Wednesday is Christmas Eve and the anniversary of one of the most beloved Christmas carols of all time. "Silent Night" was composed and sung with a guitar in Austria in 1818 because the church organ was broken. When the organ was finally repaired the following spring, the first song played on it was "Silent Night."

Thursday is Christmas. The library will close at 1:00 p.m. on December 24 for the Christmas holiday and reopen at 9:00 a.m. on Friday, December 26. Friday, the day after Christmas, is also National Whiner's Day. This day is dedicated especially to those whiners who return Christmas gifts and need lots of attention.

WHAT'S HAPPENING?
Wednesday's 10:00 a.m. storytime celebrates Christmas in books and activities. Since the library will be closed, the Wednesday afternoon storytime will not be held this week. Saturday morning's storytime features birthday books and activities.

The staff of your Roswell Public Library wishes you a very Merry Christmas!

BOOK TALK
Librarian Rosie Klopfer provides this week's book information. "The Web Site Source Book" is a guide to major US businesses, agencies, institutions, political offices, and much more. With over 12,800 entries, this book is a very useful tool for locating information on the Internet. Besides listing the Web site (URL), e-mail and w-mail addresses are given, as well as telephone, fax, and toll-free numbers; current mailing address; and the complete official names and other contact data. In addition to a general alphabetical section, the book contains a section classified by subject, such as automotive products, health and medicine, hotels and resorts, real estate, and libraries.

The Consumer Protection Division of the New Mexico Attorney General's Office has published a handout, "Learn to Give Wisely." Available at the library's circulation desk, the pamphlet is a guide to keep you informed, as a donor, about fraud. Web sites and phone numbers are given to aid in your decisions.

DID YOU KNOW?
A new study by Fairfield Research of Lincoln, Nebraska, surveyed 1,000 online users and 1,000 households in June about media preferences. As reported in "USA Today" (July 31, 2025), here's how some other options for entertainment compare with being online. Going out to a movie was tops overall, with 77% of all consumers and 76% of Net users prefer to the Net. Next came watching a video, which 75% of all consumers and 68% of online users prefer to going online. Watching cable TV came in third, preferred by 74% of all consumers and 65% of online users, although fewer prefer watching network TV. Books are preferred by 72% of all consumers and 61% of online users, and magazines by 70% of all consumers and 61% of online users.

A spokesman says, "When 70 percent of people would rather read 'People' magazine or a book, that's quite a statement . . ." Some possible explanations are that people are still testing the Internet or that many have a "honeymoon" period and then revert to previous entertainment preferences. The library offers a third explanation: it's difficult to curl up in front of the fireplace or tuck yourself into bed with a computer!

THOUGHT FOR THE WEEK: According to the December 1 issue of "Forbes" magazine, books are not becoming obsolete. Executive Editor Lewis D'Vorkin says: "Print can supply two things the Internet cannot: context and trust." Like Forbes, your library strives to deliver both context and trust!

JUDY ARMSTRONG, ROSWELL PUBLIC LIBRARY, 624-7276