Re-Carpeting Project

Wondering why the library is closed for a whole week? We are in the midst of re-carpeting the entire library. We are all hard at work moving books, furniture, and packing up desks. You may imagine how challenging it is for librarians to have books be in total disarray. By the end of the week, order will prevail! The new carpet looks great. It will all be a worthwhile endeavor. We look forward to reopening the doors to serve you.

Timbuktu Residents Save Ancient Manuscripts From Islamic Radicals

Residents of Timbuktu, Mali have reportedly saved most ancient manuscripts in its famed library from being burned by Islamic radicals in control of the city, NPR reports.

The latest estimates... suggest that about 2,000 manuscripts were torched, while the remainder of the estimated 30,000 at the institute survived. Apparently residents removed and hid many of the manuscripts, anticipating that the Islamists would try to destroy them.

The manuscripts include ornately decorated Qurans and other religious texts, as well as poetry and mathematics. Many of the works date from the 14th to the 16th centuries, when Timbuktu was a major regional crossroads.

Wild Encounters: The Sacred and Profane

Join us in the Taos Public Library community room this Saturday, Feburary 2nd from 1:30-3:30 with author Christina Nealson.

Join author, naturalist and blogger Christina Nealson as she weaves spellbinding accounts from her latest book with practical pointers on how to contact wildlife and the spiritual imperatives of doing so in today's fragmented world. Nealson will sign her books and address personal questions.

Readers Suing Lance Armstrong Over Book Falsehoods

Sports fans are not the only ones angry at cycling legend Lance Armstrong. Book readers are, too. CNN reports on a class-action lawsuit against Armstrong and his book publishers accusing them of peddling fiction as fact. According to CNN, although the lawsuit does not specify monetary damages sought, it's pretty clear it will be "a lot more than the price of the book."

Digital Download Workshop on January 31st

Join us in the Taos Public Library community room on Thursday, January 31st from 3:00 pm to 5:00 pm, for a workshop on how to access our digital library and how to download e-books and e-audio onto your electronic devices. Don't forget to bring your device(s) and library card. It's helpful if you've already registered your devices with iTunes and/or Amazon, and have a Adobe digital Editions ID and password.

Our digital collection can be found on New Mexico Library to Go. Taos Public Library has joined with 9 other libraries to form a consortium! Our digital collection is at 4,700 e-book/e-audio, and continues to grow.

We've Got A Slew Of New Mysteries And Suspense Books

If you're in the library in the near future, you may notice that our new mystery shelves have gotten somewhat swollen. Thanks to one of our patrons, a mystery book reviewer, we've gotten boxes and boxes of new mysteries. Lisa, Cheryl and I are about halfway through the cataloging and processing. So if you don't notice a difference now, keep checking back.

Do We Still Need Libraries?

The New York Times posted an interesting discussion about the role of libraries in the digital age. This was an adjunct to its own reporting about how libraries are trying to fill the void left by the closing of traditional bookstores. Of course, we at Taos Public Library feel that libraries are as important, if not more important, than ever. So it was gratifying to see that all four of the contributions in the Times seemed to agree.