Community Spaces: Renovating Old Town Library

Posted on December 12, 2021 by Library Staff in Library Blog, Library Services, Local Happenings

By Eileen McCluskey, Library Manager at Old Town Library

The Groundbreaking of Old Town Library in 1975

Old Town Library customers are being greeted by workers in hard hats making all kinds of noise as the library’s interior refresh brings changes to the Lobby and second-floor spaces. From our groundbreaking in 1975 (pictured above) to today, we always seek to provide more functional spaces to align with the ever-evolving needs of our community.

At Old Town Library, we ask so much of our humble lobby. Customers enter the building in search of their next great read, to retrieve their holds, or quickly check out their books. Perhaps they would simply like to see what’s happening in the community or ask a staff person for a book recommendation.

The lobby serves many purposes for the community and the ongoing rennovation aims to make it an even more welcoming and functional space.

What’s To Come Downstairs

Honoring our humble lobby, The Old Town Library renovation includes improved areas for lobby book displays, better signage so that customers know where to find what they need, updated service desks that support our employees’ ergonomic needs, an adjusted traffic flow pattern for improved access to the large meeting room, and a space specifically designed for the Friends of the Library book sale Nook.

Before construction and during construction on the large meeting room and Old Town Library’s lobby.

Old Town Library’s children’s area welcomes young ones into the joyful world of reading and this renovation provides a special Kiddo Cove to draw our kids and their caregivers into the children’s area. Keep an eye out for the finished Kiddo Cove which is soon to come!

The before and during construction pictures of the Friends of the Library Nook and soon-to-be Kiddo Cove.

A New “Treehouse”

Old Town Library is a special and beloved space for our library customers and employees. We are blessed with views of the Library Park arboretum, which hosts historic and special trees rarely found in Fort Collins (have you found the Park’s Giant Sequoia?).

To leverage the views of the park, the south-facing second-floor area (affectionately called the “treehouse” by staff) is opening up into a large space to serve as a community hub for remote workers, crafters, readers, and students.

**Left:** Before construction began on the “treehouse” **Right:** The “treehouse” in the midst of renovations

The space will include new furniture and café-style seating in addition to areas for quiet group work. The walls of this space will have new art rails installed to provide community art exhibit spaces. Formerly, this area housed periodicals and some of the reference collection though over time, it has been reduced due to changes in the publishing industry and digital availability of reference materials.

Also on the second floor, we are transforming an existing bump-out space on the northeast side with new, flexible furniture that supports quiet study and programming for community needs. We have repurposed existing partition panels to define the space.

The before and during photographs of Old Town Library’s second floor bumpout.

Keystones of our Renovation Process

Whenever possible and appropriate, we found ways to reduce costs by thoughtfully repurposing existing furniture and fixtures. This includes reupholstering old furniture, utilizing light fixtures, panels, and materials previously located in other parts of the library, and many more sustainable efforts throughout the entire renovation process.

We’ll keep you updated with the renovation’s progress and look forward to welcoming you soon into an even more book-rich environment!

Picture This

Posted on December 9, 2021 by Library Staff in Book Recommendations, Library Blog, Writing

A Homage to Illustrators that have Ignited our Imaginations

Written by Amy Holzworth, Children’s Services Librarian at Council Tree Library

I used to re-write thank you notes and emails to my lovely Aunt Millie who was an English professor for fear of thin sentence structure, grammar mistakes, and remedial style. She likely didn’t care, but I love that she likely DID and MAYBE, as a master wordsmith, registered the mistakes by the sheer routine of her work anyway.

Perhaps I should re-write that sentence…😉.

Rewriting

Many authors have commented about their writing process, and more importantly, about the art of re-writing. In the article, “My Pencils Outlast Their Erasers’: Great Writers on the Art of Revision,” by Emily Temple (The Atlantic, January 14, 2013) some beloved authors said:

“If you want to be a writer, you must do two things above all others: read a lot and write a lot.” (From a National Public Radio interview and an excerpt from Stephen King’s On Writing).
“If it sounds like writing, I rewrite it.” —Elmore Leonard, Newsweek, 1985
“I have rewritten—often several times—every word I have ever published. My pencils outlast their erasers.” —Vladimir Nabokov, Speak, Memory, 1966
“Substitute ‘damn’ every time you’re inclined to write ‘very;’ your editor will delete it and the writing will be just as it should be.” —Mark Twain
“I rewrote the ending of Farewell to Arms, the last page of it, 39 times before I was satisfied.” – Ernest Hemingway, The Paris Review Interview, 1956.

Re-Illustrating

So what about illustrators? And more pointedly – children’s picture book illustrators. What about the drawing and re-drawing, painting and re-painting, smudges and workovers, erasing, or enhancing, or even scratch workings of illustrators?

November came and went, but it was Picture Book Month. I really think Picture Book Month is actually Picture Book Year – all year, every year.

Mark Twain said writers should get to the point so here’s the point – I am forever changed and a better Children’s Librarian for you because of reading (and buying) Show me a story! : why picture books matter : conversations with 21 of the world’s most celebrated illustrators compiled and edited by Leonard S. Marcus. What is the pigeon thinking on this cover?

Reading this gem of a book, I imagined myself sitting in the interviews designed by Leonard S. Marcus, one of the world’s leading writers and historians on children’s books and their illustrations.

Marcus also teaches children’s literature and child development at New York University. I believe he had unprecedented access to these masters and garnered both sad and humorous, but always marvelous insight from the mind and hands of artists who inspire us all, at any age.

Marcus says, “Our favorite picture books speak to us at the start of life and continue to speak to us for the rest of our lives. I find that an amazing achievement.” Most of these artists came through tremendous odds of different variations but loved life and sharing it with children.

A Preview into the Minds of Our Great Illustrators

Here are just a few questions and answers from these captains of children’s imagination drawn from Show me a story! : why picture books matter : conversations with 21 of the world’s most celebrated illustrators:

Ashley Bryan (July 13, 1923 – )

Author and Illustrator of Beautiful Blackbird, Let it Shine, and many more beloved books.

Q: Did your parents encourage you?

A: I was very fortunate in that it never occurred to them that I would not go on doing what I loved to do. The point my parents always made was that if you are doing something creative and constructive, there is no reason not to continue.

Eric Carle (June 25, 1939 – May 23, 2021)

Author and Illustrator of The Very Hungry Caterpillar, Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? and many more.

Q: You have also talked about wanting to make books that are also toys. (Think holes in pages and various widths of pages).

A: …up to a point a child is more tactile than verbal: holding hands, holding his or her bottle or rattle, and being held is what matters to them at first….So I thought there should be something between the warmth of being held and of holding a toy.

Jerry Pinkney (December 22, 1939 – October 20, 2021)

Illustrator of The Lion and the Mouse and author and illustrator of The Little Red Hen in addition to many more.

Q: Would you agree that African-American children’s books have now entered the mainstream?

A: Yes, I would. …..I would love to see us get to the point where we no longer need to have a “multicultural” section in stores and libraries. It would be a great leap if artists such as myself could be talked about more not only in relation to our subject but simply in terms of our work as artists and storytellers.

Vera B. Williams (January 28, 1927 – October 16, 2015)

Author and Illustrator of A Chair for My Mother, Cherries and cherry pits and many more.

Q: Did the public library play a part in your childhood?

A: Oh, yes. We went to the New York Public Library’s Tremont Branch in the Bronx. That’s where I signed up. They gave you a pen and you had to dip it in ink and show that you could write your name on the blue line in a big ledger. You also had to show you could read by reading out loud a statement saying you agreed to take good care of the books. It all felt very grand.

Maurice Sendak (June 10, 1928 – May 8, 2012)

Author and illustrator of Where the Wild Things Are, In the Night Kitchen and other revered classics.

Q: Hasn’t most of children’s literature been based on the premise that kids can somehow be protected from the harsher realities?

A: Yes, but that runs counter to what I firmly believe, which is that children do know what’s going on.

Lois Ehlert (November 9, 1934 – May 25, 2021)

Illustrator of Chicka Chicka Boom Boom, and author/illustrator of Leaf Man among many others.

Q: What is your earliest memory of making art?

A: I made a potholder for my mother that she happened to save. I found it later and I have it now. You can see a picture of it in my book Hands (1997)….. Now when I make art for a book, I try to make it in such a way that some kids, seeing it, will say, “Well, I could do that.”

Mo Willems (1968- )

Author and illustrator of Leonardo the Terrible Monster, The Pigeon Finds a Hot Dog, and many others.

Q: How do you think about the writing in your books – the role it plays in relation to the pictures?

A: For a story’s text to work, it needs to be incomprehensible. Otherwise, you wouldn’t need the pictures. My job is to let the audience figure out what’s going on by themselves. So, in Leonardo, I didn’t say the monster was small. I created a situation (large books, lots of empty space surrounding a small drawing) where kids feel the smallness on their own.

Thank you for reading and I offer a handmade thank you note from me to you – Amy

The Season of Gratitude

Posted on December 7, 2021 by Annaclaire Crumpton in Library Blog

How Practicing Gratitude Improves Your Life and What Our Staff is Grateful For

The COVID-19 pandemic has seeped into every corner of our lives. The virus continues to change the ways in which we interact, the ways in which we visit public places, and the ways we appreciate what we have.

Through the pandemic, library staff has adjusted rapidly to rule changes and safety requirements to accommodate our community while also ensuring customers and staff can remain safe. Reviewing the changes and adjustments that occurred during the pandemic prompted us to ask staff what they were grateful for just in time to recognize Thanksgiving and the start of the holiday season!

Why Gratitude?

We wanted to highlight gratitude not only because it is such an integral piece of Thanksgiving, but also because the practice of gratitude has been proven to improve mental and physical health. Additionally, while the holiday season means cheer and good spirits for some, trends show depression and anxiety actually spike around the holidays.

Here are just a few ways in which gratitude has a positive impact on our health according to studies conducted by Harvard Medical School:

Those who regularly practice gratitude are more likely to exercise, have lower blood pressure, and have fewer physician visits throughout their lifetime.

A single gratitude practice (e.g., writing a thank you letter) has been shown to increase happiness scores up to 20% for the week following the practice.

When co-workers or work superiors’ express gratitude, workers were found to be upwards of 50% more efficient in completing work-related tasks.

Poudre River Libraries Staff Gratitude

In celebrating the “season of gratitude” here is what our staff said.

Àfrica Garcia, Outreach Librarian

“I’m grateful for my awesome co-worker Ludy. I started working for the library in March 2020, so it wasn’t super easy to start a new job and 4 days later being told to work from home. Ludy was always there to support me when I didn’t know what I was doing, and she still does!”

Linda Justice, Library Assistant

“I am grateful for our customers! They have been great. They tell us how much they appreciate all that we have to offer, even though (through COVID) our offerings are often different than, more limited, and sometimes just not there as compared to pre-pandemic. We have customers who have been calling the answer center to find out what they should consider when bringing food to staff. And so many of them do bring us goodies.

Often people talk about working with the public as being a “thankless job,” But it seems like the opposite – our customers are constantly letting us know how important we are to them. And they are important to us – in fact, they are the reason we have a job!”

Victor Zunigia, Systems Administrator

“I am grateful for our staff at the Answer Center. Not only is the department celebrating 10 years of existence but they always answer our patrons inquiries via the phone or email with such a great attitude and customer service. It truly exemplifies the core values of the library.”

Katie Auman, Communications Manager

“I’m grateful for the opportunity to work at the library alongside amazing people who love what they do. After such a difficult year and a half, it’s satisfying to have people around you who are supportive, kind, and funny.”

Susan Harrison, Answer Center Technician

“As it pertains to the library during this time of tremendous challenges, I’m thankful to be a part of this team! These ever-changing challenges (circumstances) continue to strain us, but in the midst of it all, I see my Answer Center colleagues show love and respect to everyone that contacts us. I see the rest of you doing the same! Thankful and Grateful to be working with you during this COVID wonkiness.”

Practicing Your Gratitude

If you would like to expand your own sense of gratitude, you can take this Gratitude Art Journal class with Creativebug. All you need is a Library Card to get this creative gratitude practice started! Find Creativebug on our website’s Research page, or click the image below!

More of a reader? Below is also a selection of books centered on gratitude for your enjoyment! We hope you had a wonderful holiday and take a little bit of time today to practice gratitude.

Gratitude by Oliver Sacks

The gratitude diaries: how a year looking on the bright side transformed my life by Janice Kaplan

Leading with gratitude: eight leadership practices for extraordinary business results by Adrian Gostick and Chester Elton

The Power of Thank You: Discover the Joy of Gratitude by Joyce Meyer

Attitude of Gratitude by Julie Andrews and Emma Walton Hamilton

Making Merry with Poudre Libraries!

Posted on December 3, 2021 by Annaclaire Crumpton in Holiday, Library Blog, Library Programs, Library Services, Local Happenings

Find activities for every day in December with our Making Merry Calendar!

Download the Entire Calendar!

For your convenience, we have created a downloadable version of our Making Merry calendar. Press the Download button below this PDF preview and proceed with making merry!

Making-Merry-Holiday-Calendar-1-compressed Download

Finding Your Making Merry Activities with a Click!

Below are buttons for each applicable day of our Making Merry Calendar. There are several days that feature in person programs or activities that did not get their own button! Otherwise, each day is linked to our website’s pages where you can find the resource or platform for that day’s Making Merry acitvity!

December 1

December 2

December 4

December 5

December 6

December 7

December 8

December 9

December 10

December 11

December 12

December 13

December 14

December 16

December 17

December 18

December 19

December 20

December 21

December 22

December 23

December 24

December 25

December 26

December 28

December 29

December 30

December 31

A Reading List to Celebrate Native American Heritage Month

Posted on November 27, 2021 by Katie Auman in Book Recommendations, Library Blog

In 1990, President George H. W. Bush approved a joint resolution designating November 1990 as “National American Indian Heritage Month.” Similar proclamations, including “Native American Heritage Month” and “National American Indian and Alaska Native Heritage Month,” have been issued every year since 1994.

Poudre River Public Library District encourages our community to explore the many diverse cultures, traditions, and histories of native American people. Check out these, and many other, native American voices through a mix of contemporary books and documentaries.

Carry: A Memoir of Survival on Stolen Land

by Toni Jensen

Carry explains what it means to exist as an indigenous woman in America, told in snapshots of Jensen’s encounters with gun violence. In Carry, Jensen maps her personal experience onto the historical, exploring how history is lived in the body and redefining the language we use to speak about violence in America.

Crooked Hallelujah

by Kelli Jo Ford

Crooked Hallelujah tells the stories of Justine—a mixed-blood Cherokee woman— and her daughter, Reney, as they move from Eastern Oklahoma’s Indian Country in the hopes of starting a new, more stable life in Texas amid the oil bust of the 1980s. However, life in Texas isn’t easy, and Reney feels unmoored from her family in Indian Country.

Indians on the Move: Native American Mobility and Urbanization in the Twentieth Century

by Douglas K. Miller

The dynamic histories of everyday people at the heart of this book shed new light on the adaptability of mobile Native American communities. In the end, this is a story of shared experience across tribal lines, through which Indigenous people incorporated urban life into their ideas for Indigenous futures.

Lake of Betrayal: Seneca People Fighting to Protect Their Ancestral Lands

by Vision Maker Media

Completed in 1965, the Kinzua Dam on the Allegheny River in Pennsylvania was originally proposed to help mitigate flooding in Pittsburgh–200 miles downriver, but the 27-mile reservoir that formed behind it inundated vast tracts of the Seneca Indians’ ancestral lands, forcing their removal in breach of the United States’ oldest treaty then in effect. (Kanopy)

Native American Landmarks and Festivals: A Traveler’s Guide to Indigenous United States and Canada

by Yvonne Wakim Dennis, Arlene Hirschfelder

From ancient rock drawings, historic sites, and modern museums to eco- and cultural tourism, sports events and powwows, this Traveler’s Guide provides a fascinating tour of the rich heritage of Indigenous people across the continent.

Ohiyesa: The Soul of an Indian

by Vision Maker Media

A deeply personal family film that follows Kate Beane, an urban, Dakota scholar, and her family as they trace the remarkable life of their celebrated relative, Ohiyesa (Charles Eastman), an important author, activist, lecturer, and one of the first Native American doctors. Along the way, Beane uncovers uncanny parallels between their lives, though they were born more than 100 years apart. (Kanopy)

Poet Warrior: A Memoir

by Joy Harjo

In the second memoir from the first Native American to serve as US poet laureate, Joy Harjo invites us to travel along with the heartaches, losses, and humble realizations of her “poet-warrior” road. A musical, kaleidoscopic meditation, Poet Warrior reveals how Harjo came to write poetry of compassion and healing, poetry with the power to unearth the truth and demand justice.

Redbone: The True Story of a Native American Rock Band

by Christian Staebler, Sonia Paoloni

Brothers Pat and Lolly Vegas were talented Native American rock musicians that took the 1960s Sunset Strip by storm. They influenced The Doors and jammed with Jimmy Hendrix before he was “Jimi,” and the idea of a band made up of all Native Americans soon followed. But as the American Indian Movement gained momentum the band took a stand, choosing pride in their ancestry over continued commercial reward.

Spirit Run: A 6,000-mile Marathon Through North America’s Stolen Land

by Noé Álvarez

An anthropologist’s chronicle of Native At nineteen, Álvarez learned about a Native American/First Nations movement called the Peace and Dignity Journeys, epic marathons meant to renew cultural connections across North America. In this New York Times Book Review Editors’ Choice, the son of working-class Mexican immigrants flees a life of labor in fruit-packing plants to run in a Native American marathon from Canada to Guatemala in this “stunning memoir that moves to the rhythm of feet, labor, and the many landscapes of the Americas.”.

The Death of Sitting Bear: New and Selected Poems

by N. Scott Momaday

An anthropologist’s chronicle of Native American life from the Wounded Knee massacre to the present traces the unprecedented This luminous collection demonstrates Momaday’s mastery and love of language and the matters closest to his heart. To Momaday, words are sacred; language is power. Spanning nearly fifty years, the poems gathered here illuminate the human condition, Momaday’s connection to his Kiowa roots, and his spiritual relationship to the American landscape.

The Heartbeat of Wounded Knee: Native America from 1890 to the Present

by David Treuer

An anthropologist’s chronicle of Native American life from the Wounded Knee massacre to the present traces the unprecedented resourcefulness and reinvention of distinctive tribal cultures that assimilated into mainstream life to preserve Native identity.

The Sioux Chef’s Indigenous Kitchen

by Sean Sherman

Chef Sean Sherman, a native of Pine Ridge, South Dakota, shares recipes using indigenous North American and some Central American fruits, vegetables, grains, fish, and game.

The Sioux Chef’s Indigenous Kitchen is a rich education and a delectable introduction to modern indigenous cuisine of the Dakota and Minnesota territories, with a vision and approach to food that travels well beyond those borders.

Why we Serve: Native Americans in the United States Armed Forces

by Alexandra N. Harris, Mark G. Hirsch

Why We Serve commemorates the 2020 opening of the National Native American Veterans Memorial at the Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian, the first landmark in Washington, DC, to recognize the bravery and sacrifice of Native veterans. American Indians’ history of military service dates to colonial times, and today, they serve at one of the highest rates of any ethnic group. Why We Serve explores the range of reasons why, from love of their home to an expression of their warrior traditions.

Looking for more recommendations for Native American Heritage Month? Need help downloading digital eBooks and audiobooks or streaming films with Kanopy? Visit the Poudre River Public Libraries in person or online at www.PoudreLibraries.org.

‹1 2 3 4 ›»