Chess Club – March

Whether you’re a chess expert or new to the game, join us a the Children’s Branch on Friday, March 6th and March 20th at 4:00 p.m. to learn chess moves and strategies.

Meet others who love the game and build connections! Club meets on the first and third Friday of the month.

Email childlib@gallupnm.gov or call 505-726-6120 for more information.

Manga Club: Drawing Manga Characters

Learn how to draw your own manga characters like Masashi Kishimoto (Naruto), in this interactive workshop by learning the basics at the Children’s Branch on Friday, February 14th and 28th at 4:00 p.m.

All supplies provided.

Email childlib@gallupnm.gov or call 505-726-6120 for more information.

Examples of Masashi Kishimoto’s illustrations for Naruto.

Money Club – February

Do you need assistance with finding funds for college expenses?

Join the Money Club at the Main Library on Friday, February 14th, 21st, and 28th between 4:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m. for scholarship search based on academics, ethnicity and college majors to help pay for college expenses.

We will also be hosting a workshop to file your Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) which you need for most scholarships.

Email jwhitman@gallupnm.gov or call 505-863-1291 for more information.

File your FAFSA online HERE.

Federal Deadlines

2020–21 Academic Year

Online FAFSA forms must be submitted by 11:59 p.m. Central time (CT), June 30, 2021. Any corrections or updates must be submitted by 11:59 p.m. CT, September 11, 2021.

State Deadlines

New Mexico | Check with your financial aid administrator.

Check state deadlines HERE.

We READ, We TALK Book Club – February/March

The Woman Warrior: Memoirs of a Girlhood Among Ghosts

By Maxine Hong Kingston

An exhilarating blend of autobiography and mythology, of world and self, of hot rage and cool analysis. As a girl, Kingston lives in two confounding worlds: California to which her parents have immigrated and China of her mother’s “talk stories.”

The fierce and wily women warriors of her mother’s tales clash jarringly with the harsh reality of female oppression out of which they come.

Get ready for some great conversations, good food and tons of fun!

Email bmartin@gallupnm.gov or call 505-863-1291 for more information.

MUST BE ABLE TO ATTEND ONE (1) OF THE FOLLOWING BOOK CLUB DISCUSSION MEETINGS:

  • Saturday, February 22nd at 2:00 p.m.
  • Saturday, March 7th at 2:00 p.m.
  • Saturday, March 21st at 2:00 p.m.

Discussion Questions:

  • “The Woman Warrior” opens with the dramatic story of the “no-name woman,” Kingston’s deceased aunt who was shamed and ultimately lost her life, for having a child with a man who wasn’t her husband. What do you think Kingston wants us to take away from this story?
  • Early on, Kingston asks how Chinese-Americans like herself can separate what is peculiar to her own family’s stories vs. what is Chinese. What are some of the other challenges of growing up as a second-generation immigrant?
  • The original title Kingston chose for this book was “Gold Mountain Stories.” What does “Gold Mountain” signify, and why would she have picked that name?
  • ”Women in the old China do not choose,” Kingston writes. What are some of the ways women were oppressed in her parents’ and parents’ parents’ generations? What about her own?
  • What role does disgrace and shame play in the book? Where does it come from?
  • What do you make of Kingston’s mother’s “talk stories,” which are a mix of folk tales and family lore? Do you believe them? Does it matter?
  • Who is Fa Mu Lan? How does Kingston become her, or imagine becoming her?
  • How does the urban renewal that tore down her parents’ laundry business affect their family?
  • Kingston’s mother teaches her that all white people are “ghosts.” What does she mean by this?
  • Why is Kingston’s mother, Brave Orchid, so intent on her sister, Moon Orchid, finding her husband in America and demanding more from him?
  • The last of the book’s five interconnected stories is about speaking and not speaking, and the theme of rebellion. Why do you think Kingston closes the book this way?
  • “The Woman Warrior” was written in 1976. How does it remain timely or relevant today? Does it also feel dated?
  • Since its publication, “The Woman Warrior” has sparked controversy by Asian American scholars who say it presented a distorted view of Chinese culture in its blending of fiction and fact. What do you make of that critique?
  • How was the writing style, and the experience of reading this book, different from other selections in our book club? 

Email bmartin@gallupnm.gov or call 505-863-1291 for more information.

We READ, We TALK Book Club – January

Register at either library during the month of January or online above for a free copy of The Woman Warrior: Memoirs of a Girlhood Among Ghosts by Maxine Hong Kingston.

An exhilarating blend of autobiography and mythology, of world and self, of hot rage and cool analysis. As a girl, Kingston lives in two confounding worlds: the California to which her parents have immigrated and the China of her mother’s “talk stories.”

The fierce and wily women warriors of her mother’s tales clash jarringly with the harsh reality of female oppression out of which they come.

Get ready for some great conversations, good food and tons of fun!

Email bmartin@gallupnm.gov or call 505-863-1291 for more information.

Chess Club – January

Whether you’re a chess expert or new to the game.

Join us at the Children’s Branch on Friday, January 3rd and January 17th at 4:00 p.m. to learn chess moves and strategies. Meet others who love the game and build connections!

Club meets on the first and third Friday of the month.

Email childlib@gallupnm.gov or call 505-726-6120 for more information.

Chess Club – December

Whether you’re a chess expert or new to the game, join us at Children’s Branch on Tuesday, December 3rd and December 17th at 4:00 p.m. to learn chess moves and strategies.

Meet others who love the game and make connections! Refreshments provided.

Email childlib@gallupnm.gov or call 505-726-6120 for more information.

OFPL does not own this video. Courtesy from YouTube.

We READ, We TALK Book Club – November

The last discussion of House of Broken Angels by Luis Alberto Urrea will take place in the Main Library on Saturday, November 9th at 2:00 p.m.

The story of Pulitzer Prize finalist is about the De La Cruzes, a family on the Mexican-American border, who celebrate two of their most beloved relatives during a joyous and bittersweet weekend.

Get ready for great conversations, good food and tons of fun!

Email bmartin@gallupnm.gov or call 863-1291 for more information.

Chess Club – November

Whether you’re a chess expert or new to the game, join us at Children’s Branch on Tuesday, November 5th and November 26th at 4:00 p.m. to learn chess moves and strategies.

Meet others who love the game and make connections! Refreshments provided.

Email childlib@gallupnm.gov or call 505-726-6120 for more information.

Money Club – November

FAFSA FRIDAYS!

Join the Money Club at Main Library on:

  • Friday, November 1st
  • Friday, November 8th
  • Friday, November 15th
  • Friday, November 22nd

Between 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. for a hands-on demonstration to file your Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).

You need your FAFSA to apply for additional scholarships for college expenses plus if you file early you may qualify for bonus federal and state grants.

*You must bring your 2018 tax returns.*

Email jwhitman@gallupnm.gov or call 505-863-1291 for more information.

File Your FAFSA HERE.