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| November Holiday Schedule |
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The Oakland Public Library will be closed November 11 for Veterans Day and November 27 and 28 for Thanksgiving. Happy holidays!
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Vol. 1, No. 4 November 1, 2008
Greetings!
Welcome to the the Oakland Public Library's monthly e-newsletter! We are providing this vehicle to keep our community updated about the latest library news and events. Please forward it to any friends and neighbors you know who might be interested in subscribing. If you do not wish to receive future issues, you can unsubscribe at any time. Happy reading! |
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Library Budget News
As many of you probably know, the Oakland Public Library and other City departments were asked to make significant reductions to our budgets as part of the 2008-2009 Revised Budget process. The City Council passed a version on October 21 that includes closures to non-essential City services 13 days during the period from November 2008 to June 2009. The bookmobile and disability/older adult services have been reduced; the adult literacy program received some General Fund funding through June 30, 2009. A number of vacant positions have been eliminated, and the library's materials and operations budget will also be cut. If Measure OO passes on the November 4 ballot, there will probably be additional reductions.
At this time, we are waiting for the City to issue instructions regarding the business shutdown days of City services. Once this is announced, we will be able to provide information as to the specific days the library will be closed. To keep abreast of library news, please check out our Website, www.oaklandlibrary.org, for the latest information.
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Election Resources @ Your Library
 Bay Area libraries are urging you to find out about the issues and candidates on the November ballot by visiting your local library or going to the free2vote Website. This Website provides you with links to all the resources you'll need to get to know the candidates, view their voting records, and learn about the various propositions. In addition, the League of Women Voters' California Website and its Oakland counterpart offer pros and cons of the state and local ballot initiatives.
The Oakland Public Library also provides election tables where candidates and parties can display their campaign materials. We carry the Easy Voter Guide in several languages.
Use your library to be an informed voter. Get out and vote on November 4th!
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Libraries Offer Help with Fiscal Challenges
 We all know it's a tough economy. During belt-tightening times, libraries provide critical services where families can go for free to search the Internet, get homework help, seek career information, find financial aid resources, borrow tools, books, and DVDs, and participate in year-round programming.
In November, the Oakland Public Library is sponsoring a variety of free events that can help get you through these challenging times. On Saturday, November 15, at 10:30 a.m., Dimond Branch hosts the last of a three-part series on Making Sense of Medicare. Let Denise Lombard, a health and life insurance specialist, enlighten you about differences among the various Medicare plan options.
The Martin Luther King, Jr. Branch is offering workshops on Job Search Strategies in Today's Market (Monday, November 3, 4 p.m.) and how to Finance Your College Education (Friday, November 21, 3:30 p.m.).
 With the stock market careening, it's a good time to learn about making smart investment choices. On Saturday, November 15, at 2 p.m., the Montclair branch presents a timely seminar, called Retirement Reality Check, on personal investments and planning for the future.
The Alameda County Food Bank will help Chinese-speakers and others apply for food stamps and connect you to other food programs every third Tuesday (November 18) from 2:30 to 4:30 p.m.
The Main Library, in conjunction with the Alameda County Bar Association, offers a Bankruptcy Lawyer in the Library program on the first Wednesday of each month, from 6 to 8 p.m. These sessions are popular and a lottery is held fifteen minutes before the hour to select who will meet with the lawyer. For more information, call 238-3134 or click here. |
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Cultural Events at AAMLO throughout the Month
November promises to be an action-filled month at the African American Museum and Library at Oakland (AAMLO). A pair of book signings will give readers a chance to meet authors face to face, and a panel discussion is sure to shed new light on AAMLO's current exhibit. All events are free to the public.
 On November 1, at 2 p.m., Eva Rutland (in photo at right) will share her memoir, When We Were Colored: a Mother's Story. The book chronicles the lives of an ordinary yet extraordinary "colored" family as they move from segregation on to integration during the turbulent Civil Rights era of the 1950s and '60s.
 On November 8, at 2 p.m., Alice C. Royal (in photo at left) will share her family history with Allensworth, the Freedom Colony: A California African American Township. Founded in 1908, Allensworth, some 30 miles north of Bakersfield, was California's first African American settlement. Ms. Royal was born in Allensworth.
On November 22, at 3 p.m., AAMLO will host Literary Works on Trial, a panel discussion concerning themes explored in AAMLO's current exhibit, Banned & Recovered: Artists Respond to Censorship. Moderator Jan Wurm will be joined by David Greene, Director of the First Amendment Project, and artists Richard Kamler, Eileen Moderbacher, Justin Hoover, and Barbara Milman. The topic of discussion will be landmark legal cases as they relate to the literary works featured in the exhibit.
AAMLO is located at 659 14th Street. For more information, call 637-0200 or click here. |
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Kids' Stuff
Are your youngsters looking for something to do after school or on a Saturday afternoon? The library has fun, educational, and creative activities lined up for children throughout the month.
Mocha Recycled Art Workshops
Kids can create art and learn about the 4R's (Reduce, Reuse, Recycle and Rot) at the Re-Create Workshops at several locations. Representatives from the Museum of Children's Art will be on hand to show us how to reuse discarded materials to make art. Participants can enter their work in Re-Create, Oakland's citywide art competition and exhibition! For more information about the workshops, please call 238-3615.
- Main Library-Children's Room, Wednesday November 5, 3:30 p.m.
- Golden Gate Branch, Thursday November 6, 3:30 p.m.
- Rockridge Branch, Thursday November 6, 3:30 p.m.
Day of the Dead Folk Art
At César Chávez branch, children can make Indo-Hispanic folk art for Day of the Dead altars. This workshop takes place on November 1, at 11:30 a.m. Chávez Branch is located at 3301 East 12th St., Ste. 271. For information, call 535-5620.
 Wings in the Night
Do you think bats are scary? Learn the truth about them by attending this slide show and meeting some live bats! Coming to two branches.
- Martin L. King Jr. Branch, Weds. November 12, 2 p.m.
- Lakeview Branch, Tues. November 18, 1 p.m.
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Become a Homework Helper
The library's Homework Assistance Program (HAP) is a free homework-helper program staffed by dedicated, knowledgeable volunteers who assist teens with their school assignments. Adults interested in volunteering as homework helpers must be 18 or older, have a high school level subject expertise, enjoy working with teens, and commit to at least two hours per week. To get more information, or to apply for a homework helper position, call Teen Outreach Librarian Jodi Mitchell at 238-7233, or visit the Oakland Public Library's Website.
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Friends of the Oakland Public Library Annual Meeting
 The Friends of the Oakland Public Library (FOPL) Annual Meeting will take place on Monday, November 10th, at 5:15 p.m., at the Rockridge Branch Library, 5366 College Avenue. The meeting is open to all FOPL members and anyone who is interested in learning more about FOPL. For details, contact info@fopl.org. FOPL has approximately 800 members, publishes a bi-monthly newsletter and operates a used bookstore staffed by volunteers. Funds raised through these activities make it possible to provide annual grants to the Oakland Public Library. Recent grants supported the April 2008 National Library Week author event featuring Nikki Giovanni, construction of the new Teen Zone at the Main Library, support for children's and cultural programming, and much more. Visit FOPL's Website for more information about The Bookmark Bookstore in Old Oakland or to read the latest newsletter with news about the Friends of the Oakland Public Library. |
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The Oakland Public Library informs, inspires, and delights our diverse community as a resource for information, knowledge, and artistic and literary expression, providing the best in traditional services, new technologies, and innovative programs. |
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