Mission Statement

The mission of the Friends of the Atascadero Library is to support, promote and expand the library's resources and programs.

Newsletter March - April 2015

In This Issue...

President's Message

Robert E. Alberti, Ph.D.

Update from Vice President and

Dancing With Our Stars Chair

Jeannie Malik

Librarian's Message

Joe Laurenzi

What's Happening in the Bookstore

Alice Rew

Women's History Month and More!

Atascadero's Dancing With our Stars Coordinator Jeanne Malik introduces this year's

Community Star Dancers and their professional partners at the Atascadero Chamber of Commerce Mixer on February 19 held at the Atascadero Library's Community Room

President's Message

Robert E. Alberti, Ph.D.

Wow! Things are moving fast. Half or more of the items I mentioned in the last newsletter are already history and others are well on their way.

January 13: Atascadero City Council voted to rezone the Morro Road property (former library) from Public to Commercial.
February 3: San Luis Obispo County Board of Supervisors voted to approve a Resolution of Intent to Sell the properties, paving the way for listing them on the market. The listing was publically released on February 18.
February 19: Friends of the Atascadero Library hosted the monthly "After Hours Mixer" of the Atascadero Chamber of Commerce. More than 100 guests enjoyed amazing hors d'oeuvres prepared by FOAL board members and volunteers, wine donated by Frolicking Frog and Ancient Peaks wineries, and a visit with the stars of the 2015 Dancing With Our Stars event.
February 28: Dancing With Our Stars has sold out for both Friday and Saturday shows (March 20 & 21).

Read more, click here

"Music Makers" Watercolor and Gouache, Sally Tippman

Library Art News

Submitted by

Eileen O'Grady

If you haven't already enjoyed the art on the walls in the adult area in February, there's still time to view the work of 11 artists who responded to the theme of "A Sense of Identity" through the end of March. Their art is diverse, ranging from oil paintings and pastels to fabric art, sketches and photography.

In April and May the library will feature the art of award-winning Atascadero artist

Sally Tippman.

Tippman has been represented by the prestigious Johnson Gallery in San Luis Obispo and the San Francisco Women Artists Gallery. She was a founding artist at Studios on the Park in Paso Robles. Her focus is figurative abstraction in oil and in watercolor/gouache.

A reception will be held at the library at 5:30 p.m. on Thursday, April 9, and everyone is welcome to attend. Light refreshments will be served.

Artists are invited to submit their work for the next themed exhibit, "American Dream," which the library will display in June and July. The prospectus for this exhibit will be available through local art associations and the FOAL website early in March.

Contact emogrady9@gmail.com for more information regarding events or submissions.

Women's History Month at Atascadero Library features special lecture presentation by

Victoria Kastner, Hearst Castle Historian, on Julia Morgan, Pioneering Architect

Saturday, March 7th 10:30am-11:15am

Free Admission

Victoria Kastner, Hearst Castle's historian, has written and lectured about Hearst Castle and its architect Julia Morgan for more than thirty years. She has a master's degree with a specialty in architectural history from UC Santa Barbara and a master's degree in museum management from George Washington University. Ms. Kastner is the author of the authoritative trilogy on the Castle: Hearst Ranch: Family, Land, and Legacy; Hearst Castle: The Biography of a Country House; and Hearst's San Simeon: The Gardens and the Land. She has lectured extensively, including at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Museum of Fine Arts Boston, the de Young Museum, and the Getty Museum. She has also been interviewed on the Today Show, CBS This Morning, National Public Radio, and Australian National Radio. Ms. Kastner is the co-author of The Beverly Hills Hotel: The First 100 Years, and has written for the London Telegraph, The Magazine Antiques and Vanity Fair.

Julia Morgan: Pioneering Architect

The talented architect Julia Morgan is best known for designing Hearst Castle, on which she worked for twenty-eight years. It was far from her only project. Morgan designed more than 700 buildings during her remarkable career, and became the first female architect to achieve worldwide prominence. Victoria Kastner will discuss Julia Morgan's life and share photographs of many of her buildings, providing a behind-the-scenes look at this fascinating figure whom the American Institute of Architects recently awarded its Gold Medal for architectural excellence.

Lunch available, call Grenda at 466-3495 to place your order.

WOMEN IN HISTORY PROGRAM

AT THE ATASCADERO LIBRARY

MARCH 2 - 7

Come enjoy biographical presentations of women who made history and changed the world

Rachel Carson (1907-1964) Alerted the world to the environmental impact of fertilizers and pesticides and shaped a growing environmental consciousness. She is the author of Silent Spring.

Played by Brenda Nicovich

Monday, March 2, 11 AM

Julia Morgan (1872-1957) Studied architecture at the University of California at Berkeley and was the first woman to be admitted to the Ecole des Beaux-Arts in Paris and later the first woman licensed as an architect in California. She designed Hearst Castle.

Played by Marguerite Kelly-Pulley

Monday, March 2, 1 PM

Women Firefighters - From the first female firefighter, Molly Williams, a slave in New York City in 1815 to the first African American Police chief in East Point Georgia, women have been capable, active and accomplished in firefighting for much of our history.

Played by Colette Layton of the Atascadero Fire Department

Monday, March 2, 3 PM

Margaret Rey (1906-1996) German Jewish �migr�, copywriter, and author of children's literature and creator of the intriguing Curious George series.

Played by Shirley Summers

Tuesday, March 3, 11 AM

Barbara McClintock (1902-1992) Studied genetics and botany at Cornell University College of Agriculture and received the Nobel Prize in Medicine for her findings in gene mutations.

Played by Sue Sly

Tuesday, March 3, 1 PM

Georgia O'Keeffe (1887-1986) An artist who was elected to the American Academy of Arts and Letters, was awarded the Medal of Freedom and the National Medal of Arts and was especially famous for her desert paintings.

Played by Pat Cairns

Tuesday, March 3, 3 PM

SCHEDULE CONTINUES HERE

Alice Rew, the Bookstore's namesake, enjoys a library event last summer

Message from Alice Rew,

Bookstore Coordinator

Alice's Bookstore, located at the Library entrance, opened in June and is enjoying positive reviews from our customers.

Our goal is to be open during Library hours, staffed by a large group of volunteers. FOAL Board member Linda Zirk has assumed the scheduling responsibility.

It's never been my dream to operate a bookstore but I love books and I love my library so when the opportunity arose I volunteered to manage bi-monthly book sales with the proceeds earmarked for library expansion.

The dream is now a reality and the book sales are continuing in a new format. Proceeds now will be dedicated for library materials, programs and services.

Everything we currently sell was donated by generous community members. Donations are welcome. Limited space allows us to offer recent publications; preferably books up to 5 years, magazines up to 3 months old. We also have CDs, DVDs, games and children's books (up to 10 years old). Contact me at 466-2230.

Improvements are being made nearly every day and soon everything will be as we envisioned.

Isn't it amazing what a group of committed and dedicated volunteers can do?

Alice Rew

Librarian's Message

Joe Laurenzi, MLS

Regional Librarian, North County

Joe and FOAL newsletter editor Deborah Cash at recent Chamber Mixer

I cannot say how excited I am to dance at this year's Atascadero's Dancing with Our Stars. A big thank you to Vice President Jeannie Malik and her team for again putting on this show that raises so much money for our county library. Friends of the Atascadero Library's support means so much and we are able to add many more materials, programs and services because of their donations. I have been training with local professional dancer Eddie Rodriguez and he has taught me so much. I never knew I could bend that way! Our dance is supposed be kept secret but let me just say that my hamstrings are definitely getting a workout. Less than a month to go!

One of the biggest additions to the library in recent months is our new book wall. After figuring out our space in the last year we have found a nice piece of real estate to showcase new books. With the help of Colette Bates and Kitty Groo, we have begun a rigorous campaign to maintain the hottest new books for the library with over 150 new titles on display. Make sure you look for the NEW book Section just past the Creasy Technology Center.