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Monday, June 13, 2011
Friday, June 10, 2011
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!
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!
Friday, June 3, 2011
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!
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!
Thursday, May 26, 2011
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.
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.
Saturday, May 21, 2011
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.
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.
Tuesday, May 10, 2011
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.
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.
Thursday, February 3, 2011
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.
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.
Tuesday, January 18, 2011
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!
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!
Sunday, January 9, 2011
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
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
Wednesday, January 5, 2011
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.
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.
Friday, December 17, 2010
Attention SAPL Spurs Fans!
Are you a Library fan AND a Spurs fan? Here's your chance to support both! Friday, January 14, 2011, is San Antonio Public Library Night with the Spurs, and we're playing the Dallas Mavericks!
A portion of the proceeds from ticket sales for that night will benefit the Library. To pick your seats and order your tickets online, go here. Then:
• Enter special promotion code: Library
• Create a new account (or log in to your existing one)
• Pick your seats and location
• Enter your billing information and print tickets at home
Tickets are available at a variety of prices, so reserve yours now!
A portion of the proceeds from ticket sales for that night will benefit the Library. To pick your seats and order your tickets online, go here. Then:
• Enter special promotion code: Library
• Create a new account (or log in to your existing one)
• Pick your seats and location
• Enter your billing information and print tickets at home
Tickets are available at a variety of prices, so reserve yours now!
Thursday, December 9, 2010
Giving e-book readers as holiday gifts?
We keep hearing that e-book readers will be among the most popular gifts this holiday season - as we mentioned earlier, don't forget to tuck a Library card application in before you wrap your presents! Your gift recipients will appreciate the ability to download free e-books, audiobooks, movies and music online.
If you're wondering about what kind of reader to buy, probably one that can download from multiple sources would be best. To find out what kinds of e-book readers support free library downloads, go here - there's a wide range of compatible readers. The library also has more general information about digital resources and how to access them here.
And watch for more information about special sessions we'll be offering after the holidays to help you get started using your brand-new digital reader!
If you're wondering about what kind of reader to buy, probably one that can download from multiple sources would be best. To find out what kinds of e-book readers support free library downloads, go here - there's a wide range of compatible readers. The library also has more general information about digital resources and how to access them here.
And watch for more information about special sessions we'll be offering after the holidays to help you get started using your brand-new digital reader!
Friday, November 19, 2010
Holiday shopping? Think about a Library card!
According to the Consumer Electronics Association, consumer electronic sales will reach the highest level ever this year. Here’s what this means: 7 out of 10 wish list items support e-Book reading.
Okay, so it looks like just about everyone on your gift list will want an e-Book reader this year. That makes shopping easy, but once the gifts have been unwrapped, where will all the recipients find books to read?
Here's a helpful San Antonio Public Library holiday hint: include an application for a Library card with every e-Book reader or mp3 player you give! We have more than 2,000 e-book titles and more than 4,000 audiobook titles available for free download 24/7 on our website. A San Antonio Public Library card is free, and any resident of Bexar County is eligible to receive one. You can pick up a library card application at any San Antonio Public Library location, and your gift recipients will appreciate your thoughtfulness!
Monday, October 25, 2010
It's ¡Tamalada! time @ the Library!
UPDATE: All tickets have been distributed and are no longer available.
Tickets for the San Antonio Public Library’s popular annual holiday celebration ¡Tamalada! will be available at the Central Library, 600 Soledad, beginning Monday, November 1, when the library opens at 9:00 a.m.
¡Tamalada! gives San Antonians a chance to enjoy the long-standing tradition of getting together at the home of a friend or relative to make tamales for the upcoming holiday season. The Library’s version offers two classes on how to make tamales, with a choice of times, 10:00 a.m.-11:30 a.m., or 12:00 noon-1:30 p.m., followed at 2:30 p.m. by a preview presentation of the hilarious bilingual play Las Nuevas Tamaleras, a San Antonio holiday tradition in its own right.
This year’s ¡Tamalada! is scheduled for Saturday, November 20. All activities are free and open to the public, but seating is limited, and tickets are required for admission. Each customer may pick up two tickets for a tamal class and two tickets for the Las Nuevas Tamaleras performance, while supplies last.
The cooking classes are presented by Sandra Vásquez, the inventor of the Más Tamales masa spreader. Sandra offers glimpses into the long tamalada tradition while giving tips on short cuts and time-savers to help busy families make their own tamales.
A comedy which can be enjoyed by English-speakers and Spanish-speakers alike, Las Nuevas Tamaleras follows the adventures of three modern Hispanic women as they try their hands at making tamales for the first time. During their “ordeal” they are guided by the spirits of traditional Hispanic women who have been allowed to return as invisible angels to oversee the project.
Las Nuevas Tamaleras was written and is directed by San Antonio author and playwright Alicia Mena, and first opened in Houston at El Teatro Bilingüe’s First Annual Latino Playwright’s Festival. Its first San Antonio performance was in 1993 at the Guadalupe Cultural Center, and it has since become an annual tradition.
¡Tamalada! is presented by Bolner’s Fiesta Products, Burras Finas Productions, Mex-Sales Company, the San Antonio Public Library Foundation, the City of San Antonio Parks and Recreation Department, and the San Antonio Public Library.
Tickets for the San Antonio Public Library’s popular annual holiday celebration ¡Tamalada! will be available at the Central Library, 600 Soledad, beginning Monday, November 1, when the library opens at 9:00 a.m.
¡Tamalada! gives San Antonians a chance to enjoy the long-standing tradition of getting together at the home of a friend or relative to make tamales for the upcoming holiday season. The Library’s version offers two classes on how to make tamales, with a choice of times, 10:00 a.m.-11:30 a.m., or 12:00 noon-1:30 p.m., followed at 2:30 p.m. by a preview presentation of the hilarious bilingual play Las Nuevas Tamaleras, a San Antonio holiday tradition in its own right.
This year’s ¡Tamalada! is scheduled for Saturday, November 20. All activities are free and open to the public, but seating is limited, and tickets are required for admission. Each customer may pick up two tickets for a tamal class and two tickets for the Las Nuevas Tamaleras performance, while supplies last.
The cooking classes are presented by Sandra Vásquez, the inventor of the Más Tamales masa spreader. Sandra offers glimpses into the long tamalada tradition while giving tips on short cuts and time-savers to help busy families make their own tamales.
A comedy which can be enjoyed by English-speakers and Spanish-speakers alike, Las Nuevas Tamaleras follows the adventures of three modern Hispanic women as they try their hands at making tamales for the first time. During their “ordeal” they are guided by the spirits of traditional Hispanic women who have been allowed to return as invisible angels to oversee the project.
Las Nuevas Tamaleras was written and is directed by San Antonio author and playwright Alicia Mena, and first opened in Houston at El Teatro Bilingüe’s First Annual Latino Playwright’s Festival. Its first San Antonio performance was in 1993 at the Guadalupe Cultural Center, and it has since become an annual tradition.
¡Tamalada! is presented by Bolner’s Fiesta Products, Burras Finas Productions, Mex-Sales Company, the San Antonio Public Library Foundation, the City of San Antonio Parks and Recreation Department, and the San Antonio Public Library.
Thursday, October 21, 2010
Welcome home, Fiesta Tower!
In October 2009, Dale Chihuly’s colorful glass sculpture, Fiesta Tower, was disassembled from its display location in the Central Library and placed in secure storage during roof work and replacement of the Central Library’s skylights located directly over the tower.Now the Fiesta Tower has been reinstalled and the Central Library’s second-floor atrium will shortly reopen.
To celebrate the Fiesta Tower’s homecoming, the San Antonio Public Library will host a family craft event from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m. on Saturday, October 23, in the second-floor atrium at the Central Library, 600 Soledad.
During the come-and-go event, local artist Susie Monday will guide participants in creating their own Chihuly-style works of art. The event is free and open to the public. One hour of free parking is available in the library parking garage with validated ticket.
A gift of the Russell Hill Rogers Fund for the Arts through a grant to the San Antonio Public Library Foundation, the Fiesta Tower was originally installed in the Central Library in 2003 as part of the celebration of the San Antonio Public Library’s 100th anniversary.
Notes: The Memorial Branch Library, 3222 Culebra Road, will close for renovations on Monday, November 8, 2010. The project is expected to take approximately one month to complete.
All San Antonio Public Library locations will be closed on Thursday, November 11, in observance of Veterans Day.
Friday, September 24, 2010
Banned Books Week: Celebrating the Freedom to Read
Saturday, September 25, sees the kickoff of Banned Books Week, an annual event celebrating the freedom to read. The website of the American Library Association, which originated the annual observance, says, “Intellectual freedom – the freedom to access information and express ideas, even if the information and ideas might be considered unorthodox or unpopular – provides the foundation for Banned Books Week, [which] stresses the importance of ensuring the availability of unorthodox or unpopular viewpoints for all who wish to read and access them.”
Most of the books spotlighted during Banned Books Week have been the subject of challenges about their inclusion in school or public library collections, or on students’ assigned reading lists. Books that have been challenged or removed include The Diary of Anne Frank, To Kill a Mockingbird, the Twilight series, Huckleberry Finn, Gone with the Wind, the Goosebumps series, The Great Gatsby, The Grapes of Wrath, A Wrinkle in Time, and probably some of your favorites (I know some of mine are in the list above.)
Why is it important to talk about this? I think it’s because we are reminded that if you or I can ban a book someone else likes, then it’s entirely possible that a book we find important can be banned as well. Part of the price of an open conversation is that sometimes we might hear something we don’t like.
If you’re interested in continuing the conversation about what we read, join us on Thursday, September 30, at 7:00 p.m. in the Central Library Auditorium, 600 Soledad, when Dotty Griffith, ACLU of Texas Public Education Director, will discuss the Banned Books report for this year. In celebration of the 50th anniversary of the publication of To Kill a Mockingbird, she will also reflect on the book’s significance for us today.
What books would you want to protect? Drop us a line and let us know.
Most of the books spotlighted during Banned Books Week have been the subject of challenges about their inclusion in school or public library collections, or on students’ assigned reading lists. Books that have been challenged or removed include The Diary of Anne Frank, To Kill a Mockingbird, the Twilight series, Huckleberry Finn, Gone with the Wind, the Goosebumps series, The Great Gatsby, The Grapes of Wrath, A Wrinkle in Time, and probably some of your favorites (I know some of mine are in the list above.)
Why is it important to talk about this? I think it’s because we are reminded that if you or I can ban a book someone else likes, then it’s entirely possible that a book we find important can be banned as well. Part of the price of an open conversation is that sometimes we might hear something we don’t like.
If you’re interested in continuing the conversation about what we read, join us on Thursday, September 30, at 7:00 p.m. in the Central Library Auditorium, 600 Soledad, when Dotty Griffith, ACLU of Texas Public Education Director, will discuss the Banned Books report for this year. In celebration of the 50th anniversary of the publication of To Kill a Mockingbird, she will also reflect on the book’s significance for us today.
What books would you want to protect? Drop us a line and let us know.
Monday, September 13, 2010
¡Viva Mexico! The San Antonio Public Library celebrates Hispanic Heritage Month
In 2010 nuestro vecino to the south is celebrating the Bicentennial of Mexican Independence and the Centennial of the Mexican Revolution, and the San Antonio Public Library is honoring this observance during Hispanic Heritage Month, September 15 through October 15.
Join us at the Cortez Branch Library from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. on Saturday, September 18, for ¡Viva México!, a celebration in music, story and art of Mexico's battles for independence and democratic government.
All month long, there will be programs at branch libraries throughout the City. Pick up a calendar of events at your library, or visit our online calendar (click on "Hispanic Heritage Month" at the top of the page), and look for these activities:
Crafts, Humor and Short Stories - a series of short animated films focusing on the war for Mexican independence and the Mexican Revolution.
Rhythm of a Revolution - how corridos motivated the Mexican revolution, with special performances by Los Inocentes.
Children are also included, with El águila y la serpiente, a craft series based on the eagle and snake imagery of the Mexican flag. Call your branch library for details, or pick up a calendar of events on your next visit.
You're invited! All programs are free and open to the public.
Join us at the Cortez Branch Library from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. on Saturday, September 18, for ¡Viva México!, a celebration in music, story and art of Mexico's battles for independence and democratic government.
All month long, there will be programs at branch libraries throughout the City. Pick up a calendar of events at your library, or visit our online calendar (click on "Hispanic Heritage Month" at the top of the page), and look for these activities:
Crafts, Humor and Short Stories - a series of short animated films focusing on the war for Mexican independence and the Mexican Revolution.
Rhythm of a Revolution - how corridos motivated the Mexican revolution, with special performances by Los Inocentes.
Children are also included, with El águila y la serpiente, a craft series based on the eagle and snake imagery of the Mexican flag. Call your branch library for details, or pick up a calendar of events on your next visit.
You're invited! All programs are free and open to the public.
Reminders: The Central Library, 600 Soledad, is open, even though renovations are underway.
The McCreless Branch Library, 1023 Ada Street, is currently closed for renovations
Wednesday, September 8, 2010
The San Antonio Public Library invites young authors to try their wings!
For more than eighty years, the San Antonio Public Library's Young Pegasus Poetry Competition has encouraged young authors to try their wings. Open to all Bexar County teens and children eighteen or younger, the Young Pegasus Competition offers poets the opportunity to share their works with the community, and to have their talents recognized. Each year, these young authors are invited to submit their poems for consideration by the Young Pegasus judges. All poems selected are published in the Young Pegasus Poetry Anthology, and the writers recognized at the Young Pegasus award ceremony.
The call for entries for the 2011 Young Pegasus Poetry Competition opens September 15 and will run December 15, 2010. Poems may be submitted online, in person at any San Antonio Public Library location, or by mail to:
Young Pegasus
San Antonio Public Library
600 Soledad, 3rd Floor
San Antonio, Texas 78205
For more information and a list of competition rules, please go to http://guides.mysapl.org/youngpegasus.
Saturday, August 21, 2010
Getting ready for back-to-school? Don't forget your San Antonio Public Library card!
August in San Antonio means back-to-school. When you're shopping for school supplies, don't forget the most important one is free: a San Antonio Public Library card! A Library card gives you access not only to thousands of books, magazines, newspapers, DVDs and CDs, but also to the Library's extensive online resources - full-text journal articles, e-books, downloadables, practice tests and more.
One of the most helpful of the Library's online resources is Live Homework Help. Students can visit this site for free tutoring in real time from qualified tutors in a safe online environment. Tutoring is available in math, science, social studies, and language arts, in both English and Spanish. Tutors are graduate students, teachers, and college professors. They must all undergo background checks and become certified. The Library's Live Homework Help connection is open from 4:00 to 11:00 p.m., seven days a week, and it's free with your San Antonio Public Library card, which is also free! Visit the Library's website www.mysapl.org or call (210) 207-2500 for more information.
One of the most helpful of the Library's online resources is Live Homework Help. Students can visit this site for free tutoring in real time from qualified tutors in a safe online environment. Tutoring is available in math, science, social studies, and language arts, in both English and Spanish. Tutors are graduate students, teachers, and college professors. They must all undergo background checks and become certified. The Library's Live Homework Help connection is open from 4:00 to 11:00 p.m., seven days a week, and it's free with your San Antonio Public Library card, which is also free! Visit the Library's website www.mysapl.org or call (210) 207-2500 for more information.
Wednesday, August 18, 2010
Getting ready for back-to-school? Don't forget your San Antonio Public Library card!
August in San Antonio means back-to-school. When you're shopping for school supplies, don't forget the most important one is free: a San Antonio Public Library card! A Library card gives you access not only to thousands of books, magazines, newspapers, DVDs and CDs, but also to the Library's extensive online resources - full-text journal articles, e-books, downloadables, practice tests and more.
One of the most helpful of the Library's online resources is Live Homework Help. Students can visit this site for free tutoring in real time from qualified tutors in a safe online environment. Tutoring is available in math, science, social studies, and language arts, in both English and Spanish. Tutors are graduate students, teachers, and college professors. They must all undergo background checks and become certified. The Library's Live Homework Help connection is open from 4:00 to 11:00 p.m., seven days a week, and it's free with your San Antonio Public Library card, which is also free! Visit the Library's website www.mysapl.org or call (210) 207-2500 for more information.
If you plan to finish up your back-to-school shopping this weekend, look for the San Antonio Public Library Bookmobile! On Saturday, August 21, we'll be at Ingram Park Mall from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. and at Rolling Oaks Mall from 2:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. Stop by, say hello and get a Library card!
One of the most helpful of the Library's online resources is Live Homework Help. Students can visit this site for free tutoring in real time from qualified tutors in a safe online environment. Tutoring is available in math, science, social studies, and language arts, in both English and Spanish. Tutors are graduate students, teachers, and college professors. They must all undergo background checks and become certified. The Library's Live Homework Help connection is open from 4:00 to 11:00 p.m., seven days a week, and it's free with your San Antonio Public Library card, which is also free! Visit the Library's website www.mysapl.org or call (210) 207-2500 for more information.
If you plan to finish up your back-to-school shopping this weekend, look for the San Antonio Public Library Bookmobile! On Saturday, August 21, we'll be at Ingram Park Mall from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. and at Rolling Oaks Mall from 2:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. Stop by, say hello and get a Library card!
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