MESA COUNTY LIBRARIES
JANUARY 2022
Mesa County Libraries to close Jan. 17 for
Martin Luther King Jr. holiday
All Mesa County Libraries locations will be closed Monday, Jan. 17, for Martin Luther King Jr. Day.

Branch libraries in Collbran, De Beque, Orchard Mesa, and Palisade will be closed Saturday, Jan. 15, in observance of the holiday.

During the holiday, patrons can use the library website to download ebooks, place holds, renew items, and use online resources such as Mango Languages, Universal Class, and the OverDrive/Libby Digital Library.

A complete list of library locations and hours is available here.
Complete a survey to help the library create its new strategic roadmap
This year, Mesa County Libraries will create a strategic roadmap to guide our operations starting in 2023. We’re asking for your help.

Poet, writer Jill Burkey
is new 970West Artist in Residence
Jill Burkey, a poet, writer, and editor, is the new 970West Artist in Residence at Mesa County Libraries.

During her residency, which lasts through April 18, Burkey will host weekly Meet and Greets from 10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Tuesdays at the 970West Studio, 502 Ouray Ave. (across from the Central Library). Meet and Greets are open on a drop-in basis with no registration required. Stop by and see what she’s working on!

Burkey also will host several all-ages programs, including Write Your Own Greeting Card (6 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 3, at the Central Library), Color Poems (6 p.m. Thursday, March 3, at the Central Library), and Poetry Postcards (6 p.m. Tuesday, April 12, at the Central Library). No writing experience is necessary to enjoy the events! No registration is required for the programs.

970West Artist in Residence applications
are open through Jan. 24
Applications are open for local artists 18 and older who wish to become library Artists in Residence during 2022.

Selected artists have exclusive access to dedicated space in the 970West Studio, present art programs to the public, and receive a $500 stipend from the Mesa County Libraries Foundation.

The program will accept two artists in 2022 for terms of approximately 14 weeks each.

Artists in a variety of mediums are considered. Applications must be submitted online by 8 p.m. Jan. 24.
Learn about the Moyers of Grand Junction from local historian Dave Fishell
The Moyers were early Grand Junction residents who founded The Fair Store, which became one of the largest retail businesses in western Colorado. They used their wealth to help students, build roads, fund a Y.M.C.A. and the new Avalon Theater, and construct the original Lincoln Park pool. But the good times did not last ....

In this presentation, Dave Fishell, local historian, shares the ups and downs of a family that made an impact in Western Colorado.

This event takes place at noon Thursday, Jan. 20, in the Central Library Community Room. Seating is limited, and registration is required.
Donate blood Jan. 18
in the Central Library parking lot
Mesa County Libraries are hosting a Blood Drive with St. Mary's Bloodmobile. One in seven people entering the hospital will need blood. You can save the lives of up to three people each time you give blood. Giving blood costs you nothing but your time, and only takes an hour or less!

Schedule an appointment to donate blood from 1:30 p.m. - 3:30 p.m., Tuesday, Jan. 18. The Bloodmobile will be located in the West parking lot of the Central Library, 443 N. 6th St. The Colorado Q BBQ food truck will be parked next to the Bloodmobile so you can enjoy some BBQ after your blood draw!

Information about the blood draw process:
  1. Appointments only - donors can sign up online here or by calling St. Mary's Blood Center at 970-298-2555.
  2. Donor temperatures will be taken prior to registration.
  3. Masks will be required of all donors and staff.
  4. Hand sanitizer will be used before entering Bloodmobile and before leaving.
  5. All surfaces will be wiped down between donors.

Adults and teens 17+ (with parental consent) weighing more than 110 pounds are encouraged to donate blood.
Expand your home library!
Visit the Friends' weekly Book Sales
Stock up on reading material to add to your home library!

The Friends of Mesa County Libraries are hosting weekly book sales 9 a.m. - 2 p.m. each Friday and Saturday from January through March at the First Congregational Church, 1425 N. 5th St. (across from Grand Junction High School). 

All proceeds from these sales benefit programming at Mesa County Libraries. All sales are cash only.
Gain budgeting tips from Mike Clark
for a debt-free lifestyle
Do you struggle with debt? Is your financial situation keeping you from having a healthy savings account? Join us as we hear from Mike Clark, a presenter who has expertise in financial budgeting and debt management.

Using his expertise from the Coach Master Training at Ramsey Solutions, Mike will share financial tips and strategies for those of us who struggle month-to-month with our money, so you can have savings for unexpected expenditures, retirement, or your next vacation.

Bring a couple of your bank statements or a list of your debts, including monthly minimum payments and interest rates.

This event is offered at two different times in the Central Library Mesa Community Room:
Join a book club to discuss
fascinating reads with other readers
Advance registration is required for in-person attendees
Clifton Book Club Author Talk

Join us for a special book club discussion of In a Town Called Paradox by Miriam Murcutt and Richard Starks. The authors will join us via the video conferencing platform Zoom for an author talk. 

This event takes place at 10 a.m. Tuesday, Jan. 11, at the Clifton Branch Library.
Fruita Book Club

Join us at 2 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 11, in-person at the Fruita Branch Library to discuss The Giver of Stars by Jojo Moyes with other people who've read the book. 
Kiva Book Club

Join us at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 20, in-person in the Central Library Mesa Community Room or online via Google Meet to discuss The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek by Kim Michele Richardson with other people who've read the book. 
Beyond Words Book Club

Join us at 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, Jan. 26, in-person in the Central Library Monument Community Room or online via Google Meet to discuss The Paris Library by Janet Skeslien Charles with other people who've read the book. 
Staff Picks: Here's what we recommend
in January
A new year means new books to dive into, headfirst, with reckless abandon! Mesa County Libraries staff offers the following excellent recommendations with hopes you find a fresh favorite read to propel you through January.

From Mesa County Libraries' blog:
Veda McBeth homesteads Westwater Canyon
For some, winter becomes a time to celebrate quiet solitude and reflection. For early Westwater Canyon homesteader, Veda McBeth, solitude existed no matter the season. 

Veda was born in 1899 and spent the first decade of her childhood living in La Sal County, Utah. She moved to Mack, Colorado, in 1919 where she began work in the Mack Store as a salesperson. Veda and her father also owned the store and lived behind the building, immersing them deeply into the early culture of Mesa County. The family business received supplies from the Rio Grande Railroad traveling between Mack and Grand Junction, and she met many interesting travelers stopping through along the way. In 1921, Veda married Raymond McBeth and left her work at the Mack Store to move 40 miles over rough terrain to Westwater Canyon, beginning her new life as a married homesteader.

One-on-One Tech Help available
Do you or someone you know need tech help with a computer or device?

Library staff are available to help with your eReader, laptop, or other gadget/tech questions. Check our event calendar for times and locations.
A NOTE TO READERS

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Contact Mesa County Libraries at 970-243-4442 or visit mesacountylibraries.org