%1

Contact: Alicia Abramson
Manager, Information Technology
Berkeley Public Library
510- 981-6195

One Gigabit-per-second Broadband Internet Speed is Coming to the Berkeley Public Library!

Berkeley CA – October 19, 2015—The Berkeley Public Library is going live on a one Gigabit-per-second (Gbps) broadband Internet connection on Friday,  October 23, 2015!  Alicia Abramson, the Library’s Manager of Information Technology says, “The Library recently conducted surveys of the Berkeley community and Library staff. In both surveys, the number one priority of those who responded was to increase the Library’s Internet connection speed. We are thrilled to be able to address this vital need for Internet access and to improve community members’ experience when connecting to the Internet from the Library.”

The Library is an early participant in a joint initiative of the California State Library and the Corporation for Education Network Initiatives in California (CENIC) to bring 1GB Broadband connections to all public libraries and public schools (K-20) in California by 2020. CENIC “operates the California Research and Education Network (CalREN), a high-capacity network designed to meet the unique requirements of over 20 million users, including the vast majority of K-20 students together with educators, researchers and other vital public-serving institutions.”

The increases will greatly benefit the community and will provide speeds far greater than the speeds available at the majority of public libraries. According to a national study conducted by the National Institute for Museum & Library Studies, in 2013, public libraries reported an average download speed of 57Mbps. Because of the Library’s upgrade to Gigabit Broadband, the Library’s connection speed will result in a 20-fold increase from 50 Megabits-per-second (Mbps to 1,000 Mbps (or 1 Gigabit-per-second).

In addition to providing access to books, movies music and more, public libraries are Internet access gateways for both users with no home Internet access or those with slower-speed home Internet access. A 2012 Pew Research Center nationwide study found that 26% of all Americans use the library to access the Internet. These users connect to do research for school or work (66%), obtain information about health and wellness (47%), and apply for jobs (36%).

The Berkeley Public Library received a grant of $20,000 from the California State Library towards the purchase of new network equipment required in order to implement the speed upgrade.

The Berkeley Public Library opened in 1893 with 264 books. It now has a Central library located at 2090 Kittredge Street, Berkeley, CA 94704 and four state-of-the-art neighborhood branches with thousands of books, audiobooks, music CDs, DVDs and online streaming and downloadable materials. For more information call 510-981-6195 or visit the library’s website.

###

Contact: Debbie Carton
Art & Music Librarian
Berkeley Public Library
510-981-6236

 

Chanticleer Youth Choir brings Moonlight to Central Library

Berkeley CA, October 15, 2015 –We sometimes think of libraries as a place where youth come to study or hang out. Maybe even a place to get noisy. But what about a place to sing? Berkeley Public Library presents Chanticleer’s Youth Choir in a free performance of vocal music on Sunday, November 8, at 3:00pm at the Central Library, 2090 Kittredge (at Shattuck), on the fifth floor in the Art & Music department. For more information, call 510-981-6241.

The Chanticleer Louis A. Botto (LAB) Choir is named in honor of the founder of Chanticleer, the world-renowned Grammy-winning men’s vocal ensemble. The program parallels Chanticleer's fall concert set Over the Moon. The young singers’ program, Moonlight, presents a wide variety of musical styles, including Gregorian chant, Renaissance polyphony, folk songs and contemporary arrangements. From the sublime Abendfriede by Joseph Rheinberger to the (perhaps) ridiculous barbershop arrangements of By the Light of the Silvery Moon, there is something for everyone.

The Chanticleer LAB Choir began in 2010 as a laboratory choir for conductors at Chanticleer's first National Youth Choral Festival. The group has evolved into one of the Bay Area's only small ensemble honor choirs. Its mission is to foster participation in live choral music by giving free concerts in schools, retirement homes, and for the community. Participating students range in age from 14 to 20 and come from all corners of the Bay.
This free program is sponsored by the Friends of the Berkeley Public Library.

The Central Library is located at 2090 Kittredge Street and is open Monday, noon – 8:00 pm; Tuesday, 10:00 am – 8:00 pm; Wednesday through Saturday, 10:00 am – 6:00 pm; and Sunday from 1:00 pm – 5:00 pm.

Wheelchair accessible. For questions, to request a sign language interpreter or other accommodations for this event, please call (510) 981-6195 (voice) or (510) 548-1240 (TTY); at least five working days will help ensure availability. Please refrain from wearing scented products to public programs. Visit the library’s website.

###
 

Contact: Sarah Dentan
Acting Director, Library Services
Berkeley Public Library
510-981-6195

Berkeley Public Library’s West Branch Wins Two More Awards

Berkeley CA. October 15, 2015—Berkeley Public Library is proud to announce that the Library's West Branch is in the news again—this time for winning two awards, one for design and the other for lighting. On Thursday, October 1, 2015, the West Branch Library was honored by the American Institute of Architects East Bay Annual Design Awards. Out of 72 projects that were submitted and out of only 35 projects that submitted energy/ performance and sustainability criteria, West Branch Library scored the highest in sustainability. It also won an AIA EB Citation Design Award. Gerald Lee AIA of HMC Architects said, “I am proud to be associated with the project and everyone here who worked so hard on this project. He finished with, “I think this a great achievement for the City and Library.”

The Illuminating Engineering Society (IES) also put the spotlight on the West Branch by honoring the branch with its IES Illumination Awards that provide a unique opportunity for public recognition of professionalism, ingenuity and originality in lighting design. Max Pierson of Minuscule Lighting Design received the Energy and Environmental Illumination Award, sponsored by OSRAM SYLVANIA to recognize outstanding lighting design.

The bar was set high for the designer, as the Library required an approachable, quasi-residential feel for the library with a minimal lighting footprint to reduce energy use. The design strategy called for high-quality task lighting supplemented by smaller amounts of indirect lighting to manage contrast ratios. Indirect lighting was provided by wall-mounted fixtures that bounce light into the space off the wall, marrying a high-efficiency source with a comfortable diffused appearance. In addition, stack-mounted LED lighting met the demanding IES criteria for library stacks. Finally, controls—including occupancy and daylight sensors, as well as task tuning—proved to have more impact on energy usage than the fixtures themselves. To ease the operational burden on staff, a simple relay panel with onboard dimming was installed.

The Berkeley Public Library’s West Branch has won many other awards for design and sustainability. It is the first Zero Net Energy (ZNE) public library in California and the second ZNE public library in the USA. It is also the second ZNE municipal building in California and the third ZNE municipal building in the USA.

The West Branch is located at 1125 University Avenue, and is open: Monday, 10:00 am-6:00 pm; Tuesday and Wednesday, 10:00 am-8:00 pm; Thursday 12 noon -8:00 pm; and Friday and Saturday, 10:00 am-6:00 pm. For more information about this program, call 510-981-6270.

###
 

Contact: Shani Leonards
Supervising Librarian, Claremont Branch
Berkeley Public Library
510-981-6280

Fountain Rock Trio to Play
 at Berkeley Public Library’s Claremont Branch Library

Berkeley CA October 2, 2015 — Bassist Aaron Germain, drummer Deszon Claiborne and composer and pianist William Beatty will deliver an afternoon of inspired original music and beloved standards when the Claremont Branch Library welcomes the Fountain Rock Trio on Saturday, November 7 at 4:00pm. With influences ranging from Dizzy Gillespie, Woody Guthrie, Malvina Reynolds and Sergei Prokofiev, their music defies categorization but never fails to entertain. Join us for this free concert. For more information, please call 510-981-6280.

William Beatty grew up in Berkeley listening to his father and brother play piano. He started playing in earnest at the age of nine by composing piano pieces and studying jazz and classical music. A native of the Bay Area, Deszon Claiborne started his musical career when he was 10 years old.  He has performed or recorded with Boz Scaggs, Dr. Lonnie Smith and many others. Aaron Germain has spent 20 years as a “busy hired gun bass player. He plays both upright bass and electric bass. He has played with Andy Narell, Bonnie Raitt, Jason Marsalis and many other musical masters. Separately the three are all great musicians. Now hear them together at the Claremont Branch as the Fountain Rock Trio.

This free program is sponsored by the Friends of the Berkeley Public Library.

The Claremont Branch is located at 2940 Benvenue @ Ashby, Berkeley CA 94705, and is open: Monday, 10:00am-6:00pm, Tuesday and Wednesday, 10:00am-8:00pm, Thursday 12 noon-8:00pm, and Friday and Saturday, 10:00am-6:00pm. For more information about this program, call 510-981-6280.

Wheelchair accessible. For questions, to request a sign language interpreter or other accommodations for this event, please call (510) 981-6195 (voice) or (510) 548-1240 (TTY); at least five working days will help ensure availability. Please refrain from wearing scented products to public programs. Visit the library’s website.

###