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.

Everbody's doing it! Join Mayor Castro and sign your family 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/.

Celebrate Juneteenth at Carver Branch Library!

In observance of Juneteenth, the Carver Branch Library, 3350 E. Commerce Street, will host a special appearance by actress/author Bern Nadette Stanis, best known for her role as Thelma on the hit TV series Good Times. The event will take place beginning at 12:00 noon on Saturday, June 19.

Ms. Stanis is also the author of Situations 101 and For Men Only, a book of poetry. She will participate in a panel discussion on "Images of Blacks in Media: Literature, TV and Film." The panel will also feature authors Caleb Alexander, Chris Cannon, Darine Davis, T.L. James, R.L. Sloan, Cynthia Toliver, Kimberly Kaye Terry, Tamika Newhouse and Lorraine Elzia.

The event is free and open to the public. For more information, please call (210) 225-7801.

To learn more about Juneteenth, visit one of the branches of the San Antonio Public Library.

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Do you remember Good Times? It was one of the hottest shows of the 1970s and featured Esther Rolle, John Amos, Jimmie Walker and Ja'Net DuBois, as well as Bern Nadette Stanis. Jimmie Walker's character J.J. gave us the catch phrase "Dy-No-Mite!" Add a comment and share your thoughts on Good Times.