Given the events of the last month, November truly feels like a month of gratitude for our whole community.
The library staff were all so happy to be back in business quickly following our community’s repopulation and being able to get back in our building. Hearing everyone’s stories, it’s clear that the evacuation was extremely rough on a lot of our neighbors. In addition, we have had an outpouring of heartwarming support and assistance provided. Along with everyone else, we feel a debt of gratitude to our first responders as well. We look forward to continuing to serve as a community information hub and a safe, helpful place for quiet study and active group work.
We’re getting into the season of gratitude by offering a Gratitude Tree in our Children’s Area. Anyone can come by and write something to be grateful for on a leaf that we will hang on the tree. We’re grateful for our creative artist co-worker, Erin, who constructed this tree out of fallen branches in another staff member’s yard. It has served our library well over the last year, providing a space to hang seasonal crafts.
As always, I’d like to let you know about new programs and services that we have available. First, we have a new Teen Book Swap program for those in grades 7 to 12. Teens are invited to browse through a selection of books that include new titles, classic titles and even a few pre-published titles. These books are free to keep and in exchange we ask readers for a brief review to be completed by the end of the month. Some of these reviews will be featured on the library’s website and social media to promote books that teens especially recommend.
Back in September, during Hispanic Heritage Month, we offered a tamale making workshop for all ages. It was so popular, we were inspired to offer another round. On Saturday, Dec. 14 at 4 p.m., workshop attendees can celebrate the holidays with the whole family. You will walk through the whole tamale making process, leaving you with tamales you can bring home to finish cooking and ideas for creating more tamales. Salome Arenas Ramirez, our tamale master, will pass on authentic tamale technique and a recipe for all who are there to learn. This workshop has a limit on attendees, so that we can have enough materials for cooking, and spots have already started filling up. To register, give the library a call at 707-433-3772 or sign up online using our events calendar at sonomalibrary.org. We look forward to seeing you.
Jon Haupt is the branch manager of the Healdsburg Regional Library.
