Monday, April 30, 2012

39 Clues Challenge







Can you survive the 39 Clues Challenge on May 16th from 4:00 – 5:30pm?

See if you possess:
     • the smarts of an Ekat
     • the creativity of a Janus
     • the athleticism of a Tomas

If you are in 3rd-6th grade and correctly answer a 39 Clues trivia question at the Youth Services Desk, you may earn one of the select 39 program spots.

* To participate, you must have read at least one of the 39 Clues books and agree to attend the entire 90-minute program.

** There will not be a waiting list; only registered children may participate.


~ ac

ProjectHIRED for jobseekers Tomorrow night!

Learn about ProjectHIRED services for jobseekers.  Don't miss Stefanie Smitherun from ProjectHIRED when she presents on Tuesday, May 1st from 6:30 p.m. - 7:30 p.m. in the Cedar Room at Central Park Library.  Get job assistance that is specially designed for people with disabilities.  She will tell you about services that are there for you to get a job and keep it.  She will also tell us about outreach to veterans through the Wounded Warrier Workforce program.

ProjectBEST
This project is supported in whole or in part by the U.S. Museum and Library Services and Technology Act, administered in California by the State Librarian.

posted by mb

Saturday, April 28, 2012

Life as an Independent Contractor

Have you ever thought about being an independent contractor?  Join us Saturday, May 12, 2012, for information on legal forms, pricing your services and getting paid; taxes and the self-employed, finding business leads, marketing and reaching work/life balance.  Come and bring your questions.  Joan Jackson of JMJ Information Services will present.

Can't make the presentation?  Try Consultant & Independent Contractor Agreements from Nolo Press available in print and through Small Business Reference Center from the Library's Electronic Resources  page.  You will find many more helpful resources in the library and at Small Business Reference Center which features Nolo Press books.

ProjectBEST
This program was supported in whole or in part by the U.S. Institute of Museum and Library Services under the provisions of the Library Services and Technology Act, administered by the State Librarian.
posted by mb

Friday, April 27, 2012

Container gardening


Join Master Gardener, Lise Varner, as she teaches the basics of container gardening:  soil, water, fertilizer, container materials (clay, plastic, etc.), container sizes, and common pests.  Then learn about a wide variety of plants that do particularly well in containers, with special emphasis on fragrant plants, plants that are fun to touch, and edible plants - herbs, fruits and vegetables, including ones that you can plant right now!

Saturday, April 28th, 2012 12:00 to 2:00pm in the Cedar Room.  Sign up at the reference desk or call 408-615-2900.  Walk-ins welcome.

posted by PK




Thursday, April 26, 2012

Interview Help! Next Tuesday, May 8, 1:00 - 2:30 p.m.

Ace the Interview, a free, professional, in-depth presentation on interviewing skills and techniques will be presented on Tuesday, May 8, 2012, from 1:00 - 2:30 p.m. in the Cedar Room at Santa Clara City Library. 

The most simple interview questions can be the most difficult to answer.  Learn how to handle questions about your salary requirements, your weaknesses, and your strengths.  Discover effective, proven techniques to prepare you for tough job interviews.

Sign up by calling (408) 615-2900 or when you are in the library or just drop in. 

ProjectBEST
This project was paid for in whole or in part by the U.S. Institute of Museum and Library Services under the provisions of the Library Services and Technology Act, administered in California by the State Librarian.

posted by mb

Wednesday, April 25, 2012

Alone in a Room With Hundreds of Friends

This month, The Atlantic would like to know if Facebook is the cause of our pervasive loneliness.

Sorry, I don't mean to be presumptuous by implying that you personally are lonely. I'm afraid I don't know you well enough to make that sort of judgement. However, looking over the various statistics sited in the above mentioned article, the barometer gauging societal feelings of interconnectedness points towards gloomy weather. Hence the collective "our." No offense meant.

This question is in no way new. Computers have always been regarded as possibly isolating devices. They require you to focus your attention on a screen instead of the people around you. There's really no way around that fact. It's hard to spend quality time with real people when you are half in a virtual world. The more intertwined with our lives computers become, the more socially shut off we may be. Or so the fear goes. And seeing as more people pay attention to their phones than the people standing next to them, it might not be unfounded.

Social media was meant to be a fix to this technological isolation (as well as a means to collect information on your likes, habits, and consumer preferences... but that's another topic). You could reconnect with old friends and meet new ones, write to them, share pictures of food with them (please someone explain to me why this is a thing), or kill alien hoards with them. The possibilities were limitless. Unless you were on Twitter in which case the possibilities were limitless up to 140 characters. It was going to bring us all together even though we were apart.

And it does exactly that. But there is a problem. Most social media encourages only surface level interactions. Don't get too deep, don't get too personal, and for the love of Pete, don't get depressing. It's sad that your cat died, and we'll all respond with a heartfelt "So Sad :( ". But should you post anything else about your dead cat, you will be unfriended.We've already given our condolences. It even had a sad faced emoticon to show we were serious. Get over it. Don't you have some pictures of your lunch you could post instead?

This is the focus of the Atlantic's article. Social media communication tends towards the side of narcissistic quantity, not two-way quality. Friendships require true communication, emotional connection, and a little face-to-face time doesn't hurt either. They aren't confirmed by clicking a button, but rather long stretches of time. That's what makes them fulfilling (and frustrating). Just reading and "liking" someone's timeline makes you no closer to being friends than reading a tabloid makes you besties with the featured celebrity.

Ultimately, how you choose to communicate is what determines your loneliness or lack thereof. Facebook is just a tool which facilitates that communication, whatever quality that is. You can't blame technology for the way it's used. (You can, however, blame it for the way it's designed. Seriously Facebook... Timeline? Ugh.)

The underlying issue would appear to be a lack of real-life community. You know, like the ones we live and work in? Were we to have close-knit and supportive communities, it wouldn't matter so much whether or not our online life was fulfilling. We'd just go talk with the neighbors more or invite some friends over for dinner. The computer world of socialization would be just one piece of our social lives, not the totality of it.

But in the absence of strong real-life connections, we rely upon our virtual ones to buttress our tenuous feelings of belonging. (Again, I'm speaking in the abstract collective sense here.) Even the most curmudgeonly loner desires a certain amount of validation and acceptance about his or her life. It's a basic need. If we lack a social group to supply that, we can now project that need upon our internet friends. Which is a fool's game because the virtual world isn't sophisticated or complex enough to handle such a task. Someone "liking" your post is hardly the same as someone really taking the time to talk with you about whatever it was your were sharing. It's the difference between the companionship found in a pet rock and that given by a dog.

This is one of the reasons I value working for a library. Libraries are places which can help foster community. It's part of our purpose. Yes, we offer many ways for people to be isolated and alone (books, computers, DVDs, etc.). But on the most basic level, we also offer a physical place for members of our community to gather with no other obligation. You don't need to buy anything or even check out an item. You can just come to spend some time browsing around and running into you neighbors. This is a rare thing in today's fast-paced consumer culture. 

One of the more gratifying things about this job are the moments when I get to speak to a patron as a myself, not as a clerk needing to keep on script. (If anyone has gone to a supermarket and been asked whether or not they need help to the car when they've bought a sandwich because the cashier is required to do so knows how soul killing scripted interactions can be.) A brief moment of two people chit-chatting about books or the news or whatever it is that is currently interesting. Is it a productive or purposeful conversation? Not always. But it's interactions like that, human interactions with real people, that can make one feel more connected to the other folks around them.The more we do it, the stronger our communities become.

All that said, if you are on Facebook, we've got an attractive page with good info you can like. Mileage may vary on whether or not it cures loneliness.
posted by jw

Tuesday, April 24, 2012

Author Program: Sumbul Ali-Karamali The Muslim Next Door

Santa Clara City Library is hosting the closing event for the Silicon Valley Reads 2012 program, which is celebrating its 10th anniversary.  The theme, “Muslim and American: Two Perspectives,” again will be highlighted with the third and final conversation between the two featured authors: Sumbul Ali-Karamali (The Muslim Next Door) and Willow Wilson (The Butterfly Mosque). In an interview with Sal Pizarro, San Jose Mercury News columnist, Sumbul and Willow will discuss their experiences as American Muslim women and compare notes about their time with Silicon Valley Reads.  This event is co-sponsored by the Santa Clara City Library Foundation and Friends.  Please join us on Sunday, April 29 at 2:00 p.m. for this free panel discussion, held in the Central Park Library Redwood Room. Call Reference at 615-2900 to reserve a space.

posted by mb for jb

Sunday, April 22, 2012

ProjectHIRED for jobseekers

Get job assistance that is specially designed for people with disabilities.  ProjectHIRED staff will present the services that are there for you to get a job and help you keep it.  Learn about special outreach to veterans through the Wounded Warrior Workforce.

Tuesday, May 1, from 6:30 - 7:30 in the Cedar Room at Central Park Library.

Sign up by calling (408)615-2900 or stop by the Library.

ProjectBEST
This project was supported in whole or in part by the U.S. Museum and Library Services and Technology Act, administered in California by the State Librarian.

posted by mb

Friday, April 20, 2012

Job Search Tips for the Mature Worker

Join us on Tuesday, April 24, 2012, from 1:00 -2:30 p.m. in the Cedar Room at Central Park Library for a free special program for those looking for work.

Mature job seekers frequently have concerns that their age or number of years of experience may create obstacles in their job search.  Learn how to identify age-friendly employers, age-neutralize your resume, and answer the tough interview questions.

Sign up by calling (408)615-2900 or stopping by the 2nd floor Reference Desk when you are in the library.

ProjectBEST
This project was supported in whole or in part by the U.S. Institute of Museum and Library Services under the provisions of the Library Services and Technology Act, administered in California by the State Librarian.

posted by mb

Kids: Celebrate National Gardening Month! (Part 2)

April is National Gardening Month! Help your child discover the fun activity of gardening! Here are some recommended gardening guides to help your child learn the basics and methods of gardening:

Gardening Guides

Grow It, Cook It

Grow It, Cook It by Jill Bloomfield
Make delicious recipes including onion and leek soup, giant beanstalk stir-fry, carrot and orange muffins and more! This book combines simple instructions and helpful illustrations on how to plant and cook your own homegrown vegetables.

Kids' Container Gardening: Year-Round Projects for Inside and OutKids' Container Gardening: Year-Round Projects for Inside and Out by Cindy Krezel
Work on 18 gardening projects that are easy, simple and fun! Make special projects such as "Great Garden Bowls for Mom" and sand art terrariums! This practical book also includes a glossary and a list of plant resources.

Jumbo book of gardeningThe Jumbo Book of Gardening by Jane Kurisu
Know how to grow organic plants and vegetables including tulips and tomatoes without having to use any pesticides or herbicides. This book contains simple instructions and illustrations for beginning gardeners.

GardenGarden by Robert Maass
This book contains colorful photos and information about a different variety of gardens and how to maintain them.

For more recommendations, please see a Youth Services Librarian at your library.
posted by pn

Thursday, April 19, 2012

LinkedIn Develop Your Profile & Effective Job Search

Join us Saturday, April 21, 2012, from 1:00 - 2:30 in the Redwood Room to learn the basics of LinkedIn, including how to develop a profile that will get you noticed by employers, manage your account settings, get recommendations, and build your network. 

Come back on Monday, April 23, 2012, from 1:00 - 2:30 in the Cedar Room to learn how to use LinkedIn effectively as a job search tool.  Develop a target list of companies, find hiring managers, and recruiters, and expand your network.  Build your professional credibility using groups and discover three ways to find jobs on LinkedIn.

Camille Grabowski, Professional Career Coach, will guide you in making this powerful professional networking site to help you get back in the workforce or step up your career.

Sign up for these free programs by calling (408) 615-2900 or stop by the 2nd floor Reference Desk when you are in Central Park Library.

ProjectBEST
This project was supported in whole or in part by the U.S. Institute of Museum and Library Services under the provisions of the Library Services and Technology Act, administered in California by the State Librarian.

posted by mb

Thursday, April 5, 2012

Kids: Celebrate National Gardening Month! (Part 1)

April is National Gardening Month! Help your child discover the fun activity of gardening! Here are some recommended gardening story books to get your child excited about gardening:

Gardening Stories

My GardenMy Garden by Kevin Henkes
Imagine how fun it would be to be in a magical garden where jelly beans would grow on bushes and flowers that would change colors and patterns by just thinking of them! Read this book to learn more about this beautiful garden that a creative girl is envisioning.


The Curious Garden
The Curious Garden by Peter Brown
One day, Liam discovers a dying garden and decides to nurture it back to life by taking care of it. As Liam continues to care for the garden, it grows and transforms a barren city into a beautiful, lush place!


In The Garden: Who's Been Here?
In The Garden: Who's Been Here? by Lindsay Barrett George
Christina and Jeremy discovered that someone has eaten some of the vegetables that they have grown in their garden. Join Christina and Jeremy as they investigate to find out who did this in this mysterious story.


Zinnia's Flower Garden
Zinnia's Flower Garden by Monica Wellington
Spring has arrived and Zinnia decides to plant flowers in her garden. Throughout this book, watch her take care of her garden by watering her plants, weeding and waiting for them to sprout! Be inspired to plant something in your garden by reading this book!

For more recommendations, please see a Youth Services Librarian at your library.
posted by pn