THE LIBRARY IS THE PLACE TO BE
November is here, and the Library is brimming over with great programs that celebrate the upcoming holiday and winter season. No need to look far for fun, educational, and FREE programs. Just stop by your local library branch and be a part of the excitement.
A sampling of the programs include:
PAWS TO READ
A program for 5-12 year olds. Paws to Read is a very simple concept: Children read to dogs. The dogs listen and don’t tease, laugh, or judge the child. Through Paws to Read, we have created a positive, nonthreatening, fun environment for children in the public library setting. Paws to Read helps to improve the literacy skills of many San Joaquin County children.
Monday, November 2 @4:00pm at the Tracy Branch Library located at 20 E. Eaton Avenue in Tracy
TEEN GAMING DAY
Come to the Library and meet up with other teens and enjoy gaming on the PlayStation 3. We invite all teens to come and compete with each other and with teens around San Joaquin County as we connect via the Library's FREE Wi-fi connection. Teens are welcome to bring their portable gaming devices to pass the time as they wait for their turn at the controls. Or better yet, check out the Library's gaming strategy guides as you prepare to be challenged by other gamers!
Friday, November 6 at 3:30 p.m. at the Fair Oaks Branch Library located at 2370 E. Main Street in Stockton
BOOK CLUB FOR ADULTS
Join fellow readers as they read and discuss select book titles. A great way to take a break in the middle of the day and a perfect way to meet people who also share a passion for literary works! Bring your lunch, your books, and your opinions of the themes and characters in this month's chosen book! Find out the book title by calling the Library at (209) 937-8221.
Saturday, November 14 at 12:00 p.m. at the Troke Branch Library located at 502 W. Benjamin Holt Dr. in Stockton
See the full listing of programs for all of the branches in Stockton-San Jaoquin County Public Library system or refine your search to include your "home" branch by visiting our Online Calendar.
Mark your Calendars for an upcoming December program that is sure to be standing room only. See the San Joaquin Bell Ringers in concert at the Escalon Branch Library on Saturday, December 5 at 11:00 a.m.. Admission: FREE! Children and adults alike will enjoy this musical performance. Watch for more winter programs that will inspire smiles of pleasure.
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FRIENDLY BOOKSTORE HAS EVERYTHING,
PLUS A KID WHO RECOMMENDS CHILDREN'S BOOKS
Friends of the Stockton Public Library has plenty of people to be thankful for this Thanksgiving, and most of them are shelving books or chatting with customers even as you read this.
They are the 70-odd Stocktonians (they’re not really odd) who volunteer five days a week to staff the Friends bookstore on Hammer Lane at the Parkwoods Shopping Center.
Business picks up briskly as the holidays approach. Soon they will be busier than usual as readers and friends of readers troll the aisles for that perfect gift, often for just themselves.
Who are all these men and (mostly) women who volunteer their time and energy to receiving, culling, sorting, shelving and selling donated books, some new but mostly used, to “I’m just looking” shoppers?
I won’t even try to personalize each of them, so different are their vocations and life experiences. But one emotion unites them all: they love to read and they love other people who read.
Borders and Barnes & Noble knocked out of business Stockton’s only local bookstore, Maxwell’s Bookmark on the Miracle Mile, leaving heartache where once a heart beat warmly.
So where to go for personalized service, for answers to who wrote what and where can I find it without the clerk scanning software for a book that he can have here in two, maybe three weeks?
Our bookstore provides this service and offers new and used books at prices that draw double-takes from browsers who only intended to look but leave with bargains and a self-satisfied grin.
On cold wintry days, the hot coffee is always on. About the only thing missing is the usual bookstore cat. Instead, there’s a five-year-old boy volunteer who recommends children’s books.
Only two of these book-lovers are paid: store manager Jann Bueno and her assistant, Sarah Russell, herself a former employee of Maxwell’s Bookmark. Everybody else is a volunteer.
What do we do for these volunteers? Not enough, clearly. Next month we will treat them to a fancy holiday luncheon, and during National Volunteers Month in the spring, we bring them goodies.
Know this: Without their help, Friends would be unable to raise more than $250,000 each year to buy books and support programs at the Stockton Public Library and its local branches.
So the next time a bookstore clerk says thank you, smile and thank her back. Chances are she’ll remember you when you return.
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BIG PRE-HOLIDAY SAVINGS AT FRIENDS BOOKSTORE
Friends of the Stockton Public Library is marking its 14th year at its bookstore site in the Parkwoods Shopping Center with an annual anniversary sale of all books from November 16 through 21.
Book buyers will receive a 20% discount on the total cost of all books they buy that week at the Friends bookstore at 1724 W. Hammer Lane, according to Bookstore Manager Jann Bueno.
“It’s our way of thanking returning customers and to attract those who have yet to visit us,” Ms. Bueno said. “Every year at this time, we offer this sale to our customers and those on their holiday gift list.”
Most books are used, many are new, and all are substantially discounted. The bookstore is open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Mondays and Tuesdays, and to 4 p.m. on Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays. Call 476-9033 for information.
Proceeds from the bookstore go to support programs and the purchase of materials for the Stockton branches of the Stockton-San Joaquin County Public Library, according to Friends President Vince Perrin.
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THE BIG READ FOR 2010
The Stockton-San Joaquin County Public Library received, for the third year, a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts to host The Big Read with financial support from the Friends of the Stockton Public Library and the Library & Literacy Foundation for San Joaquin County. The Big Read provides the opportunity for communities to come together to read, discuss, and celebrate one of 23 selections from American and world literature.
THE BIG READ 2010 WILL FEATURE CLASSIC NOVEL, CALL OF THE WILD by Jack London
Visit a Library branch and pick up a copy of the book, snuggle up with a hot cup of cocoa or coffee and start reading today so you are ready to play when the free library programs begin. Make it a family event and have storytimes each night, reading chapter by chapter. Programs for all ages will begin in April 2010.
Mark your calendars for the Big Read Kick-off & Book Giveaway at Chavez Library: on Saturday April 17 at 12:00 p.m. The third annual Big Read in Stockton kick-off begins with a presentation by the Sierra Nevada Dog Drivers group, a program for the whole family. The presentation will even feature an an actual working sled dog!
Children can take part in the day's celebration by joining a wolf craft/art program in the Children's Room. Copies of the book Balto will be given away to all kids who participate in the celebration.
Festivities surrounding the chosen book, Jack London's The Call of the Wild, continue with the Sacramento Banjo Band from 2-4 p.m. on Ola's Porch. Music on the patio at the Stockton-San Joaquin County Public Library!
A documentary about the Klondike Gold Rush will conclude the day at 4-5 p.m. in the Stewart-Hazelton Room.
BOOK CLUBS AND TEACHERS - LET US HELP YOU PREPARE!
Book Clubs may sign up today to reserve a book club kit for "Call of the Wild," which includes copies of the book, reader guides with discussion questions, and audio CDs.
Teacher Resource Guides with lesson plans are available for teachers. We can help you get your class reading a classic!
To reserve your book club kit, Teacher Resource Guide, and for general questions, contact the Library's Programming section at (209) 937-7539
The Big Read is an initiative of the National Endowment for the Arts in partnership with the Institute of Museum and Library Services and Arts Midwest.
THE VALUE OF OUR PUBLIC LIBRARY
In times of economic hardship, as we are currently facing, Americans turn to – and depend on – their libraries and librarians.
Libraries are part of the solution when a community is struggling economically. From free access to books and online resources for families to library business materials to support entrepreneurship and retraining, libraries support lifelong learning.
Libraries are America’s great information equalizers – the only place people of all ages and backgrounds can find and freely use such a diversity of resources, along with the expert guidance of librarians.
As more and more Americans look for employment, libraries are helping to level the playing field for job seekers. The Stockton-San Joaquin County Public Library staff report that many customers are turning to library computers and Internet access to find work, apply for jobs online, type resumes and cover letters, and open email accounts.
Many libraries nationwide design and offer programs tailored to meet local community economic needs, providing residents with guidance (including sessions with career advisers), training and workshops in resume writing and interviewing, job-search resources, and connections with outside agencies that offer training and job placement.
The Stockton-San Joaquin County Public Library is no exception. Partnering regularly with a variety of financial planners, the Library is working diligently to provide information to the public that will help them navigate through today’s economy as well as to plan for the future.
During times of economic downturn, libraries see more customers that are trying to cut back on their spending for entertainment and instead are interested in saving money by enjoying FREE local programming for people of all ages, but most notably for children. Customers of the library are able to check out movies and CDs, use databases, download audio books, and participate in a wide range of programs that are both educational and fun.
When the economy is down, library use is up. Unfortunately, at the same time, tight city, county, and state budgets reduce library access when it’s needed most.
Stockton-San Joaquin County Public Library employees are not letting the reduction of hours or staff determine the quality of service they continue to provide to customers that walk through the doors of the 13 branches that serve San Joaquin County. We are committed to providing the best customer service possible in an effort to maintain our service priorities of creating and empowering readers, creating a comfortable and safe place, and connecting to the online world.
You are invited to visit your local library and are encouraged to value your local library, too.
Curious to know how much bang for your buck you are receiving when you use Library services? Check out our new Library Value Calculator! Just input the quantity of items or services you use at your library on a monthly basis and see what that would compare to if you were to purchase the same services elsewhere.
Information based on American Library Association Talking Points provided in the Advocating in a Tough Economy Toolkit
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FRIENDS OF THE RIPON MEMORIAL LIBRARY MAKE A DIFFERENCE
In 2008, the Friends of the Ripon Memorial Library were honored by the Ripon City Council with a special proclamation stating that October is "Support Your Library Month." In honor of this proclamation, the Friends invited the Ripon Community to "Plant the Seed of Literacy" and hosted their first ever "$5 Bag of Books" Parking Lot Used Book Sale during Ripon's Main St. Day on Saturday, October 17, 2009.
Over $1,000 was raised during the 6-hour event and delighted book lovers filled their Friends Eco-Tote Bags with over 3,000 books! The Friends also hosted a $5 Bag of Books Pre-Sale, a Membership Donation Drive, and two science programs in honor of National Chemistry Week.
Over $2,000 was raised during the month-long awareness campaign. Monies raised will be applied to the Friends 2010 Ripon Library program and collections budget. Get connected with the Friends of the Ripon Memorial Library by following them on Twitter@riponfriends or visit them 24/7 on the Friends website at www.riponfriends.org. Plant the Seed of Literacy and Make Literacy a Friend for Life!
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