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We couldn't do it without them!

At 2:00 p.m. at the Central Library on Sunday, June 12, the San Antonio Public Library Board of Trustees will honor individuals and organizations who have contributed to Library service in the community by presenting them with Library Champion Awards. Join us to celebrate the gift of volunteering!

This year's honorees are:

Councilmen Justin Rodriguez and John Clamp

Deedee Lu

Library Volunteer Marketing Team
Mari Aguirre
Mike Bacon
Angela Bartels
Becky Bridges
Jessica Cerda
Rosenda Rios
Andi Rodriguez
Anamaria Suescun-Fast

Mercedes O'Higgins

The Rackspace Foundation

Karen Sagun

Chairs of the San Antonio Public Library Foundation
Gene Ames
Pat Flynn
Kye Fox
Nick Hollis
Alice Lynch
Dennis Martinez
Mike Molak
Guillermo Nicolas
Carol O'Malley
Debbie Prost

Also being recognized are the three individual volunteers with the greatest number of service hours:

Richard Kierbow - 1,158 hours
Paula Parra - 845 hours
Pamela Miller - 693 hours

Thanks to all of you - we couldn't do it without you!

School's out - don't forget to add the Library to your summer plans!

On June 3 Mayor Julián Castro helped kick off the San Antonio Public Library's Summer Reading Program, inviting children and teens up to age 18 to join the Library for a summer of reading and fun. Library staff say the goal behind Summer Reading is to show that reading is fun and reading just for the fun of it is a good way to spend some time.

For children, activities are planned throughout the summer, including special performances by popular magician Spikey Mikey, and the Magik Theatre presenting their hit version of If You Give a Pig a Party. For teens, there will be video gaming, puzzle parties, book clubs, or just hanging with friends. And for everyone who completes the Summer Reading program, there will be a book of your own to keep!

For more information on the children's Summer Reading Program, or to register, go here. Teens can sign up and find out what's going on at their library here.

To get a monthly report on what's new @ your library, sign up for our newsletter!

Bannwolf Library at Reagan High School discontinues public library service

At 6:00 p.m. on Sunday, May 29, the Bannwolf Library at Reagan High School will discontinue its public-library operation. The opening of the new Parman Branch Library at Stone Oak allows the San Antonio Public Library to offer full-time public library service to the north central area, in turn allowing the Reagan High School facility to return to full-time service as a high school library. San Antonio Public Library items currently housed at the Bannwolf Library will be transferred to other branch libraries throughout the system.

The innovative school-public library partnership opened its doors in October 1999, and its success led to a second collaboration, the Pruitt Public Library at Roosevelt High School. The Pruitt Library will continue its dual service as both a public library and a school library.

Ramiro Salazar, Director of the San Antonio Public Library, thanked partner North East Independent School District: “We appreciate that the North East Independent School District and their librarians embraced this new service model to bring public libraries to underserved areas. The school district’s cooperation and support helped us offer public library service to new neighborhoods and continue to make a difference in our community.”

Former users of the Bannwolf Library are invited to visit the Parman Branch Library to take advantage of the full range of San Antonio Public Library resources, programs and services.

Job hunting? Start @ your library

Whether you're just graduating from college or high school or thinking of a career change, you're probably making plans to start looking for a job. The San Antonio Public Library is the place to start. We have books and magazines, of course, but more than that, we have information to help you develop a résumé, write an attention-getting cover letter, and prepare for an interview - and it's all at your fingertips at the click of a mouse on our webpage, www.mysapl.org.

Or if you see yourself more as an entrepreneur, the San Antonio Public Library is your partner there, too. From one-on-one counseling with experienced executives to free market research to business and financial news, the Library is a one-stop starting point.

And don't forget: all libraries offer the assistance of trained information specialists to help you find exactly what you're looking for. The best part? It's all free! Visit the San Antonio Public Library today.

2011 Young Pegasus Poets try their wings!

This weekend San Antonio's young poets will be recognized at the 85th annual Young Pegasus Poetry Awards ceremony, scheduled for 2:00 p.m. on Sunday, May 15, at the Hermann Sons Grand Lodge, 515 S. St. Mary's. This year more than 2,000 poems were submitted for consideration, with 71 poems by 61 young authors - ranging in age from 6 to 18 - selected for publication in the 2011 Young Pegasus Poetry Anthology. Those lucky enough to attend will hear these creative young writers read their own poems aloud.

Items of interest:

Two new libraries are now open to serve you!

Mission Branch Library, 3134 Roosevelt Avenue 78214 (on the former site of the Mission Drive-in Theatre)
Parman Branch Library in Stone Oak, 20735 Wilderness Oak 78258

Don't forget it's almost time for Summer Reading, sponsored again this year by Mayor Julian Castro! For information on the kids' program, go here, and to find out what the teens are planning, go here.

We couldn't do it without them!

Do you know someone - a volunteer - who is the support and mainstay of your local branch of the San Antonio Public Library? Someone who is always there to help with storytime, to shelve books, to assist teen services staff with projects? A business or organization that has sent volunteers or donated funds to support Library programming or provide new resources? The San Antonio Public Library Board of Trustees wants to hear from you!

The Library Board is seeking nominations for the 2011 Library Champion Awards. These awards recognize individuals (not employed by the Library), businesses, and community organizations for their substantial involvement with the Library system, or who have contributed time, talent or resources that resulted in the enhancement of library service in San Antonio.

Anyone may submit a nomination for Library Champion. Previous recipients are eligible for nomination. A nomination form is available on the Library's webpage or by calling (210) 207-2638.

The deadline for nominations is March 1. Recipients will be honored at an awards ceremony on Sunday, April 17, at the Central Library.

The San Antonio Public Library Board of Trustees created the Library Champion Awards in 1996 to honor notable contributions to the Library system. Past award recipients include Dr. Amy Freeman Lee, former San Antonio City Manager Alex Briseño, author Barbara Stanush, Wings Press publisher Bryce Milligan, the Friends of the San Antonio Public Library, the San Pedro Hills Women's Club, the San Antonio Express-News, and the San Antonio Public Library Foundation.

How many of your New Year's resolutions have you broken?

January is a little more than half gone. Did you make some New Year's resolutions back on January 1? How many of them are you sticking to? Guest blogger K.G. Wilkins reminds us that your public library is a great place to get the support you need to make those resolutions into reality (we've made just a few edits to make her advice fit San Antonio):

The tradition of starting the New Year right has been around for hundreds of years. Lately, it has sold lots of diet books and exercise equipment. We at the Library are ready for any resolution you might want to make - and at much less cost than the purchase of a new treadmill!

I will lose weight and get in shape: We have the popular diet books and cookbooks that go with finding a newer way to cook. We also have books and videos on exercise and yoga. Our OverDrive selections include e-books that you can read on your computer or portable devices (depending on the title and your device). [Editor's note: your local library might even have exercise classes. One San Antonio branch library offers tai chi, another, line dancing. To see what's available, call your branch library, check our online calendar of events, or pick up a copy of our "Bookmarks" quarterly calendar next time you visit your library.]

I will improve my computer skills: We have in-person instructors on a rotating basis at libraries throughout the system. Other branches offer practice sessions where you can get some personalized coaching from Library staff.

I will learn a language: We have books and CDs and online language courses that you can download from the OverDrive collection at the Library. And our librarians have developed a guide to help you find some of the best resources around - go here to see our recommendations.

I will travel more: We have lots of travel guides and public access computers if you want to shop for a better deal online. We even have a special online page to help you find new places to go and ways to get there. You can also come in and print out your e-ticket at the library from our public access computers or print out a map from Google or Mapquest for your driving vacations.

I will relax: We have books on stress management. We also have lots of music on CD that you can listen to. Exercise is a great way to work off stress, so don't forget all the library resources that can help you there. And don't underestimate the power of a good book to take you away from your daily cares. A lovely romance or an exciting suspense novel or a biography of a character that you admire can give you a regular way to de-compress.

I will do more with my children or grandchildren: Think of taking them to the library and helping them get library cards and visiting regularly. All San Antonio Public Library locations offer free story times and lots of special events through the year. Share the joy of reading and a few wonderful DVD movies and music. Your library card can make for some wonderful memories. (And, while it might not be exactly fun, you can help a struggling student by pointing him or her to our free online live homework help service, tutor.com.)

I will save money: Well, consider that you can check out a DVD, CD, audiobook or printed book free from the library any day. You can use the public access computers for free any day. We have free wi-fi for your laptop web-surfing, or for businesspeople to use if they need a place to work for a while. We also have books on saving money and investing for retirement - all free for you to use.

I will give back to my community: Systemwide, the San Antonio Public Library is used by more than 11,000 people a day. Donating to the San Antonio Public Library Foundation or joining the Friends of the San Antonio Public Library is a way to support our 900,000 plus library card-holders. Your gift will enhance every neighborhood and will support education and self-improvement. Happy New Year! May it be prosperous and healthy for us all.

Guest blogger K.G. Wilkins is a Children's Services Librarian at the Main Branch of the New Orleans Public Library.

Special thanks to the New Orleans Times-Picayune for allowing us to share Ms. Wilkins' article with our readers!

I have a new eReader - now what do I do?

Did you get an eBook reader as a holiday gift? Wondering what to do with it? Wonder no more - the San Antonio Public Library wants to help! From January 10 through early February, the Library will offer free eReader clinics to help you get the most out of your eBook reader. Starting with the basics, you'll soon be using your reader to explore the entire Dewey Decimal System, as well as fiction!

Here's a clinic schedule:
January 10 6:00 p.m. Thousand Oaks Branch Library
January 13 1:00 p.m. Maverick Branch Library
January 15 2:00 p.m. The Tobin Library at Oakwell
January 20 2:00 p.m. McCreless Branch Library
January 22 10:00 a.m. Las Palmas Branch Library
January 23 1:00 p.m. Brook Hollow Branch Library
January 26 6:00 p.m. Great Northwest Branch Library
January 29 3:00 p.m. Cody Branch Library
January 30 11:00 a.m. Igo Branch Library
February 3 6:00 p.m. Central Library
February 5 12:00 noon Landa Branch Library

Get started with your eBook reader!

Did you get an eBook reader as a holiday gift? Wondering what to do with it? Wonder no more - the San Antonio Public Library wants to help!

From January 10 through early February, the Library will offer free eReader clinics to help you get the most out of your eBook reader. Starting with the basics, you'll soon be using your reader to explore the entire Dewey Decimal System, as well as fiction!

Here's a clinic schedule:
January 10 6:00 p.m. Thousand Oaks Branch Library
January 13 1:00 p.m. Maverick Branch Library
January 15 2:00 p.m. The Tobin Library at Oakwell
January 20 2:00 p.m. McCreless Branch Library
January 22 10:00 a.m. Las Palmas Branch Library
January 23 1:00 p.m. Brook Hollow Branch Library
January 26 6:00 p.m. Great Northwest Branch Library
January 29 3:00 p.m. Cody Branch Library
January 30 11:00 a.m. Igo Branch Library
February 3 6:00 p.m. Central Library
February 5 12:00 noon Landa Branch Library

...and a chance to add to your movie and audiobook library...
With the increasing popularity of new formats such as downloadables, DVDs and CDs, items on tape are not being checked out as often - as a matter of fact, books on tape and movies on VHS account for less than 1% of our annual circulation. So we're giving you the chance to snap some up at great prices, and help the Library too!

On Saturday and Sunday, January 8 and 9, the Friends of the San Antonio Public Library are holding a special sale of audiobooks on tape and movies on VHS. Proceeds will benefit the Library.

If you're in the neighborhood, check out what's available at one of these locations:

Bazan Branch Library
Saturday and Sunday, January 8 and 9 • 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Brook Hollow Branch Library
Saturday, January 8 • 10:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

Carver Branch Library
Saturday and Sunday, January 8 and 9 • 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Collins Garden Branch Library
Saturday and Sunday, January 8 and 9 • 12:00 noon to 4:00 p.m.

Cortez Branch Library
Saturday, January 8 • 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

Johnston Branch Library
Saturday and Sunday, January 8 and 9 • 12:00 noon to 3:00 p.m.

Maverick Branch Library
Saturday and Sunday, January 8 and 9 • 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.

McCreless Branch Library
Saturday and Sunday, January 8 and 9 • 12:00 noon to 4:00 p.m.

Memorial Branch Library
Saturday, January 8 • 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Thousand Oaks Branch Library
Sunday, January 9 • 12:00 noon to 2:00 p.m.