Friends of SaddleBrooke Libraries

What FSL does for our libraries

SaddleBrooke is very fortunate to have three libraries that provide residents with hardback and paperback books, audio books, videos, CDs, DVDs and magazines. Our SaddleBrooke, DesertView and MountainView libraries are staffed by volunteers and open all year around. Of the 4600 households in our community, 2450 are registered to use the libraries but only 717 are Friends of the SaddleBrooke libraries (FSL).

What many of our library patrons don’t know is how FSL supports the libraries and how important that funding is to maintain the quality of the libraries and all they offer. In 2016 Friends grant funds provided the following:

* New furniture for the DesertView Library that replaced the old worn out pieces and brightened the space

* A completely new and improved website http//sblibraries.com – check out the News and Notes section for the listing of new videos.

* Printing of library bookmarks

* Expanded offerings of Large Print books at all three libraries

* New paperbacks for all libraries replacing old and worn copies and updating the collections with new titles

* Expansion of the DVD collection at DesertView, purchasing more titles and additional copies to meet user demand

* Many new books for the popular Southwest collection at DesertView

In all, 1800 new items were acquired using FSL grants in the past 12 months.

Stop by the libraries and peruse the collections as you prepare for summer reading, listening and viewing.

As you do so think about the contribution FSL provides to keep the libraries up to date and well stocked. If you aren’t yet a member please join to ensure the continued high quality of the library space and offerings.

Save the dates – upcoming FSL lectures

Friends of the SaddleBrooke Libraries (FSL) is pleased to announce three upcoming lectures. All lectures are in the HOA 2 MountainView Ballroom.

Lectures begin at 4:00 p.m. unless otherwise noted. All lectures are free to FSL members.

The fall season starts on October 20 with the return of Jack Lasseter, a Tucson attorney and lifelong Arizona resident. He taught U.S. History at Pima Community College and currently conducts tours to southern Arizona historical sites where he says he can feel the ghosts of days gone by.

Lasseter will share the exciting story of the Chiricahua Apaches and their greatest leader, Cochise. Anyone who has ever seen a western movie knows their Hollywood image as fierce and illusive fighters who could disappear at will into the mountains. But our knowledge of them seems to end there and so for us they remain mysterious. This lecture gives us the chance to hear the true story of Cochise and his war against the United States and his relationship with his white blood brother.

There will be a $5 charge for non-FSL members.

H. Christine Reid will present Women of the Arizona State Prison on November 17. She will examine the experiences of three women who were incarcerated in the Arizona State Prison in Florence. These women were players in both the sensational stories that made national headlines and local stories that made Arizona history. Who were these women and how did they end up in the Florence prison? How did their stories impact Arizona? Our speaker will tell their stories through the use of photographs, prison records and newspaper articles.

H. Christine Reid is an outstanding speaker who comes to us from Arizona Humanities. She has appeared in SaddleBrooke several times, most recently presenting the story of Pearl Hart.

The 2017 Lecture Series will open with the return of Jack Lasseter presenting the last half of the Apache story. He will cover the period after Cochise when the Southwest was aflame with the breakouts and raids of Geronimo, Victorio, Nano and Loco. The lecture will include the stories of Lozen the Apache woman warrior as well as the break between Geronimo and his lifelong friend Chatto who in the end helped General Crook hunt Geronimo down.

This is the 2017 FSL kick-off lecture and is free for members and nonmembers.

This is just a taste of what is coming. Future lectures include the story of Sharon Reed-Hendricks and Steve Hendricks’ six-year journey half way around the world. We will welcome back Mark Schwartz who will share the story of Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto. In April Carolyn Niethammer will talk about America’s Native American Women. These and more will be part of our very successful lecture series. Remember that all lectures are free to FSL members.