Library Lover’s Month
February 06, 2018 13:59 Book stuff | Food for Thought
Libraries are the backbone of every community!
I remember loving and using my two libraries. We lived midway between the Towson Library and Cockeysville Library so I used them both. As a teenager, I volunteered at the Cockeysville Library and had an art show there.
As an older adult and book publisher, I know the value of libraries. Libraries may be the only place someone in rural New Mexico can get a book – there are no bookstores in their town. Libraries also have many valuable programs and can be the center of the community with meetings of interest.
Not all libraries are created equally. Going back to the history of libraries in the United States with the Carnegie Libraries, some libraries are not “owned” by the local governments but private. Those libraries depend on support from the citizens who use them. In fact, all libraries depend on funds from citizens and organizations because there just isn’t enough money and libraries are aging.
My one gripe with some libraries is that they don’t embrace and use the resources of local authors and publishers. Local books need to have a place of importance in libraries. Will a New York publisher do a book with limited sales and distribution about local history? Local authors are a source of encouragement and help to beginning authors and students. Will one of them be the next George RR Martin, Stephen King, or Amy Tan? Local authors reading to small children, can be a get source of pride in the local library.
Use your library and get a library card. You have no idea what a library can do. Libraries are not just about books anymore!
Barbe Awalt
Feb 15: Bookworks, Rio Grande Blvd, 6pm
Feb 17: Los Ranchos Village Hall, 11am to 1pm
Feb 18: Treasure House Books, Old Town Plaza, 1pm
Mar 13: North Valley Senior Center, 10a to 12 noon, Albuquerque
May 5: Albuquerque's North Valley, Hispanic Genealogy Research Center, 10:30am at National Hispanic Cultural Center, Albuquerque
LORETTA HALL
Feb 10: "Space Pioneers," 10:30am at Special Collection Library, Albuquerque
RICHARD MELZER
Feb 17: Capt Maxilliano Luna at Los Lunas Museum, 2pm, Los Lunas, NM
GAIL RUBIN
Feb 17: “Green Burial Options in New Mexico,” Rio Grande Nature Center State Park, 2901 Candelaria Road NW, Albuquerque 2pm
Mar 9-11: The Newly-Dead Game® and the documentary “Grandpa’s in the TUFF Shed,” Frozen Dead Guy Days in Nederland, Colorado
JOSEPH SANCHEZ & ANGELICA SANCHEZ-CLARK
Mar 3: Historic Route 66, National Hispanic Cultural Center, 10:30am, Albuquerque
ROSS VAN DUSEN ("What Makes the Lightning?", "How the Crocka Dog Came to Be"; and "Lyle Got Stuck in a Tree")
Feb 22: Special Assembly on How the Crocka Dog Came to Be at Piñon Elementary School White Rock, NM
Apr 28: Battle of the Books at Los Lunas Schools, 8am-1pm
Jun 2: Book signing at Treasure House Books, 2012 South Plaza, Albuquerque Old Town,
As an older adult and book publisher, I know the value of libraries. Libraries may be the only place someone in rural New Mexico can get a book – there are no bookstores in their town. Libraries also have many valuable programs and can be the center of the community with meetings of interest.
Not all libraries are created equally. Going back to the history of libraries in the United States with the Carnegie Libraries, some libraries are not “owned” by the local governments but private. Those libraries depend on support from the citizens who use them. In fact, all libraries depend on funds from citizens and organizations because there just isn’t enough money and libraries are aging.
My one gripe with some libraries is that they don’t embrace and use the resources of local authors and publishers. Local books need to have a place of importance in libraries. Will a New York publisher do a book with limited sales and distribution about local history? Local authors are a source of encouragement and help to beginning authors and students. Will one of them be the next George RR Martin, Stephen King, or Amy Tan? Local authors reading to small children, can be a get source of pride in the local library.
Use your library and get a library card. You have no idea what a library can do. Libraries are not just about books anymore!
Barbe Awalt
UPCOMING CALENDAR:
FRANCELLE ALEXANDER ("Albuquerque's North Valley")Feb 15: Bookworks, Rio Grande Blvd, 6pm
Feb 17: Los Ranchos Village Hall, 11am to 1pm
Feb 18: Treasure House Books, Old Town Plaza, 1pm
Mar 13: North Valley Senior Center, 10a to 12 noon, Albuquerque
May 5: Albuquerque's North Valley, Hispanic Genealogy Research Center, 10:30am at National Hispanic Cultural Center, Albuquerque
LORETTA HALL
Feb 10: "Space Pioneers," 10:30am at Special Collection Library, Albuquerque
RICHARD MELZER
Feb 17: Capt Maxilliano Luna at Los Lunas Museum, 2pm, Los Lunas, NM
GAIL RUBIN
Feb 17: “Green Burial Options in New Mexico,” Rio Grande Nature Center State Park, 2901 Candelaria Road NW, Albuquerque 2pm
Mar 9-11: The Newly-Dead Game® and the documentary “Grandpa’s in the TUFF Shed,” Frozen Dead Guy Days in Nederland, Colorado
JOSEPH SANCHEZ & ANGELICA SANCHEZ-CLARK
Mar 3: Historic Route 66, National Hispanic Cultural Center, 10:30am, Albuquerque
ROSS VAN DUSEN ("What Makes the Lightning?", "How the Crocka Dog Came to Be"; and "Lyle Got Stuck in a Tree")
Feb 22: Special Assembly on How the Crocka Dog Came to Be at Piñon Elementary School White Rock, NM
Apr 28: Battle of the Books at Los Lunas Schools, 8am-1pm
Jun 2: Book signing at Treasure House Books, 2012 South Plaza, Albuquerque Old Town,