The end of summer is officially on September 22, though for me, and especially after living in Arizona for 10 years, the summer ends at the beginning of the new school year in August. I would like to take this moment to speak directly to all the adult caretakers of children in Sedona and the Verde Valley. Parents, grandparents, and guardians . . . we did it. We made it through “summer” and now our precious angels return to school, and our lives return to some semblance of normalcy. Ah-hem.
We’ve survived endless playdates, summer camps, and non-stop Harry Potter movie marathons, all the while keeping our busy lives going, and our busy houses in order, whether they are Gryffindor, Slytherin, Ravenclaw, or Hufflepuff. Here’s hoping that my son Fernando’s sophomore year of high school is getting off to a good start. Did I tear up as I dropped him off at school last Thursday? Yes. Did I sing the first few stanzas of “It’s The Most Wonderful Time of the Year” by Andy Williams? Also, yes.
Summer in the library has also been busy: you traveled the world through residents’ eyes with the Wanderlust program; learned about the rich and colorful history of Jerome, Arizona at an Arizona Humanities program; and you centered your mind, body, and souls with the Longevity program, and yoga and line dancing classes.
At the Village Library, you learned about the history of the Audubon Society from a descendant of its founder George “Bird” Grinnell. You stretched your creative muscles at the Creative Connection program and stretched your actual muscles with the ever-popular Chair Yoga class. (And you did so in the again sponsored Javelina Room. Thank you, Donna Hawk. Without your support, we would not have this multi-use space available. Thank you!)
But now as we get ready for autumn, what do you have to look forward to? For starters, movies. We can expect Mondays to be busy with the latest Hollywood blockbuster at 6 p.m. and Wednesdays to be busy at the Village matinee at 2 p.m. Always check our website and boards for movie announcements.
Then, there is music. Many of you are already enjoying the Ukelele 101 class that returned last Monday. It’s again taught by local musician Gioia Quisumbing of the band Sugar Moon, and while this six-week class concludes on September 16, it will start up again in October. Don’t worry if you weren’t able to sign up this time, it’s coming back around.
And what goes with music? The arts! You can view the winning pieces from West Sedona Elementary School students who participated in the “City of Sedona Youth Climate Action Art Challenge.” The prints of the original pieces from these local talented artists will be on display in the main lobby through August 24. The artwork featured will adorn various public trash receptacles throughout the city, encouraging the public to be mindful of how they discard their garbage.
What else? Arizona Talking Book Library visits on August 21. This group from Phoenix serves people across the state who are visually impaired, have physical disabilities which prevent them from using conventional print materials, and those with perceptual or reading disabilities like dyslexia. A representative will be in the main lobby in west Sedona from 4:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. to answer your questions about their services including books, magazines, and other library resources in alternate formats.
As the third place in your life, after work and home, a library provides a sense of community for everyone. Whether it’s coming in to learn more about your health, to listen to a political candidate, to dance or play a musical instrument, to meet a friend or read the newspaper, to write or paint, or to finally take that big step and get a library card, your presence and participation are welcome. Come on in and find me, although I might look a tad more relaxed now that summer, for us parents anyway, has ended. Ah-hem.
Sedona Public Library is an independently run, 501(c)(3), privately owned, debt-free, non-profit organization providing public services. Support comes from the City of Sedona; your property tax dollars from Coconino and Yavapai Counties; businesses, foundations, and individuals like you; and the amazing Friends of the Sedona Library who have supported the Library for more than 55 years. Please visit us at sedonalibrary.org.
As published by Red Rock News
Library News Column for August 9, 2024
Written by Jan Marc Quisumbing, Scheduling Coordinator