Saturday, December 27, 2003
Monday, December 22, 2003
Friday, December 19, 2003
Saturday, November 15, 2003
Martha and Roy Tolles view a color rendering of the new San Marino Public Library along with Mayor Lin and Library Director Carolyn Crain. |
Martha and Roy Tolles have made the first "Naming Oppportunity" gift of the Library Capital Campaign. The Tolles have selected to sponsor the new windowscape in the Children's room. The window, which will face West Drive, will feature the Beatrix Potter stained glass scenes embedded in the current Girls' and Boys' Room window. |
Thursday, October 30, 2003
A rare book auction will be held on Thursday, November 13 at 7:30 p.m. at the San Marino Public Library at 1890 Huntington Drive.
A special addition to this year's auction is a 1970 to 2000 collection of Zamorano keepsakes and limited editions. The portfolios will be available for inspection one hour prior to the auction.
Approximately 100 lots will be offered, including many editions autographed by well-known writers including Lyndon B. Johnson, William Jennings Bryan, Upton Sinclair, Maya Angelou, and Bob Hope.
A number of portfolio-size art, architecture, and photography books will be offered.
Books at auction are donations from San Marino and local area estates. All proceeds go to the Library. For further information, call the Library at (626) 300-0777.
Wednesday, October 22, 2003
Eva Margueriette and San Marino City Councilwoman Betty Brown hold a color rendering of the new San Marino Public Library. |
Renowned local artist Eva Margueriette held a watercolor demonstration at her studio in San Marino on October 16 in support of the fund to build a new city library. Attending were residents Debbie Eggleston, Dana Marevitch, Carole Pennington, Lina Hatfield, Laurene Chang-Brockett, Barbara Millar, Carlye Cordner, Wendy Greenleaf, Lisa Sloan, and Jack MacLeod. |
Friday, October 17, 2003
Janet Wong, award-winning author and poet, will be at the San Marino Public Library on Saturday, November 15th at 3:30 pm. Ms. Wong has recently published two new books, Minn and Jake, a story about friendship, and Knock on Wood: Poems About Superstitions.
Ms. Wong is a native of Los Angeles who now lives in the Seattle area. She has appeared on the Oprah show, at the White House Easter Egg Roll and at the National Book Festival. A graduate of Yale Law School, she left her career as a lawyer to write for children and teens. Some of her award-winning books are, Buzz (an LA Times Best Book of the Year), Apple Pie 4th of July (Charlotte Zolotow Award), and Behind the Wheel: Poems About Driving (an ALA/YALSO Quick Pick for Reluctant YA Readers).
During her one-hour library program, Ms. Wong will talk about her two newest books, and she will also talk about writing for publication. The program is suitable for ages 5 and up. Ms. Wong will be available to autograph books after her presentation, and some of her books will be on sale at the library. Refreshments will be served after the program. So come join us at the library for a wonderful family event!
Thursday, October 16, 2003
The California Public Library Construction and Renovation Board will meet in Sacramento on Tuesday, October 28, 2003, to deliberate and make grant award decisions for the second cycle Library Bond Act applications. If San Marino's application is approved, the State will award nearly $7 million dollars toward the library building fund. The San Marino City Council, City Manager, School District Superintendent, Library Trustees and the City Librarian will all travel to Sacramento to attend the meeting.
Monday, October 13, 2003
Can't wait for Halloween? Well the San Marino Public library has something for you: A frightful night of "Spooky Magic" with magician Mark H. Wurst. Join us on Wednesday, October 22nd at 6:30 p.m. for an evening of creepy crawly tales and fearsome feats of magic. All ages are welcome to the free event sponsored by the Friends of the San Marino Public Library. Children may also wear their Halloween costume, if they dare!!! For information on this frightening program or any other activities in the Girls & Boys Department, please call (626) 300-0777.
Monday, October 13th marked the beginning of the In-N-Out "Food for Thought" reading program. This program will run through November 22nd and is designed to get children 2 through 12 into their local library to check out and read more books. For every 5 books read and recorded on a reading log, received from the public library, a child may earn an "Achievement Award". This award can be redeemed for a free hamburger or cheeseburger at In-N-Out. To participate, a child or a parent needs to come into the library to fill out a registration card and pick up a reading log. Children too young to read may participate by having a parent or guardian read to them. Each child may earn up to three award certificates during the program, while supplies last. For more information on this program, please contact the Girls and Boys Department at the San Marino Public Library.
The San Marino Public Library will be actively recruiting human intelligence agents for the Lower Elements Police (LEP), an elite band of Fairy police. New agents are urgently needed to keep a lookout for Artemis Fowl, the 12-year-old criminal mastermind and subject of a best-selling series of books by author Eoin Colfer.
Fowl's latest exploits are recounted in the best seller Artemis Fowl: The Eternity Code. In order to better understand his ruthless mind and monitor his actions in the San Marino area, we need many more aboveground intelligence agents. All recruits will participate in Fowl knowledge training, including Fairy code translation, and will be eligible to receive a grand prize which incorporates Fairy technology. Sign-ups will begin on October 27, and Recruitment Day will be on Tuesday November 4, from 5:00 to 6:00 p.m. at the San Marino Public Library.
On October 1, 1999 the San Marino Public Library's Teen Advisory Board was launched on a wing and a prayer. The task at hand for the fourteen attendees of that first meeting was to come up with an official name for the newly consolidated and upgraded Young Adult area, so that a neon sign could be fabricated in time for the dedication of the area two weeks later. This they did, and "The Corner" has been a focal point for the needs and interests of Middle School and High School students ever since.
When asked for suggestions, they came up with thirty different ideas, some workable-some not. At that first meeting it became clear that the main skill called for in running the board would be, to listen.
The current board, now in its 5th year of existence boasts 30 members. We still meet every other Friday in the library auditorium and, given their busy schedules, typically 15 to 18 young people attend any given meeting.
Four of the original attendees from 1999 are still active members, as well as younger brothers and sisters of several long time members. Many others are in their third year of service. Currently, there are 12 High School seniors, three 7th graders, and just about everything in between. Interests vary widely, but everyone has something to say.
In addition to recommending books, magazines, videos and DVDs to be purchased, board members plan and implement programs, and do special volunteer projects. In 2000-2001 they were able to take advantage of grant money available through the California State Library to fund a series of programs and to produce a brochure of Favorite Teen Books at the San Marino Public Library. They have written letters of support for the new building, drawn up plans for their "ideal' homework center, provided labor for Book Shoppe sales and patiently filled out innumerable surveys. They are bright, passionate, opinionated, and always good for a reality check before we commit to purchasing materials teens supposedly will like. Young adult circulation has continued to rise significantly each year since the board was founded.
This fall, over a dozen new feature films will be released that are based on books available for check out at your San Marino Public Library.
September saw the premier of Under the Tuscan Sun, based on the book by Frances Mayes. Now Mystic River, from the novel by Dennis Lehane, is in theaters.
Before the end of the year, be sure to see Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World directed by Peter Weir, based on the Jack Aubrey stories by Patrick O'Brian. Girl With A Pearl Earring, taken from Tracy Chevalier's novel, is set for an autumn release as are films adapted from John Grisham's Runaway Jury, Cold Mountain by Charles Frasier, Timeline by Michael Crichton, House of Sand And Fog by Andre Dubus, and Big Fish by Daniel Wallace. Brian Moore's book The Statement will be released to the big screen soon as will adaptations of A Home at the End of the World by Michael Cunningham and The Human Stain by Philip Roth.
At Thanksgiving, feast on The Cat in the Hat based on the story by Dr. Seuss. And on December 17, The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, the final film in Peter Jackson's epic dramatic trilogy based on the books by J.R.R. Tolkien, opens in theaters.
Visit the library today to read your favorite films!
Monday, September 15, 2003
The San Marino Public Library has once again partnered up with the Metropolitan Cooperative Library System (MCLS) and the UCLA Athletic Department to offer children of all ages a chance to participate in another fantastic reading program, Reading Days with UCLA. To participate children need to come into the Public Library and pick up a reading log. The reading log will be used to keep track of the 10 books children need to read to complete the program. Once the reading log is completed, bring it back to the library and receive a pass, good up to 4 people, for a UCLA sporting event. Events include women and men's soccer and women's volleyball games. This reading program is designed to encourage good reading habits among children and will run from Monday, September 15th - Saturday, November 15th.
The Library has a new electronic resource that can be used from home computers or inside the library. Current Biography Illustrated contains excellent biographical information about all kinds of well-known people, including politicians, writers, actors, scientists, sports stars, and other people in the news. Each entry is about 2 to 3 pages, and they are very readable, almost like a magazine article, and yet, very fact-filled. They cover the childhood and younger years of the person, and then describe important events and achievements in their adult life. There is often a brief interview that reveals a more personal side of the person, and there are usually one or more photos as well.
If you have Internet access, go to the San Marino Public Library's web site at sanmarinopl.org and click on "SMILES", then click on the button that says "Current Biography- Outside Library." Type in your library card barcode in the white box, and you're ready to go. When you are in the library building, you don't have to do this last step. You can search by the person's name, of course, but you can also search by birthday, profession, country of origin, gender, and other criteria. Get biographies of all of the people who were born on July 1, or biographies of famous mathematicians. The usual way to search is by an individual's name, such as Bill Gates or Katherine Hepburn. Just type the name in where it says "search for" and then click on "start." When you get your results, you can print the biography or email it anywhere in the world.
Current Biography Illustrated is a great resource for students and for adults. The biographies are very interesting, fun to read, and not just for scholars. This product is very easy to use, but should you need help, call or ask at the reference desk.
Back in February, a busted steam pipe flooded the library basement and forced us to shuffle our large print books in with the rest of the collection. That was terrible because if a person suffered from low eyesight, he or she could never find the odd large print book among the many regular ones.
Not to worry though, because that problem has been solved. During our closed week at the end of August, one of our tasks was to tease out those large print books from their hiding places and re-consolidate that collection.
Now, fans of 16-point type can gather along the back wall behind the fiction section to browse the large print collection once more. Both fiction and non-fiction large print books are there, together again, all in one place.
Most people have heard of the Newbery Award for Best Children's Book, and the Caldecott Medal awarded to illustrators of picture books, but there is also the Michael L. Printz Award for Excellence in Young Adult Literature.
The Printz Award, established in 2000, is relatively new. It is awarded annually for a book that exemplifies literary excellence in young adult literature. Three books are given Honor Awards as well. The award is named for a Topeka, Kansas school librarian who was a long-time active member of the Young Adult Library Services Association and a tireless advocate of quality literature for teenagers.
This year's Printz Award Winner is Postcards from No Man's Land by Aidan Chambers. Postcards from No Man's Land tells the story of seventeen-year-old backpacker, Jacob Todd, who has come to Amsterdam as part of a trip to honor his grandfather, a soldier who died in a nearby town in World War II. He meets Geertrui, a Dutch woman who had cared for his wounded grandfather. Her teenage World War II story is interwoven with Jacob's own unfolding coming of age story. The alternating narratives of their two stories intertwine, merging into a memorable voyage of discovery.
The three Honor Award books named for 2003 are Hole in My Life by Jack Gantos, My Heartbeat by Garret Freymann-Weyr, and The House of the Scorpion by Nancy Farmer. All four of the titles mentioned are available in the Young Adult section of the library.
Thursday, August 21, 2003
 Campaign Co-Chair Nick Stonnington and Library Director Carolyn Crain accept check from Library Foundation donor Dennis Magrdichian. |
Local businessman Dennis Magrdichian of Burrtec Waste Industries, Inc. [www.burrtec.com] has donated the proceeds from his company's recycling efforts at the City's July 4th celebration to the San Marino Public Library Capital Campaign. The funds raised will go toward the construction of a new library building, which is scheduled to begin in July 2004. |
Monday, August 18, 2003
The Summer Reading Program was a huge success at the San Marino Public Library. Over 630 children registered for the summer reading program "It's a Jungle Out There...Swing Into Your Library". The YA program also had an astonishing number of participants, with over 150 teens signing up to "Get Wild...Read" The San Marino Public Library would like to congratulate all of the 188 children who read 20 books during the summer and completed the youth program. Those children who finished the program received a special reading award, a certificate from the Rainforest Café and a gift certificate from the San Marino Toy and Book Shoppe.
The annual summer program concluded on Saturday, August 2nd with a magic and puppet show performance by Wonderworld Puppets. The winners of various contests held throughout the summer including a poetry, drawing and name the rainforest bird and monkey, were also announced.
The staff at the San Marino Public Library would like to thank all the children and teens that participated in the San Marino Public Library Summer Reading Program. We would also like to thank all the "Ticktockers" from the National Charity League who donated a countless number of volunteer hours. We also want to thank all the businesses that helped support the Summer Reading Program through their donations of reading incentives and prizes. Your participation played a crucial role in the success of the San Marino Public Library's Summer Reading Program. Last but not least, we would like to especially thank the Friends of the San Marino Public Library. Their hard work and dedication make it possible to continue the Summer Reading Program every year.
- Name the Character:
- Bird, "Mr. Peck": Jack Basalari
- Monkey, "Macarena": Michelle Floyd
- Poetry Contest:
- Rachel Linton
- Michelle Floyd
- Chanica Veranunt
- Drawing Contest:
- Alec Chang
- Ashley Chuck
- Sasha Netchaev
- Juice It Up Cup and Certificate:
- Kate Benuska and Jonathan Shue
- "It's a Jungle Out There" T-shirt: Jacques Shih and Jack Basalari
- Rainforest Stuffed Bird:
- Andrew Liu
- Hollywood Video Coupon:
- Victoria Chung, Nate Glenn, Elizabeth Shelburne, Shane Fox, and Christian Lee
- Pasadena Ice Skating Pass:
- Jake Agajanian
- Star Athletics, 1 Month of Free Classes:
- Alya Lamba, Aaron Tran, Grace Zhung, Ben Hubsch, Larissa Phillips, Jennifer Binley, Matthew Lin, Kyle Ezold, Matthew Higdon, and Elizabeth Hannan
- San Marino Toy & Book Gift Certificate:
- Jacqueline Chang, Andrew Zong, and Megan Martinez
- Shakey's Pizza Gift Certificate:
- Hillary Santoso, Thomas Krimmel, and Jordan Agajanian
- Bahama Lanes:
- Sarah Higdon, Tasha Lam, Justin Lan, Jay Davis, Luke Benuska, Lindsay Saldebar, Britney Yip, Christopher Wa, Paul Thvedt, and Jonathan Lee
- Magic Mountain Pass:
- Leslie Yick
- CD Player:
- Karen In
- Jones Bicycle Certificate:
- Nathaniel Yuan
- Tower Records Gift Certificate:
- Hannah Lu, Jody Sheu, Emily Liao, Cheryl Yeung, Rebecca Moreton, Carla Yee, Tiffany Liu, Caroline Liai, Sean Fisher, and Henry Fung
- Aquarium of the Pacific Passes:
- Alicia Kuch and Citlalli Sandoval
- AMF Bowling, Extreme Bowling:
- Samantha Basalari, Jonathan Wong, Sara McNight, and Meagan Brazil
- Los Angeles Zoo Pass:
- Michelle Lui and Melissa Dundas
- Pacific Theatre Pass:
- Stephanie Su, Alice Pan, Vicki Lau, Charles Lin, Jefferson Chen, Nathalie Barfield, and Christina Lin
- Gene Autry Musuem Pass:
- Eulanca Liu, Michael Schultheis, and Laura Adamzs
- Vroman's Bookstore Gift Certificate:
- Nicholas Hwang, Diana Zhang, Kimberly Chen, Valerie Yuan, and Philip Tyler
- Rick's Drive-In Gift Certificate:
- Tina Lertharakul, Taylor Greenleaf, and Coco Raaether
- B-Man's Teriyaki & Burgers Gift Certificate:
- Andrea Binley, Karen Lim, and Arianna French
- AMF Bahama Lanes Bowling Certificate:
- Chelsea Javier, Sagar Pujara, Emily Fisher, Brandon Tso, Ileana Borunda, Alison Chang, Chris Lau, Scott Tsangeos, Andrew Tsangeos, Stephanie Law, and Aphinaya Narayanan
| Charlie Agajanian | Jake Agajanian | Jordan Agajanian |
| James Ang | John Ang | Noor Atighi |
| Leann Barth | Jack Basalari | Kate Benuska |
| Luke Benuska | Jennifer Binley | Rosemary Boutin |
| Sam Boutin | Will Boutin | Vanessa Chan |
| Alec Chang | Christina Chang | Jacqueline Chang |
| Michelle Chee | Kelly Cheh | Brandon Chen |
| Brenda Chen | Connie Chen | Janice Cheng |
| Ruyi Cheng | William Cheng | Elliott Chou |
| Victoria Chung | Megan Cootauro | Ariel Cristi |
| Erin Cristi | Sabrina Cristi | Curtis Cuccia |
| Sean Cuccia | Chaz Davis | Jay Davis |
| Emily DeLorimier | Lauren Dietzel | Matthew Dietzel |
| Anika Ezold | Kyle Ezold | Nicholas Farewell |
| Justin Farshidi | Eden Faure | Sean Fisher |
| Charmayne Floyd | Michelle Floyd | Katherine Flynn |
| Shane Fox | Arianna French | Michelle Gandawidjaja |
| Pippin Garet | Joshua Gilmore | Tyler Gilmore |
| Joey Glenn | Nate Glenn | Rachel Glenn |
| Mindy Gottschalk | Cameron Grannis | Annika Greenleaf |
| Olivia Greenleaf | Tiffany Gu | Victoria Gu |
| Megan Halkett | Elizabeth Hannan | Tommy Hannan |
| Matthew Higdon | Sarah Higdon | Maya Ho |
| Ben Hubsch | Will Hubsch | Alexander Hung |
| Anthony Hung | Christopher Hung | Bonnie Jin |
| Daphne Kan | Jasper Kan | Jessica Kemp |
| Michelle Ko | Stephanie Ko | Thomas Krimmel |
| Blake Kunitake | Leigh Kunitake | Paige Kunitake |
| Katherine Laco | Fiona Lam | Tasha Lam |
| Alya Lamba | Nikita Lamba | Justin Lan |
| Aaron Lee | Christian Lee | Grace Lee |
| Jonathan Lee | June Wai Lee | Justin Lee |
| Andrew Lin | Ashley Lin | Bill Lin |
| Christina Lin | Keenwei Lin | Matthew Lin |
| Andrew Liu | Janice Liu | Jonathan Liu |
| Thomas Liu | Brandt Lukas | Kara Lukas |
| Eric Ma | Megan Martinez | Chloe Mason |
| Jacquiline McGreal | Michelle Miller | Rebecca Morris |
| Ashley Muranaka | Paul Myint | Manu Navjeevano |
| Shirleen Ng | David Olivar | Jordan Olivar |
| Matthew Omori | Maya Omori | Sean Panajotovac |
| Avni Parikh | Kristen Park | Everett Philips |
| Larissa Phillips | Danny Preston | Steven Preston |
| Nicky Rayyis | Cameron Roberts | Evan Roberts |
| Brian Rogers | Thomas Rogers | Kimberly Rolan |
| Lindsay Saldebar | Hillary Santoso | Elizabeth Shelbourne |
| Jonathan Sheu | Rebecca Shieh | Jacques Shih |
| Kendall Smiley | Carrie Smith | Peter Smith |
| Jonathan Su | Nanami Suzuki | Andrew Tang |
| Justine Tang | Eric Thvedt | Paul Thvedt |
| Aaron Tran | Tiffany Tran | Andrew Tsangeos |
| Scott Tsangeos | Freddy Tsao | Natalie Tso |
| Amanda Ung | Nicholas Ung | Han Vi |
| June Wai Wai | Andrew Wan | Camille Wang |
| Sophia Wang | Valerie Wang | Devin Weakland |
| Tyler Weakland | Bree Wernicke | Christopher Wu |
| Esther Wu | Wyatt Wu | Brian Yao |
| Benjamin Yee | Leslie Yick | Britney Yip |
| Joycelyn Yip | Vivian Yip | Bethany You |
| Christopher Zaro | Vincent Zhu |
Each year local businesses donate goods, services, and cash, which the library uses to provide prizes and reading incentives for its Summer Reading Programs for both children and young adults. We want to extend a heartfelt thank you to the following businesses for their generous support of this year's programs.
"Get Wild...Read"- Young Adult Reading Program Donors:- Jones Bicycles
- Aquarium of the Pacific
- AMF Bahama Bowling Lanes
- The Los Angeles Zoo
- The Autry Museum
- Pacific Theatres
- Vroman's Bookstore
- Ricks Drive-In, Alhambra
- B-Man's Teriyaki & Burgers
- San Marino Book & Toy
- Rainforest Café
- Hollywood Video
- Pasadena Ice Skating Rink
- Shakey's Pizza
- AMF Bahama Bowling Lanes
- Magic Mountain
- Juice It Up
A special "thanks" is extended to Metropolitan Cooperative Library System (MCLS) and the Friend's of the San Marino Public Library for their unwavering support of the summer reading program year after year.
Look around your home. Wouldn't it be fun to spruce it up a little? To add a dash of spice and style to the décor? Head on over to the library, because we have just purchased over thirty new books dealing with all aspects of interior decoration.
Explore the theory of design with Patterns of Home by Max Jacobson or 77 Habits of Highly Creative Decorators by Sarah Lynch. Or, get right down to brass tacks with Impatient Decorator by Glenna Morton or Lynnette Jennings Straight Talk on Decorating. Investigate color and texture with Annie Sloan's Color Schemes, The Paint Effects Bible by Kerry Skinner, or Chuck Fischer's Wallcoverings. Perhaps you will emulate the California Colonial or the Red Tile Style of America's Spanish revival architecture documented in books by Elizabeth Jean McMillian and Arrol Gellner.
Redoing the kitchen or the bath? We have Dream Kitchens by Wanda Janowski and The Bathroom Idea Book by Andrew Wromer, among others. How about some new curtains? Turn to The Encyclopedia of Window Fashions. Redecorate on a shoestring with Trade Secrets from Use What you Have Decorating by Lauri Ward, or go all out with Sheer Opulence by Nicholas Haslam.
Whatever your tastes and budget, the San Marino Public Library now has the interior decorating books for you!
Friday, August 15, 2003
Hey! Those holidays are on the way! Maybe you want to lose a few before those big feasts start piling on the pounds. We've recently bought some books to help you on your way. Chow down on some recent classics such as Sugar Busters!, and of course Dr. Atkins' Age-Defying Diet by that late great weight-loss guru.
For gals, there's Look Hot, Live Long by Christine Lydon, and Gary Heavin's Curves. We've got Dharma Singh Khalsa's Food as Medicine and The Everything Nutrition Book by Kimberly Tessmer for those who want to improve their health.
Weight Watchers weighs in with Weight Watchers Coach Approach: How to Motivate the "Thin" You. And finally, here's our favorite: The Little Book of Dirty Diet Tricks: 365 Ways to Lose Weight or Look Like You Did, Without Losing Your Mind Along the Way by Carole Bodger.
Tuesday, July 29, 2003
On Tuesday, July 22, San Marino Mayor Matthew Lin, Councilmembers Emile Bayle and Betty Brown, Legislative Liaison Suzy Crowell, and City Manager Rob Wishner traveled to Sacramento to lobby state representatives to support the partial funding of a new library building. These state funds are available under the Library Bond Act of 2000 that was created by the passage of Proposition 14.
They met with Assembly representative Judy Chu and Library Bond Act Manager Richard Hall. Hall noted that competition for this second round of funding was stiff as applying libraries from around the state have asked for about five times the amount of funds available.
The San Marino contingent also met with members of the California Public Library Construction and Renovation Board or their deputies. They delivered over 100 letters of support for the new library written by San Marino citizens, along with an executive summary outlining the deficits of the current library building and plans for the new one.
The California Public Library Construction and Renovation Board will announce the winners of its Second Cycle Grant Awards in the fall. More information about the Library Bond Act of 2000 can be found on the Office of Library Construction web site: http://www.olc.library.ca.gov.
Wednesday, July 16, 2003
On Saturday, July 12, 2003, two representatives from The Animal Guys, Andreana Wagner and Veronica Alonzo, brought a menagerie of animals from the world’s rainforest to a program to celebrate this year’s Summer Reading Program theme “It’s a Jungle Out There".
Animals displayed included an Emperor scorpion from Africa, a South American two-toed sloth, and an albino Burmese python.
Andi and Veronica wrestle an albino Burmese python
Monday, July 14, 2003
On Friday, July 11, Los Angeles County Sheriff Lee Baca toured the San Marino Public Library.
“It looks like a Rube Goldberg machine!" Baca exclaimed when he saw the mid-century air-conditioning system and the ancient boiler that provide climate control in the building. Mayor Matthew Lin presented Baca with a certificate of appreciation and showed him the plans for the new library building.
New library supporters William and Barbara Steele, Marie and Paul Crowley, Mayor Matthew Lin, City Manager Rob Wisher, Ivy and Richard Sun, Lora Smith and Myra Frank surround Sheriff Baca and present him with a certificate of appreciation.
The Library’s Internet classes continue in the next couple of weeks. This Saturday (July 19) there will be a class on using search engines, such as Google and Yahoo. If you have used the Internet a bit, but you have trouble finding what you want, this is a good class for you. It starts at 9:00 AM and runs until 10:30 AM. If you can’t make it to this class, the same session will be offered on Saturday, August 2, again at 9:00 AM.
For beginners, there will be one more “Introduction to the Internet” class on Saturday, July 26 at 9:00 AM. This class is ideal for those who are not familiar with the Internet, or even computers. If you have dabbled a bit, but want to know more, this class may help you to put it all together.
Please call the Library to sign up for any of these classes. The phone number is (626) 300-0777.
The library has a small collection of books in Japanese, and in the past few years there have been several donations of additional books that may be of interest to Japanese readers. Since the Library does not have any Japanese staff members who speak Japanese, it has been difficult to process these newer books. If you are fluent in Japanese and can help the library staff select from these donations and also translate and transliterate titles into English, the Library could use your help. Volunteers are being sought to help get these books on the shelf for people to read. If you are interested, please call Rex at (626) 300-0776.
Summer is finally here, and if your vacation travel plans include driving, you’ll definitely want to visit the library to look over the new additions to our collection of audio books on CD. We have the latest non-fiction releases by best-selling authors Bill Bryson and Pat Conroy, as well as Devil in the White City by Eric Larsen, and Jarhead: A Marine’s Chronicle by Anthony Swofford. There are several new fiction choices as well, including Back Story by Robert B. Parker, Blessings by author and columnist Anna Quindlen, and King of Torts by perennial best-selling author John Grisham. So whether you’re driving across the country or just to the beach and back, our new audio books will help make the trip more enjoyable.
Thursday, July 10, 2003
Children of all ages are invited to drop by the public library on Tuesday, July 22nd anytime between 12-4p.m. to “make and take" rainforest themed crafts. Children will also be entertained by our feature presentation: “Tropical Rainforest: A Tribute to the Majesty of Rainforests".
The Los Angeles Zoo will be at the public library on Thursday, July 24th at 3:00 p.m. to present: “Rascal’s Recycling Show". Rascal is a raccoon and his job is to help teach children the importance of recycling. Join us for a fun filled afternoon as Rascal battles Max Meany, one of the craftiest litter- bug around. All ages are welcome and refreshment will be served.
Saturday, August 2nd marks the end of the summer reading program. To help celebrate the accomplishments of all the participants, the San Marino Public Library will host a “It’s a Jungle Out There" Final Party. All registered participants, who have read at least 5 books this summer, received an invitation to this special event.
The afternoon promises to be fun-filled, with entertainment being provided by Wonderworld Puppets. Ric Morton and his puppet friends will present: “Animal Tales of the Rainforest". This interactive puppet, comedy, and magic show will surely entertain as well as educate.
The winners of the contests, including the drawing, poetry and “name the character" will be announced. We will also be holding a raffle drawing for all the participants who successfully completed the reading program. And as a special bonus, every child who attends the Final Party will receive a surprise. So be sure to swing into the library on Saturday, August 2nd at 2:00p.m., because it’s a jungle out there.
Thursday, July 03, 2003
Local businessman Dennis Magrdichian of Burrtec Waste Industries, Inc. [www.burrtec.com/] will donate will donate the proceeds from his company’s recycling efforts at the City’s July 4th celebration to the San Marino Public Library Capital Campaign. The funds raised will go toward the construction of a new library building, which is scheduled to begin in July 2004.
Friday, June 20, 2003
On Friday, June 20, State Assemblymember Judy Chu visited the San Marino Public
Library. In this photo, she shows her support for plans for a new San Marino Public
Library building. Former San Marino Mayor Emile Bayle, City Librarian Carolyn
Crain, current Mayor Matthew Lin and Vice-Mayor Bob Twist look on.
Wednesday, June 18, 2003
Harry Potter and the Order of Phoenix by J.K. Rowling promises to be the most spine-tingling book so far in the series. And it is arriving at the San Marino Public Library Saturday, June 21st. Will you be ready to join Harry on his next adventure? Do you need to brush up on your magic before you dive into Book #5. If so, stop by the public library and pick up a Readiness Review Form. This form will test your knowledge on the previous H.P. books and show if you are truly ready to take on Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix . Be one of the first ones to successfully answers all the questions on the form and receive a free Harry Potter sticker.
Monday, June 16th was the first day of registration for the annual Summer Reading Program at the San Marino Public Library. To help get the reading program, "It's a Jungle Out There, Swing Into Your Library", off to a great start, the Public Library will hold an official kick-off party on Saturday, June 21st at 2:00 p.m. Entertainment for the day will include Rainforest, Recycling and Magic presented by magician, Mark H. Wurst.
Children of all ages and their parents will be delighted with an interactive comedy and magic show with a hilarious jungle theme. This spectacular show is full of audience participation and includes an important educational message. Space is limited so please come early.
This fun filled event promises to be an afternoon of fun, music, surprises and magical give-a-ways. This program is offered free to the public and is sponsored by the Friends of the San Marino Public Library.
A big change is underway with the Chinese books collection at the Library. In the past, the Chinese books have been separated into Fiction and Nonfiction, with no order within those two big categories. The library has hired a part-time cataloger, Dorothy Wong, to improve the situation by giving Dewey Decimal call numbers to the non fiction books, just as is done with the English books, and helping to re-arrange the fiction books so that all of the books by the same author are side by side on the shelves. These changes may seem like a simple matter, but the combination of strong bilingual skills and in-depth library know-how are essential to arrive at a consistent, usable system.
Dorothy Wong is just the right person for this job, having recently retired from working for many years at the Los Angeles Public Library. Much of her time was spent in the cataloging of books for that huge library system. As with many retirees, she is busier now than she was when she was employed fulltime. She has another part-time job, which consists of cataloging a large private collection of children's books. Dorothy works behind the scenes at the San Marino Public Library in the relocated processing room, and she has been a delightful person to work with.
Dorothy has cataloged most of the new Chinese books, and she is now in the process of giving new call numbers and subject headings to the books that were already in the collection. For at least a few months, there will be two Chinese book sections, those in the old arrangement, and those in the new system. Over the months, the new system will win out and the old arrangement will finally disappear. Meanwhile, new books will be added on an ongoing basis.
It should be noted that ten loyal volunteers have been helping to select books and they do a great deal of work to catalog the Chinese books, and they will continue to do so by helping Dorothy. Most of the new books on the shelf were purchased with funds from the Chinese Club of San Marino. Chinese readers should check out the new improved system and the new books. And please make suggestions for future purchases. And consider becoming a volunteer yourself! The library needs someone who can help translate from English to Chinese and has access to a word processor. If you're interested in helping, call (626) 300-0776 and ask for Rex.
You've wanted to learn about the Internet, but you've been putting it off. Well, now you're in luck! Learn about the Web in air-conditioned comfort this summer. We will be offering "Introduction to the Internet" classes on two Saturday mornings, July 12 and 26, and on Friday, July 11, from 9 a.m. to 10:30. Slightly more advanced students will want to sign up for our "Using Search Engines" class, offered on July 19 and August 2, also from 9:00 to 10:30. The classes are free and will be offered in the Library.
Sessions fill up quickly so be sure to call to reserve your spot today: 626 300-0777.
Here is a reminder about Club READ, the book discussion group that meets at the library on the second Monday of each month at 9:30 AM. The group has existed for some ten years now, and those who attend have enjoyed talking about books and being introduced to new reading ideas. Club READ offers a great chance to share your thoughts about the books you have been reading and to become friends with fellow readers. Participants get the chance to hear the reactions of others who may have a different perspective on a book, opening up new ideas. Learn about books you didn’t know about, and find out which ones you might want to avoid. They are a friendly bunch, and the meetings are informal. Call the Library at (626) 300-0777 for more information or to be contacted by one of the members.
Monday, May 19, 2003
URGENT: Book Shoppe Manager Wanted
Amy Stephens, who has devoted countless hours to the Book Shoppe, has given her six-month notice of resignation. Amy has been the cornerstone of our successful Shoppe. She is in the library basement at least twice a week sorting and pricing donated books. Then she participates in moving cartloads of these books upstairs and displays them on the shelves and tables in the auditorium-Book Shoppe.
We are so lucky to have her well-trained eye; she knows a first edition from a 15th edition and a classic from a remainder. However, Amy would like to add some new adventure into her life and would like to train someone else or even better, several other volunteers for this job. If you enjoy books, this is a rewarding job. And the Book Shoppe is essential to the Friends organization, as it brings in between $1200 and $1500 each month.
Please consider volunteering for this task. Amy will provide on-the- job training and the library staff will aid as necessary. Please call the library if you have questions.
Pre-Summer Reading
Now that income taxes are out of the way, perhaps you have a little more time for reading. Following are a trio of nonfiction titles that have been on the bestseller lists in recent weeks that might be worth a look. Queen Noor's Leap of Faith: Memoirs of an Unexpected Life is the fascinating story of the former Lisa Halaby, American-born woman who married Jordan's King Hussein in 1978. She served as Queen of Jordan until Hussein's death in 1999.
If you have seen her on the talk shows, you will know that she is an articulate, intelligent woman who understands both the Arab and American cultures. Her story has been compared to The King and I. Don't expect a lot of gossipy, lurid stories, but you will get a close look at her adjustment to instant royalty, and learn a great deal about King Hussein's efforts to find peace in the Middle East, not to mention a view of her own opinions on the search for peace. This book is highly recommended.
Pre-Summer Reading
Now that income taxes are out of the way, perhaps you have a little more time for reading. Following are a trio of nonfiction titles that have been on the bestseller lists in recent weeks that might be worth a look. Queen Noor's Leap of Faith: Memoirs of an Unexpected Life is the fascinating story of the former Lisa Halaby, American-born woman who married Jordan's King Hussein in 1978. She served as Queen of Jordan until Hussein's death in 1999.
If you have seen her on the talk shows, you will know that she is an articulate, intelligent woman who understands both the Arab and American cultures. Her story has been compared to The King and I. Don't expect a lot of gossipy, lurid stories, but you will get a close look at her adjustment to instant royalty, and learn a great deal about King Hussein's efforts to find peace in the Middle East, not to mention a view of her own opinions on the search for peace. This book is highly recommended.
Capital Campaign
The Capital Campaign to raise funds for the new library continues into the organizational phase. We are thrilled to report that Nick and Amanda Stonnington and Richard and Ivy Sun have an agreed to serve as the Co-chairs for the Capital Campaign. Guiding the Suns and Stonningtons is Bob Bason our fund raising consultant. Katharine Seibert is our Campaign Coordinator. Many of your friends and neighbors will be joining the campaign organization as we build the necessary committees to make this campaign a success.
If you want to participate, please contact Carolyn Crain at 626 300-0778.
Grant Application Update
On March 26, 2003 the City of San Marino delivered a second cycle application for a California Reading and Literacy Improvement and Public Library Construction and Renovation Grant to the California State Library, Office of Library Construction for funds to build a new San Marino Public Library. The schematic design plans are identical to the plans submitted in the first cycle application of June 2003. Estimated construction costs have increased only slightly from $5,385, 000 in the cycle one application to $5,522,000 in cycle two. The estimated total project cost in cycle one was $11,114,125; in the Cycle Two application the estimated total project cost is $11,486,405. If the city were to be awarded a grant in cycle two, the amount received would be $7,035.651. The major factor for the increase in estimated costs are the escalators required by the grant application.
The City Council has approved a contract with Fields Devereaux Architects and Engineers (FDAE) to proceed to the next level of design with the Design Development phase. City Council has also approved funds to support a Capital Campaign to raise funds necessary for the new library building. If the Library receives a grant the Campaign goal will be in about $3 million. If the City is not awarded a State grant, the Campaign goal will be $5.5 million. The City is looking forward to a public private partnership to engage the community and raise the necessary funds locally.
Monday, April 14, 2003
Friday, March 21, 2003
Thursday, February 20, 2003
Heart of the library boiler is clogged with fifty years of corrosion.
Tuesday, February 18, 2003
Rose Princess Katherine Berber, left, reads while Queen Alexandra Wucetich listens at the Princess Storytime at the San Marino Public Library
