|
|
|
|
| Winter 2011-12 | Vol. III No. 3 |
|
 Welcome to the Winter 2011-12 edition of the Library IDEA, Monterey Public Library's e-newsletter, which keeps you informed about how the Library has been working to fulfill its mission "To Inspire, Delight, and Educate All".
|
|
|
 Inspires...
A few months after Pearl Harbor, the US government removed over 100,000 Japanese Americans from the coast and placed them in internment camps. Most remained there for years, behind barbed wire, under guard, in extreme hardship. No Japanese American was ever convicted of sabotage; they were imprisoned because of their ancestry.
A classic memoir of this period is Farewell to Manzanar, by Jean Houston. In February, March, and April, the Monterey Public Library will be encouraging everyone to read and talk about this book. We'll offer events to bring our community together to revisit those times and discuss the issues still with us today.
This project is called "California Reads; Searching for Democracy", and it is supported by a grant from the California Council on the Humanities. We are partnering with the Japanese American Citizens League. Special programs begin March 2, 4 pm when storyteller Anne Shimojima shares her family's story of the camps. |
 Delights...
The Friends of the Monterey Public Library will hold their annual Chocolate & Wine Tasting Benefit on Friday, February 17, from 7 - 9 p.m., at the Monterey Public Library. Sample a wide variety of local wines and enjoy a dazzling array of chocolate treats, live music and a silent auction. Tickets are $25 in advance at the Monterey Public Library Help Desk or $30 at the door. Must be 21-up to attend. Since 2003, the Library's budget for books and collections has been reduced by 50%. The Friends of the Library have stepped in and raised funds to offset some of those cuts. Since organizing 10 years ago, the Friends have donated over a quarter of a million dollars for books and other materials. So, join us in raising funds and raising fun at the most delightful and delicious fundraiser in town. Tickets are on sale now at the Library Help Desk. Call 831.646.3949 to learn more. |
 Educates...
This school year we are excited to be involved in a new, closer partnership with our educational neighbors at Monterey High School. The first phase of our work in July took Library staff to school registration, where we signed-up hundreds of students and their parents for new Library cards. In August, phase two brought over 1,000 students for a Library orientation with their English classes. In addition to these great opportunities for students, we are working directly with the instructors of a pilot course for 9th graders. This 21st Century learning class helps students develop skills necessary for thriving in a technology-filled, ever-changing world of information. Our librarians will be providing lessons on evaluating information as well as digital and media literacy. You can learn more about 21st Century Skills in Libraries from the Institute of Museum and Library Services.
|
 All...!
It sometimes seems like people who understand technology well speak a different language from those who struggle with it. Yet we also know that technology has the power to span great distances, solve problems, and make our lives easier. That's why we strive to offer everyone the opportunity to explore new technologies, with a little help from your neighbors who speak technology. There are two such opportunities on the horizon. On January 7th we will host Digital Books Show & Tell, a forum for discovering all the exciting breakthroughs in electronic books and reading. Then, on March 10th, is our 4th annual Technology Fair, bringing the experience of savvy volunteers to all those who could use some help with their phones, cameras, computers or other gadgets. These intergenerational events and others build new bridges in our community, bringing us all closer together, one click at a time.
|
 Kim's CornerHappy holiday wishes from all the Monterey Public Library staff! December is here, with clear skies and frosty mornings. Perfect weather for curling up with a book - or e-reader, or headphones, or a laptop - and diving into the words of an author, the sounds of a musician, the artistry of a movie or play. There are so many worlds to discover and enjoy at the Library. This has been another tremendously busy year at the Library. Thanks to the support of community members, volunteers, the Friends, the Board of Trustees, City staff, the City Council and many others, "Monterey County's Best Library" (2011 MC Weekly) has served hundreds of thousands of people of all ages. And huge thanks to our endowment committee champions - members of the newly formed 1849 Society - we have begun building a fund for the Library in the future. And that's a good thing, because we are in the midst of a community-wide strategic planning process that has gathered one hundred forty-two pages of ideas to guide the Library in the future. Wow! Look for more news in 2012 - and more ways to contribute to your community library!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
