News from the Mesa County Libraries 970West Studio
February 2021
Public reservations for 970West Studio resume starting March 15
The 970West Studio will be open for reservations starting March 15, after closing to the public in November 2020 in response to countywide "level orange" COVID restrictions.

With Mesa County's COVID variance improving to "level yellow," the 970West Studio will reopen to the public with several pandemic-related precautions to allow users safe opportunities to “hit record.” 

Here are some of the ways we’re working to keep you safe: 

  • Only the Control Room is available for reservations at this time. This is to ensure adequate sanitation of gear and facilities.
  • The 970West Studio is allowing only one reservation per day.
  • There is a 4-person limit for all reservations. 
  • Masks are required per the state mandate except while recording vocals or on camera.
  • Technical assistance from studio staff is limited. This is to maintain six feet between people, per social distancing guidelines.

The studio's reservation request form will be available online starting March 1.
Studio hours of operation

The 970West Studio will be open by appointment only during the following hours, starting March 15:
  • Monday – Thursday: Noon – 7:30 p.m.
  • Friday: Noon – 4:30 p.m.
  • Saturday: 9 a.m. - Noon and 1 p.m. - 4:30 p.m.

Studio users must meet the following requirements to make a reservation:
  • Attended a studio orientation.
  • We are currently offering orientations online. Visit the virtual 970West Studio Orientation page.
  • Be a resident of Mesa County.
  • Have a Mesa County Libraries account in good standing (owe less than $10 in fees or fines).
  • Library account information must be current.
  • Must be at least 18 years of age.

For more information about studio reservations call 970-243-4442 or email studio@mcpld.org.
Kits available for checkout starting March 1
Did you know that Mesa County Libraries offer a variety of equipment kits for checkout? Due to the reduced COVID restrictions, the Central Library is now able to lend these kits again starting March 1.

Kits available for checkout include the Canon T5i digital camera kit, the GoPro action camera kit, a projector kit, and projector screen.

Unlike the equipment that must remain in the 970West Studio, these kits can be checked out for use outside the library and can be taken home for a specific checkout period, such as 7 days.

For more information, visit our Equipment Checkout page or call 970-243-4442 to speak with a library staff member.
Lynda/LinkedIn Learning resource
to end March 14
Lynda, a popular educational eResource now known as LinkedIn Learning, will no longer be offered through Mesa County Libraries after March 14, 2021.

The change is happening because of Lynda’s new technological requirements that the library is not currently able to meet. The library is working on a solution to the technical issues and hopes to offer Lynda/LinkedIn Learning again sometime in the future.

We urge users to prepare for the change by finishing any classes you have in progress, and then downloading and printing all of your certificates before March 14. Once Lynda’s library availability ends, library staff will no longer be able to help you retrieve anything from your Lynda/LinkedIn Learning account.

Patrons seeking alternatives to Lynda are invited to visit any Mesa County Libraries location for professional librarian assistance. We welcome the opportunity to help.
Mesa County Libraries now offer access to the digital streaming service hoopla®
Mesa County Libraries cardholders now have access to hoopla®, an on-demand streaming service that offers more than 950,000 titles in the form of ebooks, eAudiobooks, movies, TV shows, music, and comics.
 
Content on hoopla can be streamed from any compatible computer, mobile device, or platform by downloading the hoopla digital app for iOS, Android, AppleTV, Fire TV, Chromecast, or Roku.
What’s awesome about hoopla? For starters:
 
  • Content is always available, without any holds or wait times.
  • Content is available on a wide variety of devices.
  • Content is downloadable on tablets and phones, so it is accessible later if there isn’t access to Wifi.
  • More than 80% of hoopla’s movie and television content can’t be found on competing streaming services, so the offerings are unique.

Hoopla is now available to anyone with a valid Mesa County Libraries card. Patrons will be limited to eight hoopla checkouts per calendar month. To start using hoopla, visit the hoopla tab on our Downloadable Media Guide.
Multimedia artist Rebecca Woods to serve as Artist in Residence through May 3
Rebecca Woods is the new 970West Artist in Residence at Mesa County Libraries.

Woods has a bachelor of fine arts degree in studio art from Colorado Mesa University and a master of fine arts degree in installation and performance art from Newcastle University in Newcastle-upon-Tyne. She has shown work in the United States, Canada, England, and Italy. She lives and teaches in the Grand Valley and has a wonderful, lazy dog and a fluffy, hyperactive cat.
Woods is a multimedia artist who believes play and creation are intertwined, that mythology and folklore have an important place in our lives, and that we as human beings use symbols and narratives to give our lives meaning and structure. She is a tinkerer, an inventor, and a bit of a mad scientist, and she makes toys, books, fascinating objects, posters and paintings, devices that project light, and experiential art installations. A lot of her work has to do with the darker things in life such as death, desire, and impermanence because it’s only by facing the dark that we learn to not be afraid of it.

Woods offers weekly Meet and Greets from 3-5 p.m. each Wednesday via Zoom, and she will offer several workshops via Zoom showing how she makes some imaginative works of art. Check out the library's Event Calendar below for details and Zoom links!
Call for artists for the upcoming
Recycled Book Art Show
The Recycled Book Art Show focuses on projects that use recycled books. Make the book block itself into something creative, or use the pages or cover to create something unique!

New this year! A limited number of 3D pieces will be accepted for display in pedestal cases.

Our covered pedestals have a 15x15x15″ display space; this may allow for several small pieces by different artists to be displayed together or one larger stand-alone piece.
ELIGIBILITY
  • Exhibition is competitive and open to artists 16 years of age and older residing in Mesa County.
  • 2D work must be ready for hanging and cannot exceed 36” x 48” or weigh more than 40 lbs. Work must be display-ready with a secure wire hanger and if subject to damage must be under glass or plexiglass.
  • 3D work cannot exceed 14x14x14″.
  • Juror will have final authority to define an acceptable entry.

Entry deadline is at 8 p.m. Monday, April 5.  Entries will only be accepted online.

Show dates are from April 30 to June 24. Artists will be notified by April 20.
Latest episode of The Audissey discusses upcoming art events at the Central Library
We're joined this week by Art Librarian Jessica Geddes, who shares all the upcoming wonderful art programs and opportunities Mesa County Libraries are offering!

The annual Recycled Book Art Show sponsored by Friends of the Mesa County Libraries is open to all Mesa County patrons 16 years of age and older. Submissions are due 8 p.m. Monday, April 5. For eligibility requirements and to submit your work visit mesacountylibraries.org/recycledbookartshow
Learn about the various
Subject Guides at your library
Did you know we have some great subject guides on our website? These guides are curated by library staff and help you get started on your research journey (or just help you find your next craft project!). Our most popular guides include Reader’s Café, Downloadable & Streaming Media, Crafts & Hobbies, and Genealogy. 

Browse the 970West Digital Collection for a variety of locally relevant content
From Studio Lounge to the Mesa County Oral History Project, Mesa County Libraries' 970West Digital Collection visually captures the unique aspects of life in western Colorado. Photos, videos, artwork, and other elements in this constantly evolving collection are contributed by Colorado photographers and artists, Mesa County Libraries staff, and others whose work helps to ultimately compose a rich, dynamic portrait of the region.
Follow the 970West Studio on Instagram
Follow @970west_studio on Instagram for weekly posts about all things 970West Studio. We share gear updates, local band highlights, video releases, and more!
A NOTE TO READERS

You are receiving this e-newsletter because you are a patron of Mesa County Libraries and/or the 970West Studio. The 970West Studio email newsletter is sent monthly (with occasional special editions) to patrons to keep you informed about what’s happening at the studio and your local library. The library values your privacy and will not share your email address or other information with anyone. You can update your library e-newsletter subscriptions by visiting the "Update Profile" link at the bottom of this newsletter. You can also remove yourself from all library e-newsletter lists by visiting the “Unsubscribe” link at the bottom of this newsletter. 
Contact Mesa County Libraries at 970-243-4442 or visit mesacountylibraries.org