Firefighter Program Coming to the San Marino Public Library

The Children's Department of the San Marino Public Library will present a special firefighter program in the Girls & Boys room on Saturday February 19, 2005 at 2:00 p.m. Children of all ages are invited to attend.

Fire captains from the San Marino Fire Department will read a special story and answer children's questions about being a fire fighter. Children will have the opportunity to get up close and personal with a San Marino fire engine. In addition, special fire helmets will be given to all children in attendance.

This program is free and open to the public. Registration is required. Please call 626-300-0777 to reserve a space today. The San Marino Public Library is located at 1890 Huntington Drive in San Marino, California.

Internet Evaluation Workshop for Students

Did you know that everything published on the Internet isn't true? The Internet can be both a dream and a nightmare for students learning how to do research. Web sites can be a terrific way for students to get facts and information. But at the same time this largely unmonitored resource can be full of inaccurate material, hoaxes, scams and misinformation.

So how can a student decipher fact from fiction? Join us at the San Marino Public Library as we show you how to evaluation information found on the Internet. This interactive workshop will be held on Wednesday, January 19th at 6:30 p.m. at the San Marino Public Library. Call (626) 300-0777 to reserve your spot, as space is limited. This workshop is perfect for students in the 3rd- 6th grade.

Last Call for Rose Pruning

Here is another reminder about the free Rose Pruning Workshop on Saturday, January 22 at 9:00 a.m. Ron Serven, of the San Marino Parks Department, will demonstrate how to prune your own roses in the San Marino Public Library's auditorium. For the first time, this year there will be a hands-on session following the demonstration at Lacy Park (1485 Virginia Road) from 11:30 to 1:00 PM. Everybody is welcome to attend either one or both of these sessions.

The Library session is for those who want to sit back and be shown exactly how to do it and be given a chance to ask questions. The Lacy Park session is for those who want to learn by doing, with help and advice from Ron and the "Deadheaders", a group of volunteers who help keep up with maintaining Lacy Park's rose garden. Bring your pruners if you come to this one.

No need to reserve, but those who arrive early get closest to the action for the Library session. For more information, call (626) 300-0777.

Saturday Afternoon Movie at the Library

Mandy Patinkin as Inigo Montoya, Andre the Giant as Fezzik, Billy Crystal as Miracle Max, Cary Elwes as Westly, Robin Wright as Buttercup...can you name this cult classic?

The San Marino Public Library will present a free screening of this 1987 film, based on William Goldman's book of the same title (the "good parts" version,) on Saturday, January 22, at 2:30. So get ready to scale the "Cliffs of Insanity", battle "Rodents of Unusual Size" and face torture in the "Pit of Despair", all in the name of true love. A trivia contest for prizes-did I mention the six-fingered man?- will be held after the film.

Storytime Resumes

Winter Storytime at the San Marino Public Library will begin soon. These weekly storytimes are a great way for children to experience wonderful stories, create magnificent crafts and have fun while doing it. Preschool storytime, for children ages 3-5, are held on Thursdays at 11:30 am & 1:30 pm and will run from January 27th through March 3rd.

After-school storytime, for children ages 5-8, are held on Tuesdays at 3:30 pm and will run from January 25th through March 1st. To sign your child up for one of these storytime adventures, please call (626) 300-0777.

Wednesday Morning Volunteer Needed

The San Marino Library is looking for a volunteer to stamp date due cards on Wednesday mornings from 9:00 AM to about 10:00 AM. It is not difficult, but it requires precision and care. The ability to commit to a regular schedule is also important. If you like libraries, you can't ask for a better setting. If you have any questions or are interested in this position, please call (626) 300-0776 and ask for Rex.

Spotlight on the Magazine Index: An Online Subscription from Your Library

Need to do some research but can't get to the library? No problem! The San Marino Public Library subscribes to eleven different services that you can use through our Web page with your library card at any time of day or night.

The crown jewel of this collection is the Magazine Index. This database, also known as MasterFile Elite from EBSCOhost Web(tm), lets users search through a database that reaches back to the early 1990s and covers over 1200 magazines and journals ranging from People to the Journal of Interamerican Studies & World Affairs. Many entries contain the entire text of articles just as they appeared in print!

Students love this database because it means that they don't have to physically go to the library, find the correct edition of the magazine that they seek, and then photocopy it. Parents find this collection useful when they want to read articles about home repair or appliance reviews. This service can also help busy businesspeople to find quality information right from their desks at work.

How do you reach this information treasure? Grab your library card, point your browser to http://sanmarinopl.org, and then click on "Online Reference Resources". On the next screen, choose "Magazine Index". The login screen will ask for a "Patron ID". This is your 14-digit library card number typed in with no spaces. On the following page, choose the service called "EBSCOhost Web". Once you do that, you will be free to explore the world of magazine and journal articles online--all with a strong guarantee of quality, courtesy of the San Marino Public Library.

The San Marino Library home page is your gateway to quality information online.