Hello, Sedona Red Rock News readers! As we begin the second month of a still new year, a favorite movie comes to mind because of its timeframe (Groundhog Day); because in real life, Phil the Groundhog lives at a library in the city where the movie is set—Punxsutawney, PA; and because at the end of the movie, the main character becomes a pillar of the community, just like your Library! So, let’s explore this hilarious Bill Murray comedy-classic, Groundhog Day.
If you haven’t yet seen this 30-year-old flick, give it a try. Spoilers ahead! Murray plays Phil Connors, a cynical TV weatherman who finds himself reliving the same day over and over while on location, in aforementioned Punxsutawney, PA, to report on their annual Groundhog Day celebration. Trapped in a repeating limbo of 34 years–yes, someone actually did that math–Murray’s character decides to make the most of an odd situation and he takes advantage of it. Ultimately, he learns to better himself and he becomes a pillar of the community. I have a particular love for this movie and it’s a tradition to watch it on February 2 because the movie ends the next day, February 3, which is my birthday! Shameless plug, I know, but I do love pecan pie, buffalo wings, and I’ll be at the Library on the following Monday. Back to the column at hand.
Being a pillar of the community is no small thing, and your Library works hard to live up to its deserved reputation. This means we need to not only be the library you visit, but also the library that visits you—Library on Location (LOL) I like to call it. For instance, tomorrow, the City of Sedona will welcome more than 3,000 marathoners from around the globe to the annual Run Sedona Marathon. And who will be there to help? Sedona Public Library! We will be on-hand to welcome, cheer, and help hydrate the runners. Make sure you stop by our relief station and say, “Hello!”
Then, on Saturday, February 10, when the Scorpion Boosters put on their annual Casino Night fundraiser to support local students and staff with important education and creative projects, who will be there to help? You guessed it, Sedona Public Library. We’ll host the Wine Pull, the one game where everyone wins! You’ll get a great bottle of wine (values up to $150) and you’ll also support your community library! So in between playing casino-style games, and enjoying the food, libations, music, and silent auction, be sure to stop by the Library’s Wine Pull. We’re currently selling event tickets at both
library locations. Casino Night is at 6 p.m. at the Performing Arts Center and for more information, visit www.scorpionboosterclub.com.
Don’t miss this year’s St. Patrick’s Day parade where amongst the leprechauns and pipers you’ll again find Library on Location! On Saturday, March 16, your friendly LOL will be at the city’s annual parade sharing in the luck of the Irish and helping celebrate the many civic groups and organizations that make Sedona the wonderful city that it is.
In April, which also is the month we celebrate Library Giving Day, you’ll find your LOL squad at Clark’s Market in the Village as part of Non-Profit Mondays. We’ll be at Clark’s rooting for the customers and asking them to drop their receipts in the bin. Why? Because like us, Clark’s is a community pillar, and they will donate five percent of the total dollar amount of receipts dropped off that day to the Library. It’s a win-win!
At Sedona Public Library, we are the heart of the community, where people gather, friendships are forged, lives are enriched, and ideas are cultivated. We create community by fostering lifelong learning and building connections. We open a door to the world through empowering information, inspiring ideas, and engaging experiences. We are here for you, at two locations, and we are there for you—at numerous events throughout the community and always at Sunset Park where you’ll find StoryWalk, an opportunity to read, walk and play all at once. Check it out! You just never know where you’ll find LOL!
If you want to know more, please stop in, get your library card if you don’t already have one, visit Steve the T-Rex to see what events are going on, look up and enjoy the quilt show for one more month, and did I mention my birthday on February 3?
Sedona Public Library is a grateful 501(c)(3), private, non-profit, library, and it is individual and public support that makes events like all of the above possible. If you are interested in sponsoring this, or any of our events and programs, please contact Anne Marie at amackler@sedonalibrary.org. The Library is funded in large part by the City of Sedona, Coconino County, the Friends of the Sedona Library, and people like you. We also receive a portion of your tax dollars from Yavapai County. Thank you.
As published in the Red Rock News
Library News Column for February 2, 2024
Written by Jan Marc Quisumbing, Scheduling Coordinator