After the success of Jennings and Keller out back on our outdoor stage in June – I have been searching for other musical talent to perform at the library. I attended the fundraiser at the Flying J Ranch for people who lost their homes in the Little Bear Fire and was impressed by the local talent we have in Lincoln County. Aug. 16 will be our second summer concert at 6 p.m. – Third Thursday music returns to the back stage with Rich Chorne and Michael Francis who have promised an evening of Jazz and Blues.

I am piecing together future performers and have commitments from Bettman and Halpin, a folk, bluegrass, light rock duet willing to travel to New Mexico from Colorado. They will entertain us Oct. 24. Three Shillings Short, a Celtic duo love performing in libraries and do educational programs for children – introducing children to atypical instruments like the hammered dulcimer, sitar and more than a dozen flutes. They will be touring New Mexico in May 2013. Peter Fletcher, a classical guitarist, contacted me and I suggested he contact Mountain Annie’s which might be better suited for Baroque and Spanish guitar. The talented Jones family: Randy, Tyler and Cody are on a short list of musicians we may see this year at the library as well. Randy keeps pretty busy at the Flying J Ranch all summer.

“Nobelity” is a film we will be showing Aug. 17 at 2 p.m. Turk Pipkin made the film and a sequel, “One Peace At a Time.” The first movie interviews Nobel laureates and they give their answers to solving some of the world’s complex problems. The second film crosses the globe finding people who are solving problems on a local level. Both films are great for generating discussion. I envision a greater library film festival series down the road. One possibility is the history of music through film. The library collection already includes the Ken Burns’ “Jazz Series,” Martin Scorsese Blues series, “Broadway – The American Musical,” “The History of Rock and Roll, From Mambo to Hip Hop,” “Latin Music,” and “High Lonesome: The Story of Bluegrass.” I became aware of the El Paso Film Festival that starts in August after I had already purchased the films for Ruidoso Public Library’s event and have not determined whether in Ruidoso a marathon film experience would draw viewers if it took place in one week or even a single weekend.

I am enjoying the “Images of America: Ruidoso and Ruidoso Downs” photographic history of the area. It is interesting to see the changes that have occurred on Mechem and Sudderth and the families that settled here. It is great that the mill had an open house this past weekend. As a tourist town and place of second homes for so many, Ruidoso sense of history has not been celebrated and fictionalized like its neighbors Fort Stanton or Lincoln so it was a good opportunity to connect with our past pioneer families.

Hope to see everyone at Eco-fest this week in Wingfield Park.