To the library, that is.  After many weeks spent flipping through the pages, I’m finally returning my library book, Rachel Ashwell’s “Shabby Chic Interiors:  My Rooms, Treasures, And Trinkets." 



For weeks I’ve been absorbed in any Shabby-Chic-y thing I can find.  The relaxed, romantic design aesthetic is perfectly me and perfectly do-able.  (Meaning, as long as I look for my treasures at tag sales rather than Target, finding Shabby Chic items can be inexpensive.)
 
If you're interested in being inspired by or learning more about Shabby Chic style, we have five or six of the dreamy design books available for check-out at the Monterey Public Library.
 
Or browse through Rachel Ashwell’s official website www.shabbychic.com

We’re taking names for a waiting list for the sold out Wednesday, May 4, 6:30 p.m. Stories for Adults performance by Jay O’Callahan at the Monterey Public Library.  There are always last-minute cancellations, so please let us know if you want to be on the wait list.  Email mccombs@ci.monterey.ca.us.  Also, Jay will lead a storytelling workshop on Thursday, May 5, 10 a.m. – 12 noon.  Still spaces left.  Tickets $15.  For ages 16-up only.

Thursday, April 28 is the date of our last ABC storytimes.  (We have no programs in May.)  We'll celebrate the last 3 letters of the alphabet, along with some stories of the full alphabet, like Chicka Chicka Boom Boom and Alphabet Mystery.   We'll play some favorite alphabet games and have an alphabet craft and snack.  Ever since January we've been playing with the alphabet as we share books, songs and rhymes.  We've shared ideas for letter recognition and phoneme awareness.  I've shared  bathtime body writing  with soap (letter recognition), and this week I'll show my version of the song BINGO (phoneme awareness).  What are your favorite ABC books, songs and activities?

Community Services & Library Director Kim Bui-Burton took the stage with Monterey Comedy Improv’s Mirth “O” Matics during the National Library Week’s Random Acts of Culture event last weekend with “hand gestures” by troupe member Kalyn Shubnell.  Good, hilarious fun!

I've found the perfect book for explaining to kids the difference between "need" and "want".  The mom in Almost Zero by Nikki Grimes reacts more strongly than I ever have, but it was effective.  When Dyamonde Daniel demands new hightop red sneakers, her mom hides all of the girl's clothes.   The 3rd-grader is reduced to wearing the same outfit every day and washing it out angrily every night.  What really changes Dyamonde's outlook, though, is when a friend's house burns down.  This classmate really does need new clothes and Dyamonde starts an amazing clothing drive.  This easy chapter book  makes a great point,and it's funny too.

One question I am often asked is - will libraries continue to exist in the future? With everything on the Internet, who needs libraries? Tonight's   "Random Acts of Culture and Purposeful Acts of Community" event at the Monterey Public Library thoughtfully, joyfully and loudly provided me with one very clear answer.

Imagine over 100 people gathering in a light-filled, evening hushed public library - but not to use computers, check out books or ask informational questions. Instead, these community members were here to enjoy cultural arts and events in celebration of National Library Week and National Volunteer Week - together. 

Beautiful harp music by Amy Krupski filled the air when the doors first opened. Then, two heart-felt songs by "Four on the Floor" barbershop singers led the way for an inventive and hilarious improv session by the "Mirth-o-Matics".  Noted young adult author Anne Ylvisaker was signing authographs for the release of her newest book - The Luck of the Buttons - as award-winning storyteller (and Library staff member) Dina Stansbury entertained and delighted in the Community Room. 

Poet Patrice Vecchione provided collage and poetry-writing encouragement to a focused group, while MC Lars wrapped up the evening with a rhythm-propelled set of "post-punk laptop rap". Early teens to 80 year-olds were singing and swaying to the beat of "Mr Raven" and "The iGeneration" - and cheering wildly as MC Lars gave a shout-out to "public libraries", "government funding" for public good and "education".

Every one of these local performers shared the unique ways they turned words, music, literature, information and learning into works of performance and art. They made visible the often solitary act of creativity - and in doing so - invited all of us present into a larger creative community. And attendees young and old reveled in the joy of that created community.

This, I saw tonight, is one of the futures of public libraries. A community center that not only strives to educate all, but to delight and inspire in concrete ways. A creativity lab, where experiences are developed and shared.  With community members of all ages.  In a community space that welcomes all.

Laughing, singing, talking, even dancing together is a tremendous antidote to "Bowling Alone" - creating new synapses in the brain, strengthening social connections, tapping into our own inner performer/artist/creator.  Children in storytimes experience this every week. And, in the vision of libraries for the future that I witnessed tonight, people from their second to eighth decades did too. 

Thanks to Library staff members Jeanne McCombs and Karen Brown, and the Friends of the Monterey Public Library, for creating and supporting Saturday night's "Random Acts of Culture and Purposeful Acts of Community."  It was an awesome evening!

Trains and trucks were two of the “T” words we played with at last Thursday’s Alphabet Storytimes. Imagine thirty-three toddlers at the first program and then thirty-six preschoolers at the second storytime. Now imagine these children choo-chooing together with their caregivers around the Community Room!

If you missed the fun, never fear, we are happy to supply you with train and truck themed books and music. Plus… you have two more Thursdays this month to participate.  What surprises will Dina present with U and V, or Karen with X, Y and Z? Come and find out! Toddler Storytime is at 10:15 and Preschool Storytime is at 11:00. See you there!

 

The Library will be celebrating both National Library Week and National Volunteer Week in a whirlwind two hours of "Random Acts of Culture", featuring a variety of activities, on Saturday, April 16, from 7 - 9 p.m.  Enjoy Celtic harp music of Amy Krupski (7 - 8:15 p.m.), a special musical tribute to our volunteers (7:10 p.m.), Collage and Poetry with Patrice Vecchione (7-8:15 p.m.), Monterey Improv Comedy with the hilarious Mirth'O'Matics for ages 10-up only (7:20 p.m.), Storytelling Wtih Dina  Stansbury (8:00 - 8;15 p.m.) and a rocking closing show withLaptop Rapper MC Lars at 8:15.  Admission is free.  Come and join the celebration! More www.monterey.org/library.  

For any of you who didn't already know, Wednesday, April 13, 2011, is National Bookmobile Day. There are over 900 bookmobiles across the country. The first  bookmobile service in the U.S. was started by librarian, Mary Titcomb in 1905. On a horse-drawn wagon, she would carry books to farms and rural homes in Washington County, Maryland. Today books and other library materials are delivered in many different ways, sometimes aboard camels (Uganda), elephants (Thailand), burros (Columbia), and boats (Norway). The Monterey Public Library Bookmobile has eight bookmobile stops in our city, bringing books, movies, CDs, audiobooks, magazines, Spanish materials, and free Internet access to members of the community.  On April 13, there will be festivities at the Bookmobile stops. For a schedule of Bookmobile stops go to www.monterey.org/library/AboutUs/BookmobileSchedule.aspx

 

April is National Poetry Month, and a good time to announce that the National Book Critics Circle 2011 award winner in the poetry category is C.D. Wright's One with Others.  This is a blend of poetry and journalism which explores an incident that took place in  Arkansas during the Civil Rights Movement.