back! We'd love to have forgotten books and DVDs back, too--no questions asked.

e-Audio headaches

2011-07-26T09:03:00.000-07:00

Ruidoso Public Library's e-audiobook provider, NetLibrary, terminated last Tuesday. EBSCO-host picked up the service, but Ruidoso Public Library will be switching to One-Click Audio by September. The audiobook titles you are used to are still available through our catalog; however, EBSCO-host requires that you "create an account" with them first. This should be possible from home, or feel free to visit the library in person.

From your home computer, visit youseemore.com/ruidosopl. Look for the e-branch tab on the far right, above the search bar. As your mouse moves on that tab, click the second row, "e-audio downloads."

This should redirect you to a page requesting your library barcode number. After entering that there, the next screen will have a 'sign in' option in the top right corner. Click there.

Now look for a "create a new account" option slightly lower in the top right. Enter a username, password, and security question/answer.

You will need to download EBSCO-hosts download manager before you may download an audiobook. The site guides you through the process. Over the weekend, I noticed the EBSCO-host site was not as easy to search, browse, or generally move around on.

This is only a stop-gap measure while we wait for One-Click Digital to come online. If you can wait until September to download your next audiobooks from One-Click Digital, that company will require their own username/password registration and download manager software installation.

This has been awkward, and I greatly appreciate your patience as we migrate our digital audiobook service.

Zoo to You, Violins & movies @ your Library this week

2011-07-19T08:38:00.000-07:00

On Wings of Song by Ardis Hood, Photo at ruidosochambermusic.com

Come visit the Chamber Music Festival's Painted Violins at Ruidoso Public Library July 20th-July 29th. This is a three dimensional exhibit: you will be able to walk around eight violins and see how these artists have decorated every surface. Even if you have already seen the violins this summer, you may see something new at the library. Ruidoso Public Library is the last location to see these violins this summer before their auction, July 30th. You may bid by phone or attend the auction without charge. For more information visit ruidosochambermusic.com.

Mountain Majesty by Anita Keegan; Photo at ruidosochambermusic.com

Also this week, Zoo to You is Tuesday at 10 am and 2 pm. Movies finish the week:

Alice in Wonderland at 10:30 am Wednesday for Preschool Story Time,

Beverly Hills Chihuahua II for 10-12 year olds at 10 am Thursday, and

Diary of a Wimpy Kid at 2pm Friday for 6-9 year olds.

Read Snow Flower and the Secret Fan before the movie release

2011-07-12T11:26:00.000-07:00

http://www.flickr.com/photos/beebe_library/3351651448/

Photo by Lucius Beebee Memorial Library

Lisa See's novel, Snow Flower and the Secret Fan, is now a movie (New Mexico release date: August 5th). Ruidoso Public Library has two copies. Kathryn Stockett's The Help, has been in high demand, too, with a release date of August 10th. The Help is available in audio, large print, and regular print.

Summer reading continues this week with a family movie about horses Tuesday at 2pm. Wednesday at 10:30, storytime explores fairytales from around the world and makes sombreros. Thursday at 2pm there are two events: Under 10 y.o.s can make origami and those over 10 y.o. are invited to Chinese calligraphy, like this:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/20745656@N00/
Photo by Alki1

Arm-Chair World Travel

2011-07-05T08:53:00.000-07:00

Wolf Ambassador visiting Ruidoso Public Library June 24th, Thanks, Sharon, for the photo!

This will be a busy week at Ruidoso Public Library.

Today at 2pm, join us for a family movie about cowboys and horses.

Tomorrow at 10:30 am, Preschool Story Time will explore birthday celebrations around the world.

And Thursday at 2pm you are invited to a martial arts demonstration.

This year's Summer Reading Programs, "One World, Many Stories;" "You are Here;" and "Novel Destinations" are all about revisiting places you have seen or sampling a new place you have yet to see. Please share your favorite title for arm-chair travel in the comments. (If there is a technical problem, please email me at jennifer dot stubbs at ruidoso dash nm dot gov) I tend to read fantasy and need help suggesting titles that have broader appeal.

Fashion Show @ your Library and 4th of July Hours

2011-06-27T13:45:00.000-07:00

This year’s Fashion Show

Tuesday and Thursday try out Dutch Dot Crafts as our Children’s Department introduces visitors to One World, Many Stories. Tuesday, the 28^th, from 2-3 pm for 6-9 year olds, and Thursday, the 30^th, 2-3 pm for 10-12 year olds.

Wednesday, from 10:30 am to noon, come see one of the highlights of Ruidoso Public Library’s Summer Reading Program: The Multicultural Stuffed Animal Fashion Show. We invite preschoolers and children up to 9 years old to dress up their own stuffed animal in a fashion from any culture around the world. If you wish to participate, please fill in an entry form at the Children’s Department as soon as possible.

The Library will be open regular hours Friday and Saturday, July 1^st and 2^nd. We will close for Monday, July 4^th, but reopen Tuesday at 9am.

Bellydancing Wolves?

2011-06-20T08:47:00.000-07:00

Photo by Angel Bennett of WSWS

Meet an ambassador wolf at Ruidoso Public Library this Friday! Leyton Cougar of Wild Spirit Wolf Sanctuary will introduce visitors to issues facing wolves raised in captivity. Wild Spirit Wolf Sanctuary focuses on educating the public about wolves and providing rescue and sanctuary to wolves and wolf-dogs. Seating will be for children first. These shows were packed for their visit in 2009, so come early.

Thursday, from 2-3pm, the Ruidoso Public Library will host a demonstration of belly dancing for 6-12 year olds. This is another installment in 2011's Summer Reading Program, One World, Many Stories.

Another Summer Reading Program activity going on is the Build an International Monument/Memorial Contest. Any age can participate. Build a model (not bigger than 2" across to fit on our shelf-tops) of any monument, memorial, or famous structure from around the world. Bring it in by June 30th. Then visit any time during July to vote for your favorite! Three winners will be selected for buildings and three more for monuments. Come see what our brilliant visitors have created: maybe you'll be inspired to make one, too!

Busy week for all ages

2011-06-14T10:00:00.000-07:00

image: (c) Rick Geary

Today, local graphic artist, Rick Geary, welcomes anyone interested in the graphic novel medium to discuss artwork, literacy, and advocacy at 2pm.

Wednesday morning, preschoolers are welcome to enjoy our Tea Party. Learn about a well known British tradition.

The Amazing Journey begins Thursday at 2pm. Visit a different country at each train station, from India to Belgium, and from Australia to Indonesia. Fill your passport with stamps for each destination.

All summer long, Ruidoso Public Library has displays for Novel Destinations for our grown-up readers, too: Around the World in 80 Murders.

Races at the Library today @ 2pm

2011-06-07T09:53:00.000-07:00

Photo by Morio

Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported

Sharon presents an IMAX film on Indy-style automotive racing. Watch the Andretti family while they develop their racers to achiever 230 MPH in a 50 minute show.

Not enough speed for you? We have books on racing (cars, horses, running, etc.) for you to check out, too.

Thursday begins "Build an International House/Monument/Structure” Contest from 2-3 pm. Three prizes will be awarded for best house and three prizes awarded for best monument. We will help you find ideas to start your project. You will have two weeks to build it before YOU vote on your favorite.

Free Museum Entrance for Military Families all summer

2011-05-31T11:42:00.000-07:00

Photo by Freefoto.com

Thanks to the Blue Star Museums program by the National Endowment for the Arts, state-run museums and historic monuments offer free admission to military members and military families, Memorial Day through Labor Day, 5 September.

The following museums are participating:
the Museum of International Folk Art,
Museum of Indian Arts & Culture,
New Mexico Museum of Art
the New Mexico History Museum/Palace of the Governors, all in Santa Fe;
the Museum of Natural History & Science
the National Hispanic Cultural Center, both in Albuquerque;
the New Mexico Museum of Space History in Alamogordo;
New Mexico Farm & Ranch Heritage Museum in Las Cruces;
and six historic monuments statewide – Jemez, Coronado, Lincoln, the Bosque Redondo Memorial at Fort Sumner, El Camino Real International Heritage Center and Fort Selden.

Thank you to the men and women who serve in all the branches of our military and to their families for their silent service, too.

Village version of County emergency notification

2011-05-24T13:51:00.000-07:00

Thank you, Flickr, for the image by: Leppre

The Village of Ruidoso has its own emergency notification system.

https://ruidoso.onthealert.com/

If you registered for the Lincoln County Alert (mentioned in the April 26th post) (http://lincolncountynm.net/), that only applies to County notifications.

The Village of Ruidoso asks residents, guests, visitors, and other interested parties to register at their site as well.

This is a database maintained by the Village of Ruidoso, so they are watching out for your privacy and your information's security.

If you are not online, Elaine Reynolds at the 541 Sudderth Fire Station, 575-257-4116, will register you from 1:30pm to 4pm Mondays through Fridays.

This is a system to help communicate evacuations, fire/flood emergencies, routes, etc.

Free music and speeches from The Library of Congress

2011-05-17T11:07:00.000-07:00

image by: the Library of Congress

After years of preparation, the Library of Congress has launched its National Jukebox.

www.loc.gov/jukebox/

This site offers you a chance to hear ragtime from 100 years ago--straight off the Internet.

You can download playlists of jazz and American classics.

If you are new to "downloads," "audio files," "formats," and "streaming," the Library has a help page.

Make it your home page to enjoy the full variety of their offerings.

N.B.: This Thursday's Mini-College cancelled.

Bidding our Library Director Farewell

2011-05-12T09:06:00.000-07:00

image by: Don Berquist

Today

from 4 pm to 5 pm

we invite you to join us as we bid

Beverly McFarland,

our library director of the past few years,

"Bon Voyage!"

Please bear with us through the next few months while the Village of Ruidoso hires our new library director.

Sign Language to Wildland Urban Interface ideas

2011-05-03T11:40:00.000-07:00

This is a busy week at Ruidoso Public Library.

Wednesday, May 4th, at Storytime (10 am), Pacasha Younger will introduce Baby Sign Language, followed by Stephanie Lott speaking about breastfeeding.

Thursday, May 5th, at 2pm, Eddie Saenz discusses how you can work with the Village of Ruidoso to improve your home's defense in case of fire. Firetrucks will also visit the library!

images care of Amazon.com

Fire Emergencies and TED talks

2011-04-26T14:00:00.000-07:00

Lincoln County's website includes a new link this week.

CodeRed allows the county to instantly contact (by phone, voice or text) all registered residents (part-time, too) based on where you live. The site's privacy policy mentions they do not sell your information.

Lincoln County is asking anyone with property in the area (especially those who live elsewhere part of the year) to sign up with your property's physical address and a phone or an email address. You don't have to create an account, nor a password (those are optional).

This way you can receive notice when an emergency requires evacuation or other action.

On a lighter note, May will see a mini-college of events at Ruidoso Public Library.

We kick off with an introduction to TED.com. TED talks focus on Technology, Education, and Design.

The organization seeks out the best speakers, presenters, and presentations on diverse topics.

Videos run from 15 minutes to over an hour, depending on the speaker, topic, or event.

Three of my favorites are Hans Rosling, Jane McGonigal, and Sugata Mitra. Do you have a favorite TED talk? Where did you hear about it?

Energy, Taxes, & Groups that meet @ the library

2011-04-18T13:51:00.000-07:00

Busy week and weekend ahead!

Tonight is the deadline to file your taxes, or request an extension.

Friday visit the Ruidoso Convention Center for the Lincoln County Renewable Energy Conference and Trade Show. That's April 22, 8am to 5pm, and it's free! Learn about job opportunities, green building, and energy efficiency.

Saturday is the Lincoln County Solar & Sustainability Tour, 10am-4pm. Visit businesses, houses, and gardens to see many sustainable activities, buildings, and appliances. Visit with locals and learn what has worked here!

Ruidoso Public Library has a conference room available for meetings of non-profit groups. Book clubs, condo associations, the Daughters of the American Revolution, & a mountain biking interest group have read our policy and filed requests to use our conference room. The room is available during regular hours. If you have an interested group, please ask a librarian during your next visit.

April = National Poetry Month

2011-04-11T10:13:00.000-07:00

Thursday is National Poem in Your Pocket Day. Poets.org has several ideas for incorporating a little poetry in your daily life, from texting to discounts.

Poetry can also be a spoken art form. The BBC asked actors, and even Prince Charles!, to record Robert Burns' poems for our enjoyment. A variety of poets and volunteers have recordings at The Favorite Poem Project, where you, too, can submit your own recording of your favorite poem.

The blog, Book Browse, has a variety of poetry anthologies that might catch your eye. Here at Ruidoso Public Library, we have several anthologies of classic poets, such as Emily Dickinson, Walt Whitman, and Maya Angelou. We also have a few newer works on Poetry Slams, or the intense books by Ellen Hopkins. Ms Hopkins is an author/adopted mother of a daughter who experimented with methamphetamines. The free form poetry in those books reflects the craziness of drugs and life.

Please share your favorite poems below. Mine: The Highwayman by Alfred Noyes

The conclusion to Clan of the Cave Bear!

2011-04-05T14:04:00.000-07:00

It's arrived.
No need to hold your breath any longer.

Image at forumgarden

Jean M Auel's final novel in the saga of Ayla is at Ruidoso Public Library! The Land of Painted Caves is ready for your hold request. Please use your library card number and PIN to add your hold to the system (from our homepage). If you do not have a PIN on your account, we'd love to add one to your account during your next, in-person visit.

Have you read Clan of the Cave Bears? The entire series? Now that the whole story is available, will you read it? Please share your favorite memory in the comments. I'll promise the next available copy to the first commenter.

Mine: The creation of soap. How serendipitous!

Free Classes through Ruidoso Public Library

2011-03-29T09:04:00.000-07:00

That's right: FREE
by

“I'm excited about Universal Class because it offers continuing education classes that are relevant for our whole community -- from learning more about a hobby, to improving job skills, to increasing knowledge. Universal Class will enrich our patron's lives,” said Beverly McFarland, Library Directoer at Ruidoso Public Library. “At a time when budgets are tight, this service is a way that we can offer hundreds of continuing education opportunities to our customers. In the first week, I was able to share the relevance of Universal Class courses at existing programs for homeschoolers, community businesses, and genealogists.”

Available through Ruidoso Public Library, Universal Class offers learners a unique online education experience. With real instructors guiding the learning, students enjoy a measurable learning experience that helps them master and document their educational goals. Other features include:

 Engaging video-based lessons

 Collaborative learning environment

 Graded lesson tests

 Certificates of achievement

 Continuing Education Units for selected courses

With a growing catalog of over 540 courses, Universal Class is committed to providing affordable and high quality online training.

Universal Class offers courses in Exercise and Fitness, Entrepreneurship, Arts and Music, Home and Garden Care, Cooking, Computers and Technology, Health and Medicine, Homeschooling, Job Assistance, Law and Legal, Parenting and Family, Pet and Animal Care, and more.

About Universal Class: Universal Class, Inc. [also known as UniversalClass™ or UniversalClass.com™] is an education technology company that provides online services to schools, corporations, organizations, educators, and students throughout the world. It aims to advance intellectual exchange in teaching, research, and service with its technology and belief that education should be affordable to all people of all cultures.

Look for it under the e-Branch tab on our homepage.

Spring!

2011-03-22T09:21:00.000-07:00

picture by J Stubbs

While it may not look it this morning, Spring arrived!

Ruidoso Public Library has books on container gardening, organic gardens, flowers and edible plants. If you are ready to try out your green thumb, we are ready to connect you with information.

Edward C Smith, whose Vegetable Gardener's Bible came out 10 years ago, released a new book on container gardening for your table: The Vegetable Gardener's Container Bible.

This is a shoulder season, when young plants may need protection against nighttime temperatures, and we have books describing cold frames, blankets, and other means of extending the growing season.

Please post a comment if you plan on gardening this year or if you are available to mentor new agriculturalists!

Chautauqua at Annual Friends of the Library Meeting

2011-03-15T08:46:00.000-07:00

Portrait of Mamie Eisenhower, 1971, National Archives

Kay Sebring-Roberts Kuhlmann will present a chautauqua program on Mamie Eisenhower, Monday, March 21, at noon, followed immediately by the annual meeting of the Friends of Ruidoso Public Library.

You may remember Kay Sebring-Roberts Kuhlmann from prior years, when she was Dale Evans and Bess Truman. These programs were very popular and filled to standing-room only! A chautauqua program is adult continuing education through lectures, performances, and other meetings.

The Friends of Ruidoso Public Library support our community through the bookstore at the library, Sponsor-A-Child for the Summer Reading Program, Books for Babies program, and sponsoring chautauquas and other adult programming. If you are interested in becoming a Friend of the library (either donating finances or time), please visit their information on the library's website at http://www.youseemore.com/ruidosopl/friends.asp. Chat with a librarian, a volunteer at the Friends shop (Monday through Friday, 10 am to 3 pm), email library@ruidoso-nm.gov, or leave a comment here :-)

Teen Tech Week 2011

2011-03-08T08:32:00.000-08:00

This Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, 4-5 pm: Teen Tech Week

TTW is an opportunity for Ruidoso Public Library to focus on Ruidoso's teens--mid-school, high-school, and home school.

The Wikipedia Logo is a registered trademark of the Wikimedia Foundation

Tuesday at 4 pm, Evan Stubbs presents Wikipedia--how to edit and create pages, such as a stub for Ruidoso Public Library.

Wednesday at 4 pm, Francie Bergener introduces animoto, glogster, and xtranormal--create stories and music videos of your favorite book or your own story, ready to share online. Check out Jennifer's animoto.

image by Black Glenn

Thursday at 4 pm, Tech Zoo: A chance to share your tech devices, see other gadgets, and connect with Ruidoso Public Library's online, downloadable audiobooks or other ebook formats.

Add a comment if we can expect to see you this week! Especially for Thursday's Pizza! Thanks!

We hope to see you at the library, so please: DNT TXT N DRV :-) If you don't believe this video, try your luck with this game.

March is Optimism Month!

2011-03-01T09:29:00.000-08:00

In light of March's designation as Optimism Month, I'd like to share some suggestions on how to get through these last few weeks of winter.

Set a goal. Then divide it into reasonable sections--that way you can celebrate each segment of accomplishment as well as the grand total.

For example: DailyLit.com wants to help you read the classics.

One gentleman accomplished a lifelong goal of reading Moby Dick by receiving a one-page section in his daily email for several years. I'm less ambitious, but fit Oscar Wilde's An Ideal Husband into the last dozen weekends.

DailyLit offers books in a few foreign languages, if you like to keep up your skill.

They also have offerings in mathematics and other school subjects, if you like self-study or are homeschooling.

This is a free service.

You may select how many pages are sent in each installment, how often you receive the installments, and which email or device you want to gather them.

Image by:Frank

Separately: Get sunshine. Exposing your eyes and your long bones (arms, legs) (not directly, of course) changes the quantity of melatonin your body produces, which affects your mood. So if it's sunny out, grab 10 minutes of warmth :-).

And a teaser for next week: Teen Tech Week events on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday from 4-5pm for mid and high schoolers!

Tres Artistas @ the Village of Ruidoso Public Library

2011-02-22T08:36:00.000-08:00

Pacific Coast at Monterey Penninsula by Anita Keegan

Today I am thrilled to share a guest post by Anita Keegan.

The artwork of Tres Artistas -- three local artists Barbara Bush, Anita Keegan and Suzy Goza --is featured through the end of April at the Ruidoso Public Library. The three artists’ interest in plein aire painting united them and created a firm bond not only as artists, but as friends and nature lovers.

San Pascual by Barbara Bush

En Plein Aire (French for “in the open air”) painting is a process in which the painting is done outside and on site. Ideally, 80% of the painting should be completed on the scene. The Impressionist artists made the practice popular in the late 1800’s and it remains popular today.

New Mexico is the perfect place to practice plein aire: big vistas, clean air and dramatic skies offer interesting subject matter and plenty of challenges. A successful plein aire piece not only relates the visual image to the audience, it emotes mood, weather, and allows for individual artistic interpretation — much more than a camera lens provides.

For the Tres Artistas, plein aire is just plain fun! Starting the day earlier in order to take advantage of interesting light, discovering a new location, and getting caught in summer storms are all part of the adventure. Good days are not only about the successes – or failures – that are created. For the artists, good days mean sharing the spirit of painting and learning from each other.

Oak Grove at Three Rivers by Suzy Goza

The Tres Artistas show also features studio pieces. Although the artists’ styles differ dramatically, their interest in plein aire and influence on each other binds the show together. Stop by the library before the end of April to see the wonderful art of these three artists.

Tax Instructions Have Arrived!!!!!! Closed Monday, February 21

2011-02-15T08:36:00.000-08:00

The instructions for the 1040 arrived! All the forms and instructions we have received are in the front foyer, opposite the free materials shelves. State and federal information is in. We have one reference book on this year's taxes, and a few legal guides with more general information at the library.

AARP is assisting qualified filers at the Senior Center at School House Park on Sudderth, 257-4565. Find them there Thursdays and Fridays 1-4pm and Saturdays 9am-noon, through April 16th.

NO AGE or INCOME LIMITS

Self-employed individuals are welcome.

Be sure to bring the following:
Photo ID(s)
Social Security Card(s)
Self-employed--all your expense/income documents
W-2(s)
any 1099 forms you've received
Statements for Social Security, Unemployment benefits, Gambling, & pensions
Child care, college, or training expenses
Medical expenses
Charitable donation receipts
Mortgage interest and Property tax documents
a blank check to route your return through Direct Deposit (generally 8-10 days, no fees!)
your 2009 tax return!

Complex tax returns and small businesses with employees or depreciation are not possible through this program.

For questions with your taxes call the IRS --they are open 7am to 10pm local time--so call early or late to avoid a jam.

Telephone Assistance for Individuals:
Toll-Free, 1-800-829-1040
.

Telephone Assistance for Businesses:
Toll-Free, 1-800-829-4933
.

Telephone Assistance for Exempt Organizations, Retirement Plan Administrators, and Government Entities:
Toll-Free, 1-877-829-5500
Hours of Operation: Monday – Friday, 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. Central Time.

Telephone Assistance for people with hearing impairments:
Toll-Free 1-800-829-4059 (TDD)
For further information, see Tax Topic 102

Telephone Assistance for Individuals who believe they may be a victim of Identify Theft: No Tax Administration Impact - Did not receive a notice from the IRS. Toll-Free 1-800-908-4490 (Automated and live assistance)
Hours of Operation: Monday – Friday, 8:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m. your local time

The Ruidoso Public Library will be closed Monday, February 21, in observance of Presidents' Day. See you Saturday or Tuesday!

Meet your Laptop

2011-02-09T08:23:00.000-08:00

Are you confounded by your laptop?

Why does it not do the things your desktop computer does?

Bring yours to Ruidoso Public Library Thursday, February 10^th, at 10am for “Navigate your Laptop.”

Jennifer Stubbs will discuss keyboard shortcuts, wireless security measures, and devices to ease typing and mousing.

Thinking of buying a laptop? Maybe another attendee will care to share experiences.

This is not a basics of computing class.

Please call 258-3704 to reserve a space.

Curious about e-readers for e-books?

2011-02-01T09:54:00.000-08:00

Nook, Kindle, Kobo, Literati?

Image by Steven W

These and many more are e-readers. These devices display ebooks for reading. Some are wireless, like a smartphone, others require a computer to find and save new titles. Here are several resources that explain these in more detail. Several of these devices can enlarge the text or read the text aloud to enable everyone's access.

First, Wikipedia has an ENORMOUS spreadsheet of nearly all the devices currently available. The columns indicate which devices will work with free books (from some libraries), which have color screens, touch screens, etc.

Second, who needs all that information? This poster lists the dozen or so devices (including computers, laptops, and smartphones) that are already tested with one library e-book system. Ruidoso Public Library is not a part of Overdrive, but the materials will probably carry over.

Third, Bookbee.net created a very clear, concise flowchart on which device you may prefer (based on your existing computer and goals).

Fourth, Tompkins Cortland Community College Library has posted some basic directions on how to use a Nook.

Image by Attila Acs

Fifth, Wired.com shared some designs for e-reader covers--in case you aren't ready to be seen in public as an e-reader user.

And finally, this post by the Electronic Frontier Foundation, is an introduction to some of the privacy and property rights concerns of these new devices.

Some closing thoughts: Ruidoso Public Library can connect you with free e-books from The Gutenberg Project. Our Netlibrary service has books you may read online only (not yet ready to transfer to a device). Kindles cannot access library e-books at present.

What do you think? Do you already have one? Which looks best to you now? I've got a bright orange lanyard for the first three to post comments!

What to read next? Pushing boundaries?

2011-01-25T08:23:00.000-08:00

Waiting for your author to release this year's title? Exhausted by the same ol' same ol'?

These sites are designed to introduce you to something new or someone similar.

And you may always ask any staff at the library for a suggestion. I made need some time and I may badger you with several questions first, but that is one of my favorite facets of my job!

The first is RA for All(RA is Reader's Advisory--answering "What do I read next?"). This is a specific post on Charlaine Harris, but the right column includes links to other authors, a search bar, and several blog suggestions for further recommendations.

The second is Stop, You're Killing Me!, which specializes in murder mystery read-a-likes.

The third is Shelf Renewal, which focuses on books from a year or more ago. These are titles you may have been too busy for when new, or didn't quite understand the hype, or just weren't ready for at that time your life. This blog's right column lists by genre as well.

The fourth is Berwyn (IL) Public Library's page on a long list of authors and suggested other authors. Look here if you have read all of Author X and need a new field.

Finally, Murderati is a blog including posts from many murder-mystery authors.

Where do you go for book recommendations? Any I should add here? Please share in the comments or when you next visit Ruidoso Public Library.

Meet Kari Dawn

2011-01-18T13:31:00.000-08:00

Introducing Kari Dawn, Circulation Librarian

Photo by Jennifer Stubbs

Hi! Kari Dawn Kolander here! I am the newest member of the Ruidoso Public Library family. So, who am I and what makes me tick? Life and all its blessings of course! Daddy was in the Air Force, so our family, mom, brother (Kevin) and I got to travel quite a bit. Born in Michigan, we headed down south to Texas, then to Germany, with our final destination in California, smack dab in the middle of wine country! In my late teens, after a time in retail sales, I became the manager of a Sprouse Reitz store in southern California, growing up terribly fast as Los Angeles life was a huge change from the country life I had left in the San Joaquin Valley. Years later, I returned home, driving taxi, managing the Greyhound station, and being a courier for Bank of America. My schedule sent me to Yosemite once a day. It was beautiful!

I began my college career at 35, wondering why those young whippersnappers even bothered getting out of bed. They didn’t seem to care. I, on the other hand, absorbed the knowledge gained like a sponge, taking on the challenge of “education” as my choice of degrees, with a focus in MATH. Yikes! Like most people, I treated math like the plague! Yet through my research, obtaining my Bachelor of Science and a test away from my Masters, I began to understand students and their fears of math. I tutored college classes, wrote on math fears, and even taught beginning algebra. The tricks? Find out what triggered the fears and tackle them AND treat math as a puzzle, one where the picture is not available, yet knowing, in the long run, all the pieces WOULD fit together. Although each journey could be different, the end result, if obtained properly, would ultimately be the same. Kinda like life! Hmmm.

My talents have now brought me to the Ruidoso Public Library. Being a child at heart, I felt right at home when I worked part-time in the children’s department for the summer reading program. Now I have moved upstairs, meeting, greeting, and assisting everyone – full time. I love my job!

Fun stuffs? I love ol’ west history and dress up for Lincoln Days and Fort Stanton Live – just for fun. I like playing with kitty cats, cooking, watching old movies, listening to good ol’ country music, making denim quilts, singing, being creative, camping, and just in general, positively enjoying life and all it has to offer. Thank you Lord! So, this all being said, see ya at the library!

Closed Monday, January 17th, to observe Dr Martin Luther King, Jr

2011-01-13T11:36:00.000-08:00

Ruidoso Public Library will observe Dr Martin Luther King, Jr. on Monday, January 17th. We are open 10am-2pm Saturday, January 15th, and will re-open Tuesday, January 18th, at 9 am.

Tax forms have not yet arrived. We will announce when they are available. They will display in the front foyer, opposite the free shelf.

eAudio Class Wednesday 2pm

2011-01-11T08:16:00.000-08:00

image by Black Glenn

2pm, Wednesday, January 12th: eAudio Information

If you haven't heard in the paper or while visiting the library, Jennifer hosts a chance for you to explore digital media. Check out a "tech petting zoo"--see what the gadgets look like, hold one in your hand, and meet other people interested in plunging into the 21st century.

If you have been testing our NetLibrary resource, but still have a question, please drop in to ask!

Jennifer looks forward to seeing you at the Ruidoso Public Library to set up your NetLibrary account. :-)

New Year, New People

2011-01-04T09:18:00.000-08:00

2011 has brought a few changes to Ruidoso Public Library. Many of us have new duties (such as I, Jennifer, on the blog) and we have a new lady to meet, Kari Dawn (her interview will follow in two weeks).

Hi, my name is Jennifer Stubbs. I work at Ruidoso Public Library (and have for 20 months), but have just
started blogging. I followed my younger sister's footsteps into library work. She also introduced me to graphic novels, but is much more avid about them. I graduated from New Mexico State University (Las Cruces) where I marched sousaphone in the Pride Band. Since then I worked in Boston and Germany.

If you have a research project, please find one of us at the library--the more lead time you give us, the better able we are to show you what resources we have or can bring in. My favorite is our online database of research journals--including Chilton's automotive manuals and Point-Counterpoint--some of which you can listen to instead of read!

Happy New Year's!

2010-12-27T09:56:00.000-08:00

image by Rones http://rones.su/

The Ruidoso Public Library is open through Thursday, December 30th. We are closed Friday and Saturday, December 31st and January 1st. We re-open Monday, January 3rd.

We would love to see you if you are looking for information on resolutions, how to start or keep them--just ask us!

Holiday Closing

2010-12-21T08:52:00.000-08:00

Enjoy time with family and warmth at home

Ruidoso Public Library will be closed December 23-25, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. We will be open Monday at 9am.

We will be open until 6pm on Wednesday, December 22.

Image by gustavorezende.

2010 Open House

2010-12-14T09:03:00.000-08:00

Open House at Ruidoso Public Library, December 15^th

^{Why visit the public library? Visit us all day long December 15^th to explore our wide variety of services. Ruidoso Public Library is hosting an Open House from 10am to 4pm on Wednesday, December 15^th.}

Preschool Storytime will be The 3 Gingerbread Cowgirls & the Gingerbread Cookie Monster, at 10:30 am, followed by a Gingerbread Brunch. Rice and Kinnan will play sing-a-longs from noon to 1:30. Lincoln County Winds will perform holiday music at 3pm. Join in the community spirit with a wiki-wall greeting card for all while sipping warm beverages and sweet snacks.

You may sample our internet access, magazines, genealogy databases, audiobooks, Adult Basic Education materials, and obituary search assistance. Games, a gingerbread house contest, crafts, and more audiobooks will be on display downstairs in our Children’s Department. We will have tours, every hour and half-hour, throughout the day for you to meet our staff and ask questions. Looking for homeschooling resources? Have a research paper next semester? This would be a great opportunity to visit with our library staff and learn how we can help you.

If you are asking Santa for a digital media player (MP3 or iPod), stop by to set up a NetLibrary account so you can fill it up with audiobooks Christmas morning. Peruse our DVD and VHS movie collections to fill these long winter nights.

A well-known story in a less well-known format

2010-12-07T11:12:00.000-08:00

Fight Club

by Chuck Palahniuk, read by Jim Colby available through NetLibrary

Technically, I’m not breaking rule #1, because I’m talking about an audio experience, not the club, right? J This book is about 5 ½ hours long. That’s no longer than watching the movie twice (once with commentary). And who hasn’t done that? But hearing the author’s words adds more depth and texture to several of the characters. Plus, you have the insight (if this isn’t your first Fight Club) to look for those clues about, “Who is Tyler Durdan?” If you’ve never heard much about Fight Club, this book is a commentary on “a generation of boys raised by women.” The lead character’s father was a rare influence in his life, and he feels, in the life of many characters in the book. Fight Club looks at what makes humanity and how to feel alive, rather than merely running with the crowd.

The audiobook experience can be more intense for some listeners. Afterall, when reading violent scenes or vulgar language, we can skim or rephrase; but when the words are spoken aloud, it is different.

Book Review: Dental Floss for the Mind

2010-11-30T08:45:00.000-08:00

Dental floss for the mind : a complete program for boosting your brain power / Michel Noir and Bernard Croisile.

153. 076 Noi

Ever feel like you’re not as sharp as you once were? This book may, at first, confirm the feeling, but with steady exercise, you’ll get your brain back in shape. Dental Floss includes logic puzzles, memory challenges, visual experiments, vocabulary contests, and many others. You can keep score based on how quickly and how accurately you answer each element. Some puzzles can be read aloud, others need to be seen. You can follow a map that hops throughout the book, gaining a variety of challenges, or stay within a certain type of trial to build that skill set. I found this a very enjoyable way to spend thirty minutes to an hour in the evening. It might even be fun at a party, with teams! Several of the contests could even be fun for kids and young adults—a cross-generational option for holiday soirrees.

Thanksgiving Closure

2010-11-24T13:32:00.000-08:00

The Ruidoso Public Library will be closed Thursday, Friday, and Saturday for Thanksgiving. We will re-open Monday, Nov 29th, at 9am. If you already have your NetLibrary account you can still log-in and checkout eAudiobooks 24-7. If your account already has a PIN on file, you can still access our newspaper, magazine, and genealogy databases, too. Please drop by to set these up before the Christmas closure. Have a Happy Thanksgiving and a safe trip!

TODAY!!!!

2010-11-04T10:33:00.000-07:00

Join us @ 2PM for a book signing and power point presentation for Touch the Sky, an aviation memoir by Sandi Browne.

See and hear the story of a woman airshow pilot and wing rider.
See preview of her story here.

Location: Ruidoso Public Library Children's Department in the classroom.

For more information contact Sharon Stewart @ sharonstewart@ruidoso-nm.gov

2010-11-01T16:21:00.000-07:00

1. Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins

2. City of Glass by Cassandra Clare

3. Heist Society by Ally Carter

4. Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater

5. Hush, Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick

6. Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl

7. Along for the Ride by Sarah Dessen

8. If I Stay by Gayle Forman

9. Fire by Kristin Cashore

10. Wintergirls by Laurie Halse Anderson

Teen Library

2010-10-26T16:03:00.000-07:00

To celebrate YASLA Teen Read Week "Books with Beat" - The Teen Library starts a contest October 17. Teens read a 200 + book (or listen to an audio) checked out from this library enter name in drawing for every book read up until Nov. 30. Win gift certificates!

Three prizes awarded on Dec 1 @ 4pm at a Pizza & Soda Party.

Be sure to check out all the fun activities happening in the Teen Department

Want to learn all about Wordle? The lovely Librarians in the Children's Department can show you how.

Children's Library

2010-10-18T14:07:00.000-07:00

Preschool Story Time

Wednesday mornings 10:30 am to 11:15 am.

Theme this month: Fall and Halloween

Dates: Oct 6, Oct 13, Oct 20 - Fall stories & craft Oct 27 - Halloween Movie.

School Field Trips continue with:

"Greet & Meet the Library Goddesses"

New library cards issued and a short tour of the library given. New materials & audio books will be discussed. Some of the Children's Department has been rearranged, so we will be familiarizing the students where to locate items in the library.

The Ascent of Money by Niall Ferguson

2010-10-13T15:20:00.000-07:00

Niall Ferguson makes a strong, compelling case for the development of money and banking as a catalyst for the advancement of civilization. Yet while some critics praised his clear, comprehensible writing, punctuated with anecdotes and historical details, others were nonplussed by his explanations and narrative detours. Several critics also bemoaned the book's choppy and uneven structure—an echo of the episodic, six-part television series it was meant to accompany.

Review by Jennifer Stubbs: The Ascent of Money presents the intriguing history of how each generation created more wealth than our great-grandparents had. Ferguson explores how Venetian merchants relied on religious differences to become the powerhouses of the Renaissance. He then walks through the Mississippi Company’s economic crash in 18th century France, modern Edinburgh’s loan sharks, and how women around the world have gone from “credit risks” (50 years ago) to the foundation of micro-credit. This book also presents chapters explaining the origins and faults of the sub-prime mortgage idea, conglomerate megabanks, and USA’s economic relationship with China. There was only one equation in the whole book, near the end. You don’t have to understand the math, because Ferguson explains the process and implications for the lay reader.

2010-10-12T14:26:00.000-07:00

Travel the World @ your Library

2010-10-11T14:15:00.000-07:00

Your ticket to another land

Destination, Departure

Date & Tour Guide:

For all tours: Gate # is Children’s Classroom at the Ruidoso Public Library.

Time of departure 2pm. Travel time: 1 & 1/2 hours.

October 6 (to 3:30) Amsterdam, Delft (Holland), Brussells, Paris, London

Travel with Judy Pekelsma, M.F.A, and her Art 293 class to explore the Art of Impressionists. The class toured museums, statues &drew/journaled everyday. See previews of Spain —Barcelona, Seville, Madrid & Bilboa — the art class trip this year. You may want to sign up!

October 20 New Zealand

Travel with Herb Brunnell through his stunning photos taken with an experienced eye + his passion for photography. Learn what Herb learned about this country and what he found out he should have learned while there.

November 3 Climb the Alps in Bavaria & Austria, from Garmisch to Zugspitze

Travel with Jennifer AW Stubbs, M.S., while she was working in Europe for the military & had the opportunity of a lifetime to explore many countries. Her Alps climb includes stunning vistas only hardy hikers have the opportunity to see.

November 17 Tour western Turkey - Troy, Istanbul, Ankara, Aegean Sea, Antalya

Travel with Paul Durham, M.A., retired educator from NM & CA Group discussion encouraged during presentation on current events & history. See King Midas Tomb & more.

Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater

2010-10-11T14:05:00.000-07:00

Grace, 17, loves the peace and tranquility of the woods behind her home. It is here during the cold winter months that she gets to see her wolf—the one with the yellow eyes. Grace is sure that he saved her from an attack by other wolves when she was nine. Over the ensuing years he has returned each season, watching her with those haunting eyes as if longing for something to happen. When a teen is killed by wolves, a hunting party decides to retaliate. Grace races through the woods and discovers a wounded boy shivering on her back porch. One look at his yellow eyes and she knows that this is her wolf in human form. Fate has finally brought Sam and Grace together, and as their love grows and intensifies, so does the reality of what awaits them. It is only a matter of time before the winter cold changes him back into a wolf, and this time he might stay that way forever.

Review by Sharon Stewart: I liked it. Not your typical teen vampire book – no, it’s werewolves – with a twist! I can see how teen girls would really like this book because of its portrayal of love. This is love like you want it to be, like you wish it really could be –then you hope you can find a dream man like this. I personally like Sam’s love for WORDS. To quote Grace after reading a Rilke poem Sam sent to her “… in my mouth, the shapes of the words became beautiful.” (p253) This book constantly focuses on using the senses we often ignore.

Touch the Sky by Sandi Browne

2010-10-06T14:51:00.000-07:00

Join us on Thursday, November 4th @ 2PM for a book signing and power point presentation for Touch the Sky, an aviation memoir by Sandi Browne.

See and hear the story of a woman airshow pilot and wing rider. See preview of her story here.

Location: Ruidoso Public Library
Downstains - Children's Department in the classroom.
For more imformation contact Sharon Stewart @ sharonstewart@ruidoso-nm.gov

Baby Signing Class At the Children's Department

2010-09-16T14:22:00.000-07:00

If interested in having a Baby Signing class at the Ruidoso Public Library - Please sign your name on the list, which is located at the Children's Department. If enough interested parents sign the list - We will contact the presenter to see if she would teach her wonderful class again!! So be sure to stop by and sign up.

For further questions please be sure to speak to one of our friendly Librians for more information.

Ruidoso Public Library
Children's Department
575-258-3704 X2004
Library@ruidoso-nm.gov

Book Blogger Appreciation Week Interviews

2010-09-14T13:54:00.000-07:00

Today is the day we post our interviews, and I am pleased to introduce Alex! She is a Librarian at Ottawa PL which is located in Canada. This was a fun, new experience for the RPL blog. I had a blast getting to know Alex as well as her Library.

My Interview by Alex has been posted for those interested.

Below you will find many Ottawa PL Websites, as well as Alex's personal "Only Connect" blog, which I am proud to say the RPL is now following.

Alex, I love my mountains and Winter is the best season here yet!

__________________________________________

What do you like about blogging?

I am really pleased that blogging has "forced" me to keep up with writing, on a regular basis. I wanted to be a writer from the age of 8 up to the end of my undergraduate degree. Although I became a librarian for many, many reasons (see below!) I confess I also had a momentary thought that I would be inspired as a librarian working around the great works of literature (and I might get spare time to write, too! How deluded was that?)

I also like the sense of community blogging encourages; it has been really great to hear from friends far and wide, and to make friends (here in Ottawa or in far-flung locations) because of something I have written on my blog.

Technology wise? Do you feel like your Library is ahead or right there with it?

I think we are trying very hard to stay "right there with it." I think in some ways we are ahead of the game, and in some ways we are on track. We were early adopters to Facebook and podcasting; we also experimented early on ith video, which we are now developing more. We also have an Emerging Technologies committee, which really creates a "think tank" environment, and demonstrates our commitment as a library to new technologies. Our Digital services team has had an epic year: new front-end catalogue (link: http://catalogue.biblioottawalibrary.ca/?locale=en-CA) (we are using BiblioCommons: http://www.bibliocommons.com/), a massive upgrade to our back-end ILS, and a new website (link: http://biblioottawalibrary.ca/en/main/overview). We've also started our staff blog, Off the jacket (link: http://biblioottawalibrary.ca/en/main/interest/read/suggest/blog), which includes readers' advisory and reference tips, as well as a blog for teens (link: http://biblioottawalibrary.ca/en/main/interest/teens).

Technology moves at a breakneck speed these days - we do our best to hold on and enjoy the ride!

How did you wind up a Librarian?

The short answer is, I grew up in a house of readers: a house filled with people who loved to play with language and had an open-ness and curiosity that fostered learning and emphasised the importance of knowledge. The long answer is here: http://ottawapubliclibrarian.blogspot.com/2010/07/library-roots-and-routes.html

What is your favorite book(s)? Which would you recommend?

It's possible I am biased towards my favourite books, so of course I would recommend all of them! As a good readers' advisor, though, I would have to include a caveat about what type of reader each book is appropriate for.

My all-time favourite books are A passage to India, by E. M. Forster, and White teeth, by Zadie Smith. Both of these focus heavily on questions about identity and friendship across cultural boundaries. The styles of the two novels are very different, though: beyond story line and frame, they have little in common for some readers: the tone and frame of the books are very different. Passage is a very modernist novel, caught in the Edwardian period of Victorian morals confronting social change. White teeth is decidedly post-colonial, and post-modern; the language, structure, and pacing of both books strongly reflects these differences. I love Passage because I love Forster's tone, and the novel breaks my heart; I love White teeth because there is so much in it I identify with, and I read it at a time when I needed its insights very much, .... and it also breaks my heart.

Honourable mentions would go to: Across the river and into the trees, buy Ernest Hemingway (bittersweet story about ageing), The robber bride by Margaret Atwood (how womens’ friendships can **** you up), and The history of Love by Nicole Krauss (love, loss, lies and a war).

I am curious myself, how many staff members are involved in blogging?

On our OPL staff blogs, we have a half-dozen regular bloggers, with a bunch of other semi-regular bloggers (of which I am one) floating around in the ether. Between my own blog, Only Connect, and several other blogging projects I am involved in (Digestive Librarian’s Digest - http://diglibdig.wordpress.com/ and The Activist Librarian - http://www.librarianactivist.org/), it is hard for me to find time to blog for work, even though I really enjoy it. Also, any "work blogging" I do is done on the Info desk at work, which makes it hard to concentrate. At least with Only Connect, I can blog in my pajamas.

Have you worked with HTML codes? If yes what is your experience with them?

Ah, HTML. My MLIS involved taking a web design course, in which we had to design a website using HTML. I spent hours (sometimes full days) sitting in our basement computer lab at the library school, at McGill, toiling away with <> brackets. The only thing that got me through those (sometimes up to 10 hour) marathons were Making Fiends cartoon breaks (link: http://makingfiends.com/). I am so glad I now know the basics of HTML coding, even if Java and some CSS is beyond me.

In short, my experience was horrifying at the time, but with a payoff in the end, I suppose.

Did you find "Blogger" difficult or easy to use?

I found it really easy to use, actually, although I now kind of wish I had gone with Wordpress, since I am using that for other project and find it has some features I really like.

When was the OPL blog born?

In early 2010 - our first post was written in January 2010 but we had a "soft launch."

My own blog, Only Connect (http://ottawapubliclibrarian.blogspot.com/), was born in January 2009 (http://ottawapubliclibrarian.blogspot.com/2009_01_01_archive.html) as part of a "23 things" course at OPL (see the original "23 things" course here: http://plcmcl2-things.blogspot.com/). When the course finished, I didn't have the heart to pull the blog on the little blog, and it's been with me ever since.

I was saying to a colleague recently that I never thought I would be a blogger, because I think I had this notion that blogging was like journaling, and I just couldn't deal with that. I have tried to find a balance of personal and professional on Only Connect; I need my privacy (this sometimes frustrates people in my personal life!) and am naturally really shy, but, given the chance to be more outgoing on my own terms, I seem to have found a kind of balance that (I hope) works for readers as well.

What advice would you give Libraries who are just starting to blog?

Have plenty of people committed to the project (and make sure these people have dedicated time in their regular schedule to blog). Write a lot of posts before launching, to have a few good things up there already for your launch and a steady stream of content for the first little while. Stay on a regular schedule: post every day if possible, or at least on a regular basis (3 times a week, weekly, etc.) Do a soft launch at first, and then promote heavily through traditional and 2.0 mediums as much as possible. Train your front-line staff to mention the blog to customers.

Again I will use your question, How did you come up with your blog's name?

I am really, really bad at coming up with titles. I tend to actually con other people into coming up with titles for my articles or other writings (mostly my mom). My blog started out as "An Ottawa Public Librarian," which was woefully uninspired and also created confusion about whether it was my blog or an "official" Ottawa Public Library blog (for a long time, I had a disclaimer on the site about this; now it is on my profile: http://www.blogger.com/profile/13267343586937882369). When I finished the 23 things workshop that this blog was born out of, I re-named it "Only Connect," but alas, that Blogspot address was already taken. The explanation of why I chose the phrase, "Only Connect," is here: http://ottawapubliclibrarian.blogspot.com/2009/03/new-title.html

Children's Department

2010-09-02T09:24:00.000-07:00

Preschool Story Time Resumes - Wednesday Mornings

10:30AM -- 11:15AM

Sep 1 - Western stories & craft

Sep 8 - Western stories & craft

Sep 15 - Western stories & crafts

Sep - 22 Western stories & craft

Set 29 - Western Interactive Day

Teen Library
Grades 6-12
Lots of new books for teens-come check one out!
stay tuned for some pretty cool upcoming programs.

Computer Basics Class -- New Time

2010-09-01T09:16:00.000-07:00

Whatever your level or experience, bring your questions and learn a new skill of your choice.

Why does that window pop up when i do______________?

Where did "mouse" come from? Does it carry Hantavirus?

How can I tell if a website is safe or trustworthy?

How can I create an email account?

How do i print?

Saturday, September 25th @ 9AM

Ruidoso Public Library.

* Seating is limited, So please call or email Jennifer Stubbs
(575) 258-3704 JenniferStubbs@ruidoso-nm.gov

Travel the world @ your Library

2010-09-01T08:37:00.000-07:00

Places to be visited this Fall:

Amsterdam/France with ENMU art class and Judy Pekelsma,

New Zealand with Herb Brunell,

Turkey with Paul Durham,

and the Alps with Jennifer Stubbs.

Watch your email to learn when the programs will be happening! Want to be on the Programs email list? Sead and email to Sharonstewart@ruidoso-nm.gov

Art In Public Places

Travel the World through Art @ the Library

Come in and enjoy the wonderful Art from some splendid Local Artists.

Dodging the toxic bullet by David R. Boyd. 615. 9 Boy

2010-08-24T15:23:00.000-07:00

Highly favorable reviews on the cover by the likes of Andrew Weil and Bruce Lourie set my hopes high. Boyd is not as diligent in footnoting or citation as Lourie (in Slow Death by Rubber Duck), but he examines a wider variety of environmental exposures. A chapter focuses on each of the following: outdoor air, indoor air, water, food, consumer goods, and advocacy. Boyd does not detail how each chemical may interact with your body, but each chapter lists general action points to feel better about. Dodging the Toxic Bullet is an accumulation of the information in Marion Nestle’s Food Matters, Michael Pollan’s Omnivore’s Dilemma, and Bruce Lourie’s Slow Death by Rubber Duck, among many others. I preferred the originals myself.

Happenings at the Children's Department

2010-08-24T15:02:00.000-07:00

Preschool Programming resumes

Septermber 1 at 10:30am

Field Trips to the Library will resume this fall. The theme for September & October field trips will be “Greet and Meet the Library Goddesses.” We will issue library cards to students that have filled out there library card applications in advance, give a short tour of the library, and introduce some of our new materials. Field trips will be offered on Tuesday mornings from 9:30-11:30 and Thursday afternoons from 1:00-3:00. Book your field trips early. Our field trips will start on Sept. 7th after the Labor Day weekend. We will work to make your trip to the library age or grade level appropriate and an enjoyable experience.
Remember having fun isn't hard, When you got a Library card.

For more information please contact Cheryl Volosin @ (575) 258-3704 X 2004

Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater

2010-08-24T09:24:00.000-07:00

I guess you can say I got into novels about mythical creatures and your typical love story. I'm glad I finally got my hands on this one. It has your mysterious dark yet handsome boy and your shy-don’t-fit-in type a girl. During the cold winter months Grace gets to see her wolf the one with the yellow eyes. Grace is almost positive that he was the one who saved her when she was attacked by other wolves at the age of nine. Over the years during winter time her yellow eyed wolf returns to her, watching her every move as if waiting for something to happen. When a teenage boy gets killed by the wolves, a hunting party decides to take over. As Grace races back to her house she finds a boy shivering on her back porch. One look at his yellow eyes and she knows this is her wolf in human form. Fate finally brings Sam and Grace together and their love grows strong, But it is only a matter of time before the cold winter weather changes Sam into a wolf forever.

What Mythical Creature Are You?

find out http://www.gotoquiz.com/what_mythical_creature_are_you_8

The highly sensitive child By Elaine N. Aron 649.1 Aro

2010-08-20T13:21:00.000-07:00

A highly sensitive child is one of the fifteen to twenty percent of children born with a nervous system that is highly aware and quick to react to everything. This makes them quick to grasp subtle changes, prefer to reflect deeply before acting, and generally behave conscientiously. They are also easily overwhelmed by high levels of stimulation, sudden changes, and the emotional distress of others. Because children are a blend of a number of temperament traits, some HSCs are fairly difficult--active, emotionally intense, demanding, and persistent--while others are calm, turned inward, and almost too easy to raise except when they are expected to join a group of children they do not know. But outspoken and fussy or reserved and obedient, all HSCs are sensitive to their emotional and physical environment.

Review by Jennifer Stubbs: I’ve been told I have a thin skin and I take things too personally, so I tried this one out, and found several ideas to try out. This book explored a more accurate understanding of people often labeled “shy” or inhibited. Real life stories of situations help you diagnose yourself or your child, then each chapter ends with a list of steps to improve how you can cope with a loud, boisterous world. She focuses on making quiet time, space, and accepting non-activity as “resetting” tools for sensitive personalities. The doctor explains several different types of sensitivity, beyond temperament or personality, and encourages the reader that you can still lead a full and normal life at your own pace and volume.

Adult Programs continue...

2010-08-19T09:07:00.000-07:00

MOVIE mania continues every Wednesday

Showing "Coral Reef Adventure"

Wednesday, August 25 @ 2PM

Downstairs Classroom.

Showing "Mystery of the Nile"

Wednesesday, September 1 @ 2PM

Downstairs classroom

MAUS by Art Spiegelman 741.5 Spi

2010-08-13T11:06:00.000-07:00

This is a powerful work. The tale of a young man's painful relationship with his father is elegantly interwoven with the father's recollection of life as a Jew in Nazi-occupied Poland. Spiegelman's skill and honesty make this a raw, gut-wrenching read, though the tale is somehow ultimately uplifting.

Review by Jennifer Stubbs: Will Eisner coined the term “sequential art” to describe this type of work. Graphic Novels are a visual medium for any genre of writing. They are not necessarily children’s books—for example, MAUS. This is a novelization/biography of the author’s father, a survivor of Auschwitz. Told in black & white pen drawings, the story illustrates many of the events before and during WWII. If you know a high school or college student that has trouble reading about the Holocaust, MAUS might be a very useful alternative. I found the accents from New York stuck in my head.

Digital Audio Books @ your Library

2010-08-13T10:55:00.000-07:00

RUIDOSO PUBLIC LIBRARY WRITES NEW CHAPTER IN CONVENIENCE, OFFERS PRE-LOADED PLAYAWAY® DIGITAL AUDIO BOOKS TO PATRONS

Half the size of a deck of cards, Playaway is the simplest and best way to listen to a book on the go and – with no tapes or CDs - can hold up to eighty hours of HD Audio content on each unit. With every title recorded in HD Audio, Playaway’s audio quality is unsurpassed. Using clearly marked buttons, Playaway gives listeners the ability to move back and forth within or between chapters and alter the speed of a narrator’s voice. It even has an automatic bookmark feature that remembers where you left off. Additionally, Playaway has a universal headphone jack that works with almost any type of headphone or mobility accessory.

“Playaway’s simple functionality and immediate usability separate it from other audio book formats,” said Beverly McFarland, library director. “With Playaway, our patrons can enjoy best-selling content with first-rate digital audio.”

There are many titles on Playaway, including many selections for children, language learning programs, bestselling adult fiction, and classics. As the Playaway format is friendly for listeners of all ages, every patron can enjoy the new format. The Ruidoso Public Library collection includes:
Tishomingo Blues by Elmore Leonard
Black Money by Ross MacDonald
Over the Northern Border by Max Brand
Even by Andrew Grant
The Zimmerman Telegram by Elizabeth Tuchman
Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte
“With Playaway, we set out to create a product that was portable, technologically simple and easy to use, and it’s been a perfect fit for libraries,” said Caroline Barni, Director of Marketing + PR, Findaway World. “In fact, 99% of our current library customers would recommend Playaway to another library. We are excited to have provided such a welcome audio format for this important channel.”

For more information about Playaway at Ruidoso Public Library, please contact Jennifer Stubbs, 575-258-3704, or visit www.youseemore.com/RuidosoPL. Ruidoso Public Library is a department of the Village of Ruidoso. We are located at 107 Kansas City Road, behind Village Hall, off Cree Meadows Road. We are open Mondays-Thursdays 9am to 6pm, Fridays 9am to 4pm, and Saturdays 10am to 2pm. Please subscribe to our blog at http://ruidosopubliclibrary.blogspot.com/.

About the Playaway Format
Playaway is the simplest way to listen to digital content on the go. It comes with the HD Audio content already pre-loaded on it and a battery to make it play. Simply plug in earbuds and enjoy. Each Playaway weighs only two ounces and has a universal jack.

Playaway is Made Possible by Findaway World
Findaway World, a privately held company based in Cleveland, Ohio, is dedicated to delivering simple and immediate access to content consumers want or need. Their latest product, Playaway, is the first digital audio player of its kind, coming pre-loaded with premier content from leading publishers, authors, record labels, and artists. Learn more about the company and the product at www.playaway.com.

Ruidoso Public Library
107 Kansas City Road
Ruidoso, NM 88345
(575) 258-3704
Library@ruidoso-nm.gov

Slow Death by Rubber Duck: by Rick Smith and Bruce Lourie

2010-08-13T09:19:00.000-07:00

Toxins are a common and widespread problem that is even more inconvenient and has even more personal impact than global warming. The topic leaves most people feeling a mix of overwhelm, anger and hopelessness. But as you may have guessed from the title, "Slow Death by Rubber Duck: The Secret Danger of Everyday Things" takes a different approach.

Review by Jennifer Stubbs: These gentlemen work for lobbies which are pro-environment/safety. They planned an experiment on themselves to measure their bodies’ levels of various chemicals before, during, and after limiting exposure and then trying “normal” exposure to typical consumer goods. The book looks at phthalates, bisphenol-A (BPA), mercury, and brominated flame-retardants. Specifically, what each may do, and how pervasive they all are in every item you probably use or travel near every day. The authors include several scientists who began in non-environmental fields but had to research these chemicals because their prevalence interfered with normal lab tests. While the conclusion lists steps to lower exposure and tries to encourage the reader that any step helps and don’t worry about not reaching 100%, I did not find myself either motivated or reassured. I’m kinda freaked out.

Water your mind - Read @ the Library

2010-08-02T14:20:00.000-07:00

The adult summer reading program “Water Your Mind – READ” at the Village of Ruidoso Public Library

continues through the month of August. This summer we have been discussing water in the high desert mountains and learning about the importance of water, as well as enjoying movies with water topics.

Please join us on Wednesdays at 2pm for the following programs at the Library:

August 4 @ – Rain Water Collection and Grey Water / Black Water Systems: Using Used Water presented by James Miller. Learn about rainfall harvesting and review the New Mexico laws on grey water and black water. Bring the questions you have on setting up your own system at home.

August 11 – Movie “Living Sea” (40 min.) takes you to the world's oceans, traveling to Palau, Hawaii, California, Oregon, Alaska, Nova Scotia and the Red Sea. Come face to face with life-sized humpback whales when you dive into "The Living Sea." Swim with thousands of golden jellyfish. Surf in Hawaii, deep-sea dive in Palau and test your courage with the Coast Guard in some of the world's roughest seas! Follow a remotely operated vehicle 3,000 feet down through the ocean depths to view strange creatures (one as long as a football field!) which live where sunlight never penetrates. The Living Sea celebrates the "world ocean"--its beauty, diversity and importance to all life on earth. Music by Sting and narrated by Meryl Streep.

August 18 – Join Randal Camp, Village of Ruidoso Public Works Director, to learn “EVERYTHING you wanted to know about Ruidoso’s NEW Wastewater Treatment Plant.”

The wastewater Treatment plant is scheduled for completion June 8, 2011. Find out how it operates, how waste treatment will be improved and much more. Bring your questions!

August 25 – Movie “Coral Reef Adventure” (43 MIN) This undersea exploration has a deeper, more serious agenda of warning its viewers that the natural magnificence of the world's most impressive coral reefs is possibly a mere 30 years away from extinction due to the devastating effects of global (and oceanic) warming. The world is in the process of losing entire ecosystems that cannot be replaced. When you see these awesome coral reefs in their still-thriving vitality, you experience a sense of urgent responsibility toward our stewardship of planet Earth. The film provides an all-access pass to some of the most exotic, playful, and dangerous creatures in the ocean.

For more information please visit our webpage at http://www.youseemore.com/ruidosopl/ or
call us at (575) 258-3704.

Celebrate Audiobook Month this August

2010-07-30T10:34:00.000-07:00

Audiobooks are a gateway to literacy for many. If reading has not been a fun activity, listening to a book can build vocabulary. It expands horizons and may entice new readers to give a book another try. Children may enjoy listening to a story repeatedly while turning the pages themselves, something an eAudiobook can provide when you check out a physical book of the same title from the library. Today’s audiobooks may have a full cast of readers for different characters and dramatic musical scores, recreating the enjoyment of radio shows.

Join us Tuesday, August 10, 2PM

In theArchive Room.

The Ruidoso Public Library is located next Ruidoso Village Hall, at 107 Kansas City Road. Our hours are Monday through Thursday 9am to 6pm, Friday 9am to 4pm, and Saturday 10am to 2pm. Our website is www.youseemore.com/ruidosopl where you can find our catalog of books, calendar of activities, genealogy databases, and more! Also, remember to subscribe to our blog for book reviews, event reminders, or frequently asked questions.

For more information call (575) 258-3704) or

Email: Jenniferstubbs@ruidoso-nm.gov

Percy Jackson “Live Clue”

2010-07-28T13:23:00.000-07:00

With an awesome turnout of seven teens the Percy Jackson characters came to live. We had a blast!

Check out the awesome pictures!

Local Author talks about book @ the Library

2010-07-28T09:02:00.000-07:00

Welcome:

Dr. Cynthia E. Orozco to discuss her book & sign copies.

Dr. Cynthia E. Orozco, Eastern New Mexico University-Ruidoso Chair of the History & Humanities Department, will be at the Village of Ruidoso Public Library, Thursday, July 29 @ 2 pm to discuss her book No Mexicans, Women, or Dogs Allowed: The Rise of the Mexican American Civil Rights Movement. Her book incorporates issues of race, class, gender, and citizenship to create bold new understandings of a pivotal period of activism.

When: Thursday, July 29 @ 2 PM

Where: Archive Room

Stuffed Animal Adoption

2010-07-21T10:56:00.000-07:00

Please come adopt one of our stuffed animals and give it a good home. We have a limited number of stuffed animals to give away and it will be on a first come first serve basis.

When: Week of July 19-24

Time: All day in the Children's department

Teen Percy Jackson "Live Clue"

2010-07-21T08:48:00.000-07:00

Teens you asked for it, and HERE IT IS!! All your favorite characters are ready for some adventure in a "who dunnit" kind of way. You do not want to miss this way cool grand adventure! Bring your friends and family and come in for some awesome memories!! Oh, AND remember, dress as your favorite character and you may walk away with an extra prize! Open to grades 6-adult!!

When: Tuesday, July 27th 3-5:00PM

Where: all over the Library

Teen Blogging

2010-07-20T09:11:00.000-07:00

Would you like to enter the fun and exciting world of blogs? Do you even know what a blog is? Well, come to the Teen Scene at Ruidoso Public Library to find out just how much fun having your very own blog can be. I will show you some cool new gadgets that you can add to your blog if you already have one, and I will help you set one up if you don't have one. This is an awesome way to create a journal or keep up with all the latest and greatest book releases! (open to grades 6-12 ONLY)

When: July 22nd @ 2PM

Location: Teen Computer Lab

2010-06-28T11:35:00.000-07:00

Craft Day

Fabric paint a swimsuit design on a shirt brought from home. Model Your design on Friday!

This activity is for the 6-12 year old group only.

When: June 29th (1:30-2:30)

Where: Children's Department

Art Display

2010-06-18T09:45:00.000-07:00

Art in Public Places: Water in the Arts

Artist sharing their art depicting water in different environments.

Come in and enjoy the Art from June-August

Water Your Mind READ

2010-06-17T14:36:00.000-07:00

Adult Summer Reading Program

June-August 2010

photo by: lifepositive.com

Happening in June - Great Programs & Great Movies

June 9th: (2pm)"Thinking Like a Watershed" with Jack Loeffler @ the VOR Council Chambers.
(made possible by the NM Humanities Council)
June 16th: MOVIE (2pm) "Grand Canyon Adventure: River at Risk" in the Library Archive Room
June 23: (2pm) MOVIE "Grand Canyon-Hidden Secrets" in the Library Archive Room
June 30th: (2pm) Audio "Moving Waters" by Jack Loeffler. Listen to it in the Library Archive Room

More TEEN madness - happening in June

2010-06-17T09:29:00.000-07:00

Wordle

A wordle is a word cloud. This is an awesome computer program that can be used in so many different ways... and it is free!! This fun info-lesson is open to grades 6-12, and is so much fun to learn!. Come down to the teen computer lab and learn this really awesome way to create signs, add a little craziness to your blog, or even use it as a book report.

When: June 24th @ 2PM

Where: Public Library - Teen Computer Lab

Teen Water Fun Day

Know someone who could really use a water balloon to the face? How about a water gun fight? or water races? Well, stop by the Library and join in the fun. Bring your friends and get ready for an absolutely wet and wild afternoon, and come see if you can take the heat with a great cool-down.

Absolutely NO white t-shirts allowed!

When: June 25th @ 1:30

Where: Library - Teen Department

* Teens remember, To complete this program, and earn your name into the drawing for a "FLIP" Video Camera, you must read two books that are at least 300 pages long and were checked out from the library between June 1st and July 23rd. Please present your receipt for both books to be eligible for the drawing.

Teen Pirate HUNT

2010-06-17T08:56:00.000-07:00

AHOY, Me Mateys! Come to the fun treasure hunt and test your mad pirate skills! So draw your swords and be prepared to battle to the death to find the very last clue, and the treasure that is hidden just for you!

This program is open to grades 6-12, we will be spending the afternoon following completely fun and crazy instructions to get to the treasure. You will get a copy of a compass and your first clue when you sign the pirate log. The doing funky steps, hops, and runs (oh yes, I have gotten VERY creative), you will go throughout the Library in search of your treasure.

This craziness takes place on Friday, June 18th at any time between 2pm and 3:30pm! Want to be really crazy? Come in with a group of your friends and race each other to see who can find the treasure first. This is a crazy fun time that you really DON'T want to miss!

See you soon, mate!

Make a Splash - Happening in June

2010-06-16T11:50:00.000-07:00

Summer Reading Programs.

6-9 Year Old Group Activities
June 15th: Science Day (1:30-2:30)

June 22nd: Storytelling Day with Lynn Kidder & Pam Witte (1:30-2:30)

June 29th: Craft Day (1:30-2:30) Fabric paint a swimsuit design on a t-shirt brought from home.

Model your design on Friday.

June 30th: "Stuffed Animal Hawaiian Fashion Show" (10:30-Noon)

10-12 Year Old Group Activities

June 15th: Science Day (1:30-2:30)

June 22nd: Storytelling Day with Lynn Kidder & Pam Witte (1:30-2:30)

June 29th: Craft Day (1:30-2:30) Fabric paint a swimsuit design on a t-shirt brought from home.

Model your design on Friday.

Preschool Story Time 2-5 Year Old Group

June 2nd: (10:30-11:15) Fish stories & fish craft

June 9th: (10:30-11:15) Ocean stories & scratch off fish bowl craft.

June 16th: *Note time change (1:30-2:30) Science Day

Stories told by Kay Kuhlman & Grandpa Ritchie.

June 30th: "Stuffed Animal Hawaiian Fashion Show" (10:30-noon) Pet adoptions by the Humane Society will follow in the classroom.

All programs take place at the Ruidoso Public Library in the classroom.

What are you waiting for? Come in and join the fun!

2010-05-21T11:00:00.000-07:00

Recently I’ve been fielding questions from patrons about what goes on in library land. Below you will find Q and A to our most frequent asked questions. Consider this “Everything you ever wanted to know about libraries but were afraid to ask"

Q: Why do you permit cell phones?
A: Smart cell phones work just like a computer. It would be unfair to restrict this important information tool while allowing people to use their laptops on our Wi-Fi network. We don't permit noisy activities and do ask people to engaged in lengthy conversations on their cells to take it outside.

Q: Isn't the e-book thing going to put libraries out of business?

A: Most of our customers still prefer to read print books; however the library has 2,000 e-books and 3,000 audio books that can be downloaded to your home PC and transferred from there to a Sony Reader, an MP3 player, or an I-Pod. These digital materials check out just like the “real” thing and are becoming increasingly popular.

Q: My Yahoo won't "send".

A: Because you still are using "classic" yahoo instead of "New" yahoo.

Q: Are you Volunteers?
A: No, we are a paid staff. I of course let the patron or person asking know about our great volunteer program that they are more than welcome to join.

Q: Do you have any books that I would like to read?
A: What kind of things interest you? Do you like to watch movies about Adventure or action? Do you like to read stories about dogs, cats, aminals, fairies? Let's see what kind of books we have on that topic.

Q: For our patrons that have small children that end up using the teen computers before we catch them logging on:
A: I see you are already logged onto the computer, but - just so you know for the future - for our patrons with small children we have computers through the doors on the main floor of the children's department for you to use. This is now our teen area. There are computers for the children and we also have toys for them to play with while you are on the computer.

Q: What makes a book a classic?
A: Classics are usually regarded as books with an enduring appeal for various reasons which might include touching upon desires of themes that are important to diverse readers accross time and place, strength of writing, and originality in terms of factors such as style and topic. (http://www.ala.org/ala/mgrps/rts/emiert/cskbookawards/docs/INeverKnew-2008Fall.pdf).

Q: Why is this trilogy (or series) missing (a) book(s)? I want to read them all in order.
A: Please let us know ( we have a request form) which books you would like to see us add to our collection. Often, books are lost and we are not notified of the need for or popularity of a tittle without this assistance from you.

Q: I saw a new, bestselling book at Walmart, Barnes & Nobel, ect. Why don't you have it here at the Library?
A: We buy books from a different book seller.

Q: I just paid for a water damaged book. Why can't I have the damaged book since i paid for it?
A: The book technically belongs to the Village of Ruidoso. You just paid a replacement fee.

Q: Why can't the Library be open more hours?
A: After budget cuts last year, we are open as much as we can.

*If you have any questions please email the Library @ library@ruidoso-nm.gov.

For immediate assistance please call (575)-258-3704