Westside Library - El Paso Public Library

Billy Townes played jazz piano during a Black History Month celebration on this date in 1994. See more here: El Paso Times 23 February 1994

Bud, Not Buddy by Christopher Paul Curtis We're nearing the end of the February Black History month celebration, so I'd like to highlight one of my favorite books that features an incredible glimpse into life for African Americans during the great depression. The story is by Christopher Pual Curtis: Bud, Not Buddy . This story is written for a younger audience, but is a great read for just about anyone. It's a two-time award winner, receiving the 2000 Newbery Medal and the 2000 Coretta Scott King Award. Ten year old Bud is the main character in the story. The most important person in his life, his mother has died, and he has been living in the Home (an orphanage) since he was 6 years old. After some bad experiences in the orphanage and in his last foster home, Bud decides he'll strike out on his own to find his father. Bud believes he knows who and where his father is and tries to find him in Grand Rapids, Michigan, but his only clues to finding his dad are mem...

President's Day is a holiday that is celebrated in many different ways... just not the ways that you may expect. It's not that everyone has a cool different craft or neat idea for advertising used cars, instead, it's that the holiday isn't what we think it is. In fact, it's not even really called "President's Day." It's still "Washington's Birthday." Originally, President's Day was celebrated as a federal holiday to remember and honor our first president, George Washington, on his birthday. However, after Abraham Lincoln's presidency, many northern states started to celebrate the newer president's birthday at around the same time. When the official celebration of Washington's birthday was changed to the 3rd Monday in February, it started to confuse people: who's birthday was being celebrated? Adding to the confusion is the fact that Nixon proclaimed the 3rd Monday in 1971 to be President's Day to honor al...

How to Live Safely in a Science Fictional Universe by Charles Yu Valentine's Day is coming up and while we most often associate the holiday with Romantic love, we know that there are actually many other kinds of love. In  How to Live Safely in a Science Fictional Universe , Charles Yu explores the love in families, especially love between a father and son. Charles (of Mirror Universe 31), has been barely living since his father time-traveled out of his life. Charles feels that he has disappointed his father, and while they had always had trouble communicating, Charles badly wants to reconnect. The problem is that Charles isn't going anywhere. He's a time-machine technician and he's given up on his own life. He has no motivation. It isn't until Charles' future self appears and a panicked present-Charles shoots himself in the stomach that his life finally starts to move forward--even if it's into a time loop. The journey Charles takes pulls him backward...

Groundhog Day is a very unique holiday! But what is a Groundhog anyway, and do they live in El Paso? Groundhogs are large, cat-sized rodents.  They are also known as marmots, Woodchucks and whistle pigs. They are a type of ground squirrel. And sadly, they don't live in El Paso! But some of their relatives, hoary marmots and yellow-bellied marmots, live in the mountains in the Northwest United States. Now.... Groundhog Day! The most famous groundhog of all is Punxsutawney Phil. He's a groundhog from Punxsatawney, Pennsylvania where people have been celebrating Groundhog Day since 1886! According to the Groundhog Day website, Phil is always 100% correct about his predictions. If he sees his shadow, then there will be 6 more weeks of winter. If he doesn't see his shadow on Groundhog Day, then there's an early spring. Learn more about the Holiday and about Groundhogs! websites: Groundhog Day official Page Facts about Groundhogs from National Geographic  books:...