Albuquerque-Bernalillo County Library to launch Summer Reading program on May 31

David Steinberg David Steinberg David Steinberg For the Journal

Published May 24, 2025 - 2:00 p.m. Modified May 24, 2025 - 2:00 p.m.

SUMMER READING PROGRAM

The Albuquerque-Bernalillo County Library’s 2025 Summer Reading program, titled “Color Our World,” begins Saturday, May 31, with kickoff activities at 16 of the branch libraries, including the Main Library. Two other branches — Alamosa and Westgate — celebrate their kickoffs on Monday, June 2.

Art is the program’s overarching theme. For reading program details, visit abqlibrary.org/summerreading.

The program, which runs eight weeks, encourages participants to read for pleasure to keep their brains exercised all summer, said Deborah Hassi, senior youth librarian. Program activities are offered for all ages and are free.

AT BOOKS ON THE BOSQUE

Lori Ostlund will read from and discusses her new story collection “Are you Happy?” At 2 p.m. Sunday, May 25, at Books on the Bosque. The nine stories explore such issues as class, identity, desire and the specter of violence that hovers over women and the LGBTQ+ community.

Ostlund’s first short-story collection, “The Bigness of the World,” received the Flannery O’Connor Award for short fiction.

The bookstore is located at 6261 Riverside Plaza Lane NW.

AT BOOKWORKS

Members of the New Mexico Academy of Rock & Blues and the New Mexico Youth Arts Ambassadors will read from and sign their inaugural publication “The Cuentistas: Our Stories” at 6 p.m. Monday, May 26. Also, Aspen Montoya Keith, a student at NMARB, will read from her poetry collection “The Pink Door: poems from an unkempt mind.”

To learn more about the program, visit nmarb.org.

Bookworks is located at 4022 Rio Grande Blvd. NW.

AT COLLECTED WORKS

Carmella Padilla and Thomas Leech will talk about their new book, “Printing the Spirit: Gustave Baumann’s Santos,” at 6 p.m. Thursday, May 29. The book represents the first time a selection of Baumann’s pencil renditions of 34 bultos and retablos and the proofs he made for his project “The Little Saints of New Mexico” are published. The book examines the relationship between Baumann, a famous Santa Fe woodblock artist, and the centuries-old tradition of wood carving and painting of saints.

Leech is former director of the Press of the Palace of the Governors of the New Mexico History Museum in Santa Fe. Padilla is an award-winning Santa Fe-based author and journalist. Leech and Padilla will be in conversation with writer/editor Kate Nelson.

Collected Works is located at 202 Galisteo St., Santa Fe.

AT SOMOS SALON

Free River Press and SOMOS present author/editor Robert Wolf, book artist-musician Bonnie Koloc and photographer-printmaker Robbie Steinbach at 5:30 p.m. Saturday, May 31, at SOMOS Salon, 108 Civic Plaza Drive, Taos.