Friendship for Little Ones — 15 Children’s Books

Public librarians serve a diverse clientele with equal rigor and enthusiasm — kids, families, retirees, folks passing through town — the list goes on. Cultural, economic, religious, political, and personal differences are sure to exist — even with librarians. But when it comes to serving the public, a librarian’s professional commitment to understanding the views […]

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Paleontological illustrator Melody Brooke Safken is 970West Studio Artist in Residence through early December  

  Melody Brooke Safken, an award-winning illustrator and instructor at Colorado Mesa University, is the new Mesa County Libraries 970West Studio Artist in Residence. Specializing in paleontological illustration, Safken plans to host open studio hours and a variety of workshops during her residency, which lasts through Dec. 4, 2017. Born and raised in Grand Junction, […]

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What’s up, 1917?

Sure, the right now is really cool, here in 2017. Awesome, in fact.  But sometimes, I like to go back a hundred years and see what I missed. Lots of stuff happened in 1917, and here’s a sample: January 28 – The United States ended its search for that bad boy, Pancho Villa. April 6 […]

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Books for tough times

There are times when even the stiffest of upper lips wobble, and the most ardent reader’s literary work ethic turns to mush. This poor unfortunate soul cannot conceive of picking up the grim psychological thriller, the worthy biography,the best-selling history,  or even the latest gore-soaked serial killer novel.  Dark days call for cheerful measures, and […]

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Ooo! Aaa! Solar Eclipse 2017!

Hey everyone, there’s this super rare natural phenomenon known as a ” total solar eclipse” happening this Monday, August 21! Citizens across the country will be whipping out their fancy eclipse glasses or homemade viewing devices, and hunkering down to enjoy this special natural event.  Here in Grand Junction the event will be viewed as […]

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Graphic: Mesa County Libraries logo

Jane Austen at Home

When I don’t want to be a soulless creep, I turn to Jane Austen. Reading her as an uncouth youth elevated my witless literary habits and saved me from a slack-jawed, Judith- Krantz-and-her-ilk-filled future. She was my gateway to the classics, and her tart and funny novels have entertained me ever since. Her charming satire, […]

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Keeping Secrets Secret…

Can I tell you something? Do you promise not to tell anyone else? Can you keep a secret? Have you ever been in this situation before wondering if someone is going to use, steal, or tell someone else your great ideas? If so then you may want to consider having your own nondisclosure agreement. According […]

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Famous Colorado Deeds: Julia Archibald Holmes

On August 5, 1858, the newly-wed feminist and abolitionist Julia Archibald Holmes was the first woman on record to climb Colorado’s Pikes Peak. With her husband and two others, she began the hike on August 1, clad in an ultra-progressive (and scandalous) bloomer costume, consisting of a knee-length dress worn over full-length pants, accessorized with […]

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Coffee Lovers Unite

Coffee: it’s the first thing I think of when I wake up.  The ritual begins as I groggily slump towards the kitchen with eyes half open, heading directly towards the stove top to begin boiling water.  I move on to pour beans out of the bag with a gentle urgency, always adding a little more […]

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Mesa County Libraries to offer eclipse-related events and viewing aids

UPDATED 8/18/17 at 10:20 am: Please note–At this point, all but one library is out of glasses and it is doubtful there will be any left for the public once their programming (Collbran–see below) is finished.  The library district (8 locations) split the few glasses we received between locations, with the sole purpose of developing […]

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