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BETWEEN FRIENDS
Friends of the South Pasadena Public Library Newsletter Summer 2013 |
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Restoration Concerts
New Season Series Begins
September 15, 2013
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Now beginning its 17th year, The Restoration Concert Committee continues to bring world-class music to South Pasadena. The Sunday afternoon concerts, frequently featuring internationally-known and award-winning musicians, attract music lovers from throughout the Los Angeles area and beyond.
Proceeds from the Restoration Concerts are dedicated to the ongoing enhancement of the historic Community Room where the concerts are staged.
New Season ticket price:
8 Concerts for $88
BUY YOURS NOW !
Click here for a printable schedule and to order tickets.
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Friends Bookstore Plans Vintage Sale
Aug. 15 - Sept. 5 on Library's Main Floor
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Three vintage Norah Wellings cloth dolls and a leather-bound set of Fielding published in 1767 will highlight the August 15 beginning of a sale of vintage books by the Friends of the Library Bookstore on the main floor of the library.
The special sale will feature books from the twentieth and nineteenth centuries and a few others from the eighteenth century as well. Included are a leather-bound set of Shakespeare, unique gardening manuals, art folios, Roycrofters, elderly Disney comic books in Dutch, pre-World War II British theatre magazines and many other unusual publications donated to the bookstore. Prices range from one dollar to $100 with most under $10.
The Norah Wellings dolls are all male with a little boy, a sailor and a Canadian Mountie, ranging in size from about seven to ten inches.
The sale is expected to conclude September 5. It will be followed by a 2-day weekend sale of all 25¢ books in the Community Room , 1115 El Centro St., on Saturday, Sept. 21 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and on Sunday, Sept. 22 from 1 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.
by Dorothy Cohen
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California-Related Books
Featured in
Silent Auction
AUGUST 10 - SEPTEMBER 14
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Hundreds of individually tipped-in illustrations are featured in a rare 2-volume set, included in the Friends Bookstore's Silent Auction of California-related books starting Saturday, August 10 on the library's main floor and concluding at noon Sept. 14.
The subject of the set, auction number eight, is the 1915 Panama Pacific International Exposition in San Francisco, published by Elder & Company. The set presents a pictorial survey of what the exposition had to offer with volume one concentrating on sculpture and mural decorations and volume two architecture and landscape gardening. Minimum bid will be $30 with minimum raise of $5.
The other seven auction items and their numbers are:
No. 1 California Heritage Cookbook
Junior League of Pasadena, Doubleday, New York, 1976. Minimum bid $10. Minimum raise $3.
No. 2 Pasadena, Crown of the Valley
by Anne Scheid,, Windsor Publications, Northridge, CA, 1986, First edition. A vibrant history of the city. Minimum bid $10. Minimum raise $3.
No. 3 The Great California Game
by Jonathan Gash (pseudo of John Grant). St. Martin's Press, N.Y. 1991. First edition. One of novels on which BBC TV Lovejoy series was based. Minimum bid $8. Minimum raise $2.
No. 4 The Tourist's California
by Ruth Wood. Dodd, Mead, N.Y. 1914. Minimum bid $10. Minimum raise $2. Great information for the travelers of the time, including mention of South Pasadena's Ostrich Farm.
No. 5 Writer's Program: Los Angeles
Hastings House, N.Y. 1941. Part of American Guide Series, WPA. Book not in great shape but a really Fine quality copy sells for over $150. Minimum bid $5. Minimum raise $3.
No. 6 California Desert Trails
by J. Smeaton Chase, Houghton Mifflin, N.Y., 1919 Valuable appendices on "Desert Traveling" and "Noticeable Plants". Minimum bid $10. Minimum raise $2.
No. 7 San Francisco: A Pageant
by Charles Caldwell Dobie. Appleton Century, N.Y. 1934. Signed by author and by illustrator E. H. Suydam . Much information on the Great Fire, the gold rush, fake diamond bonanza and other happenings.
by Dorothy Cohen
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Big 2-DAY 25¢ Hardcover/Paperback Book Sale
SEPT. 21 & SEPT. 22
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The Friends Bookstore will hold its annual 2-day 25¢ sale of hardcover and paperback books in the library's Community Room on the weekend of September 21-22 with Saturday hours 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday from 1 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.
In addition to the fiction, non-fiction and children's books, the sale will include some multi-media items. Only the bookstore's Ostrich mascot book bags will be available for their normal price of one dollar each.
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Volunteer Extraordinaire Jane Cavenagh Retires from
Friends of the Library Bookstore
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Jane at 14 with her heroism medal
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Jane T. Cavenagh is a very spry 98 year-old who recently retired from the Friends of the South Pasadena Public Library's all-volunteer Bookstore after more than 20 years. Jane was on the Library Board of Trustees and served as President for four terms between 1993 and 1998. Jane previously taught for many years at South Pasadena Middle School, South Pasadena High School, Riverside Junior College, and UCLA. She later worked as an administrator for seven junior colleges.
Another great milestone in Jane's remarkable life occurred in 1929 when she was a 14 year-old schoolgirl. She saved a 5 year-old boy from drowning in Pirate's Cove at Laguna Beach. He was walking on the base of a steep cliff that jutted out to the ocean. After he fell, Jane picked him up and a large wave knocked them down, carrying the boy out to sea. Jane rose to her feet, waded 30 feet toward the boy, and was swept off her feet once again by choppy waves which carried the boy even farther out. Jane swam to the youngster once again, and grasped him and swam them both back to the base of the cliff, only to have a large wave separate them again. Jane was carried out 25 feet and she saw the boy in the waves 35 feet from her. She swam to him again and carried him to the shore where his mother had fainted. The boy was unconscious, but he recovered. During her act of bravery Jane injured her back and sustained severe cuts. Soon afterwards she was awarded a medal by the Carnegie Hero Fund Commission and the funds enabled her to later attend college. Jane went on to earn a B.A. and an M.A. at UCLA and was the first woman admitted to Stanford Medical School although she didn't enroll.
Former Mayor and current Friends Bookstore chair Dorothy Cohen recently stated, "Jane is a woman of great integrity who has generously supported the library by working for decades in the Friends Bookstore and with her years of service on the Library Board of Trustees, to which she was appointed by the City Council. As a sharply intelligent 98-year-old, she is an inspiration that all of us could hope to emulate."
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Jane at 98 with her medal
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The Friends of the Library Bookstore is open 7 days a week, upstairs in the Library. Their hours are Mon., Tues., Wed., from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Thurs., Fri. from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Sat. Noon to 4 p.m.; and Sun. from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.
by Steve Fjeldsted
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Whether you are reading alone or in a book group, there are many great books out right now. Coming-of-age and time travel are especially popular themes among some of the current best books.
Shining Girls by Lauren Beukes
This gripping novel involves a time-traveling serial killer who targets bright girls over the decades, but one of his victims survives and starts hunting him.
The Silver Star by Jeanette Walls
Best selling author Walls describes the trials of two sisters with an absent mother who journey to an old family mansion in Virginia to build family bonds.
Big Brother by Lionel Shriver
When chef and entrepreneur Pandora picks up her jazz pianist brother at the airport, she finds he had gained hundreds of pounds and she needs to prioritize either her brother or the family she recently married into, though she's not sure she can save her brother from himself.
And the Mountains Echoed by Khaled Hosseini
In Afghanistan of 1952, Abdullah's family is struggling and his sister is sold to another family where she enjoys a privileged life.
The Round House by Louise Erdrich
On a North Dakota reservation, 14 year old Joe Coutz's mother is attacked and Joe and his friends start investigating the crime among the reservation culture.
Life Among Giants by Bill Roorbach
Seven foot tall high school football star David "Lizard" Hochmeyer investigates his parent's death amid the unusual residents of the mansion across the way.
Let us help you check out these books and other great titles at the South Pasadena Public Library.
By Paula Knop - Senior Librarian Adult Services
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Author Night: Steve Hodel Black Dahlia Avenger II
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Steve Hodel, author the 2012 blockbuster "Black Dahlia Avenger II," will return for an encore Author Night appearance August 22 in the South Pasadena Public Library Community Room.
In 2008 and 2011. Hodel made gripping appearances before full house audiences in the venue for his first two Black Dahlia books. He revealed a wealth of convincing evidence pinpointing his father, Dr. George Hodel, as 1947's Black Dahlia murderer, the perpetrator of the most infamous crime in Los Angeles history.
Steve Hodel spent 24 years as a homicide detective with the LAPD earning one of the highest "solve rates" in the department before becoming an acclaimed nonfiction author. The publication of his Black Dahlia books has garnered national news coverage and many hour-long television appearances, as well as high praise from other top crime writers.
"Black Dahlia Avenger II" establishes the original Black Dahlia crime scene at the Hodel family's historic Franklin residence in Hollywood where Steve grew up. It also links evidence from the home to articles left in the vacant lot where Elizabeth Short, the Black Dahlia victim was discovered. Among the other findings contained in "BDA II" is convincing testimony that the murder was committed by a doctor, the transcript of the incriminating tape from the District Attorney's bugging of the Hodel residence in 1947, and provocative personal correspondence between Dorothy Huston Hodel, Steve's mother, and film director John Huston's ex-wife.
The Author Night program is free and open to the public and presented by the South Pasadena Public Library and the Friends of the South Pasadena Public Library. The event will also feature Steve Hodel's new short film and PowerPoint. Special thanks to Scott Gandell and Anneline De Croos/South Pasadena Mercantile. The program will conclude with the author's Q & A with the audience and autographed copies of Steve Hodel's Black Dahlia books will be available for purchase.
Doors will open at 6:30 p.m. for the 7 p.m. free performance.
by Steve Fjeldsted
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Author Night: Marjorie Lord August 29
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 Marjorie Lord, the Golden Age actress most known for her role as Kathy "Clancy" Williams alongside Danny Thomas on the "Make Room for Daddy" television series, will make a special Library Author Night appearance on Thursday, August 29 at 7:00 p.m. in the Community Room. She will be discussing her memoir "A Dance and a Hug." Her films include "Sherlock Holmes in Washington" with Basil Rathbone and "Johnny Come Lately" with James Cagney. A classic episode of "Make Room for Daddy" will be screened. Q & A with the actress will follow. No tickets or reservations are necessary. Refreshments will be served and autographed books will be available for purchase at the conclusion of the event. Special thanks to Bartelsco.
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'The Ray Bradbury Conference Room'
Inaugurated at the South Pasadena Public Library
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The cake is cut. L to R Mayor Richard Schneider, M.D.', Constance Lue; Robert Kerr, Steve Fjeldsted, Andrew Lippmann, Brendan Durrett, and Ed Pearson. Photo: Bill Glazier, South Pasadena Review.
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A ceremony and reception for 'The Ray Bradbury Conference Room' was conducted upstairs in the South Pasadena Public Library on Thursday, May 9. The meeting space overlooking the Library's Moreton Bay Fig Tree formerly known merely as the Conference Room, was recently renamed by the Library Board of Trustees in honor of the renowned author who passed away on June 5, 2012 after a request from members of the public. The ceremony featured remarks by Mayor Richard D. Schneider, M.D.; Brendan Durrett, President, South Pasadena Public Library Board of Trustees; and Lissa Reynolds, Co-Owner and Artistic Director of the Fremont Centre Theatre, who read Bradbury's last written work, "The Book and the Butterfly" which appears in THE BEST AMERICAN NONREQUIRED READING, 2012 and on the Huffington Post website. Robert Kerr, from Ray Bradbury's Pandemonium Theatre Company, who was wearing one of Bradbury's neckties and his pair of suspenders, cut the custom cake provided by the Friends of the Library.
Also in attendance were Councilmember Bob Joe who, like Bradbury, attended Los Angeles High School; Sally Kilby, City Clerk; Gary Pia, City Treasurer, and Library Trustees Ed Pearson, Constance Lue, and Andy Lippman. The new bronze doorplate purchased by the Friends was unveiled, as was a framed reproduction of a painting of the author by Zofia Kostyrko, an Altadena-based artist. Also, in attendance were longtime Bradbury associate John Tarpinian and other close friends, fans, and admirers, including Reference Librarian Michael Toman and City Librarian Steve Fjeldsted.
Bradbury had a very close relationship with South Pasadena which he said reminded him of his hometown of Waukegan, Illinois which like South Pasadena also possessed a Carnegie Library. The relationship began when a long string of Ray's plays was first presented by his theatrical company at the Fremont Centre Theatre. Ray also appeared for two Author Nights for the South Pasadena Public Library, including one for his 90th birthday, and later autographed books, bottles of dandelion wine and movie posters for Friends' fundraisers. In 2010 Bradbury actually spent a couple of hours in the Conference Room that would bear his name, although he never set foot on the asteroid, the lunar landing strip, or some of the other locations that have been posthumously named after him. The City of South Pasadena declared an official "Ray Bradbury Day in South Pasadena" in both 2008 and 2010. Special thanks are due to the Bradbury Family, Maple River Winery, and Mission Framing.
by Steve Fjeldsted
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Children's Services: Storytimes Resume September 17th
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 | | National Charity League grant will purchase a new lounge chair for the Children's Room |
For the full schedule of Storytimes, Barks and Books, Lego Mania, click Evanced to see the calendar and to sign up electronically.
Tween Journalism series (9-14 years) Fridays, 3:30 pm, October 11th, 18th, 25th, and November 1st. Sign up
Summer Reading Program was a HUGE success.
Thank you, South Pasadena Chinese-American Club, for funding the Summer Writing series.
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 Memorial & In Honor Donations |
The South Pasadena Public Library is honored to acknowledge donations received in memory of family and friends, as well as donations received in honor of individuals and organizations. Donations have been received from the following individuals between April 16 and July 30, 2013.
Therese Molina - Chair, Endowments and Memorials
In Memory of Yvonne Voisin
Davis Elen Advertising
Leeann & Michael Davis
Morven Staff
Kay Rosser
In Memory of Elizabeth Seto (Elizabeth Seto Memorial Endowment Fund)
Gary Seto & Karen Chang
Suzanne & Raymond Endacott
In Memory of Frances Wong and
In Memory of James Wong
Kenji Morimoto
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Members Make it Happen ! | 
Membership dollars to Friends of the Library are the backbone for all the special programs offered at the library:
- Author Nights, Film Screenings and more
Thursday evening Author Nights, Film Screenings, Plays, and Concerts continue to draw hundreds of patrons to the library. In 2011, the Friends supported 138 adult programs and 359 children's programs. Among California's 182 public libraries, South Pasadena received the highest marks for checkouts, visits, and program attendance per capita! . - Children's and Teen Services
2,700 children ages 5-17 participated in the 2012 Summer Reading Program and read more than 41,000 titles for a total of 1,318,173 minutes of reading! Fifty teen volunteers helped to administer the program and assisted the librarians with a variety of activities including a Stuffed Animal Sleepover, Wonderful Wednesdays, Grandparents and Books, and the always popular Storytimes. - Books, DVDs, and CD Music Collections The Friends provide critical annual funding for hundreds of books, DVDs, and CD music. In 2011, the Friends contributed to the purchase of 6,000 new book titles and hundreds of new DVDs and CDs.
Without your help these programs would not be possible. If you have not renewed your membership or joined Friends of the Library, please do so now. Membership envelopes are at the library by the reference desk and upstairs outside the bookstore.
Student/Senior $10 Family $40 Gold $100
Individual $20 Bronze $50 Platinum $500
Sustaining $30 Silver $75 Life $1000
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Board of Directors 2013
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Vice President/Chief Financial Oficer: Ann Messana
Vice President/Financial Officer/Endowments: Linda Long
Restoration Concerts/Financial Officer: Leanne O'Neill
Recording Secretary: Ellen Torres
Membership Chair: Susie Berry
Endowments Funds/Development Chair: Therese Molina
Bulk Mail/Printed Materials Chair: Jane Schirmeister
Hospitality Co-Chair: Alice Fong
Hospitality Co-Chair: Diane Larson
Hospitality Co-Chair: Adrienne Eggleston
Newsletter Chair: Sharon Cockroft
Programs Chair: Scott Van Sant
Bookstore/Steering Committee Chair: Dorothy M. Cohen
APPOINTED CHAIRS (Non-Voting)
Computer Records-Barbara Sato
Assistant Finance Officer-Kristen Dube'
Library Trustee/Representative: Ann Penn
City Librarian: Steve Fjeldsted
Web Master: Roby Lawrence
Restoration Concert Co-Chair: Kay Rosser, Kathy Folsom
Restoration Concert Treasurer: Shireen Chang
Bookkeeper: Rose Barron
Administrative Secretary: Sean Faye
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If you have suggestions for improvement, design ideas, features or regular articles you'd like to see, please contact us at spplfriends@gmail.com.
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Friends of the South Pasadena Public Library
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