Puppet Art Theatre: Jack and the Beanstalk at the Library

I love seeing traditional tales come to life with puppets! Santa Clara City Library not only has movies with puppets (Jim Henson production, The Muppets, and Sesame Street), but we also have on special occasions a live puppet presentation. Kids ages 3 and up were invited to a FREE live puppet performance on December 3^rd by the Puppet Art Theatre Company. The Puppet Art Theatre Co. presented their own holiday-style version of “Jack and the Beanstalk” which kids and parents enjoyed. The show was very funny, and the puppets engaged the audience with lots of questions. The puppeteer even showed us some sound effects, tricks, and what supplies she used to make the puppets. When asked what was your favorite part of the show, one boy replied, "when they fall down!"

 

Join us for more kids’ events by checking out our calendar. Remember, all kids programs, storytimes, and events are FREE at the Santa Clara City Library.

posted by ~gm

Beautiful Delicious Bread at the Library

      Yesterday Breadmaking for Beginners continued the Sustainable U events at Santa Clara City Library.  Angela Ocana taught more than 50 people how to make their own artisan bread based on recipes from Tartine Bread by Chad Robertson.  Here are photos of two versions of the bread baked at home following the class.

 

posted by mb

Turkey Tales to Tell

Members of Santa Clara City Library came to the Youth Services desk to tell their tales of things they were thankful for this year, and we would like to share some with you! We had some great entries...

...and some awesome artwork, too. 

Ladies and gentlemen, the Top 10 Things That You Are Thankful For in 2013:

#10. Teachers and Libraries- both TIED!

#9. Dad

#8. Puppies/Dogs, Libraries and Life- all TIED!

#7. Mom

#6. Parents

#5. Reading

#4. Friends

#3. Food

#2. Family

And the number #1 Thing That You Are Thankful For is… BOOKS!  Books beat out Family by 29 votes!

 We also had a few entries which were stories. Here is a story about a Turkey named Sarah:

“Sarah loves to sing. She has the sweetest voice of an angel. One day, she was singing near her home- and a farmer that had come to collect a turkey for Thanksgiving heard her! He was really amazed that she had such a great voice. He called American Idol and asked if they would accept ANYONE to come and sing on stage. They said, yes! So the farmer caught Sarah, and took her to the American Idol audition. Sarah won every round. And she won American Idol! She is now famous around the world.”

Thank you to all who contributed to our turkey. Remember, the Santa Clara City Library will be closed November 28^th and 29^th for the holiday, but we will return with normal library hours on Saturday, November 30^th. Storytimes will resume on the week of December 3^rd. You can also check our Kids Calendar.

Cheers and Happy Holidays!

posted by ~gm

Free Job Search Webinar

Rebecca Kieler was here again today presenting How to Find Job Leads in Today's Market.  She recommended a new approach to your job search focusing on determining your job goal, preparing your pitch then networking in new and effective ways.

She is making this webinar available to Santa Clara city job seekers. 

6 Ways to Set the Stage for your Successful Career Transition!
http://kielercareerconsulting.com/webinar/

This is an interview winning resume program she recommends.
http://jobsearch.kajabi.com/sp/11040-3-steps-to-an-interview-winning-resume

Don't forget that the Library has Brainfuse Adult resources.  Brainfuse has job training programs and live resume review.  Just upload your resume and a career professional will review it in 24 hours or less.  Find Brainfuse from our homepage by pressing the large blue Electronic Resources button on the lower left.  From there choose the A-Z Listing, selecting B for Brainfuse.  From home include your library card number.

Any questions?  Call 408-615-2900 during library hours or stop by the 2nd floor Reference desk.

posted by mb

Career Clarity - Find the Right Job for You

Rebecca Kieler of Kieler Career Consulting lead a group of job seekers through the process of career exploration today at the Library.  Students learned strategies for finding the right career for future job success.  The process is not always a straight path but when the job seeker follows the complete cycle of career discovery, success will be achieved.

There is a free follow-up webinar on Thursday, October 10 from 5:30 - 6:45 p.m.  Just go to http://kielercareerconsulting.com/webinar/#!
and sign up.

Come back tomorrow for another free job search workshop taught by Rebecca Kieler:  Target Your Job Search from 1:00 - 2:30 p.m. in the Margie Edinger Room.  There will be five other workshops for job seekers between now and November 19.  We hope to see you there.

posted by mb

The Royal Baby: Genealogical Connections from the New England Historic Genealogical Society

The Royal Baby: Genealogical Connections

by Christopher C. Child, Genealogist of the Newbury Street Press, and Scott C. Steward, Editor-in-Chief

His Royal Highness Prince George of Cambridge, son of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, is related to George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, both Roosevelt and Bush presidents, and President Barack Obama, among many others. The royal baby is also a cousin of the wives of seven presidents, including Nancy Reagan. Other notable American kin include the actors Kevin Bacon and Humphrey Bogart; television anchorman Anderson Cooper; explorer Meriwether Lewis; poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow; and celebrity chef Julia Child.

More than any other potential British monarch, the House of Windsor's newest member has relatives in every walk of British life, from the Prince and late Princess of Wales's royal and noble kin to the upper middle class and working class families of the Duchess of Cambridge's parents.

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are themselves fifteenth cousins through Sir Thomas Fairfax, who died during the reign of Henry VIII.  A branch of this family moved to Virginia in the mid-seventeenth century, and many Americans are descended from the Fairfaxes.

Learn more about the newest member of the British royal family at American Ancestors.org/royal-celebration.  Explore the royal child's Presidential and celebrity connections, test your knowledge of British royalty with trivia, and match photos of the baby's living relatives to his family tree.

Two additional sites may be of interest.  The Bridgeman Art Library offers an online gallery that features paintings and photographs of British monarchs and their children in their younger years.  The official website of the British monarchy is here.

Read about Princess Diana's ancestry:  The Ancestry of Diana, Princess of Wales for Twelve Generations. 

posted by mb

Python Ron and Wildlife Associates at the Library!

Animals from around the world came with Python Ron last week. Children were able to look, touch, and hold exotic reptiles. Some reptiles got a hold of the kids and didn’t let go.

He brought a scorpion, tarantula, lizards, corn snake, boa, and more, but many kids agreed the python was the main attraction.

We also had wildlife this week with the Wildlife Associates who captivated the kids with their animals.

~posted by gm

Teens Nesting Dolls Craft

Last week, teens were using their imaginations to make their own nesting dolls. What is a nesting doll? Nesting dolls are a set of wooden dolls of decreasing size placed inside the other, like this...

Some teens painted traditional dolls where each one was identical, while others painted different characters from Harry Potter, Star Wars, Garfield, Angry Birds, and Totoro!

Such patience with the tiny paintbrushes.

I was impressed by the artistic talent of those teens who came prepared ahead of time with photos of their subjects, and also those who told me that they just winged it.

In case you missed the memo, Teens, be sure to join us at our upcoming teen programs! Teens(grades 7-12) need to sign up ahead of time, so hurry because space and materials are limited. The calendar for teen programs can be found here.

~posted by Gina

The Bubble Lady

The Bubble Lady came to entertain our School Age crowd on Tuesday. She was very entertaining- the children were screaming! It was nice how she incorporated storytelling with bubbles. Bubbles were everywhere…tiny ones, BIG looooooong ones, kids were put in bubbles, and magic bubbles (the bubbles that would stay around for a while on objects in the room.) I have never seen so many bubbles before! I never knew you could make so many bubbles out of such odd things… a can? Really? Yes, really.

What was their favorite part at the program?
“The best part was being in a bubble!” –said a boy with bubbles stuck in his hair.
 

If you missed the show today, be sure to catch our upcoming shows! School Age programs are on Tuesdays at 3pm, and are for children going into 1st-6th Grades. The calendar can be found by clicking here.

~posted by gm

Library Card Discount at Local Shops - Discover Santa Clara

Discover Santa Clara

My experiences using the Discover Santa Clara library card discount have included delicious freshly made ice cream on a hot day, a free phyllo dessert at a lively, friendly, tasty Greek restaurant, free Korean ice cream bars at a local florist (in addition to the beautiful arrangement) and delicious pizza at a friendly, small pizza store.

A few weeks ago on a busy Friday night, three of us visited Athena Grill which offers a 10% off discount.  We were acknowledged immediately and quickly seated in spite of the full crowd.  Our food was very tasty and we were quite full when the owner asked if we wanted the freshly made dessert special.  We declined but he insisted and "bought one for us."  We shared a Galaktoboureko which is semolina custard wrapped in phyllo with lemon zest syrup.  It was light and crispy with an amazing lemon flavor.  Yum!

The next Friday night we tried Gugu's Pizza and Pasta.  Once again the food was wonderful, discounted 10% and the staff was friendly.


With temperatures up last Friday, we headed for Mission City Creamery for freshly made ice cream at a 10% discount.  Business was brisk and it was fun to watch kids and their ice cream.  Ice cream is such a happy food. 

Saturday was my wedding anniversary so I got my pick of the four participating florists.  Not being big planners, we found out that Citti's (offering a 15% off discount) was closed at 3:00 p.m. on Saturday but we just went up Scott Blvd. to Fuji's Florist  at 1900 Warburton Ave.  Fuji's offers a 10% discount.  Flowers were ordered but it was too hot to walk around the area while we waited.  When I got impatient and went back inside the salesman was having a Korean ice cream bar and he offered them to us. 

We had Korean honey dew melon flavored treats on that hot afternoon!  Local businesses can provide these positive impromptu experiences that you can't get in a big chain stores.  Getting the discounts and specials is nice but being introduced to some truly special local businesses is even better. 

If you haven't taken your library card and visited one of our 30+ participating small businesses, you are missing out.  It will all end July 31st so don't wait.  Tell us about your experiences.

posted by mb

Summer Reading Club is Here!

Join us for this summer’s ultimate club- The Summer Reading Club! What is the Summer Reading Club all about, you ask? Watch this video...

The Summer Reading Club encourages parents to read to their young children, and for children and teens to continue reading throughout the summer. This year’s themes- Dig Into Reading (click for children) and Beneath the Surface (click for teens) will explore the world beneath our feet. You can read ANY book you want. Don’t forget to track your reading on a Reading Log to receive a prize! Parents, you thought I would forget about you, didn't you? All adults can sign up for their own theme- Reading is Delicious (click for adults).

 

 

Please join us for our Summer Kickoff Party on Saturday, June 8th from 1:00-4:00pm behind the library (you can’t miss it!). Steve Chaney & Corny Crow will perform at 2pm!  

Sign up for the Summer Reading Club June 1st to July 13th online or in the library.

The 2013 Summer Reading Program is sponsored by KeyPoint Credit Union.

~posted by gm

2013 Newberry Award Winner "The One and Only Ivan"

The One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate received the Newberry Award for children's literature. This tale of a gorilla raised by humans and living alone for twenty-seven years becomes a tale of rescue when Ruby, a baby elephant is introduced to her "domain" (a cage).  Ruby becomes the impetus for a pledge that Ivan made to Stella, his friend and neighbor at the Exit 8 Big Top Mall and Video Arcade. When Stella dies from neglect, Ivan realizes that Ruby's fate will be similar and decides to come up with a plan to get Ruby moved to a zoo.  His plan involves the janitor's daughter, Julia, who must put together the pieces of Ivan's puzzle to decipher his intention. 

Observations of humans from inside his cage and interactions with the other animals are humorous, and the support that the animals show for each other is inspiring. We humans could learn a thing or two from our ape ancestors. Recommended for 3rd - 5th grade readers, with a Lexile rating of 570. 

The One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate

Here’s How We Celebrated Children’s Book Week!

“There is no such thing as a child who hates to read; there are only children who have not found the right book.” –Frank Serafini

Children’s Book Week is the annual celebration of books for young people and the joy of reading. During the week of May 13-19, 2013, all kinds of libraries from across the country were sharing and hosting their joy of reading with children. Here at the Santa Clara City Library, we celebrated by having a friendly visit from children’s author Tim Myers who read his NEW book Down At the Dino Wash Deluxe!

Check out what The Santa Clara Weekly said about Tim Myers' visit to Santa Clara City Library.

We also had a program for all the young future writers and artists out there, as we invited those up to 6th grade to Make Your Own Book! We had writers from the horror genre, some not-so typical fairytales, and some funny stories. There were also some very talented artists who made creative picture books!

Encourage your children to read. The Summer Reading Program is coming up soon! (June 1st)

Please join us for our Summer Kickoff Party on Saturday, June 8th from 1:00-4:00pm. Festivities will be held behind the library (you can't miss it!)


~posted by gm

Mayor Dedicates DC Quick Charging Station At Central Park Library

 

Santa Clara Mayor Jamie Matthews dedicates the electric vehicle charging station by cutting a gas hose.  Assisting are Vice Mayor Pat Kolstad, Howard Clearfield Co-Founder of the San Francisco Bay LEAFs and City Council Member Teresa O'Neill.

       A Tesla S, Mitsubishi RAV4, Ford Fusion, two iMEVs, and dozens of Nissan LEAFs were on display for the public at the Library's tail gate party Saturday, May 11.  

       "We are living the future," one electric vehicle owner told me.  Another told me she has owned her Nissan LEAF for only a month but is delighted not to have to pump gas anymore. 

       After the dedication, the San Francisco Bay LEAFs listened to Karen Scholnick from Bay Area Air Quality Management District tell about their projects and plans for electric vehicle infrastructure.  Paul Carreon of PG&E and Larry Owens of Silicon Valley Power explained rate options for charging electric cars.  The group announced the Family and Friends discount for purchasing and leasing Nissan LEAFs.  Join the San Francisco Bay LEAFs and take advantage of the discount.  An Android app that will report the condition of each cell in your car's battery was announced. 

Mary Boyle
Librarian Central Park Library



NASA Program Cancelled

The NASA Missions Update program scheduled for Monday, May13 at 7:00 p.m. in the Central Park Library Redwood Room, has been cancelled due to illness. The program will be re-scheduled for the fall. The Library apologizes for any inconvenience this may have caused.

posted by jb

NASA Missions Update

On Monday, May 13 at 7:00 p.m. in the Central Park Library Redwood Room, NASA/JPL Solar System Ambassador Eric Norris will present another fascinating multi-media program on NASA missions to the planets. Eric will talk about the latest activities of the Curiosity Rover on Mars and future Mars missions, as well as update us on other missions throughout the solar system. Adults and interested students are welcome!

For more information about this free NASA missions program, call Reference at 1-408-615-2900.

posted by jb

May is Zombie Awareness Month!

May is Zombie Awareness Month!

According to the Zombie Research Society, the United States comes in at #3 for being one of the safest countries during a zombie attack (http://zombieresearchsociety.com) and the U.S. is also more ready for battle than most. But what is a zombie?

1. A zombie is a relentlessly aggressive human or reanimated human corpse driven by a biological infection.

Since the zombie pandemic is not a matter of if, but a matter of when, I have put together a Zombie Awareness Pathfinder that will provide resources and information to the survival of the human race. If you are interested in living, you can drop by the library to learn about basic zombie survival skills. For all of our zombie patrons, we will be showing the movie Warm Bodies in the summer.

Remember, your best defense against the coming zombie apocalypse is to feed your brain at your local library, which is also something that zombies desire most… your brain.

~posted by gm

Santa Clara Charging to the Future Learn the Real Story about Electric Vehicles



Jeff Ipsaro charging his Nissan LEAF at Central Park Library.

Join us Saturday, May 11, 2013, at 9 a.m. for a tailgate party in the parking lot where you can see electric vehicles and ask questions.  At 9:15 Mayor Jamie Matthews will dedicate the DC Quick Charging Station.  Silicon Valley Power officials will give an update on City charging stations.  You are invited to join the San Francisco Bay LEAFs, the world's largest Nissan LEAF owners association, who will be meeting in the Redwood Room at 10:00 a.m.  Speakers from PG&E and the Bay Area Air Quality Management group will give updates on plans for electric vehicles and infrastructure.  Any questions, call 1 (408) 615-2900.

posted by mb





A Book Talk by Ron Hansen: She Loves Me Not

Celebrate National Library Week at Central Park Library on Monday, April 15 at 7:00 p.m. in the Redwood Room! Join acclaimed local author Ron Hansen, as he discusses writing and his new book, She Loves Me Not: New and Selected Stories. This collection of 12 new stories and 7 from his first collection, Nebraska, has been called “Extraordinary...the work of an accomplished craftsman and a superb storyteller” (New York Times). These rich stories cover a diverse range of topics, both past and present, exemplifying the human experience; they “are written with precision and depth” (Booklist).


Hansen, author of a number of popular books, currently is the Gerard Manley Hopkins Professor in the Arts and Humanities at Santa Clara University, where he teaches writing and literature.

For more information about this free National Library Week author event, stop by the Reference Desk or call 1-408-615-2900.

posted by jb

Retool, Reinvent, & Reinvigorate Your Career in 2013!

Celebrate the start of National Library Week at Central Park Library! Spring into action with Dee McCrorey, author of Innovation in a Reinvented World: 10 Essential Elements to Succeed in the New World of Business (Wiley, 2011), as she highlights best practices and skills shared by the innovative leaders profiled in her book—from micropreneur to multinational executive. On Sunday, April 14 at 2:00 p.m. in the  Redwood Room, Dee will discuss these topics for succeeding in the new world of business:
• 5 things your career strategy must include in 2013
• Why “letting go” has become a powerful career game change
• What 40+ professionals can do in 7 days to stand out in a crowded field.
Dee will answer your questions following her talk.

For more information about this free National Library Week program, stop by the Reference Desk or call 1-408-615-2900.

posted by jb

A Poem for you! April is National Poetry Month ee cummings

may my heart always be open to little


birds who are the secrets of living

whatever they sing is better than to know

and if [we] should not hear them [we] are old



may my mind stroll about hungry

and fearless and thirsty and supple

and even if it's sunday may i be wrong

for whenever [we] are right [we] are not young



and may myself do nothing usefully

and love yourself so more than truly

there's never been quite such a fool who could fail

pulling all the sky over him with one smile

ee cummings

posted by mb

Silicon Valley Reads: Monday Movies in March - Poster Girl & Iraq Paper Scissors

Silicon Valley Reads 2013 focuses on the “invisible wounds of war.” The Monday Movies in March series has been featuring short documentary films about veterans. On Monday, March 25 at 2:00 p.m. in the Cedar Room, the final two films will be shown. Light refreshments will be served.

Poster Girl is a documentary (38 minutes) about Robynn Murray, an all-American high school cheerleader who became the poster girl for women in combat. Since returning from Iraq, however, she has fought an insidious foe: Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). This Academy Award-nominated film follows Robynn over the course of two years as she embarks on a journey of self-discovery and redemption through art and poetry. The film also received two Emmy nominations.

Iraq Paper Scissors is a film (46 minutes) in which director Sara Nesson takes us into the lives of five Iraq War veterans who struggle with PTSD as they discover they have dreams and talents beyond machine guns and combat. This documentary intimately captures the young men and women deconstructing their uniforms, while sharing memories as soldiers and uncertain futures as civilians. Through following their creative and emotionally difficult—yet healing—journey, the dark space war that occupies their minds gives way to light, allowing us to see more clearly that those who have served refuse to be forgotten, and more importantly, ask to be understood.

For more information about these free Silicon Valley Reads film screenings, stop by the Reference Desk or call 1-408-615-2900.

posted by jb

Meet Mark Twain!

Mark Twain will be at the library on Monday, March 18 at 6:30 PM! "What?" you say, "Isn't he dead?"  Well, yes, he is dead, but his spirit lives on in storyteller Charles Kiernan. The program is called
Mark Twain Reflects, and will include a little bit about Twain's life- his childhood, life on the Mississippi, the Civil War, and his adventures in California. Join us for an hour of humorous reflection by one of America's most beloved literary icons.

Central Park Library Redwood Room. Seating will be on a first come, first served basis. Please arrive early. Recommended for 5th Grade to Adults.

For information, call Reference at 1-408-615-2900 or Youth Services at 1-408-615-2916.

Silicon Valley Reads: Supporting Women Warriors, Health Care

Come and hear how the Veterans Affairs Dept. has responded to the needs of women veterans, how the Veterans Affairs - Palo Alto women's program was developed, and what is planned to meet the needs in the future.  Linda Kleinsasser, Women Veterans Program Manager, VA Palo Alto Health Care System will present from 6:30 - 7:30 on Monday, March 25, 2013 in the Cedar Room at Santa Clara City Library.  All are welcome and this program is free.  Learn more about Silicon Valley Reads 2013 "Invisible Wounds of War," by following this link.
posted by mb

Silicon Valley Reads: Supporting Women Warriors, Then and Now

Learn about opportunities and challenges during active military service and the legacy created by women warriors.  Charlotte Bear, who served as a U.S. Army broadcast journalist and TV Director for the U.S. Army & Air Force Secretaries of Public Affairs during the Panama-Grenada-Lebanon era conflicts, will present an authentic account.  She will also tell us about veteran-centered care and military family support long after military service is complete.


6:30 p.m. - 7:30 p.m. Monday, March 11, 2013, Redwood Room
Santa Clara City Library, 2635 Homestead Rd., Santa Clara, CA 95051
1 (408) 615-2900, for more information

Learn about other free Silicon Valley Reads programs focusing on the "Invisible Wounds of War" by following this link.

posted by mb

Silicon Valley Reads Book Talk: Julia Keller, Back Home

Silicon Valley Reads 2013 focuses on the “Invisible Wounds of War.” Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Julia Keller wrote about traumatic brain injury for the Chicago Tribune in 2004. Her awareness of American soldiers returning home from Iraq and Afghanistan with invisible wounds of war inspired her to write Back Home, a novel for grades 5-8 that describes one family’s reaction when Dad returns home with physical and brain injuries. Julia will discuss how and why she wrote the book—and also will answer questions about her popular recent mystery novel for adults, A Killing in the Hills.

Join us for this special Silicon Valley Reads book talk on Tuesday, March 5 at 6:30 p.m. in the Central Park Library Cedar Room.

For more information about this free author event, call Reference at 1-408-515-2900. This program is co-sponsored by the Santa Clara City Library Foundation and Friends.

 

posted by jb