A Bag for Two Bucks Here's a reminder about the upcoming Friends of the San Marino Public Library Patio Book Sale. The sale will be held on Saturday, May 3, and it starts and ends earlier this time around, so be sure to get a good night's sleep on Friday. The hours are 8:00 AM to noon, and you will find the best deals around on books of all kinds. "A bag for two bucks!" will be the cry of the volunteers who staff the sale. Only two dollars will cover the price for all the books you can jam into a shopping bag. You will not only take away plenty of good reading, but you will also be supplying the Library with vitally needed money for brand new books. Join the fun, but don't come too late. And stick around for the program on Chinese American History! For more information, call (626) 300-0777.

Chinese Immigrant History in Pictures and Words Here is some more background about the free upcoming program featuring Icy Smith, author of The Lonely Queue on Saturday, May 3 at 1:00 P.M. at the Library. Her slide presentation, as well as her book, shows scenes from local Southern California history and places them in context of the changes occurring in the United States. Early Chinese immigration to the United States was fueled by the need for labor in the massive task of building the Transcontinental Railroad in the 1860's. When the railroad was completed, there were great numbers of Chinese men who were competing for jobs in the United States. The Chinese Exclusionary Acts in the 1880's and the 1890's were attempts to limit the continued Chinese immigration, and the Chinese population actually dropped between 1890 and 1910. Locally, as described in Icy Smith's book, the Los Angeles Chinatown of the 1920's was located largely where today's Union Station and the Santa Ana Freeway are now situated, along Alameda Street. The thriving Chinese community was moved to its current location in the mid 1930's, and a new development, China City, was also constructed on the southern edge of New Chinatown. Built along the lines of a Hollywood-inspired tourist destination, China City was quite popular. Unfortunately, it was struck by two fires, and it was not rebuilt after the second fire. Learn more about the important role that Chinese immigrants have played in the Southland. This presentation is sponsored by the San Marino Public Library and by the Chinese Club of San Marino. Copies of the book will be available to purchase and have autographed by the author. The program is free, but please reserve a seat in advance. For reservations and information, call (626) 300-0777.

Donations Sought for Reading Program "Get Wild...READ!" is the rainforest related theme for this year's summer reading program for teens. The library is currently soliciting donations for the program. Over 175 local teens participated in last summer's program, reading an average of 16 books each. For every book read, participants receive a chance ticket that can be entered into a drawing for any one of a number of prizes. Prizes are provided through the generosity of the local business community. If your business or organization can help us by making a cash contribution, or by donating products, services, or gift certificates, please contact Lynda at the library, at (626) 300-0777. Prizes in the past have included CD players, music CDs, free hair products and services, books, theatre tickets, sports equipment, complimentary food, lessons, and amusement park admissions. All donors receive full credit on publicity materials.

Our Own Library Hero! The San Marino Public Library is proud to have a hero on our staff. He is Second Lieutenant Kenric Wu, a member of the 640th Military Intelligence Battalion of California Army National Guard. In his civilian life, Lt. Wu acts as Page Supervisor for the Library. Yet, when his Country needs him, he reports for duty to his post at the JFTB (Joint Forces Training Base) in Los Alamitos, California. Currently, Lt. Wu acts as Rear Detachment Commander for his battalion, the majority of which has been deployed to Kosovo. In May, Lt. Wu and his support platoon will travel to Germany to repair and maintenance army vehicles, many of which are returning from service in the Middle East. Lt. Wu is a native son, having graduated from San Marino High School in 1992. He received his bachelor's degree in Business and Public Administration from the University of California in 1998. He completed his Officer training courses last year and received his Federal Commission in the United States Army in August. The Library is pleased to support our troops, especially our own personal Second Lieutenant!

New Library Assistant Joins Staff The San Marino Public Library is pleased to announce the addition of Library Assistant Paula Vannucci to the staff. "When I was a kid, I fell in love with two things: movies and books," says Vannucci. Indeed, until recently, Vannucci worked as a film and television editor. "Looking way ahead, I realized that there were very few sixty-five year old television editors, so I decided to change my career path." Vannucci plans to enroll in the San Jose State University library program at Fullerton. "I love to work in a learning environment," she notes. Also, she says that she enjoys the change from the film industry: "It's nice now to help people and have them thank you." Vannucci hails from Whittier where she lives with her husband and two children.