SAPL audiobooks now in iPod and Mac formats!

iPod users can now download and enjoy almost every single audiobook on Overdrive! That’s right - Overdrive struck a deal with the vast majority of publishers allowing the conversion of .wma file audiobooks for a variety of Apple products.

Macintosh users can utilize a special Mac-compatible version of the Overdrive Media Console and download and enjoy the mp3-file audiobooks from Overdrive and NetLibrary - a total of over 1200 audiobooks to choose from.

To get started, you'll need a San Antonio Public Library card. Go to "Downloadables" on the San Antonio Public Library home page (http://www.mysapl.org/), then click on "Digital Media Downloads" under the "OverDrive Digital Library" header. Follow the instructions to start downloading books, music and more to your Apple-compatible device.

Don't have a library card? All you need is proof of residence in Bexar County and a photo ID. Stop by any location of the San Antonio Public Library and you can leave with your own library card!

Can't visit a library just now? Go to "How do I get a library card?" You'll be walked through signing up online, and will be able to access most of our online resources, including downloadables, right away! Come by a San Antonio Public Library location within 30 days to get your hard-copy library card.

(Of course, if you have an MP3 or other device, you can get the same great stuff! Just click on the "Downloadables" link above and follow the directions.)

And the best part? All of this is free! Happy reading - or listening!

Westfall Branch Library gets a facelift

The Westfall Branch Library will close on Monday, August 17, for renovations which will include roof replacement, parking lot repairs, American Disability Act upgrades to sidewalks and handicapped parking spaces, interior painting, new carpet, new furniture, restroom renovations, installation of a lighted flagpole, and repainting of the monument sign. The project is expected to last for approximately two weeks.

Your San Antonio Public Library card may be used at any San Antonio Public Library location. While the branch is closed, checked-out items may be returned to any location in the San Antonio Public Library system, renewed online at http://www.mysapl.org/, or renewed by phone at 207-6121 (toll-free 1-866-432-8950).

The libraries closest to the Westfall Branch Library are:

Landa Branch Library
233 Bushnell Avenue
(210) 732-8369

Cody Branch Library
11441 Vance Jackson Road
(210) 696-6396

Forest Hills Branch Library
5245 Ingram Road
(210) 431-2544

For more information, call 207-2500

Help for teachers @ your library

It's almost time for school to start, and teachers all over the city are getting ready to welcome new students. To help teachers prepare for the new school year, the San Antonio Public Library is offering a series of free database classes. The second class in the series, which will cover resources for elementary and middle-school students, is scheduled for 2:00 p.m. on Saturday, August 15. Students will earn 2 CPE credits for each completed course. Future classes will be determined, in part, by students attending the class.

The program is free and open to the public, but seating is limited. To reserve a place, please register online at http://tinyurl.com/teacher-resources or call (210) 207-2500.
One hour of free parking is available in the Central Library parking garage with a validated ticket. For more information, the public may call 207-2500.

Virtual San Antonio Public Library adds new resources

The Latino Collection at the San Antonio Public Library now has an online counterpart - open 24 hours a day! We've added subscriptions to the Latino Literature and the Latin American Women Writers databases from Alexander Street Press. Both collections feature thousands of pages of fiction, poetry, essays and plays, much of it never before published. Check out the showcases at Latino Literature and Latin American Women Writers for a quick overview of the content at each database. To access the databases themselves, go to www.mysapl.org and click on "Databases" at the top of the page.

The Latino Collection is a cultural and educational resource which chronicles and celebrates the literature, heritage, and contemporary life of Latinos in the United States. Though the majority of this collection focuses on the Mexican American or Chicano experience, materials about Puerto Rican, Cuban American and other Latin American heritages are also included in the collection. The collection was established in 1996 and currently includes more than 7,000 volumes.

Looking for a great career?

Are you looking for a great career? Think about becoming a librarian! The San Antonio Public Library and San Antonio Public Library Foundation want to help – you could receive a scholarship to study for your Master’s Degree in Library and Information Science! For more information, please call (210) 207-2635 or visit http://www.saplf.org/.

Cleaning goes green @ the Library

Most of us enjoy a clean home, but sadly, today’s hectic pace doesn’t leave us the time that she had for household chores. We want it – need it – to be done simply and quickly, which is why household cleaning products are a 7-billion-dollar business yearly (Packaged Facts, Feb. 2008). Chemicals make the work easier.

But do we need all those bottles and toxins under the sink? Some people say no. Today’s trend is green cleaning, a new twist on an old activity: housekeeping. Green cleaning involves eliminating toxins from the equation by use of natural or plant-based products to get the job done.

At a brownbag program at the Central Library, 600 Soledad, on Wednesday, August 5, at 11:30 a.m., April Mier will explain how to clean your home simply and effectively with a few basic multi-use products, such as vinegar, cream of tartar, baking soda, lemons, and salt. Attendees are welcome to bring a lunch to the event. Table seating will be available.

The event is free and open to the public. One hour's free parking is available in the Library Parking Garage with validated ticket.

Library invites kids, families to celebrate a summer of reading!

On Saturday, August 1, the San Antonio Public Library invites children and their parents to celebrate a summer of reading with SummerFest at the Central Library, 600 Soledad. The fun will kick off at 11:00 a.m. and run until 3:00 p.m. Activities will include crafts, games, facepainting, and refreshments.

The event is free and open to the public. For this event only, free parking will be available all day in the Library parking garage. For more information, the public may call 207-2621.

Summer Reading and SummerFest sponsors include the Friends of the San Antonio Public Library, CPS Energy, Scholastic, First Book, the San Antonio Silver Stars, McDonald’s, the San Antonio Public Library Foundation and the City of San Antonio Downtown Operations Department.