%1

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

AUTUMN GEM, a free film screening at the Berkeley Public Library, will be presented by the directors, Rae Chang and Adam Tow. The film explores the inspiring story of modern China’s first feminist, Qiu Jin (1875-1907), who defied tradition to become the leader of a revolutionary army and became the first female martyr for China’s 1911 Revolution. AUTUMN GEM will be shown at the Central Branch of the Berkeley Public Library, on Saturday, July 28, 2012, at 2:00 p.m. in the 3rd floor Community Meeting Room. San Francisco Bay Area Chinese American filmmakers, Rae Chang and Adam Tow, will introduce the hour-long film and answer questions in English and Chinese following the screening. AUTUMN GEM stars former China National Wushu Champion and Hollywood stunt actress Li Jing. AUTUMN GEM is the first documentary feature on Qiu Jin in the U.S. Using scholar interviews, archival materials, and dramatic reenactment scenes based on her original writings, AUTUMN GEM brings the story of Qiu Jin to life. AUTUMN GEM has screened at over 100 venues worldwide, including UC Berkeley, UC Irvine, Stanford University, Princeton, Brown, University of Maryland, Pacific Asia Museum, and Tribeca Film Center in New York. This free program is sponsored by the Friends of the Library (www.berkeleylibraryfriends.org). For more program information call 510-981-6150 or connect to www.berkeleypubliclibrary.org. 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.

Contact: Donna Corbeil
Director of Library Services
510-981-6195

Concluding an extensive planning and design process, the Berkeley City Council approved a contract for the construction of a new West Branch Library on May 15, 2012 with West Bay Builders, Inc. The Branch closed on May 7^th, in order to move out the staff and existing collections. Construction of the new state-of-the-art library is expected to begin in June and take approximately 12 months, with re-opening slated for the end of summer 2013. The new library, located at 1125 University Avenue will be built following the demolition of the current facility. The replacement Library, designed by Harley Ellis Devereaux with Greenworks Studio will meet all current codes, and at 9,300 square feet has adequate space to accommodate all library and adult literacy programs. Features include a quiet study room, teen room, program room that can be used for multiple purposes throughout the day, increased computer access, improved access to collections and comfortable seating for adults and children, to create an oasis for learning and reading as envisioned by the community during the planning process. The new West Branch Library is expected to be the greenest of the four branch library improvement projects. It will embody the latest in building sustainability and green building techniques. A project goal is to attain at minimum LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Gold Certification. Some of the features include site improvements that meet Bay Friendly Landscaping guidelines such as the use of native plants and planters that divert runoff water through an infiltration system. To facilitate increased pedestrian and alternative means of transportation additional bike racks and public exterior seating are planned. The most significant new aspect for this public building is the primary design objective to achieve Zero Net Energy (ZNE) performance. Concepts of this approach applied to the project included making extensive use of natural daylighting, system-controlled natural ventilation for fresh air and cooling, zoned radiant floor heating with hot water from solar panels and a solar photovoltaic system for electric power. The building also makes extensive use of energy-efficient LED lighting and special control features to help reduce secondary electrical loads from computers and other equipment. The project benefited from early collaboration between the City’s Office of Energy and Sustainable Development, Harley Ellis Devereaux and representatives of the Savings By Design Program at Pacific Gas & Electric Company.  “The SBD Program eagerly approached this opportunity to collaborate with the City of Berkeley and Harley Ellis Devereaux Architects in designing this exceptional project to inform, understand and prove concepts that can be used in Zero Net Energy projects.”, according to PG&E’s Savings By Design Product Manager, David Vasnaik. This included early and ongoing building energy performance analysis and inclusion of an on-site renewable energy supply in the final design. As a ZNE building, the new library will consume no more energy than it produces from its solar panels each year. The partnership and SBD grant in the amount of $44,745 from PG&E’s innovative program made this integrated approach to design possible. The resulting library will not only meet national standards for sustainability but contributes to goals in the City of Berkeley’s Climate Action Plan, adopted by City Council in 2009. The project is one of four funded by Measure FF, $26 million in general obligation bonds, approved by Berkeley voters in November 2008. The overall project budget is $7.5 Million ($6 Million hard cost construction budget). The Library will continue to post project information and updates on its website at: www.berkeleypubliclibrary.org/branchimprovements and hopes to see you at the West Branch Library grand re-opening, anticipated for 2013. We look forward to bringing you a beautiful, current code compliant, seismically safe, fully accessible green building in the near future. The branch library improvement program is funded by Measure FF, passed by voters in November 2008. For more information call 510-981-6195.

#####

Contact: Contact -  Sarah Dentan

Childrens & Neighborhood Services Manager

510-981-6195

Discover & GO is here!  Starting June 1, Library patrons will have access to free passes to more than 30 area cultural venues. For Berkeley Public Library cardholders, free passes to museums and more are just a few clicks away!  Starting from the Library’s website (http://www.berkeleypubliclibrary.org/), patrons can access the Discover & GO link using their Berkeley Public Library card number.  From there, it’s easy to locate available passes, searching by location or by date.  Then reserve, print, and go! Passes are available for a wide range of venues, ranging from large well-known museums like the Asian Art Museum and the California Academy of Sciences to smaller niche locations, including the Cartoon Art Museum and the Pacific Pinball Museum.  Family favorites like the Bay Area Discovery Museum, Exploratorium, Lawrence Hall of Science and the Oakland Zoo are included as well. “The Library provides free access to the arts and sciences through our collections and our programming,” said Donna Corbeil, Director of the Berkeley Public Library, “and we’re excited to partner with other Bay Area institutions to expand the cultural opportunities available to our patrons.”   THINGS TO REMEMBER

• Passes are valid only for a specific date.  Passes can be identified by venue or by date.
• Only two passes can be reserved/checked out at a time.  There is no limit on total passes checked out.
• Some venues allow only one pass per cardholder per year.
• Most passes provide admission for 2, many provide a family pass, but a few have more restricted offerings, so it’s important to read the full offer.

  Current list of participating institutions (more offerings are being added all the time): Asian Art Museum Aquarium of the Bay Bay Area Discovery Museum Bedford Gallery Blackhawk Museum California Academy of Sciences California Historical Society California Shakespeare Theatre (select plays only) Cartoon Art Museum Charles M. Schulz Museum (child pass only) Contemporary Jewish Museum Exploratorium GLBT History Museum (1 person/pass) Lawrence Hall of Science Lindsay Wildlife Museum The Marine Mammal Center (free tours) Museum of Children’s Art (2 children/pass) Museum of Craft and Folk Art Museum of the African Diaspora Napa Valley Museum Oakland Aviation Museum Oakland Museum of California Oakland Zoo Pacific Pinball Museum Peralta Hacienda Historical Park Saint Mary’s College Museum of Art San Jose Museum of Art The Tech Museum of Innovation (discount) USS Hornet Museum Vallejo Naval and Historical Museum Yerba Buena Center for the Arts    

# # # # #