April 2026 – National Library Week at West Custer County Library
Although most of us expected snow, it is SPRING in the Wet Mountain Valley. Aspen trees are covered in catkins, and the bluebirds are earnestly nesting. National Library Week is April 19-25, a time to celebrate the work libraries do to transform lives and support communities. In April, our hometown library presents activities for both energetic days and nights when you are ready to sit down! For daytime doings, April brings the next two installments of the Empower Yourself series taught by the local nutritionists from Mountain View Nutrition, Lindsay and Michelle, and sponsored by the Custer County Wellness Council. Gut Health Part 3, Nutrition and Lifestyle takes place Tuesday, April 7; and two weeks later, April 21, they present Food Myths and Building Your Plate. The final program in the series, Eating for Longevity, is on Tuesday, May 5. All daytime programs are in person at 10 am in the Library Community Room. But if you miss the actual programs, you can catch up in the evening by viewing the recordings on our YouTube Channel (https://www.youtube.com/@WestCusterCountyLibrary/videos). Check out the other recorded events you might have missed, too, while you’re there!
One of the things the Library staff loves to do is talk about good books. Here are some great reads to entertain and/or transform your life. Cathy loved how James Patterson’s prequel thriller Return of the Spider looks at a former investigation and its impact on a current case. Nicole votes for the non-fiction Place of Tides by James Rebanks, who recounts his season on a remote Norwegian island with an elderly ‘duck woman’ practicing the ancient art of gathering wild eider down. “A beautiful reset in a chaotic world.” Louise loved Go As a River (Shelley Read) because it was “meaningful and I loved the characters.” It’s also set in a town now submerged under Blue Mesa Reservoir in Colorado. Renee picked: The House Across the Lake (Riley Sager) “because its unexpected twists kept me constantly surprised – even the twists had twists – keeping me hooked until the very end.” Janet liked how Canticle (Janet Rich Edwards) told a medieval story of women in and out of the Church, and the place of mysticism and visions in faith. “Excellent historical fiction,” she says. Mindy chose the fantasy Alchemised by Sen Yin Lu: the world is dark, mysterious, and has been decimated by a dark force. “Beautifully broken,” says Mindy. Lesley recommends The Names by Florence Knapp – a novel that explores how a name can define a person’s fate. A thoughtful, provoking, and highly creative speculative premise. And Genna’s pick is Vampires of El Norte (Isabel Cañas): a transporting western gothic romance with cutting historical allegory, plus the added bonus of vampires!
Come in for more recommendations of both books and movies. Don’t forget that the Library offers tens of thousands of e-books, e-audiobooks, and magazines via the Libby reading app, and free movie streaming via Kanopy and Bibliotele. Something for everyone!