Smoky Hill Branch Library
5430 S. Biscay Circle Centennial, CO. 80015
Phone 303-693-7449 * Fax 303-690-4572
Hours: Mon-Thurs 9 A.M.-9 P.M. Friday & Saturday 9 A.M.-5
P.M. Sunday 1 P.M. - 5 P.M.
Lapsit Story
Times -4 to 24 months Mondays & Tuesdays at 9:30 A.M. Saturdays at 10:30
A.M.Toddlers 2 year olds
with parent or caregiver Mondays & Tuesdays 10:00 A.M. Wednesdays
at 9:30 A.M. Ages 3-5 year olds Tuesdays at 10:45 A. M. Wednesdays
at 10:00 & 10;45 A. M. call for reservations
Bedtime Storytime
Every Wednesday & Thursday at 7 P.M.
SMOKY HILL LIBRARY
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Audiobook
Downloads are Back
Audiobooks
are once again available from the Arapahoe Library District for you to
download to your PC. Most
audiobooks can also be burned to a CD or moved to a DRM- capable
portable media player. There’s a great selection of
titles in all genres, from humor to drama, mysteries, romance, sci-fi,
biographies, business, history, self-improvement and more. All the
details and the free OverDrive media
software you need are at
www.arapahoelibraries.org
There’s also a Quick Strart
Guide and
FAQs to
help you. You can check out seven
audiobooks at any given time. Items are
automatically checked in after 21 days and cannot be renewed.
However, you can check them out again if they are available when
your checkout expires.
CURRENT
INFORMATION for December
Your
Library: The Best Bargain in Town!
In these
tough times, with gas and food prices soaring, it’s hard to believe that
bargains exist anywhere. Why not turn to your
favorite public library for some relief? Here are some great ways we can
help you in these trying economic times.
Take us for a Test Drive
Books, CDs and DVDs are expensive. Search our
catalog, and test drive your selections by
borrowing them from us first. Don’t see what you
need? We’ll try to get it for you.
Free Internet
All of our computers
offer high speed Internet access and the Microsoft Office Suite.
We also provide free wireless access and
Macintoch computers for multimedia projects.
Beef up Your Business
We offer databases and other tools that can help you locate and reach
new markets for your business, large or small.
Be Entertained
We offer a variety of
classes, programs, book clubs and activities. Check
our Programs & Events calendar (inside every edition of The
Dewey newsletter)
or visit
www.arapahoelibraries.org
A World at Your Fingertips
The price of gas got you down? Visit the library
online! You can access our databases and resources,
browse our catalog, place holds, manage your account and register for
programs, all from the comfort of your home or office!
Find a Job
Whether you are
looking for a job or hoping to change careers, use our resources to
search job postings, build your resume and research alternatives.
Connect with Your Community
Stop in,
meet new people and check out the action. We all weather the tough times
better together.
This
article was inspired by “Get through the Tough Times @ Your Library” by
Christine Ayar and recreated with permission
by Arapahoe Library District’s Internet Librarian Christine
Kreger.
Book Drive for The Children’s
Hospital
Arapahoe Library District will be hosting the
Books for Kids! Holiday Drive
from Monday, December
1 – Saturday December 13 to benefit children staying at The Children’s
Hospital. Books for all ages of children and teens
may be used as part of a treatment plan or to comfort and entertain them
during hospital stays. Decorated boxes will be set up
at all Arapahoe Library District locations to collect new books.
The infection control policy at The Children’s Hospital does ask
that all donated books be new, not used. Please join
Library staff in donating books for these children in our community.
Holiday Movies
Do you
love holiday movie marathons, but hate sitting through the endless hours
of commercials? If so, you should try checking out DVDs from the
library. It’s a great way to enjoy some of your
favorite classics with the family, and some of the contemporary holiday
flicks will have everyone laughing.
A Christmas Carol
There are countless
variations and retellings of this classic Dickens tale, from The
Muppet Christmas Carol to Scrooged,
but you might want to try the 1951 film starring Alastair
Sim, which comes in the original black and
white as well as colorized version. Originally titled
Scrooge, it was released in the United States under the title
A Christmas Carol. Not rated.
A Christmas Story
This movie, released
in 1983, is set in the 1940’s Indiana . It’s a
nostalgic and humorous look at a nine – year-old boy’s Christmas in the
Midwest during a simpler time. Based on the novel,
In God We Trust, All Others Pay Cash by Jean Shepherd.
Rated PG.
Christmas with the
Kranks
Based on the John
Grisham novel Skipping Christmas, this humorous movie, starring
Tim Allen and Jamie Lee Curtis, has empty-nesters Luther and Nora
skipping Christmas to go on a cruise instead. Their
plans are thwarted, however, when their daughter decides to come home
after all, expecting to introduce her fiancé to their traditional family
holiday festivities. Rated PG.
Christmas Vacation
The third film in the
“National Lampoon’s Vacation” movie series, Chevy Chase , as Clark
Griswold, is at it again. This movie includes Randy
Quaid as Cousin Eddie, and hilarities abound
as Clark lights up the neighborhood with his thousands of Christmas
lights, and makes it a holiday to remember,
or forget. Rated PG 13.
Elf
Will Farrell is Buddy
the Elf, who. As a baby, crawled into Santa’s sack on Christmas Eve at
an orphanage and is mistakenly taken back to the North Pole. There, he
is adopted and raised by Papa Elf (Bob Newhart) until he starts to
outgrow the elf world and wonders why he doesn’t fit in.
Buddy sets off to find his biological father, a children’s book
publisher, in New York City , and comedy ensues.
Rated PG.
It’s a Wonderful Life
The 1947 Frank Capra
film is standard holiday fare about the importance of even one person in
the lives of those around him. Starring Jimmy Stewart
and Donna Reed, the DVD includes a making-of documentary.
The movie is based on the short story The Greatest Gift by
Philip Van Doren Stern. Not rated.
Meet Me in St. Louis
Starring Judy
Garland, this 1944 film is much more than a Christmas tale, running
through several seasons and culminating with the 1904 World’s Fair in
St. Louis . The song “Have
Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” was introduced in this movie.
Based on stories published in The New
Yorker by Sally Benson. Not Rated.
White Christmas
Featuring Irving
Berlin songs and starring Bing Crosby, Danny Kaye and Rosemary Clooney,
this 1954 musical includes the song that is its namesake, reprised from
the movie Holiday Inn starring Bing Crosby and Fred
Astair. Not rated.
Holiday Closings
All
Arapahoe Library District locations will be closed on Wednesday,
December 24 and Thursday, December 25 in observation of Christmas Eve
and Christmas Day. In addition, all locations will close at 5 p.m. on
Wednesday, December 31 for New Year’s Eve and will be closed on
Thursday, January 1 for New Year’s Day.
Meeting Room Reservation
Process for Recurring Meetings
Arapahoe
Library District offers meeting space free of charge for nonprofits, and
at a very minimal cost to for-profits or local businesses. In response
to ongoing feedback from members of the community, who have indicated a
desire to have more meeting rooms available, we have decided to make a
change to our meeting room reservation process as it relates to
recurring meetings.
Based on
this feedback, we re-evaluated our current reservation process to
determine how we could better serve our patrons, and community at large,
when it comes to meeting rooms. That assessment
brought to light that, unfortunately, meeting rooms are sometimes
reserved, but not used. It is our
hope that the decision to refine the reservation process will help
prevent rooms being reserved, then not used.
Patrons
can reserve meeting rooms on a recurring basis on the third Tuesday, of
every fourth month, meaning:
·
On
November 18, 2008 patrons can reserve meeting room space for January
through April 2009.
·
On
March 17, 2009 patrons can reserve meeting room space for May through
August 2009
·
On July
21, 2009 patrons can reserve meeting room space for September through
December 2009
For more
information, please call 303-LIBRARY (303-542-7279)
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New Library Construction at S.
Parker Road and E. Florida Avenue
Earlier
this spring, construction began on a new public library building for the
Arapahoe Library District. This new branch will be
built on 3.5 acres at the intersection of S. Parker Road and E. Florida
Avenuein unincorporated Arapahoe County .
The 28,000 – square foot library will serve residents in Glendale
, Four Square Mile and Holly Hills , as well as the larger community,
and is scheduled to open in early 2009.
The search
for land began in 2004, driven by increased demand for library services
as well as a growing need for additional space at the existing library
in the Glendale Community
Center . The new Parker and Florida location has ample land to
build a larger facility, has excellent accessibility to public
transportation and will have a formidable presence in the community as a
stand-alone building. The new library will enable the Arapahoe Library
District to offer a place for an expanded collection of books, media and
other materials, as well as additional technology and service.
An advisory board, made up of residents of the communities
served, is providing input on aspects of the new library.
Great care
has been taken by the Arapahoe Library District and its contractors to
incorporate responsible building practices, as demonstrated by the
following earth-friendly activities included in the planning and
construction of the site:
·
Light
pollution reduction through the use of automatic sensors, and only
lighting areas needed for safety and comfort.
·
A
public transportation stop is located within a half mile of the site.
·
Storm
water management, through landscaping elements designed to remove
pollution from rainwater and runoff.
·
Planned
electric-operated faucets and dual-flush valves.
·
Optimized energy performance by providing an energy-efficient mechanical
system and efficient building envelope system.
·
At
least 10% recycled content will be used in the construction materials.
·
At
least 20% of materials are processed and manufactured regionally.
·
Use of
low-emitting materials such as adhesives, paint, composites and carpet
system.
·
Consistent with the rest of the Library District, once the library
opens, plans are in place for onsite recycling collection.
Public
tours will be held monthly and can be registered for online at
www.arapahoelibraries.org Donations to the Arapahoe
LIBRARY Friends Foundation, the nonprofit organization that supports the
work of the Library District, are still needed and welcomed. Gifts of
more than $500 will be recognized permanently. For
information, please contact Nicolle Davies, Director of Development and
Communications, at 303-798-3021 or
ndavies@ald.lib.co.us
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NEW DVD Cases
Arapahoe Library District is home to a collection of more than 77,000
DVD’s, enjoyed by many as a way to catch up on the newest movies, and
rediscover old gems. However, we sympathize with
patrons who arrive home, movies-in-hand, only
to discover that a DVD case is empty. Additionally,
we prefer to continually increase our DVD selection rather than replace
missing DVD’s. Unfortunately, from September 2007 to February 2008,
an average of 198 DVDs were stolen per month,
District-wide. In addition, from July 2007 to
December 2007, we found approximately 140 empty DVD cases throughout the
Library District; an average of 23 empty DVD cases per month. Therefore,
similar to the system used by DVD rental stores and other libraries, we
will begin using locking DVD cases on all new movies purchased by the
Library District, starting in May 2008. So, please be sure to unlock
DVDs you check out, especially new releases. We look
forward to continuing to serve you while increasing the selection of
DVDs we have to offer.
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Helpful library Information
Book Clubs The
libraries offer a variety of book clubs for children, teens and adults
where members gather monthly to discuss books and share ideas.
For more information about a book club that might interest you,
visit your library or call 303-LIBRARY. You can also
see a schedule of book clubs on the web calendar at:
www.arapahoelibraries.org. Click the Programs & Events
link, and select Book Club in the Event Types menu.
Some book clubs require reservations as space is limited.
Computer
Classes Learn
to use the Internet and various computer programs in the free training
classes. Classes include basic computer skills, Internet searching,
e-mail accounts, and more. For more information and
to register for a class, visit the library or call 303-LIBRARY.
You can also register at: www,arapahoelibraries.org.
Click the Programs & Events link, and select Computer Classes in
the Event Types menu.
Children’s
Storytimes
The
libraries offer literacy-based storytimes
for preschool children on a regular basis. For a
current schedule and to register for storytimes,
please visit your library or call 303-LIBRARY. You
can also register by clicking the Programs & Events link at
www.arapahoelibraries.org.
Library Jobs
To find Arapahoe
Library District job opportunities on our websie,
go to: jobs.arapahoelibraries.org
Free
Delivery service
for library materials (books, DVDs, videos, etc.)
is available for residents of all ages in the
Arapahoe Library District who are temporarily or permanently confined to
their homes because of illness, age or physical disability.
Call Outreach Services at 303-LIBRARY, if you, a family member,
friend or neighbor can use this service.
Xpress Materials Available
District-Wide
Arapahoe Library District now offers Xpress items at each of its
libraries. Materials in the Xpress Collection feature
new and popular titles that are available without a waiting list, giving
patrons the same opportunity on a given day to find a “treasure” on the
shelf. The Xpress concept has been used successfully
at the Castlewood Library since 2002 and recently expanded to all ALD
luibraries due to popularity of the service.
Different
rules apply with Xpress items, including: items cannot be placed on
hold: items can only be checked out at one designated library, but can
be returned to any library;
Xpress books can be checked out for three weeks, with no renewal;
and Xpress DVD’s and magazines can be checked out for one week, with no
renewal. For more information, call 303-LIBRARY or
visit your library.
2008
InfoArahahoe Community Guide
The 2008 InfoArapahoe Community
Guide is now available at all Arapahoe Library District locations.
The guide lists more than 600 non-profit and government agencies
and organizations serving residents of Arapahoe County .
The
printed version is provided free of charge as a community service of the
Library District. In addition to the printed guide,
you can find InfoArapahoe online at
www.arapahoelibraries.org by
clicking on the Community Resources link. The online version includes
more detailed information than the printed version.
For more information, please call 303-LIBRARY.
CultureFest
2008
For the
third year in a row, CultureFest returns to
the Arapahoe Library District for the entire month of March.
CultureFest 2008:
Connections, features a series of programs and events highlighting the
connections we can all make in our local and global communities.
Children can learn to make paper dolls from around the world and
make a “car” from wire and found objects. Teens can
play international games and explore snacks and sodas from other
countries. Adults and families can hear The Snake
and the Man: A Story Told ‘round the World, enjoy a performance of
authentic village dances from many countries and attend a variety of
other programs. Special book displays, exhibits and
storytimes are also scheduled.
You can
find a listing of all CultureFest 2008
activities online at
www.arapahoelibraries.org
In
conjunction with CultureFest 2008:
Connections, elementary-aged children are invited to participate in
Mizel Museum ’s annual Bookmark Contest.
This year’s theme is Building Bridges
Between People & Places. Students will compete in one of two
categories: Kindergarten through Second Grade or Third through Fifth
Grade. To participate, please pick an entry form at your
library beginning Saturday, March 1. Bookmarks must
fit the template supplied at each library and only one entry per student
will be accepted. Entries will be accepted through
Monday, March 31. Prizes will be awarded and the
winning bookmark from each category will be professionally printed and
distributed throughout Colorado . For
moe information, please visit or call your
library.
Tax Help Continues through
March and April
TAX HELP @ the Library
Arapahoe Library District locations have paper copies of this year’s
federal and state tax forms for patron use. Patrons
can also download copies from the library computers at websites such as
http://www.irs.gov/formspubs/indexhtml and
http://1040.com. There is a small fee for
printing pages from library computers.
The library staff is happy
to help patrons find the tax resources needed in printed publications
and online. They cannot, however, offer tax advice or
counsel. Several libraries, including
Southglenn Library are offering free tax
preparation assissistance to low income
taxpayers.
Southglenn
Library, 9 A.M.-3 P.M. on Tuesdays,
February 5,12,19, and 26; March 4,11,18 and
25; and April 1 and 8. Volunteers will help you with basic tax return
forms. You must meet income requirements, and only
cer tain forms
are included. Visit or call the library, 303-LIBRARY,
to get details about qualifications and make your reservation for a
one-hour session. You can also register online at
www.arapahoelibraries.org by clicking the Programs &
Events link.
Please Note: This
service is for low and middle income taxpayers, with special attention
to people ages 60 and older. The assistance is for
regular tax returns only. Volunteers cannot help with
K-1s, royalties, rental property, partnerships or more than 5 stock
trades and must have the stock cost available. They
cannot help with businesses with more than $5,000 in expenses. Please
bring the following with you when you come: W-2 forms from each
employer, unemployment compensation statements, SSA-1099 form if you
were paid Social Security benefits, all 1099 forms showing interest
and/or dividends and documentation showing original purchase price of
sold assets, 1099-misc. showing any miscellaneous income, 1099-R form if
you received a pension or annuity, all forms indicating federal income
tax paid, dependent care provider info(name, employer, ID, Social
Security number), all receipts or canceled checks if itemizing
deductions, and Social Security numbers for all dependents.
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Featured Programs @the Library
Doggie Tales
The popular Doggie Tales
program is back! Doggie Tales enables children ages
6-10 to practice their reading skills by reading to a new four-legged
friend who loves a good story and won’t interrupt or criticize.
Each child selects a book to read to their doggie pal.
Then, tails wag as tales are told and each child practices
reading skills in a safe environment.
Sign up your reader for a
30-minute session between 2 and 3:30 to 4 P.M. at the following
location: Smoky Hill Library Saturday, March 8.Visit or call the library
to register, or register online at
www.arapahoelibraries.org by clicking the Programs &
Events link.
Doggie Tales is made
possible by Have Paws Will Travel, the Guide Dog Puppy Raising Club of
Arapahoe County .
New Teen Website
Teens,
check out our new teen website! It’s easy – visit
www.arapahoelibraries.org and click on “teens” on the
left-hand side of the page. New look, new content –
just what you asked for. Find reading, movie or music
recommendations or help with homework through our research databases.
Got some free time? Check out random stuff for
everything from silly to serious or @ Your Library for cool programs.
Give us your input – talk back to us through the new “comment”
feature on the site. Change the background to fit
your taste or mood!
Teen Advisory Board meets
once a month to advise the library staff about programs and policies at
the Arapahoe Library District. Join us and contribute
your ideas for teen programs, books and activities.
The February TAB meetings are at Smoky Hill Library, Saturday February
23, 11 A.M.-noon.
Board of Trustees Meetings
meets the 3rd Tuesday of each month, 7 P.M. at various
Distruct libraries. Since
the location varies, and the date and times may occasionally change,
please call 303-LIBRARY (303-542-7279) for meeting details.
HOLIDAY CLOSINGS – All
Arapahoe Library District public libraries will be closed
on Sunday, March 23, for
Easter.
Library Tips: Online Registration
Now it’s easier for you to sign up for library programs, classes and
storytimes. Register yourself, 24/7 from any
Internet computer. 1. Go to
www.arapahoelibraries.org Click the Calendar
link. 2. Browse the Calendar to find the event you want. Underlined
events require registration. 3. When you see the event you want to
register for, move your cursor over that event to see the details –
time, description, ages, library location, when registration opens, and
status (i. e., are spaces available). To
register, clock on the event name, fill out the Registration information
and click the Complete Registration button. If you have questions
about online registration, please ask a member of the library staff for
assistance. We’d be happy to show you how to use the system or sign up
fpr the events you want to attend.
303-LIBRARY: The one Number You Need to Know
(or 303-542-7279)
To check the status of an item on hold or book club,
etc.at all the libraries. This service is
available Monday-Thursday, 9 A.m.-9 P.M.; Friday & Saturday 9 A.M.-5
P.M.; and Sunday 1-5 P.M.
HOMEWORK HELP NEWS –
we’er happy to announce that online Homework
Help is now available for Mac users using Safari or Firefox (2.0 or
higher) browsers on Mac OS X. This is for students in
grades 4-12, who can go online to get assistance from a live tutor in
English, science, math and social studies. It is available from 3-10
P.M. daily, with limited hours for Spanish speakers. You can find
Homework Help at
www.arapahoelibraries.org on the home page or the
children’s pages at Tales Treehouse
Homework. Please tell your favorite student about this great, free
service, which is now accessible to both PC and Mac users.
Early Literacy Parents and
caregivers of children from 4 to 5 years old are invited to an Every
Child Ready to Read @ Your Library program to learn how you can help
your children develop skills that will enable them to be good readers.
Early literacy is what children know about reading and writing before
they can actually read and write. Research shows that
children get ready to read years before they start school.
Find out the six pre-reading skills children need and easy
activities you can use to support those skills. This
program is at the Koelbel Library on
Tuesday, November 27 from 7-8 P>M. Reservations are required.
Visit the library, or call 303-LIBRARY. You
can also register online at
www.arapahoelibraries.org by clicking the Programs &
Events link.
Web Watch: www,arapahoelibraries.org
Are you ready to tour the world?
CultureGrams, a subscription
database provided as a free service to Arapahoe Library District
patrons, gives information on history, customs, statistics and geography
on more than 200 countries, the 50 states, and the Canadian provinces.
Each report is written in conjunction with natives from the area
selected for their knowledge of
and experience with different regions and peoples.
Find out about the way local people live, work and play, as well
as current data on the population, literacy and economy.
CultureGrams
has four sections to help you explore your way through different
countries: World Edition, Province Edition, States Edition, and Kids
Edition. You can build and sort tables and charts, view and print
photographs and maps, and listen to the pronunciation of the country’s
name and its national anthem.
Visit
CultureGrams today at
www.arapahoelibraries.org by clicking the Research
Databases link, or search the library website for
CultureGrams. Experience the diversity and cultures of our world
from your computer.
For more information go to
www.arapahoelibraries.org
