“Food for Thought” Program Offered at the San Marino Public Library

The San Marino Public Library is once again participating in the In-N-Out “Food for Thought” Reading Program for children ages 4 to 12. To participate, children must come to the San Marino Public Library between Saturday, October 8th and Friday, November 18th. Once registered for they will receive a “Food for Thought” Reading Log.

They must then read five library books, keeping track by the librarian’s validation on the reading log. When the five book goal is completed and a parent has signed the reading log, the child is rewarded with a Certificate of Achievement, good for a free cheeseburger or hamburger at any In-N-Out Burger location. Each participant may read up to fifteen books to earn the maximum three certificates.

RESEARCH AND ELECTRONIC RESOURCES WORKSHOP

Do you have an assignment due that requires you to do research? Don’t know where to turn? Then join us on Wednesday, October 26 at 6:30 p.m., as we introduce students to the reference and electronic resources available at the San Marino Public Library. Discussion topics include: newspaper and magazine databases, science and history homework helper and current biography illustrated. We will also discuss tips that will help with the research process. This workshop is specifically geared for 5th and 6th graders, along with their parents, but anyone with an interest can attend. Please call (626)300-0777 to reserve your spot.

Barks and Books

Elementary school children are invited to the San Marino Public Library to practice their reading skills by reading out loud to a live, gentle dog. This special program is made possible by volunteers of the Pasadena Humane Society and will take place on the following Saturdays: October 8th, November 19th and December 17th, from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. Space is limited; reservations are required and must be made in person. For more information, please call 626-300-0777.

Dewey and the Decimals

Join us at the San Marino Public Library as we answer the question, “Who is Dewey, and what is he doing with all those decimals?” On Wednesday, October 12th at 6:30 p.m., the library staff will present a hands-on workshop on learning everything there is to know about the Dewey Decimal System. Students will be introduced to the decimal system, categorization of books as fiction and non-fiction, and a refresher course on using SMILES, the library’s electronic catalog. This workshop is geared towards 3rd and 4th graders along with there parents, but anyone with an interest is welcome to attend. Space is limited, so call early to reserve your spot. (626) 300-0777.

Library to Offer “Author of the Month” Program for Kids

For all those readers who enjoyed participating in our Summer Reading Program, the San Marino Public Library will be offering a new reading program. Beginning on October 1, we will feature one well-known author of children’s books each month. The “Author of the Month” for October is Avi, and the “Author of the Month” for November will be E. L. Konigsburg, both of whom are Newbery Medal winning writers. Each month, we will provide flyers with information about the author along with a list of his or her books. Just read one book by that author during their featured month, and turn in a brief book report on a form provided by the library. When the book report is turned in, the reader will get to spin the Prize Wheel in the Children’s Department to win one of four prizes. Book Report forms can be picked up in the library beginning September 29, and they can be turned in for a prize up until the 7th day of the following month. The program is open to children in grades 3 through 6. Only one prize per child per month.

Join the Teen Advisory Board

The San Marino Public Library’s Teen Advisory Board is back in action, with the first meeting of the new school year having been held September 16. Board members meet every other Friday from 4:00 to 5:00 p.m. in the library auditorium to discuss books, recommend titles and movies for the library to purchase, plan programs, and do volunteer tasks. Discussion is lively and open, and refreshments are served. If you are interested in joining, or just curious, drop in on a meeting. Any Middle School or High School student is eligible to join.

Anime Lovers, Unite!

Anime aficionados, 13 and older, are invited to join Anime ADVocates, a new club forming at the library. The program is sponsored by ADV Films, one of the major anime distributors. Every month they send a free DVD of episodes of their newest releases for club members to preview. Club members can post reviews of them on-line at the ADV site. There are prizes, posters, and exclusive promo items in the pipeline as well. Once the club is established, screenings will be held monthly on a Saturday afternoon. For more information on either the Teen Advisory Board or Anime ADVvocates, call Lynda at (626) 300-0776, or stop by the Children’s Room.

New Music (CDs) for Fall

So the kids are back in school, vacations are over, you can finally stay home and relax a bit. Come by the public library and pick up some new CDs! We have the new Rob Thomas, Kelly Clarkson, Il Divo, Jack Johnson, Dave Matthews Band, Weezer, Gwen Stefani, Keith Urban, Kenny Chesney, and many more. If Classic rock is more your taste, come check out "The Very Best of the Eagles", Led Zeppelin, "The White Album", or Queen’s "A Night at the Opera". We’ve also purchased comedy shows on CD by Ray Romano, Adam Sandler, and Whoopi Goldberg. You can see the entire list of new compact discs from our library catalog (smpl.us) under New Books/ Best Sellers.

New Chinese Magazines in the Library!

Thanks to a special grant that the Library received through the California State Library, there are now 12 new Chinese magazine titles on our shelves! These magazines cover such subjects as automobiles, health, travel, food, and biography. The magazines can be read in the library or checked out for 3 weeks. Readers are encouraged to let the staff know what they think about the titles selected.

Upcoming Events for Kids at the San Marino Public Library

Police Officer Storytime

Come meet and greet a police officer from the San Marino Police Department. On Saturday, September 3rd at 2:00 p.m. a police officer will be at the San Marino Public Library to read stories, give hints on staying safe, and answer questions about the life of an officer. Come and learn what it takes to protect and serve the City of San Marino.

Library Treasure Hunt

On Wednesday, September 21st at 6:30 the San Marino Public Library will hold a workshop to teach patrons how to find treasures (books) in the library. This hands-on workshop is geared toward children in grades K-2nd and their parents, but anyone who needs to brush up on their book finding skills is welcome to attend. Please call 626-300-0777 to reserve your space.

Barks and Books

Elementary school children are invited to the San Marino Public Library to practice their reading skills by reading a book about books to a live gentle dog. This special program is made possible by volunteers of the Pasadena Human Society and will take place the 3rd Saturday of each month from 10:30 - 11:30 a.m. Space is limited and reservations are required and must be made in person. For more information, please call 626-300-0777.

First Library Card

Does your pre-kindergarten child have a San Marino Public Library card? If yes, GREAT! If not, then come into the library and sign up for "the smartest card" your child can receive. All pre-kindergarten child and younger who come in with a parent to get a new library card will receive a special "First Library Card" packet that includes a bookmark, sticker, and a free book. For more information, please call the Girls & Boys Department at the San Marino Public Library.

Echoes of Polynesia

Join us at the San Marino Public Library on Saturday, August 20th at 2:00 p.m. as we celebrate the dance and music of Hawaii, New Zealand, and Tahiti. Polynesian dancers, from Gypsy Folk Ensemble, will perform ancient and modern hulas, traditional Tahitian drum dances and Tahitian style hulas. You will be awed as four dancers in colorful costumes present various dances, talk about their history, and encourage audience participation. Fun for the entire family!!!

Library Closed for One Week

The San Marino Public Library will be closed between Sunday, August 21 and Sunday, August 28, 2005 for our annual "Closed Week". During this week, librarians pick out old books that no one checks out any more and eliminates them from the database. Clerks and pages inventory and eliminate useless supplies and equipment. We welcome our public back on Monday, August 29 at 11:00 a.m., ready for the new school year and looking much improved after an intense week of work.

Let Your Library Ease You Back to School

Summer was great, but now it's time to get back to those books. Your San Marino Public Library can help. We have over one hundred thousand books, CDs, videos, and DVDs for study and play. We also subscribe to eleven online databases, including some with full-text magazine and newspaper articles. These are available 24 hours a day over the Web to library card holders.

How can you get a library card? Come into the library and fill out an application. Or, download the application from our web site: http://sanmarinopl.org/forms/smpllibcardapp.pdf. (You will need a copy of the freely available Adobe Acrobat Reader to see this form: http://www.adobe.com/products/acrobat/readstep2.html.) Print out the application and bring it, along with your driver's license or other proof of residence, to the Check-Out desk in the library. You don't have to live in San Marino to get a card.

Most people will receive their new library cards in minutes. Students of the San Marino School District will take a couple of days to process because we want to put copies of their cards at the school libraries.

Library users who don't like overdue fines may join the Friends of the San Marino Public Library with a Family Level membership. For $125, families receive a book bag, no overdue fines, free reserves, and free videos and DVDs for 1 year. Plus, they provide essential support for their local library. More details are available at http://sanmarinopl.org/about/friends.html.

San Marino Public Library Foundation Board Expands

Five new members have been elected to the Board of the San Marino Public Library Foundation: Laureen Chang, Barbara Hanna, Terry Petrillo, Zehra Sun and Debra Sadun. All are committed to continuing the successful fund raising effort that brought in nearly $7.5 million in pledges for the Campaign to build a new Public Library.

The Ceremonial Groundbreaking took place on July 1; construction begins next spring. Now, the Foundation will turn its energies to establishing an endowment to help build and support services expected in the new library.

Since its establishment in 1995, the Library Foundation has been a bulwark for capital projects at the Library. It conducted its first successful campaign in 1997, raising $250,000 to install the electronic library catalog and circulation system that is shared with the San Marino school libraries.

If you are interested in working with the Library Foundation, please contact Bob Sievers, Foundation president at 626-30-0778.

Summer Reading Program Wrap-Up

The Summer Reading Program was a huge success at the San Marino Public Library. The number of books read by the children registered for the "Super Readers Super Heroes" program reached an all time high of 5330. The YA program also had an excellent turn out with teens participating in the "Unleash Your Power, Read" program reading over 1025 books. The San Marino Public Library would like to congratulate all of the 181 children who read 20 books during the summer and completed the youth program. Those children who finished the program received a reading completion award, a magnetic pen and board set, a bookmark from Shakey's pizza, which entitles them to a free individual size pizza and a gift certificate from San Marino Toy and Book Shoppe.

The annual summer program concluded with a magic show performed by magician Dave the Magician, a.k.a. Super Powerful Ultra Dave (S.P.U.D).

All those in attendance were treated to an ice cream extravaganza where the children were able to build their own superhero sundaes. The winners of various contests held throughout the summer were also announced.

The staff at the San Marino Public Library would like to thank all the children and teens who participated in the San Marino Public Library Summer Reading Program. We would also like to thank all the student workers and the "Ticktockers" from the National Charity League who donated a countless number of volunteer hours. We would also like to thank the various businesses and organizations that donated incentives to both the children's and teen program. Last, but definitely not least, we would especially like to thank the Friends of the San Marino Public Library. Their hard work and dedication makes it possible to continue the Summer Reading Program every year.

Contest Winners:

Name the Superdog Contest:

• Brian Yip - "Frostbite"
• Camille Wang - "Slash"

Poetry Contest:

• Rachel Linton
• Kevin Wei

Drawing Contest:

• Rebekah Cohen
• Wyatt Wei
• Ashley Chuck

Count the Kryptonite Contest:

• Rachel Ann Yang

Young Adult Winners:

Karate Uniform and Lessons:

• Alex Hse
• Reachany Tan

CD Player:

• Jody Shue

$15 Tower Record Gift Certificate:

• Syena Sarrafpour
• Jessica Fan
• Ava Farshidi
• Devin Weakland
• Tiffany Lee
• Brian Yip
• Joycelyn Yip
• Daphne Kan
• Ellen Sun
• Justin Farshidi

$25 Sports Chalet Gift Certificate:

• Karian Layfield

$20 Jones Bicycle Gift Certificate:

• Brian Yie
• Annie Chiao
• Jefferson Chen
• Amelia Tricker
• Jordan Dang
• Leanne Thai
• Justin Farshidi
• Andrew Castillo
• Tiffany Lee

Free passes to:

LA Zoo:

• Nathan Hwang
• Jonathan Chen

Autry Museum:

• Saskia Raether
• Matthew Shieh

Aquarium of the Pacific:

• Dora Zhang
• Andrew Castillo

Six Flags Magic Mountain:

• Angel Pan

Laemmle Theatre Pass:

• Aakash Kumar
• Jonathan Tomaske
• Bree Wernicke
• Jordan Dang
• Matthew Shieh
• Saskia Rather

Pacific Theatre Pass:

• Sagar Pujara
• Jennifer Mauser
• Jordan Olivar
• Richard Hancock
• Janice Chang
• Carlee Becker
• Ileana Borunda
• Joan Elise DelSanto

Extreme Bowling:

• Melissa Hsu
• Larissa Lomen
• Bonnie Jin
• Askash Kumar

"Unleash Your Power: Read" T-shirt:

• Courtney Nguyen
• Reachny Tan
• Louise Judge

Businesses and Organizations that Donated Gifts to the Summer Reading Program:

Aquarium of the Pacific	AMF Bahama Lanes
Autry Museum of Western Heritage	Hollywood Video
Jones Bicycle	Kim's Hapkido
Laemmle Theatre	Los Angeles Zoo
Los Gueros Mexican Restaurant	Pacific Theatre
San Marino Toy & Book Shooppe	Shakey's Pizza
Six Flags Magic Mountain	Sports Chalet
Star Athletic Foundation	Supercuts

Recycle Your Empty Cartridges at the San Marino Public Library

The San Marino Public Library has enrolled in a wonderful new fundraising program called RecycleFund Cartridge Recyling. This program offers us an almost effortless way to raise money to support our Youth Services programming-and to protect our planet. We earn money simply by recycling used printer, fax, and copier cartridges that were destined for the trash. Most of the inkjet and laser printer cartridges used in our homes, our workplaces and businesses in our community have a high recycling value and Recyclefund pays us cash for every eligible cartridge we collect. So drop of your used cartridge in the Girls & Boys Department at the San Marino Public Library or pick up a prepaid envelope to mail them in from home. Your support is greatly appreciated. For more information, please call 626-300-0777

It’s a Bird, It’s a Plane. . .No, It’s the Summer Reading Program

The San Marino Public Library will begin registration for its annual Summer Reading Program on Monday, June 20th. The program is designed to encourage children to keep reading throughout the summer. This year we want all kids to know that all readers are superheroes and is appropriately titled “Super Readers, Super Heroes”. Children of all ages are encouraged to “Be a Superhero” and participate. Younger children who may be unable to read can participate by having an adult read to them. There will activities, special programs, and contests throughout the summer to keep super active minds busy.

The Summer Reading Program is scheduled to run from Monday, June 20th – Saturday, July 30th, with a special kick-off party being held at 2:00 p.m. on Saturday, June 25th. All programs are free to the public and sponsored by the Friends of the San Marino Public Library.

Calling All Superheroes!

Unleash Your Power…READ is the theme for this year’s summer reading program for teenagers. Registration for the program begins Monday, June 20th and is ongoing throughout the summer.

Whatever your super powers are, if you are a middle school or high school student, come in and pick up a reading record. For every book you read this summer you’ll receive a chance ticket that can be entered into a drawing for any one of a number of sweet prizes: a CD player, gift certificates from Tower Records, books, T-shirts, movie tickets, zoo and museum passes, and more. Any 2 chance tickets can be traded out for free rental of one of the library’s videos, and there are even participation prizes! The prize drawing will be held Monday, August 1st, when the program ends. Winners will be notified by phone, and need not be present to win.

Make It & Take It Craft Days

‘Round and ‘round you’ll go - from one table to the next at the Make-It and Take-It Craft Days, Thursday June 30th and Thursday, July 21st. Children, preschool age through 5th grade, are invited to the public library to make a variety of superhero themed crafts. Craft tables will be available from 12:00 - 4:00 p.m. in the Girls’ and Boys’ Department. You can drop in any time to work on a project. There is no cost to attend these craft days and registration is not necessary.

Super Heroes, Super Movies

The San Marino Library will be hosting a series of “SuperHero Action Movie” days as one of the many activities available during the Summer Reading Program. Join us as we show superhero movies on the following Tuesdays, June 28th, July 12th and July 26th at 2:00 p.m. Don’t miss out on these super fun days, you never know who may show up. Registration not required.

Echoes of Polynesia

Join us at the San Marino Public Library on Saturday, August 20th at 2:00 p.m. as we celebrate the dance and music of Hawaii, New Zealand, and Tahiti. Polynesian dancers, from Gypsy Folk Ensemble, will perform ancient and modern hulas, traditional Tahitian drum dances and Tahitian style hulas. You will be awed as four dancers in colorful costumes present various dances, talk about their history, and encourage audience participation. Fun for the entire family!!!

Calling All Superheroes!

Unleash Your Power…READ is the theme for this year’s summer reading program for teenagers. Registration for the program begins Monday, June 20th and is ongoing throughout the summer.

Whatever your super powers are, if you are a middle school or high school student, come in and pick up a reading record. For every book you read this summer you’ll receive a chance ticket that can be entered into a drawing for any one of a number of sweet prizes: a CD player, gift certificates from Tower Records, books, T-shirts, movie tickets, zoo and museum passes, and more. Any 2 chance tickets can be traded out for free rental of one of the library’s videos, and there are even participation prizes!

The prize drawing will be held Monday, August 1st, when the program ends. Winners will be notified by phone, and need not be present to win.

Local Superheroes Save The Day

Unleash Your Power--Read is the title of this year’s summer reading program for teens—and superheroes are the theme. Many local businesses have stepped up to the plate, and generously responded with donations of products, services, gift certificates, and complimentary passes. These are used as prizes and reading incentives for the program.

Thank you, thank you, thank you to the donors listed below. You make the program possible.

• Jones Bicycles
• Kim’s Hapkido
• Sports Chalet
• AMF Bahama Bowling Lanes
• Laemmle Theatres
• Pacific Theatres
• Autry National Center
• Aquarium of the Pacific
• The Los Angeles Zoo
• Star Athletic Foundation
• San Marino Toy and Book Shoppe
• Los Gueros Mexican Restaurant
• Shakey’s Pizza
• Hollywood Video

A super size thank you goes out, as well, to The Friends of the San Marino Public Library who generously support the program each year with funding for additional prizes and publicity materials.

Check Out Those Chinese Books and Magazines!

A major purchase has been made of new books and magazines for users of the San Marino Public Library. These materials will be processed and made available throughout the summer, so stop in regularly and see what is new. This large purchase came about as a result of a grant from the Global Languages Materials program, which is funded by the Library Services and Technology Act. This grant encouraged the involvement of people in the community to decide what the library needs and to help select titles to be purchased.

One of the objectives was to experiment with some different kinds of Chinese materials. The San Marino Library thanks the twenty volunteers who attended meetings and went on shopping trips to help select these materials. Beyond the State grant, further funding came from the generous annual donation from the Chinese Club of San Marino, as well as the solid support of the Friends of the San Marino Public Library.

Books: A Lasting Memorial

The San Marino Public Library offers a unique and enduring way memorialize a loved one. We accept monetary donations to purchase books in the area of his or her interest. We place a customized bookplate inside the cover of every book that we buy with these commemorative funds. The honoree will be remembered with each checkout. For more information, call the Reference Desk at 626 300-0777.

TV-Turn Off Week - It's A Wrap

Since Monday April 25th, the San Marino Public Library, along with thousands of schools, libraries and community groups, has been celebrating "TV Turn-Off Week". This nationwide effort is designed to encourage millions of Americans to turn off their TV sets for seven days--and turn on life. Children were encouraged to stop by the public library and pick up their complimentary TV-free activity guide and a bookmark.

If you haven't started your TV-free week, remember it is never too late to put down that remote control and read, be more physically active, converse, think, create and do. TV-free week ends on a high note on Saturday, April 30th at 2:00 p.m., when storyteller Paul Tracy will be at the San Marino Public Library performing his comical romp, "I Found It in a Book". Don't miss out on this event that will to be loads of fun for the entire family.

Free "Information Social" for Parents

Parents of school age children are cordially invited to the San Marino Public Library for a free "Information Social". Parents will be able to learn about upcoming programs, valuable resources available at the public library and how they can play an important role their child's library experiences. Reservations are recommended, and available times are Thursday, May 12th at either 11:30 a.m. or 1:30 p.m., and Tuesday, May 17th at 3:30 p.m. Please call 626-300-0777 to reserve your space today. Refreshments will be served.

Over 100 New Compact Discs @ the Library

Not willing to pay $16.99 for a CD you haven't heard? Not sure how this downloading music from the Internet and burning your own CD process works? Come to the Public Library and "check-out" all the new music we've added to the collection. If you've never borrowed a CD before, they are located near the newspaper and magazine section, and the loan period is three weeks. You can try a new artist or listen to a Broadway show in the comfort of your own home or car for FREE.

Since the beginning of this year, the library has added more than a hundred new CDs in various categories. If you're a Classical music fan, the library has works by all the major composers, as well as most operas, symphonies, concertos, overtures, and sonatas. If you're planning a road trip or spring party with small children, the library has sing-along AND dance-along CDs by Barney the dinosaur, Mickey Mouse and friends, the Wiggles, and other award winning children's musicians.

If you are a child of the 60's, the library's new Rock section is for you. Besides contemporary rock artists such as U2, the Beastie Boys, and Bruce Springsteen, we have purchased anthologies by the Beatles, the Eagles, the Doors, the Beach Boys, the Rolling Stones, Aerosmith, and Pink Floyd. These artists are shelved under MR, which is the Rock and R&B section. In that same section, we have also added R&B artists such as Alicia Keys, Usher, Ray Charles, and Kanye West.

If you like softer popular music, we now have the greatest hits of Elvis Presley, Tony Bennett, Cole Porter, Frank Sinatra, Billie Holiday, Ella Fitzgerald, Henry Mancini, and Rosemary Clooney. Most of these CDs have been digitally remastered and actually sound better than those old vinyl 45's.They are shelved under MA, along with contemporary popular artists such as Sheryl Crow, Josh Groban, Eva Cassidy, and Celine Dion.

To check availability of these CDs, you can try one of three ways: One: ask a reference librarian to help you. Two: simply browse the CD section next to the magazines. Or three: find the list of "New Books" on the library's webpage, click on "Compact Discs," then click on each individual CD for availability. If you would like to suggest artists/CDs for us to purchase, simply drop a note in the suggestion box at the reference desk.

National Poetry Month

The Library currently has a poetry display for National Poetry Month. All of the contents of the display are available for checkout. In the display, you will find the works of venerable poets, such as Carl Sandburg and Langston Hughes. More recent poets, such as Adrienne Rich, Mark Strand, Seamus Heaney, and Czeslaw Milosz can also be found. Children's poetry, including Bruce Lansky's If Pigs Could Fly and fine collections, such as Garrison Keilor's Good Poems are included as well. There are also books on how to interpret poetry, and even write your own poems.

A special treat you may not be aware of in the Library's collection is the set of videocassettes from major writers, reading their works and talking about their writing. Along with some of the names above, Richard Wilbur, Mark Doty, Robert Creeley, and Allen Ginsberg are included in this set, which features fiction authors as well. Poetry is generally a bit more demanding than prose, and hearing the poet's own words can help bring the words alive.

Local Businesses Are Invited to Participate in the Summer Reading Program

To encourage children to keep reading throughout the summer, the San Marino Public Library holds a summer reading program every year. This year is no different. Although the reading program doesn't begin until June, planning has already begun to make sure this year's program it one of the best ever.

In an effort to assist the public library in providing a more memorable experience for all children, we are asking local businesses for items that can be used as reading incentives for children. Items such as redeemable coupons, gift certificates, or products are great reading motivators for young children. Not only will you be assisting in developing a community of readers, you will also be introducing your business to a large number of potential clients Over the past 2 years, over 5000 children and their families participated in activities and events offered by the San Marino Public Library.

If you would like to participate by becoming a Summer Reading Program sponsor, please contact Youth Services Librarian Tara Smith at (626) 300-0776. Your support is truly appreciated.

Library Foundation Honors Fallen Marine

The San Marino Library Foundation has donated a book to the Library in memory of Marine 2nd Lt. James P. “J.P.” Blecksmith, a San Marino native, was killed by sniper fire on Nov. 11, 2004, in Fallouja, Iraq.

The book is U.S. Marine Corps: An Illustrated History, written by Merrill L. Bartlett, a retired Marine lieutenant colonel, and Jack Sweetman, a well-known scholar. Both are accomplished authors and former history professors at the U.S. Naval Academy, Blecksmith’s alma mater.

Edward Blecksmith, J.P.’s father, is a former president of the San Marino Library Foundation.

Friends of the Library Seeks Book Donations

Time to clean off those bookshelves. The Friends of the San Marino Public Library seeks donations of your unwanted books to sell in their Book Shoppe. The Shoppe, located in the Library auditorium, sells used books at laughably low prices. The proceeds from these sales buy new books for the Library.

Once you empty your shelves, stop in to the Book Shoppe for a refill. It is open every afternoon except Tuesdays and Sundays. Additionally, the Friends will hold their semi-annual massive book blowout on Saturday May 21. Pick up an entire bag of books for $3 or two for $5.

Firefighters at the Library!

Some 60 children and 40 adults braved the rain to attend a special firefighter storytime at the San Marino Public library Saturday, February 19. Captain Keith Eddie and firemen Russell Wilcox, Chris Evans and Dwayne Carlton, from the San Marino Fire Department read stories and answered kid's questions about fighting fires. Following the reading, the sun came out just long enough to allow the children to climb the fire engine and to get a first hand look at some of the tools fire fighters use that help them put out fires.

San Marino Fire Captain Keith Eddie reads about fire fighting.

Library Kicks Off Community Campaign

This March marks the beginning of the community phase of the San Marino Public Library’s Capital Campaign. This phase of the fundraising project provides individuals in the community the opportunity to be a part of San Marino’s brand new library.

Donations from corporations, foundations and others have helped the campaign reach $9 million to date.

Now’s your chance to complete the task! Look for the letter coming soon in the mail, or you can stop by the library or visit our special website, www.brandnewlibrary.org to see how you can help. Years from now, you’ll be able to look back at the new library with pride, knowing you were part of its success.

Spotlight on the Los Angeles Times Database: 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.

One very useful subscription we offer is the Los Angeles Times online. This database contains the entire text of articles in the Times going back almost twenty years, to 1985. Search by words in the title, the lead paragraph, or buried in the full text. Narrow your search by specifying the year you want, or even an exact date. Articles from The Christian Science Monitor, USA Today, the San Francisco Chronicle, and the San Diego Union-Tribune can also be searched from this site.

Students love this database because it means that they don't have to physically go to the library and spool through yards of microfilm to find the information they need. Parents find this collection useful when they want to find an obituary or remember that cookie recipe from two Christmases ago. This service can also help busy businesspeople to find local and regional information right from their desks at work.

How do you reach this information treasure? Point your browser to http://sanmarinopl.org, and then click on "LA Times". On the next screen, type in the first five digits of your library card number for both the username and password. On the following page, choose the service called "Los Angeles Times". Now you are ready to explore the last two decades of our major metropolitan newspaper online--all with a strong guarantee of quality, courtesy of the San Marino Public Library.

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.