Author: kkelly

The August Study Session of the Estes Valley Public Library District Board is postponed until Sept. 2. The Board will hold its next regular meeting on Aug. 16.

[ Library Board Calendar ]

Are you or is someone you know homebound? Unable to travel to the Library due to a physical challenge or visual limitation? That’s no reason to give up your love for reading, enjoying a new movie, or listening to audiobooks. The Library provides a regular delivery service to homebound residents of our town and valley, for both temporary and ongoing conditions.

House Calls is the name for this service. It ensures that all residents can continue reading, listening and learning. Clients enjoy home-delivery of items selected around their interests, and brought to their doorstep.

Volunteers are an essential part of the Library–including the House Calls program. Fran Gabrielson (pictured here) is a Library volunteer who makes weekly deliveries. During the stay-at-home days of the pandemic, it was Fran who made regular calls to clients, many of whom live alone, to make sure they were doing fine.

How are deliveries made? The House Calls program uses a doorstep approach. Before an appointment time, clients place their Library returns outside their front door, and a Library volunteer replaces that with a bag of new books and materials. Conversation is done from outside and safely-distanced.

What materials are available for check-out? Anything that checks out of the Library can be checked out through House Calls. New clients indicate the types of materials they enjoy (favorite authors or genres; special areas of interest; preferred types of media, etc.). You can ask for specific titles, or say, “Here’s what I like to read. Surprise me!”

We also offer the tremendous resources of the Colorado Talking Book Library: audiobooks with easy-to-use equipment, plus Braille, and a huge selection of Large Print titles. Give us a call, and we’ll get you connected.

Who is eligible? If you reside within the Library District and are unable to visit the downtown building  due to one of the following conditions, you can sign up for the Library’s House Calls. Eligibility may include any one of the following criteria:

• You have a short or long-term illness
• You have visual limitations
• You have physical challenges
• You are in non-driver status
• You’re a caregiver whose responsibilities make it difficult to visit the Library

If you’d like to find out more, or if you know someone that would benefit from home deliveries, call Gretel Bock, House Calls Coordinator, at (970) 586-8116, extension 827, or email gbock@estesvalleylibrary.org. You can also find out more by visiting this House Calls link.

The program is open and ready for new clients. “Do you make House Calls?” The Library’s answer is: “Yes!

by Cheryl Homan-Wendell, Program & Outreach Librarian

For 10 years strong, friends and neighbors have made it a tradition to read and discuss a shared annual book, always making new friends in the process. Neither flood nor global pandemic has halted this spirit of community unity.

The annual literary celebration called One Book One Valley has taken us on some amazing journeys. If you remember all 10 years—wonderful! If you’re joining us for the first time—equally wonderful! We invite you to vote now to select the next literary journey happening this January.

The finalists were just unveiled last week. Click here to find brief summaries of each, so that you can help choose the winner! 

Here are the “Four Finalists” listed alphabetically by author:

What a Fish Knows by Jonathan Balcombe

The Emerald Mile by Kevin Fedarko

The River by Peter Heller

The Mountains Sing by Nguyễn Phan Quế Mai

During these past 10 years, we’ve taken literary walks in the woods, re-lived the rollicking Wild West, and imagined the uncertainty of crossing the border as a migrant. Last January, we explored Depression-era Appalachia, meeting a courageous Packhorse Librarian named Cussy Mary Carter.

Where will we go next? After much review and careful thought, our One Book One Valley committee made up of community members like you, narrowed the selection down to the four titles above, each with great discussion and program potential. Now through August 12, we’re seeking your vote to choose the 2022 10th Anniversary book.

Voting is as easy as clicking here and ranking your preferences. Voting is one-time per person.

We love book clubs! One Book One Valley is truly a giant valley-wide book club—where everyone gets a book and everyone is invited to the discussion. Harvard Business Review summarized it well, “Book clubs …have a way of building and deepening relationships through shared learning.” 

We’ll reveal the winning title in early November, Then One Book takes place in January.  More details will follow! Copies of the book will then be available for reading and sharing, thanks to generous support from the Library Friends & Foundation. Thanks also goes to our “One Book” committee, which over the past decade has been composed of Library staff, Friends & Foundation board members, and book-loving community volunteers.

Now a decade strong, we invite you to take part in this opportunity to celebrate literacy, community, storytelling, and civic dialogue through the shared reading of a single title.

from Estes Valley Restorative Justice Partnership, the Estes Park Museum, and the Estes Valley Library

You’ve likely heard the words “true history” used in books, articles, and movies. Something announces, “This is the true history” of an event, a place, or a person. The words sound compelling and authoritative. Yet more and more, there is growing awareness that historical narratives are, in fact, composed of specific interpretations of events, while leaving other interpretations out. As Winston Churchill famously said, “History is written by the victors.”

As part of the local Living Room Conversation series, the community is invited to a dialogue on “History and Society” on Wednesday, July 21, from 3:30 to 5 p.m at the Estes Park Museum.

The conversation will explore how historical narratives do more than just represent the past—they’re also oriented toward the future. They create deep beliefs about who we are, where we come from, and what are the right prospects. They construct images of the others and meanings of intergroup relations, sometimes describing others as enemies or allies, superiors or inferiors. Historical monuments are a timely example, as many communities around the U.S. re-examine figures previously revered in their village squares. Through the dialogue, we’ll gain a deeper understanding and talk about what it all means.

The discussion will use the nationally-recognized “Living Room Conversation” model, which facilitates connections between people. Participants will have the opportunity to share, listen, and learn within the natural style of a small-group setting.

The July 21 program will be held in-person at the Estes Park Museum, led by facilitators from Estes Valley Restorative Justice Partnership (EVRJP). Museum staff will be taking part in the conversation. The program is a collaborative effort among EVRJP, the Museum, and the Estes Valley Library.

Join us to share your perspectives, learn about the experiences of others, and potentially leave with stronger connections and a shared sense of community. The online registration includes a link to the 2-page Conversation Guide, which participants are encouraged to read through beforehand.  Since this program is interactive, attendees will be asked to engage with and contribute to the conversation.

Visit www.estes.org/community-conversations to learn about the series. Find out more about July’s program and sign up at estesvalleylibrary.org. Advance registration is required, which allows the facilitators to make preparations based on the number of participants.

by Allison Cavis, IT Specialist and Creative Technologist, Estes Valley Library

The Library’s 2nd Floor is set to reopen this Tuesday at 9 a.m. We can’t wait to welcome you back upstairs! 

Our goal, always, is to serve you better. The closure created an opportunity for maintenance and improvements, and now all those ladders, tools, and cardboard boxes are ready to give way to cozy spaces, refreshed with some new equipment and features.

Here’s a snapshot of what the second floor will look like when it reopens on Tuesday, July 6th: 

Study Rooms, Quiet Room, and Wasson Board Room reopen

Our second floor public spaces are back! The Quiet Room is a comfortable place to read and relax with a book or laptop, or choose one of our four Study Rooms, available on a first-come, first-served basis (2-hour time limit). The Wasson Room also reopens for scheduled library programs and community group meetings.

Makerspace Reopens

Our popular space for creativity and learning is back, with tools like a laser cutter, 3D printers, a craft cutter, sewing machines, and much more. Are you a first time user? See what’s available in the Makerspace and take your online orientation at estesvalleylibrary.org/makerspace. Patrons who have already taken their additional training can book the 3D printers and laser cutter in advance.

Public Computers, Copies, and Printing Head Back Upstairs

8 brand-new iMacs will be ready for your web browsing, email and word processing needs in the second floor Computer Commons. Printing is 0.10 per page, and we accept cash or credit card at our new printing station. Copies are 0.10 per page (cash-only for now), but scanning to email from the copier is free. 

Reserve a computer from home

Sign up for a public computer on the second floor, or reserve one from home up to 7 days in advance! See estesvalleylibrary.org/secondfloor for more information.

Print from anywhere with your own device

We’re excited to offer Mobile Print from anywhere! From home or the library, go to estesvalleylibrary.org/print and upload your document- that’s it! You can even forward an email to us and it will be ready to print when you get to the second floor—no need to log in to a public computer. Black & white prints are 10 cents a page, and you can pay with cash or credit card.

Expanded Library Hours

Library open hours are increasing from 40 to 60 each week. Starting Tuesday, July 6, the Library will be open Monday through Thursday, 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.; Fridays and Saturdays, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; and Sundays 1 to 5 p.m. The second floor closes 15 minutes before closing time on the first floor.

Questions? Stop in, give us a call, or find more information on our returning services at estesvalleylibrary.org/secondfloor. We look forward to welcoming you back to the Library’s second floor starting this Tuesday.