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Contact: Jef Findley
Berkeley History Room Specialist
510-981-6148

 

For Immediate Release
June 11, 2013

 

Back to Viet Nam: The Legacy of War
At the Berkeley Public Library

This is a slideshow and discussion presented by Dr. Judy Gumbo Albert presented in the 3rd floor Community Meeting Room at Berkeley’s Central Library, 2090 Kittredge Street, at 2:00 p.m. on Sunday July 14, 2013.  This slideshow chronicles her trip as an anti-war activist to North Viet Nam in 1970 and her return trip in 2013 to help a unified Viet Nam celebrate the 40th anniversary of the Paris Peace Accords.  Judy uses slides and commentary to probe the past and current legacy of that war.

Sponsored by the Friends of the Library (www.berkeleylibraryfriends.org), the free Slide Show & Discussion program at the Central Library takes place on Sunday July 14, 2013 at 2:00 p.m.

For questions and accessibility information, call 510-981-6107, TTY 510-548-1240, www.berkeleypubliclibrary.org.

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Contact:  Erica Dean Glenn
Senior Librarian, Children’s Department
510-981-6229

For Immediate Release
June 6, 2013


Reading is So Delicious Summer Reading Program at Berkeley Public Library

 

Studies have shown that children who continue to read over the summer maintain or improve their reading skills, avoiding the “summer slide”. Summer Reading Programs are an important and fun way to keep children reading over the summer months. The Berkeley Public Library’s Summer Reading Program, “Reading is So Delicious”, runs from June 14 – August 17. Children entering grades 1-8 earn prizes by reading books of their choice and visiting the library 3 times. In keeping with this year’s theme, we will be offering a variety of food related events and other deliciously fun activities. Berkeley Public Library is participating in the California State Library’s Reading is So Delicious Food Drive – everyone is invited to bring non-perishable food items to their local branch during the Summer Reading Program.

Just a sampling of our events includes: a cooking class; movies about food and other (somewhat) edible things; a Children’s Tea with Annie Barrows, author of Ivy and Bean; bilingual music from award-winning educator, author and musician Jose-Luis Orozco; Kenn Adams’ interactive Adventure Theater program and; in conjunction with the Berkeley Comic Arts Festival, a visit from the author of Babymouse! Please be aware that some events require pre-registration. Call 981-6223 or check http://berkeleypubliclibrary.libguides.com/summer for information and additional events.

Kids entering grades 6-8 can also volunteer at the library for four hours through our summer youth volunteer program: “Student Friends”.

Prizes were generously donated by the Friends of the Berkeley Public Library, Fentons Creamery, the Bay Area Discovery Museum, Pegasus Books, Albany Bowl, the San Francisco Bay Ferry, and the Ecology Center/Berkeley Farmers’ Markets.

The Berkeley Public Library Children’s Summer Reading Program is sponsored by the Friends of the Berkeley Public Library (www.berkeleylibraryfriends.org). For questions about accessibility information, call 510-981-6195, TTY 510-548-1240, http://www.berkeleypubliclibrary.org.


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Contact: Isobel Schneider (Tel: 510-981-6150)

For Immediate Release
June 6, 2013


IMAGINE BEING IN A WRITING GROUP: WHY WOULD YOU WANT TO?


Saturday, July 13, 2013, 3pm at the Berkeley Public Library,
Central Branch, 2090 Kittredge Street, downtown Berkeley,
3rd floor Community Meeting Room

Join three energetic Berkeley poets as they offer a reading of their work, discuss the experience of participating in poetry writing groups (including their current writing group together), and answer questions you may have about writing groups.  Bring your questions – or share your own experience and expertise – about how to start up a group, run it, and keep it going.

Rebecca Radner, Glenn Ingersoll and Alan Bern will address such issues as why one might want to join a group at all, how to give feedback that is useful but positive, whether or not it’s best to concentrate on one genre, and whether the group needs a leader.  Your active participation in the discussion and Q & A is welcome.

Rebecca Radner is a writer and editor who has lived in the Bay Area most of her life. She now lives in Berkeley.  A volume of her poetry, What you least expect—selected poems 1980-2011, was published in 2011 by Class Action Ink.  Her work has also appeared in Harvard Magazine, Tricycle: The Buddhist Review, The Iowa Review, The New England Review, The Journal of Popular Culture, California Quarterly, ArtWeek, Inquiring Mind, Boston Review, What Book!? Buddha Poems from Beat to HipHop, and other publications, anthologies, and textbooks. For over twenty years she reviewed books regularly for The San Francisco Chronicle and other publications.  She has given poetry readings in a number of Bay Area venues, including many libraries.

Glenn Ingersoll has been writing poetry seriously since turned on to it by a California Poets-in-the-Schools class at his high school in 1982. In the years since he’s had work in magazines (Seventeen, Exquisite Corpse, Carolina Quarterly) and ezines (Cortland Review, Shampoo), and has published two chapbooks, City Walks (1999) and Fact (2013). He was one of the coordinators of Poetry & Pizza in San Francisco, a reading series benefiting nonprofits. Glenn keeps two blogs, http://dareiread.blogspot.com/ and http://lovesettlement.blogspot.com/, and works for the Berkeley Public Library.

Alan Bern is a Children’s Librarian at Berkeley Public’s Central Library.  He has worked in public libraries in the East Bay Area for 20 years in a variety of jobs. He has published two books with Fithian Press:  No no the saddest (2004) and Waterwalking in Berkeley (2007).  He is currently at work on two books: one based on the theme of Sacred Mountains and the other dedicated to his parents.  Alan is a performer working with the dancer, Lucinda Weaver, as PACES: dance & poetry fit to the space.  Alan is also a printer and designer and collaborates with the artist Robert Woods: they work together under the imprint of Lines & Faces, http://linesandfaces.com/.

For more information, please call 510-981-6148.

The Central Library is open Monday, noon-8 p.m., Tuesday, 10 a.m.-8 p.m., Wednesday through Saturday, 10 a.m.-6 p.m., and Sunday afternoons from 1 p.m.-5 p.m.  For questions and accessibility information, call 510-981-6195, TTY 510-548-1240, berkeleypubliclibrary.org.

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Contact: Andrea Moss
Librarian
510-981-6151

For Immediate Release
June 4, 2013

 

Corporate Giving to Nonprofits
Free workshops at the Berkeley Public Library


Wednesday, June 19  3-5:30pm
Central Library, 2090 Kittredge St
3rd floor community meeting room

3-4:30 pm   Introduction to Corporate Giving
Learn about corporate support for nonprofits.  Includes:

  • Why do companies give, what do they give, and how do they do it?
  • Can my organization seek these contributions?
  • How do I approach a potential supporter?
  • How can I use the Foundation Center’s resources to locate corporate funders?

 

4:30-5:30 pm   Coffee and conversation with a Corporate Grantmaker: Keith Turner, Safeway Foundation

Learn about Safeway’s funding priorities in Northern California.  Mr. Turner will discuss their grantmaking process and offer practical tips and successful examples.

 

Program is free, but please register at www.grantspace.org

This free program is sponsored by the Berkeley Public Library and the Foundation Center.  For questions regarding this program, call 510-981-6151. For accessibility information, call 510-981-6195, TTY (510) 528-1240, www.berkeleypubliclibrary.org.

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Contact:   Patricia Hoshi (Ph:  510-981-6189)

For immediate release
June 3, 2013

 

Free Resume and Cover Letter Workshop
Monday, June 17, 2013

 

Looking for work and need to update your resume? Or just want to improve the resume you have? Come with your resume to a free expert-led forum by Marilyn Tullius from Delta Strategies for Marketing, in the 3rd floor Community Meeting Room at Berkeley’s Central Library, 2090 Kittredge Street, at 6 p.m. on Monday, June 17, 2013.

Does your resume ignite sparks of interest? You will receive tips on handling gaps in employment, focusing your resume on your targeted job category, and becoming clear about the dilemmas of resume writing, such as one-page/two-page resumes, what to include/delete, handling dates, and many other issues. Handouts cover tips and remedies for common problems.

Resumes of various types are discussed. Bring your resume to get feedback and suggestions to strengthen your presentation.

Workshop is informal and designed to address issues of participants, as well as to help participants take next steps confidently.

For questions regarding this program, call 510-981-6148. For accessibility information, call (510) 981-6195 TTY (510) 548-1240, http://berkeleypubliclibrary.org.

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Press Release
Contact: Michele McKenzie — phone: 510-981-6240

 

For Immediate Release
For an exhibit June 3rd – August 4th
Artist talk and reception Sunday, June 16th

 

 

PHOTOGRAPHY EXHIBIT
and ARTIST TALK

WEAD presents: Minoosh (Raheleh) Zomorodinia
“Journey to a Mysterious Truth”

 

Women Environmental Artist Directory (WEAD) board member Minoosh (Raheleh) Zomorodinia exhibits a series of photographs entitled Journey to a Mysterious Truth in Berkeley Public Library’s Central Catalog Lobby, 2090 Kittredge at Shattuck, downtown Berkeley, from June 3rd through August 4th.  Zomorondinia’s haunting and evocative images explore the relationship between the self and its environment. She uses the human form as a metaphor for our presence in physical spaces, expressing our unconscious passages through layers of mysterious truths.

Access to the exhibit is available during the library’s open hours: Monday 12 – 8; Tuesday 10- 8; Wednesday – Saturday, 10 – 6; Sunday 1 – 5.

In conjunction with this exhibition, Zomorodinia will present a slide lecture on Environmental Art in Iran and screen of examples of her video art.   This FREE artist’s talk and reception takes place on Sunday, June 16th at 2PM in the 3rd floor Community Meeting Room of the Central Library.

Minoosh (Raheleh) Zomorodinia is an Iranian photographer and artist based in the Bay Area. She earned a BA in photography and a MA in graphic design from the Art and Architecture University in Tehran, Iran, and is currently studying Multimedia at Berkeley City College.  Zomorodinia taught photography in Iran and has been a member of the Iranian environmental artists group “Open Five” from 2004 to present. Her work has been exhibited locally and internationally. Most recently in the U.S., her work was included the Nevada Art Museum’s exhibition, The Altered Landscape.

Wheelchair accessible.  Sponsored by the Friends of the Library (www.berkeleylibraryfriends.org).  For more information, call 510-981-6100 or connect  www.berkeleypubliclibrary.org

 

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Contact: Shani Leonards, 510-981-6285

For Immediate Release
May 29, 2013

Music & Literary Event
“A Celebration of Irish Song, Literature & Poetry”
Thursday, June 13th at 6:30 pm– Claremont Branch Library

 

Join us on Thursday, June 13th at 6:30 p.m. at the Claremont Branch Library for a cultural evening featuring award-winning  jazz singer and songwriter Melanie O’Reilly. Melanie will team up with top Bay Area jazz pianist Frank Martin to perform music inspired by the writings of James Joyce , Sean O Riordain, Nuala Ni Dhomhnaill  & other Irish greats, interwoven with literature & poetry readings.

One of Ireland’s foremost jazz singers, Melanie performs her own unique style of Celtic Jazz, which has been described as “A gorgeous sound…Celtic Cadence with a jazz sensibility.” Her music has been featured in Frontline and PBS documentaries. She is also host of Award winning radio show “Jazz on the Bay” for the Irish National Broadcasting station, RTE. Frank Martin works as an arranger, conductor and keyboardist and has performed and recorded with a variety of jazz and popular stars including Sting, Stevie Wonder, Bobbi McFerrin and James Taylor.

Wheelchair accessible. To request a sign language interpreter, real-time captioning, materials in large print or Braille, or other accommodations for these events, please call 510 981-6195 (voice) or 510 548-1240 (TTY) At least three working days notice will ensure availability. Please refrain from wearing scented products to public programs.

Sponsored by the Friends of the Berkeley Public Library (www.berkeleylibraryfriends.org)

The Claremont Library, 2940 Benvenue Avenue, Berkeley CA 94705, is open Monday and Tuesday, 10:00 a.m.-6:00p.m., Wednesday and Thursday 12p.m.-8 p.m.., and Friday and Saturday, 10 a.m. until 6 p.m., For questions and accessibility information, call 510-981-6195, TDD 510-548-1240, http://www.berkeleypubliclibrary.org.

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Contact: Tom Dufour (510-981-6134)

For Immediate Release
May 28, 2013
For event occurring June 24, 2013

 

Managing Healthcare Expenses in Retirement:
What Baby Boomers Need to Know,
at the Berkeley Public Library

 

For anyone planning to retire, Berkeley Public Library presents a workshop with local wealth advisor George Noceti of Morgan Stanley, on June 24, 2013 at 6:00 pm in the 3rd floor Community Meeting Room of the Central Branch, 2090 Kittredge Street.

If you are concerned about health care expenses in retirement, now is the time to start planning. Starting with an overview of Medicare and ending with a discussion of long-term care, this workshop will open your eyes to the way health care works in retirement and what decisions you need to make now to prepare. This workshop is geared to everyone, especially those over 60, even if you are already on Medicare.

This free program is sponsored by the Friends of the Library (www.berkeleylibraryfriends.org).

For questions regarding this program, call 510-981-6148.

The Central Library is open Monday, noon-8 p.m., Tuesday, 10 a.m.-8 p.m., Wednesday through Saturday, 10 a.m.-6 p.m., and Sunday afternoons from 1 p.m.-5 p.m.  For questions and accessibility information, call 510-981-6195, TTY 510-548-1240, http://www.berkeleypubliclibrary.org.

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Contact: Isobel Schneider
(Tel: 510-981-6150)

For Immediate Release
May 28, 2013


Poetry Past and Present at Central Library


AL YOUNG, California Poet Laureate Emeritus, along with four other poets will present POETRY PAST AND PRESENT at the Berkeley Public Library, Central Branch, Sunday, June 23, 2013, 2:00pm. They will be reading original work and the work of celebrated poets of the past. There will also be an open mic session giving attendees an opportunity to read their original poems coupled with poems by their favorite poets.

POETRY PAST AND PRESENT will also feature poets Rafael Jesús González , Avotcja Jiltonilro, Kirk Lumpkin, and Ava Bird. The poets will read their original work as well as work by poets from across the centuries including Federico García Lorca, Gwendolyn Brooks, Denise Levertov, Rainier Maria Rilke, Nicolás Guillén, e.e. cummings, Jayne Cortez, Henry David Thoreau, Kabir, Robert Graves, Robinson Jeffers, Pat Parker, Hafiz, Diane di Prima, and Rumi.

Audience members are invited to sign up for an open mic reading when they arrive at the event. Each person will be allowed up to 5 minutes to read one original poem and one poem written by a poet whose work they admire. Readers are reminded that this is a family event.

Al Young was California’s Poet Laureate in 2005. He was recently honored in Berkeley by the declaration of Al Young Day, February 5, 2013. His most recent book is Coastal Nights and Inland Afternoons: Poems 2001-2006. His poetry and prose have been translated into many languages.

Rafael Jesús González is Professor Emeritus and founder of Laney College’s, Department of  Mexican and Latin-American Studies. His most recent book of poetry is La musa lunática/The Lunatic Muse. Avotcja Jiltonilro is a poet and also leads the award winning band, Modupue. She is a D.J. at KPFA and KPOO radio stations. Her most recent book of poetry is With Every Step I Take. Kirk Lumpkin is a poet, performer, lyricist, environmentalist, and cultural worker. Ava Bird is a poet and prose writer who in addition to her books has published articles, poetry, recipes, reviews and photographs in a wide variety of journals and publications.

The program will take place at the Berkeley Public Library, Central Branch, 2090 Kittredge St., Berkeley, on Sunday, June 23, 2013, 2:00pm, in the 3rd floor, Community Meeting Room.

The Central Library is open Monday, noon-8 p.m., Tuesday, 10 a.m.-8 p.m., Wednesday through Saturday, 10 a.m.-6 p.m., and Sunday afternoons from 1 p.m.-5 p.m.  For questions and accessibility information, call 510-981-6195, TTY 510-548-1240, http://www.berkeleypubliclibrary.org.

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Contact: Tom Dufour (510-981-6134)

 

For Immediate Release
May 8, 2013
For event occurring May 28, 2013

 

Savvy Social Security Planning:
What Baby Boomers Need to Know to Maximize Retirement Income
at the Berkeley Public Library


For anyone planning to retire, Berkeley Public Library presents a workshop with local wealth advisor George Noceti of Morgan Stanley, on May 28, 2013 at 6:00 pm in the 3rd floor Community Meeting Room of the Central Branch, 2090 Kittredge Street.

After being told for years that Social Security is “going broke,” baby boomers are realizing that it will soon be their turn to collect. But the decisions they make now can have a tremendous impact on the total amount of benefits they stand to receive over their lifetime. Questions boomers are asking include: Will Social Security be there for me? How much can I expect to receive? When should I apply for Social Security? How can I maximize my benefits? Will Social Security be enough to live on in retirement?

This free program is sponsored by the Friends of the Library (www.berkeleylibraryfriends.org).

For questions regarding this program, call 510-981-6148.

The Central Library is open Monday, noon-8 p.m., Tuesday, 10 a.m.-8 p.m., Wednesday through Saturday, 10 a.m.-6 p.m., and Sunday afternoons from 1 p.m.-5 p.m.  For questions and accessibility information, call 510-981-6195, TTY 510-548-1240, http://www.berkeleypubliclibrary.org.

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