LIBRARY NEWS

Meagan’s Place adds more books for early teens

By Carole Howard and the Library Staff

The library has just taken delivery of more than a dozen new books for Meagan’s Place – and more are on the way. Meagan’s Place is a special space created more than two years ago that is devoted entirely to books and games of interest to early teens in the sixth through ninth grades. You’ll find Meagan’s Place to the immediate right of the front door as you come into the library

The new books were suggested by this year’s sixth grade advisory committee made up of Devyn Doctor, daughter of Veronica and Anthony Doctor, and Colton Polczynski, son of Evette and Eric Polczynski. Both are avid readers. They created lists of their personal favorites – books they have enjoyed and thought would be good for other kids as well.

If any books that Devyn and Colton recommended were not available at Meagan’s Place, they were purchased through a special grant from an anonymous benefactor. He created this space at the library to be a living memorial to 12-year-old Meagan, his granddaughter, who died tragically in Ohio almost four years ago. Also, if a book on Devyn’s or Colton’s list was so well-read or old that it was in bad condition, a new copy was purchased.

We hope early teens will come in to browse through these new books, and look at others in Meagan’s Place as well. “Our library is a safe haven and valuable learning center for Pagosa’s youth after school,” said Jackie Welch, Sisson Library director. “Children’s programs at the library are a foundation for literacy, an issue that becomes even more important as schools’ budgets are strained.”

Meagan’s Place is gaining popularity among the Pagosa youth for whom it was created. It is not uncommon on an after-school afternoon to see the area being enjoyed by readers, kids playing games or chatting quietly in the corner – or all three. A major advantage to Meagan’s Place is that all books appropriate for this age group are easily accessible in one area of the library. The furniture in Meagan’s Place undoubtedly adds to the attraction. The area has a homey atmosphere because it is furnished with comfortable chairs and a couch, plus tables more reminiscent of a living room than a study area.

Adult thrillers

We have two more books by highly popular author C. J. Box. “Free Fire” is a Joe Pickett mystery set in Wyoming involving the murder of four campers in a far-off corner of Yellowstone National Park. “Blue Haven” is a suspense novel set in North Idaho where a 12-year-old girl and her younger are being pursued because they saw four men commit murder. We also have the latest John Grisham thriller, “The Appeal,” this one about a chemical company owner who decides to buy off and manipulate a Mississippi Supreme Court judge after he loses a major case relating to dumping toxic waste.

Adult novels

“The Gathering” is a three-generational family epic by Irish author Anne Enright that tells of a large Irish family haunted by a secret that happened in their grandmother’s house years before.

Large-print books

“Duma King” by Stephen King is a thriller with supernatural touches set in Florida. We also have “The Frontier Stories,” volume one of the collected short stories of Louis L’Amour, which includes 35 classic frontier tales by this popular American West author.

Thanks to our donors

This week we received donations of 17 paperbacks, 4 audio books and 5 hardback books – all from anonymous donors who did not want to be named. Regardless of whether you choose to be identified or not, know that we greatly appreciate your generosity.

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