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Woods Memorial Library closure extended

Woods Memorial Library will be closed for a few extra days while the carpeting is completed. The library will open on Saturday, May 11, 2019.

Woods Memorial Library

3455 N. First Ave.

(520) 594-5445

The carpeting throughout the building is being replaced, including in the meeting and study rooms. In addition to new carpet, the project also includes moving furniture to allow for the creation of an area designed for teens and tweens. The shifting of furniture will also make room for a prominent display of the Library’s Spanish language collection.

The return book chute will remain open. Holds will be held for one week after re-opening. Any items due during the closure will also be extended for one week. Items cannot be picked up at this location while the Library is closed.

Visit nearby libraries:

Joel D. Valdez Main Library at 101 N. Stone Avenue

Flowing Wells Library at 1730 W. Wetmore Road

Nanini Library at 7300 N. Shannon Road

To renew items please call Infoline at (520) 791-4010 or visit or login to renew online.

Woods Memorial Library closure extended published first on https://medium.com/@SteampunkPCGames

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Love Letter to My Library: Karen Rutherford

We're grateful to Karen Rutherford for taking the time to submit this Love Letter.

Karen Rutherford frequents the Murphy-Wilmot Library and loves everything she discovers there!

Getting my library card was at the top of my list when I moved to Tucson in 2017. I’m an avid reader and regularly use the library to reserve and check out books. Quickly, I connected via the Facebook page, so I would see alerts for events and programs. Unfortunately, I’ve been fairly busy working (and reading!) since coming here, but when an event announcement for a grant writing workshop appeared this month, I couldn’t resist.

From just that one workshop, I learned about the Idea+Space at Joel D. Valdez Main Library and the Writer in Residence program. The class was led by Alice Hatcher, the library's most recent resident (now you can visit with author J.M. Hayes!), and her presentation was remarkable. She offered so much information in a short amount of time, including instructions and handouts and resources. Her expertise was invaluable to me, because she mentioned things that formulated an approach that had not occurred to me.

At the end of the workshop, Ms. Hatcher mentioned that the Writer in Residence program offers one-on-one appointments should anyone want to discuss further or have more questions. Of course, I did. My appointment with her to ask a few specific questions was, again, invaluable. She was patient and generous, listening to my questions and sharing her expertise.  

I plan to pay a lot more attention to the wonderful offerings at the library. I’m very grateful to Ms. Hatcher and for this opportunity to learn about so much more that the Pima County Public Library does for our/my new community!

Love Letters to My Library is a collaborative project between Pima County Public Library and Rachel Miller of Love Letters to Tucson. Has the Library helped or changed you in some way? Does a particular location, service, or program hold a special place in your heart? Please tell us about it. Submit your Love Letter today to library.news@pima.gov.

Love Letter to My Library: Karen Rutherford published first on https://medium.com/@SteampunkPCGames

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The Best Gaming Franchises of All Time: Sonic The Hedgehog

Have you ever wished you could run super-fast? But not just fast – blazingly, ridiculously fast? Of course you have – you are a gamer. 

And therefore, it’s no surprise that you have either enjoyed a Sonic game or know someone who has enjoyed turning into a ball and dashing through the Green Hill Zone.

The Best Gaming Franchises of All Time: Sonic The Hedgehog published first on https://medium.com/@SteampunkPCGames

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We can help your nonprofit thrive!

If you run or work for a nonprofit, and you're looking for more support for your endeavors, the Library now offers a new way to help.

We've opened a new service center at the Community Foundation Campus. At the Nonprofit Library you will find library experts to help you get connected to our great nonprofit resources and workshops. Workshops include:

Fundraising

Grants management

Social media training

See all of the upcoming workshops.

The Nonprofit Library is open Monday through Friday 11 am – 4 pm every week. We're here to help your nonprofit thrive!

Come see us at 5049 E. Broadway, Suite 105.

We can help your nonprofit thrive! published first on https://medium.com/@SteampunkPCGames

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One Seed, One Community: Sunflowers

Dear friends,

As librarians working with the Seed Library, our job is to help nurture a community-supported regionally adapted seed supply that is free and accessible to all Pima County residents. We are always exploring new ways to empower gardeners to grow as seed savers. Three years ago, the Seed Library started the community-wide One Seed initiativeopens a new window as one way to encourage more gardeners to incorporate seed saving into their gardening. Like One Book, One Community, we embrace the idea that through shared experience, in this case, of growing, learning, and saving seeds together, we can achieve a greater sense of (comm)UNITY and move closer to a locally sustained, people-powered seed shed.

As we continue to grow participation in One Seed Pima County, we invite you to join us in planting seeds for this season’s chosen plant, the Black Russian Sunflower in your community or school garden.

And in the spirit of planting seeds, next year, let’s plan to get together as a community to envision future One Seed Pima County efforts!

As the saying goes, it starts with a seed. We hope you will consider planting seeds with us!

In community, PCPL Seed Librarians

The Scoop on One Seed:

  April 20th: The Library’s One Seed Pima County (OSPC) 2019 will kick-off in time for Earth Day. Planting will continue throughout the spring & summer planting seasons.

April 20th through mid-August: Library branches across Pima County will have Black Russian Sunflower Seeds for OSPC participants to check-out. They can also be reserved online for pick-up. We will have bulk seed quantities of seeds for community partners to plant (school & community gardens, etc.)

April through September: Through social media, blog posts, and interactive programming, we hope to increase awareness of how to grow, use, and save seeds from the Black Russian Sunflower. OSPC participants are encouraged to visit the Library’s calendar of eventsopens a new window (new programs will continue to be added and can be found by searching for “One Seed Pima County” in events).

August and ongoing: While we encourage OSPC participants to join us on September 21st for our One Seed Weigh-off and Wrap-up at participating library locations, OSPC participants can return a portion of their completely dry harvest of Black Russian Sunflower Seeds to any library location, anytime.

September: the Black Russian Sunflower Seeds we save as a community will be combined together to become one, community-wide seed donation that will sustain our growing for future generations.

Special Considerations:

  We are asking OSPC participants to commit to only growing this one variety of sunflower this season if they are planning to contribute some of their saved Black Russian Sunflower Seeds to the library. If other varieties of sunflowers are growing nearby they can cross-pollinate, increasing the likelihood of hybrid seeds which cannot be shared through the Seed Library.  

Social Media:

Highlight the planting, growing, and seed collecting of the Black Russian Sunflowers using the hashtags #OneSeedPimaCounty, #CommunitySupportedSeeds, #BlackRussianSunflower and #SeedLibraryPCPL on Facebook and Instagram.

  How to participate...

  Check-out a packet of Black Russian Sunflower seeds from the library

Plant them in your garden—please only plant this one  variety of sunflower if you are planning to participate and save seeds

Explore the library’s calendar of eventsopens a new window for special programs on sunflower gardening and seed saving

Watch your Black Russian sunflowers grow

Share photos on social media of your sunflowers as they grow using the hashtags #OneSeedPimaCounty #PCPLSeedLibrary #CommunitySupportedSeeds

Harvest your sunflowers seeds

Bring a portion of your saved seeds into any PCPL library or hang on to them and join us on September 21st for our One Seed Weigh-off and Wrap-up at participating library  locations. Your donation will join the donations of other gardeners, ensuring we have seeds to plant for seasons to come.

Please remember to fill-out a donation form and  attach it to your donation!

While supplies last, participants will take home this lovely stake to place in their garden!

One Seed, One Community: Sunflowers published first on https://medium.com/@SteampunkPCGames

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African Americans in the Great Outdoors

Grand Canyon, Arizona, USA at dusk from the south rim.

Frequenting state and national parks is one of my all-time favorite things to do. Whether we go hike the Grand Canyon, Saguaro National Monument, Coronado National Forest, Zion, Banff, The Blue Ridge Parkway, Yellowstone, kayaking and back country camping in the Tetons, I’m refreshed; “Re-created” in this recreation.

When my family and I go out in nature we find that there are very few if any of my culture or hue present in the great outdoors. Why is this? Are there roadblocks for minorities to nature as there is in many aspects of our daily lives? When we do see someone of our hue or culture, you know we are sure to acknowledge each other in one way or another. You can presume my surprise and excitement when I noticed a poster in the Whitman Mission National Historic Site in Washington State entitled, Heroes of the Great Outdoors by Erin Wilson that depicted 10 people of color! I had no idea of any of these people nor their contributions to this land - America! This poster honors the black and brown people who have been working for years, sometimes decades, to preserving our environment and encourage all people to explore them. The poster was created for an article, It Matters Who You See in Outdoor Media in Outside Magazine by Carolyn Finney.

Contributions, service, and love of nature of Blacks here in the United States are numerous although much is not widely known. For instance, did you know that the Buffalo Soldiers were some of the first Park Rangers? That some National Parks were land donated from Black individuals?

Listed below are a few resources we have that you can check out for further exploration.

By the way, April 20-28, 2019 is National Park Week and July is Park & Recreation Month. The National Park Service has 5 days in a year where you and your family can enter a National Park free of charge; April 20th is one such day. Enjoy!

Black Faces, White Spaces

See the entire African Americans in the Great Outdoors book list

Articles for further reading:

Buffalo Soldiers were among the first park rangers

Retrace the Legacy of the Buffalo Soldiers in National Parks

A Hike Through History: Following the Path of the Underground Railroad

African American Experience Fund

Free Entrance Days in the National Parks

African Americans in the Great Outdoors published first on https://medium.com/@SteampunkPCGames

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Read Harder 2019 – Running At a Snail’s Pace

I wonder if Read Harder challenge fatigue is setting in? I have definitely enjoyed many of the books I've read for previous challenges but for some reason I am off to a slow start this year (both in my reading and writing about the books).  This challenge begins with an epistolary novel as well as an alternate history novel.

For the epistolary novel (a novel told through an exchange of letters) I tried Anne Youngson's Meet Me at the Museum. I feel as though people oftentimes put their best selves on display when they write letters, perhaps knowing that the letters may be kept and re-read so you want to make them worthwhile. Anders, a professor in Denmark (whose wife has died) and Tina, an isolated, unhappily married farm wife in England start a letter writing friendship by accident. Tina was trying to get in touch with a colleague of Anders, who had died and Anders filled in some missing information. Their unlikely friendship takes a deeper turn over time and their lives become intertwined. I suppose it is all lovely and good, but frankly I was a bit bored with this one. Not the way I was hoping to start off the challenge.

The alternate history novel was definitely a fun one and the author was also a speaker at our own Festival of Books this year. Mary Kowal's The Calculating Stars is the first in the Lady Astronaut series - sweet! If you enjoyed Hidden Figures but want a made-up story about those women calculators, this is the book for you. Yes, the meteorite that knocks out most of the East Coast is a little cheesy, but the difficulties these women faced as they had to prove their mettle again and again is a reminder that the glass ceiling still isn't entirely broken, even in science fiction land. I just looked in the catalog and the second book in the series is already out - check out The Fated Sky

Here's hoping next month's books are inspiring!

Karen for Ravenous Readers

Read Harder 2019 – Running At a Snail’s Pace published first on https://medium.com/@SteampunkPCGames

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Teens, it’s your turn to be the change

Three youth representatives from the Metropolitan Education Commission will present at the Rising Voices Youth Summit on Saturday, April 13 at Flowing Wells Library. We are thrilled to have these young leaders share their experiences and strategies for engaging in advocacy. We have worked hard to make sure the presentations are an interconnected experience: leading youth through the process of identifying their own passion and strengths, practicing concrete outreach strategies, and providing contact information for local organizations that provide volunteer and advocacy opportunities for youth.

Joshua Ashton, Empire High School Passion First: The Power of You Own Voice in Politics

The power of the youth voice is unprecedented. All it takes is a passion, a little bit of research, and measurable goals. You can get that better mental health support in your school: but first, you need to know the why, the what, and the how. You can build that business from the ground up: but first, you need to know the why, the what, and the how. It probably won’t be easy. Life isn’t easy. But honestly, what’s the point if there is no challenge? Push yourself and you can achieve greatness. First, find your why. Why are you aiming for this? Why are you passionate about this issue? Second, find out the what. What are the statistics around your issue? What is the issue? What can you do? And third, find your how. How can you make the difference? How can you be a benefit? 

Milana Marshall

Milana Marshall, Vail High School Interactive Session: Using Your Personal Strengths to Guide Your Leadership

I am Milana Marshall, a junior at Vail Academy and High School. Inspired by professional development and youth leadership, I have found that Tucson offers plenty of opportunities to get involved in the community.

Everyone is different and every person can contribute to the community in their own way. Giving back, standing up, and creating change is possible. Find your strengths and channel your leadership. This library event provides the perfect opportunity to get to know more about what our community offers.

I am extremely excited to host an interactive workshop that is centered around youth learning who they are and how to not only discover, but to use their strengths. Hope to see you there!

James May

James May, Vail High School Passion + Strengths = Action:  Concrete Strategies for Getting Connected to Organizations

My name is James May. I am a junior at the Vail Academy and High School and an active member of the Metropolitan Education System Youth Advisory Council. I am looking forward to presenting at this year's Rising Voices.

Passion + Strengths = Action. Everyone has a passion; everyone has strengths. The power is in finding your passion. The power is in finding your strengths. If you can find your passions and your strengths together, you can use them to create action, and to be a mover and shaker of the next generation.

My workshop covers how to take action and contribute to your community. Let’s practice how to write an email, how to make a phone call and how to get involved with what’s right for you. Anyone can make a change. It’s your turn to be the change.

Teens, it’s your turn to be the change published first on https://medium.com/@SteampunkPCGames

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Summer Reading 2019! A Universe of Stories

A Universe of Stories: 2019 Summer Reading Program Saturday, May 18 – Saturday, July 13

  At a Glance

Event When Where READ, READ, READ Aim for 20 minutes every day Wherever you are! Summer Reading starts Saturday, May 18 All libraries Summer Reading Kick Off at the Family Fiesta Saturday, May 18, 6:30–9 pm Tanque Verde Swap Meet, 4100 S. Palo Verde Rd. Free book giveaway for children and teens Starting Monday, June 3 All libraries, while supplies last MegaMania! Saturday, July 13, 1–5 pm Pima Community College Downtown Campus, 1255 N Stone Ave Summer Reading ends Saturday, July 13 Summer Reading may be over, but keep reading all year long - anywhere, anytime!

KIDS

Read, Read, Read!

Kids, beginning Saturday, May 18, stop by any library to pick up your reading tracker which includes a coupon for one free child admission to the Reid Park Zoo.

Aim for 20 minutes of reading a day, all summer long! Need some reading ideas?

Pick up a free book starting Monday, June 3, while supplies last.

Be proud! Return to any library to collect stickers and stamps to mark your progress. You’ll get a certificate when you finish your reading tracker.

Come to Cool Events!

Help us kick off a rockin’ summer of reading at the Family Fiesta Saturday, May 18 at the Tanque Verde Swap Meet.   

Meet Curious George and Clifford

Choose a free book

Visit the Bookmobile

Make crafts

Watch a live performance by Make Way for Books

We have fun events all summer long! See all of the FREE programs and special events happening at all of our libraries.

Dress up as your favorite character and celebrate a summer of reading at MegaMania!, a free and fun event for all-ages happening on Saturday, July 13 at Pima Community College Downtown Campus.

Enjoy the Zoo!

Don’t forget to use your Reid Park Zoo coupon, which came with your tracker. This coupon can be used anytime between May 24 and September 30. It’s good for one free child admission (ages 2–14) when accompanied by one paid adult admission.

TEENS

Teens, we’re here for you, too. At the Library, you get to do what interests YOU!

Attend HUNDREDS of events and summer camps in everything from computer programming to poetry writing, and much more.

Have fun with friends and hang out at the Library.

Explore tons of new hobbies like 3D printing and jewelry making.

Find exciting programming and jumpstart your dreams all summer—and all year—long!

Build your leadership skills and make new friends! Volunteer at your local library

Pick up a free book starting Monday, June 3, while supplies last.

Don’t miss MegaMania! on July 13! At our super popular annual con, show off your costume or make your own, play games of the analog or digital variety, get crafty with other craft-makers, and meet authors and artists, all for free!

Summer Reading 2019! A Universe of Stories published first on https://medium.com/@SteampunkPCGames

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Un Universo de Cuentos: Programa de Lectura de Verano, 2019

Un Universo de Cuentos: Programa de Lectura de Verano, 2019 Sábado, 18 de mayo — Sábado, 13 de julio

A primera vista

Evento Cuándo Dónde LEER, LEER, LEER Proponte leer 20 minutos cada día ¡Estés dónde estés! El Programa de Lectura comienza Sábado, 18 de mayo En todas las bibliotecas El arranque del Programa de Lectura de Verano es en la Fiesta Familiar Sábado, 18 de mayo, 6:30–9 pm Tanque Verde Swap Meet, 4100 S. Palo Verde Rd. Regalaremos libros para niños y jóvenes A partir del lunes, 3 de junio En todas las bibliotecas, hasta agotar existencias MegaMania! Sábado, 13 de julio, de 1-5 pm Campus del centro de Pima Community College, 1255 N Stone Ave El Programa de Lectura termina Sábado, 13 de julio Aunque haya terminado el Programa de Lectura, tú sigue leyendo todo el año ¡...en donde y cuando sea!

NIÑOS

¡Leer, leer, leer!

Niños, a partir del sábado 18 de mayo, pasen a cualquiera de nuestras bibliotecas a recoger su rastreador de lectura. Junto con el rastreador, te entregarán un cupón para el ingreso gratuito de un niño al Zoológico Reid Park.

Proponte leer 20 minutos al día durante ¡todo el verano!   ¿Quieres que te demos sugerencias?     

Ven por un libro gratuito a partir del lunes, 3 de junio hasta que se agoten.            

¡Presúmelo! Ven a cualquier biblioteca por calcomanías y sellos para marcar tu progreso. Te daremos un certificado cuando completes tu rastreador de lectura.

¡Participa en eventos padrísimos!

Ayúdanos a lanzar un formidable verano de lectura en la Fiesta Familiar, el sábado, 18 de mayo, en el Tanque Verde Swap Meet.  

Conoce a Curious George y a Clifford

Te regalaremos un libro. ¡Escógelo!

Visita la Biblioteca-sobre-ruedas

Haz manualidades

Acompañanos en la presentación en vivo de Make Way for Books

Tenemos eventos divertidos ¡todo el verano!  Entérate de las actividades GRATUITAS y los eventos especiales que tendrán lugar en todas nuestras bibliotecas.

Disfrázate de tu personaje favorito y celebra un verano de lectura en ¡MegaManía! — un evento divertido y gratuito, para todas las edades.  Será el sábado, 13 de julio en el Campus del centro de Pima Community College.

  ¡Disfruta el zoológico!

No olvides usar el cupón para el Zoológico Reid Park que te entregamos con tu rastreador. Puedes usar este cupón entre el 24 de mayo y el 30 de septiembre. Es válido por la admisión gratuita de un niño (de 2 a 14 años), con la compra de una entrada para adulto.                                             

JÓVENES

Jóvenes: también estamos contigo. En la Biblioteca, vas a poder hacer lo que te interesa ¡A TI!

Participa en CIENTOS de eventos y campamentos de verano que cubren todos los temas desde programación computacional hasta poesía, y mucho más.

Diviértete con tus amigos en la biblioteca

Explora muchos pasatiempos nuevos como la impresión en 3D o la creación de joyería.

Encuentra un programa interesante y haz tus sueños realidad todo el verano...y durante ¡todo el año!

¡Desarrolla tus habilidades de liderazgo y haz nuevos amigos!  Trabaja como voluntario en tu biblioteca.

A partir del lunes, 3 de junio, recoge un libro gratuito, hasta agotar existencia.

No te pierdas ¡MegaManía! el 13 de julio. Presume tu disfraz en nuestra ultra popular convención o fabrica uno tú mismo; juega juegos (análogos o digitales); ponte creativo con otros artesanos y conoce escritores y artistas.  ¡Todo es gratis! 

  Un Universo de Cuentos: Programa de Lectura de Verano, 2019 published first on https://medium.com/@SteampunkPCGames

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Library card perks you may not know about

National Library Week seems like a great time to toot our own horn and tell you about great, lesser-known perks you get with your library card.

You can use our streaming video and music without even leaving your house! What better perk could there be? (Oh, there are way more -- see the bottom of this post!)

Streaming Video

Acorn TV

Acorn TV has your British favs, which you can watch on your computer, phone or stream to your TV with your Roku or AppleTV.

Kanopy

Kanopy offers indie and international films, documentaries, and educational entertainment for all ages. Watch 10 films per month!

Qello

Ever wish you could see your favorite band in concert? Qello has full-length concerts as well as music documentaries. Stream and sing to your heart's content!

Pongalo

Looking for series and movies in Spanish? Try Pongalo! Get your telenovela fix or watch movies.

IndieFlix

Into quirky, independent films? Want more documentaries and shorts? IndieFlix Movies and TV is for you.

Access all streaming video here.

Streaming Music

Freegal Music

Need some jams? Download or stream music on Freegal. When you download your free 5 songs a week, you keep the songs! Or try streaming 3 hours of music a day to get your fix.

Access Freegal here.

Alright, now you know about streaming video and music, but what other perks are there?

Culture passes get you and a friend into museums and gardens for free.

Check out seeds from the Seed Library and start your own garden.

Read magazines on your computer or handheld device. Which ones? Rolling Stone, Arizona Highways, The New Yorker, Newsweek, and more than I can list here.

Or maybe you'd rather read graphic novels?

Grab a copy of a book that has too long of a waiting list for you from our Express Book shelves.

Looking for something we don't have on the shelves at all? Don't worry, we'll borrow it for you via Interlibrary Loan.

Our E-Library is vast and deep. Research, homework, language learning, stuff for kids and teens, and most importantly, stuff for you!

Library card perks you may not know about published first on https://medium.com/@SteampunkPCGames

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Teens become leaders at the Library

This guest blog post was co-authored by Kim and Grace, members of the Wheeler Taft Abbett, Sr. Library's Teen Advisory Board. Learn more about getting involved at this year's Rising Voices Youth Summit on Saturday, April 13 at Flowing Wells Library! 

We have been Teen Advisory Board (TAB) members since 2016. The foremost reason we enjoy the TAB is because we help provide learning opportunities—many that would otherwise be unavailable—for teens in our community. Plus, we get to do activities that we might not have known about or even thought to participate in.

Recently we created a weekly club where teens could learn how to crochet or knit. Grace crochets and Lisa, a librarian, knits. They worked together to get the club up and running. It was a relaxing, fun, and creative way to spend hot summer days.

Kim, Teen Advisory Board Member

We also ran a program creating cards for U.S. Military service members. It was during last year's Summer Reading Program, so we set aside space in the children's area where families would pass by and make a few cards. Parents and kids wrote heartwarming messages to show their appreciation for service members and veterans. Some even wrote about the connections they had with the military and shared their own stories. After a few weeks, we gathered all of the cards and sent them to an organization called "A Million Thanks," where they shipped them overseas for soldiers to read.

In the past, we’ve held donation drives to support those in need. We’ve held a Christmas toy drive for St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. We also held a donation drive for the Pima Animal Care Center to collect supplies for pets at the shelter. Every donation we receive is special and reminds us that the people in our community are caring and want to give to those who need it most. These drives show us that donations—even the smallest—can make a difference.  

Grace, Teen Advisory Board Member

Some of our favorite monthly events are the ones we do with presenters from organizations such as Xerocraft Hackerspace. These events are especially interesting because they help teens build new skills and introduce them to the abundance of creative opportunities we have right here in Tucson. Other events include 3D printing, virtual reality, and vinyl cutting.

We also develop arts and crafts programming. At the most popular of these events, Steampunk Jewelry, teens get to design and create their own trinkets to keep and take home. Every person creates something unique and different, bringing a world of creativity under one roof. Others include origami, drawing, and music production. All of these programs are free and open to any interested teen!

We believe it is important for youth to become leaders. Learning how to lead teaches us responsibility and patience—skills that will serve us well in the future. Planning programs and doing community-based projects with our fellow TAB peers has taught us to plan in advance and understand that good things take time to come to fruition. We've learned about processes and how to start projects. Partnering with the University of Arizona, we've offered educational programs, like résumé writing, which exposed us to important, real-world expectations. 

The best part about being on the Teen Advisory Board? There's no pressure—it's about learning, meeting new friends, and preparing to leap into the future and make a difference. 

Teens become leaders at the Library published first on https://medium.com/@SteampunkPCGames

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Website Software Update Coming Soon!

The Library's website is getting an update soon. This update is primarily for those of us who work in the back end of the website to keep it running. The changes for you will be minimal, but we hope you like them!

Here's what to expect.

What is staying the same?

The entire catalog will be the same! This includes Search, My Account/Borrowing, Suggest for Purchase, and every other catalog feature.

The search tool at the top of the website and catalog

The online event calendar

Menus at the top of the website and catalog, and menus/links at the bottom (‘the footer’) of the website and catalog

Library Hours & Locations pages

FAQs

E-Library

What's changing?

The homepage will have a new look.

You'll see more staff lists, events, and stuff for kids.

Quick Links buttons will get you to areas you need regularly.

Book, movie, and music recommendations will be easier to find!

You'll see new and improved pages under Browse - By Format, By Age, Discover Community, and More.

A brand new tool called Explore will help you find all similar book, movie, music, and other recommendations.

The website will work better for people with accessibility needs.

Our vendor has designed, built, and tested this software upgrade with improved accessibility in mind. Patrons who make use of screen reader software, tabbed browsing, high contrast displays, magnification tools, and other assistive technologies should have a much better experience using the new website.

Here's a sneak peek!

Website Software Update Coming Soon! published first on https://medium.com/@SteampunkPCGames

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Music is one of my best dreams

Alfred Mukson, aka Ayostin Deon, is a local student, songwriter, singer, and musician. He will be one of our featured performers at this year's Rising Voice Youth Summit on Saturday, April 13 (9:30 am–2 pm at Flowing Wells Library). 

Ayostin has been making and performing music since he was 12 years old and living in Nampula, Mozambique. Last year, he performed at the Rising Voices Open Mic with a live band/dance group called the Lucky Boys. Since then, he has performed solo at various events around Tucson, including Tucson Meet Yourself, the Youth and Peace Conference. He can also be found playing the drums with the Palo Verde High School marching and concert bands, and writing, producing, and recording his own music.  

We interviewed Ayostin about why music offers a way to connect with others, and his advice for young people who are following their own passions.

Why is music so important to you?

Whenever I’m sad I can listen to a song or create my own and I feel better. If I’m bored I can dance and come up with moves. I can’t go without music. It makes me happy and excited. It makes me feel something in my soul. I want my music to do that for others.

What message do you want your music to send?

I want to help people unlock emotions, make them feel something, and think about their lives.

What is it like performing in front of an audience?

Sometimes I get nervous and I don’t want to do it. When someone shoots a video of a performance, I never watch it because I’m not sure of how I will look. I don’t know what pushes me to do it, but once I get up there it feels good because I’m doing what I love. Music is one of my best dreams.

What are your goals?

I want to connect with others through music; to share my story. A musician performing a song is as powerful as a poet reading a poem. That’s what I want others to know.

Do you have advice to share with your peers?

Be who you are and do your own thing. Don’t give up because someone told you to. Hold your talent with both hands and your soul. Do what makes you happy and do it the best you can.

Check Ayostin out on YouTube!

Music is one of my best dreams published first on https://medium.com/@SteampunkPCGames

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The Google 'Stadia': Is it The Future of Gaming

The video game industry has never been short of innovations aiming at improving the gaming experience for gamers irrespective of the age. Today, gamers have access to a full range of gaming consoles, highly interactive titles and accessories.

The Google 'Stadia': Is it The Future of Gaming published first on https://medium.com/@SteampunkPCGames

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The Best Gaming Franchises of All-Time Castlevania

Any time a series inspires an entire genre of games, you know they’re doing something right. One half of the inspiration behind the ever-popular Metroidvania genre of games, Castlevania does a lot of things well and arguably includes the most battles against Count Dracula featured in any gaming series.

The Best Gaming Franchises of All-Time Castlevania published first on https://medium.com/@SteampunkPCGames

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It’s made an astonishing difference

Pilot program addresses youth behavioral issues with compassion and inclusivity

The Restorative Practices for Youth Program piloted at Eckstrom-Columbus Library. In total, suspensions dropped by 75% within the first six months!

One of the Library's goals is to make our buildings welcoming to people of all ages. In an effort to create more welcoming spaces for youth, the Library has piloted a program that offers youth facing suspension for behavior that doesn’t align with the Code of Conduct a way to make amends without losing library privileges. Library Restorative Practices for Youth (LRPY) encourages youth to meet with a board of community members and work together to address behavioral issues.

Sofia Blue, a former librarian and current Special Staff Assistant for Pima County Supervisor Ramón Valadez, and Manuel Abril, a facilitator for local art therapy groups, served on the first LRPY Board, which piloted at Eckstrom-Columbus Library in the fall of 2017.

In Manuel’s opinion, “It shows a spirit of inclusivity… and gives young people a forum to be heard.”

Throughout the pilot year, Manuel and Sofia were part of interactions that offered genuine examples of restorative practices at work.

Sofia recalls one youth who said she was so embarrassed about what she had done that she felt it in her heart, while Manuel remembers meeting a teen who used her time in front of the board to open up about social exclusion and the ways it was affecting her and her behavior.

Eckstrom-Columbus Library manager Mary Sanchez says, "With this program, we can encourage youth to grow not just in their knowledge but also their behavior."

There is one teen whom Mary Sanchez, manager of the Eckstrom-Columbus Library, will never forget. This participant had been referred to the LRPY board three different times, but there was no change in behavioral issues, which included getting into fights, yelling, being rude to staff, and bypassing the computer system.

Mary says, “During one of the sessions, we asked his older sister to attend. She brought her mother and translated to her throughout the meeting. The difference was astonishing. The teen was more attentive and respectful and really listened to what his mother and sister had to say. Having them come to the session made a huge impact. Since then, his attitude and behavior have drastically improved.”

“The first year has been very positive....This model shows youth that they are part of and responsible for the well-being of their library,” says Manuel.

Sofia agrees, “The kids that cause disruptions are often the ones who need the library the most. It’s not easy for kids to talk about why they got into trouble, but they always have interesting insights and they really do want to make things right. They just need guidance on how to make it right again. That’s what restorative justice is all about.”

It’s made an astonishing difference published first on https://medium.com/@SteampunkPCGames