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!

Everyone has a story, and StoryCorps Historias wants yours!

¡Cuénteme un cuento! Everyone has a story to tell, and StoryCorps Historias wants to hear yours! They will be in San Antonio on August 15, 16, and 17, at the Las Palmas Branch Library, 515 Castroville Road. All it takes is you and a friend or family member to have a conversation about your experiences, your memories, your thoughts, or your plans.

StoryCorps Historias is an initiative to record the diverse stories and life experiences of Latinos in the United States. This is an opportunity to record those stories your grandmother always tells you, share what you remember about your mother, honor that uncle who served in the armed forces, or tell why you are in San Antonio - anything meaningful to you and your community. Sharing these stories celebrates our history, honors our heritage, and captures the true spirit of our community. It will ensure that the voices of Latinos will be preserved and remembered for generations to come.

When you record your story, you’ll have a meaningful experience captured on CD to share with your friends, family, and community. With your permission, a copy will be archived at the Library of Congress for future generations to hear.

Individuals (the interviewer and the interviewee) are invited to make a reservation to record their stories by contacting Rebecca Alvarez at Las Palmas, 434-6394, during library service hours. Sessions begin at 9:30 a.m., end at 3:30p.m., and are scheduled at one-hour intervals. The recording session runs for approximately 40 minutes.

You're invited to visit the StoryCorps Historias website http://storycorps.org/historias-en/ for details, and a list of Great Questions to start planning your conversation.

We're still gathering opinions about our web page, www.mysapl.org. Please visit the page, then take a few minutes to complete this brief questionnaire: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/mysapl. Thank you!

It's a work in progress - give us your opinion!

In 2009 the San Antonio Public Library launched its new website. Like all websites, it's under continual improvement. We'd like to ask you to take a few minutes to give us your opinion about the website. Please take a look at the page, www.mysapl.org, try out some of the features, then click here to answer a few brief questions.

Please ask your friends and family to visit our web page and complete the questionnaire at http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/mysapl as well.

Thank you for helping us make our website better!

WWE stars visit Central Library to promote reading

WWE superstars John Morrison and Gail Kim will visit the Central Library, 600 Soledad, from 11:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on Monday, July 26, to promote the WrestleMania Reading Challenge. A partnership between the American Library Association’s Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA) and World Wrestling Entertainment, the Reading Challenge offers students from grades 5 through 12 the chance to win trips to WrestleMania in Atlanta on April 2, 2011, and $2,000 WrestleMania grants for their libraries. WWE stars are on a nationwide tour to promote the reading program. During their stop at the Central Library, Morrison and Kim will sign autographs for fans who show their library cards.

For more information on the WWE, go to http://www.wwe.com/, and to learn more about the WrestleMania Reading Challenge, go to http://www.acrl.org/ala/mgrps/divs/yalsa/teenreading/wrmc/wrmc.cfm.

The event is free and open to the public. One hour free parking is available in the Library parking garage with validated ticket.

The Old Spice Guy speaks up for libraries

The Old Spice Guy, whose commercials promoting the men's toiletry line have gone viral on the Internet, stepped out of the shower long enough to say a few words about public libraries. It's official: guys can be real guys and enjoy a good book - or movie - or music.

Take a look at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bu-KBxOtJxs.

It's not too late - you can still sign up for Summer Reading!

Mayor Julián Castro has declared June and July "San Antonio Public Library Summer Reading Months," and urges everyone to spend some time reading this summer - see Mayor Castro's special Summer Reading message here! Noting that parents have a strong influence on their children's reading habits, he said, "It needs to start at birth - my wife and I read to our daughter every day." The Mayor and Mrs. Castro have also signed their little girl up for her first-ever Library Summer Reading Program.

The San Antonio Public Library offers Summer Reading activities for children and teens up to age 18. Participants can also win books to keep for themselves! For more information, or to register, visit the Library's web page, http://www.mysapl.org/.

And stay tuned for information about the Library's end-of-Summer-Reading parties!

Sometimes you want to buy instead of borrow...

...pick up some great bargains and help the Library at the same time!

Friday through Sunday, July 9 through 11, the Friends of the San Antonio Public Library will hold their annual Tent Sale featuring books, videos, CDs, audiobooks and LP records (yes, real vinyl!) in the Book Cellar Used Book Store in the basement of the Central Library 600 Soledad. Sale hours will be 9:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m. on Friday and Saturday and 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. on Sunday. The Friends want to be sure everyone knows that the Book Cellar and the Central Library are open even though building renovations are underway.

The Book Cellar will be closed during the day on Thursday, July 8, to get ready for the sale, but will reopen from 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. that evening for a special preview sale for Friends members. Not a member? You can sign up at the door on Thursday, and get first choice at one of the biggest book sales around!

Proceeds from the sale benefit the Library. For more information, call the Book Cellar at (210) 227-9519.