PACL Reference & Resources

We're Moving!

2009-02-12T11:55:00.000-08:00

This is the final post in the PACL Reference and Resources blog.

The Palo Alto City Library will now be offering the new, free, online BookLetters service in its place.

This PACL Reference and Resources blog will be replaced by “What's Going On at the Library”, our library enewsletter especially for adults.

The adventure isn’t over, just changing!

Tomorrow, February 13, 2009, e-mail subscribers will receive an e-mail invitation to our new BookLetters service. As current subscribers to this blog, e-mail subscribers will be automatically subscribed to its new version, “What's Going On at the Library.” You won’t have to do a thing to stay with us. If you’d prefer to unsubscribe, you can easily do so from a link at the bottom of the email you receive.

RSS feed subscribers can sign up for RSS feeds right from our BookLetters RSS page.

While you can subscribe to the “What's Going On @ the Library” enewsletter for adults, you’ll also have even more enewsletter options available for your subscription or simply for viewing from our website. Want to find out about the kind of books YOU like, whether they’re mysteries, science and nature titles, or science fiction & fantasy? Want to find books and library events for children or teens? With BookLetters, you’ll get to choose from a wide range of more than 20 free online newsletters and customized booklists geared to your particular interests.

Here are just a few examples of the treats in store for you:

check out bestseller and award lists

find fabulous book club choices

get a sneak preview of upcoming titles

see which books have been showcased on television and radio

listen to audiobook clips

BookLetters enewsletters make it easy for you to get your hands on the books you want through links directly into the Palo Alto City Library catalog.

Discover great new reads, keep up with exciting library programs, and learn about useful library resources through our regularly updated BookLetters sent to you by e-mail or RSS feed. Seize this opportunity to get even more from your library experience.

Thank you for following the PACL Reference and Resources blog!
Join us tomorrow at “What’s Going On @ the Library” and the full Palo Alto City Library BookLetters service!

Photo attribution: http://www.flickr.com/photos/bookglutton/1287984118/ (Flickr Creative Commons)

Local stories, local history

2009-02-09T15:52:00.000-08:00

Join us for another two free events in the Palo Alto City Library's Silicon Valley Reads 2009 Program. These two events focus on the history of Palo Alto and East Palo Alto as local residents share their experiences.

A Place to Call Home

Conversations and personal stories about what it was like making a home in East Palo Alto following World War II. Join historian Steve Staiger and local residents Erma Moore, Larry Bailey and Jimmie Lee as they share their stories.

Friday, February 13

7 pm

Main Library, 1213 Newell Rd.

FREE and open to the public

Entwined Heritage:

University AME Zion Church & Palo Alto

The University African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church was founded in 1918 by Palo Alto’s African-American families. It was the first African-American church between San Mateo and San Jose. The public is invited to come hear about the compelling history of the church and its community.

Sunday, February 22

3 pm

Palo Alto Art Center, 1313 Newell Rd.

FREE and open to the public

The Black History Show

2009-02-01T14:32:00.001-08:00

The community-wide celebration of Silicon Valley Reads 2009 at the Palo Alto City Library continues with the next in our series of free events:

The Black History Show

with Tabia, African-American Theatre Ensemble

date: Saturday, February 7
time: 7 pm
location: Mitchell Park Community Center, 3700 Middlefield Rd.
FREE and open to the public

The Black History Show entertains and educates through dance, singing, and spoken word featuring the contributions and culture of African Americans. The show is fun for the entire family.

Tabia African-American Theatre Ensemble is based in San Jose and is in its twentieth season of performances in the Bay Area. Tabia produces stage productions and performs as a traveling troupe, taking the Black History Show to schools, festivals, corporations, churches, and conferences throughout California.

The Friends of the Palo Alto Library has generously provided funding for the program.

Silicon Valley Reads is a Santa Clara county-wide program promoting reading and literacy, and building a sense of community through discussion among widely diverse readers.

Would you like to receive an e-mail reminder about this event?

Our library event calendar can do that!

Click on "Remind Me" for The Black History Show.

You can even download this event to a calendar, email this event to a friend, or ask to be notified about similar events!

cancelled: An Evening with Brian Copeland

2009-01-28T11:36:00.000-08:00

An Evening with Brian Copeland on Wednesday, January 28, has been cancelled due to illness.

The Palo Alto City Library will reschedule this event if possible.

We apologize for any inconvenience.

Read-Alikes

2009-01-22T18:16:00.000-08:00

Have you had an opportunity yet to join the community by reading this year's Silicon Valley Reads book: Brian Copeland's Not A Genuine Black Man?

Would you like to explore other books that are similar to Not A Genuine Black Man?

Well, you're in luck because the staff at the Palo Alto City Library has put together a display of books with similar themes, also known as "read-alikes." You can browse this display in person at the Main library, or you can visit the booklist online. The online booklist even links right into the library's catalog to connect you with any of the books you find interesting.

After I've read a book that has made an impression upon me, I love to discover similar books. The library is a great place for discovering these "read-alikes." We have many free resources to aid in finding your next good read.

Here are just a few of my favorites, with some ideas about how to use these resources to find "read-alikes" using the example of Not a Genuine Black Man:

If you enjoy browsing through books, explore the print resources available in the Reference collection for use inside the library. Try the "What Do I Read Next?" series, for example. You might browse through What Do I Read Next? Multicultural Literature for expert guidance in identifying other titles or authors of African American Literature, after reading about Brian Copeland's experiences as an African American.

Another wonderful book helps you find nonfiction recommendations: The Real Story: A Guide to Nonfiction Reading Interests. After reading Brian Copeland's autobiography, you might use The Real Story to find recommendations for other people's life stories or biographies.

The library also provides access to some great online resources for finding your next book. Check out our "Resources Online," in the library or at home, to get a listing of what's available to you with your library card.

My go-to online resource for finding fiction is Novelist. If you want to find fiction that ties into the themes of Not a Genuine Black Man, you might search for subjects like "Africans-Americans," "race relations," or "prejudice." If you particularly like historical fiction, you could narrow your results to only include those titles. You can find Novelist from the library's website under "Resources Online," listed within the subject "Literature, Reading & Music." Have your library card handy so you can access this powerful tool!

Last, but not least, you can come on in to the library in person and ask a librarian for recommendations. Check the Library Branches webpage for the location and hours of the branch most convenient for you.

Reading on the Rise

2009-01-12T11:26:00.000-08:00

Books are back!

On Monday the National Endowment for the Arts released a report, "Reading on the Rise," showing the first increase in adult fiction reading since 1982. According to the New York Times, this recent rise in reading is "not a school-based trend but a broader, community-wide phenomenon."

Read the full New York Times article for more information and a link to the NEA report:
Fiction Reading Increases for Adults
By MOTOKO RICH
January 12, 2009

While experts are speculating about the causes of this rise in reading, Dana Gioia, the chairman of the NEA, names community-wide reading programs as key components in reversing the decline in reading. The NEA started The Big Read program in 2006 to combat the accelerating decline in literary reading. The Big Read offers the opportunity for a community to come together by reading one book, discussing it together, and attending related events over the course of a month.

Here in the Palo Alto area we have our very own community-wide month-long reading program, Silicon Valley Reads, now in its seventh year. Participate in building community literacy by reading this year's book selection, Not a Genuine Black Man, and then join us for our kick-off event with the book's author:

An Evening With Brian Copeland

Wednesday, January 28
6:30 p.m.
Palo Alto High School Haymarket Theater

photo attribution:
"There Is Creative Reading"
http://www.flickr.com/photos/10565597@N00/2788065166

Silicon Valley Reads 2009

2009-01-07T11:06:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year!

The Palo Alto City Library is starting off 2009 with the excitement of the annual Silicon Valley Reads program.

Silicon Valley Reads is a Santa Clara county-wide reading program to promote literacy and build community in our area. Each year Silicon Valley Reads selects a book that appeals to diverse audiences and considers issues relevant to Silicon Valley. Everyone who lives, works, or learns in our area is invited to read the selected book and to participate in the accompanying series of cultural events designed to spark discussion about the book's themes.

This year's book selection is Not a Genuine Black Man by Bay Area media personality Brian Copeland.

In this book, Copeland shares with us his experiences growing up as an African American in what he calls the "lily white suburbs" of San Leandro, California in our very own Bay Area. He offers us all his thoughtful consideration of his attempt to claim his own identity in an environment of socially sanctioned racial discrimination. Copeland's writing provides both comedy and tragedy, causing readers to laugh through their tears. This is a powerful and fascinating book.

The Palo Alto City Library encourages everyone to start reading the book before the program events begin in late January. You can find Not a Genuine Black Man through the library catalog--we own more than 25 copies! Or, if you can't wait, try your local bookstore.

Then join us for free program events in January and February:

Not a Genuine Black Man: An Evening with Brian Copeland

date: Wednesday, January 28

time: 6:30 p.m.

location: Palo Alto High School Haymarket Theater, 50 Embarcadero Rd.

The Black History Show

date: Saturday, February 7

time: 7 p.m.

location: Mitchell Park Community Center, 3700 Middlefield Rd.

A Place to Call Home

date: Friday, February 13

time: 7 p.m.

location: Main Library, 1213 Newell Rd

Entwined Heritage: University AME Zion Church & Palo Alto

date: Sunday, February 22

time: 3 p.m.

location: Palo Alto Art Center, 1313 Newell Rd.

For more information, visit the library's website or call us at (650) 329-2436.

There will be more to come about Silicon Valley Reads 2009 right here on the blog, so stay tuned!

2008 Year-End Zeitgeist

2008-12-29T11:21:00.000-08:00

As we get to the end of the year, it's interesting to take a moment to reflect upon what people wanted to know about over the past year. Each year Google brings us a fascinating peek into the billions of searches performed through their search box in the past year. They publish the highlights as a glimpse into the zeitgeist, the spirit of the times.

2008 Year-End Google Zeitgeist

This end-of-year compilation offers a look at the fastest rising global searches--the most popular searches in 2008 based on their increase in frequency compared to 2007. Once you've looked at the global perspective, you can also see what's been most popular by country. While "sarah palin" and "beijing 2008" topped the global lists, people in the United States searched more frequently for information about "obama" and "facebook," with "palin" and "beijing 2008" coming in at #7 and #8 respectively.

Those of us who are interested in libraries are sure to be curious about the fastest rising U.S. Google Book Search list, in particular. Perhaps not surprisingly, the #1 book search of 2008 was the fourth and final book in the bestselling teen Twilight series, Breaking Dawn. You can get your hands on this highly popular book in either print or audio (CD or downloadable file for PC) format through the Palo Alto City Library catalog.

You might be wondering, what about more local interests? What's been hot in the Palo Alto City Library book collection? How do our local reading interests compare to national trends? We too can take a peek into the "spirit of the times" right here in our own community by looking back at the most circulated books in our collection:

Non-Fiction - The Last Lecture by Randy Pausch

Fiction - The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows

Mystery - The Miracle at Speedy Motors by Alexander McCall Smith

Science Fiction & Fantasy - The Host by Stephenie Meyer

Young Adult - Twilight by Stephenie Meyer

Want to keep up with what's hot in the collection as we head into 2009?

Click on the "Bestsellers and Other Lists" menu option across the top of the library catalog.
It's an easy way to find out about the latest additions to the library collection and the weekly San Francisco Chronicle Bay Area Bestsellers lists.
These are popular titles, so request early!

Save Money by Using the Library

2008-12-15T12:46:00.000-08:00

Feeling the economic pinch these days? Looking for ways to save money?

As this video from the NBC Nightly News shows, many Americans are turning to the free services offered by their public libraries.

MSNBC.com "Libraries offer free relief from tough times"

Your Palo Alto City Library offers free books, DVDs, CDs, computer and Internet access, family storytimes, and more!

At PACL you can:

Enjoy the entertainment at our community programs.
Find books, movies, and music through our catalog.
Read newspapers from around the world.
Get magazine articles.
Use a computer.
Learn a language online.
Download audiobooks.
Volunteer to serve your community.

How have you used the library to save money? Share your tips!

Get your library card and join us in person at any of our five branches conveniently located throughout Palo Alto, or online anytime!

Best Books of 2008

2008-12-05T12:25:00.001-08:00

Looking for the perfect gift? Or something to read over the holidays? This list of the top 100 2008 books is from the NY Times.

NOTE: get ready for the upcoming Silicon Valley Reads 2009 programs in Palo Alto by reading Not a Genuine Black Man before the author speaks on January 28, 2009 at Palo Alto High School's Haymarket Theater. Look for more information in the coming weeks.

Enjoy the holiday season!

If Fantasy is Your Thing

2008-11-19T16:11:00.000-08:00

The World Fantasy Awards have been announced, and here is a page with the nominees and winners. The book cover to the left is from one of the Life Time Achievement Award winners, Patricia McKillip.

If you see a title of interest, be sure to check our catalog for a copy. Enjoy!

Two Programs in November

2008-10-29T15:21:00.000-07:00

Two programs for adults are coming in November! Sign up now using the online calendar. Just locate the event by date and use the registration form at the bottom. After you register, you will be sent a reminder by email. Check it out!

Help Your Child Succeed in School - a demonstration of the numerous resources available to families to help get homework done, even if it is 10 o'clock at night.

November 12
10:30 a.m. to noon
Main Library

Search Your Roots @ the Library - learn how to search Ancestry.com (library edition) and Heritage Quest to find genealogical information.

November 19
10:30 a.m. to noon
Main Library

Banned Books Week

2008-10-02T14:14:00.000-07:00

Have you read The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn? Or, did you love Alice Walker's The Color Purple? How about Phillip Pullman's The Golden Compass? These are all titles that have been challenged in towns across the nation in 2007.

"Banned Books Week (BBW) celebrates the freedom to choose or the freedom to express one’s opinion even if that opinion might be considered unorthodox or unpopular..."

Explore a banned book today!

NPR Can Provide Answers

2008-10-01T12:50:00.000-07:00

This posting from The Librarian in Black blog provides readers with resources on the current financial crisis here and abroad. And remember that your local library can supply you with information on any topic, with just a call or email. You can always contact us!

New Browser from Google

2008-09-02T16:42:00.000-07:00

Have you heard of Chrome, the new web browser developed by Google? Here is a cartoon explanation of how it is different from the browsers that came before. If you wish to download Chrome, here is the link. And let us know what you think of it by commenting here.

Which MP3 Player?

2008-08-21T09:25:00.000-07:00

The Library offers a large number of audio books that you can download onto your computer or MP3 player. But which player works the best? Here is a review that may help you decide.

Sadly, most of the downloadable audio book providers do not work on Apple computers or IPods. Blame it on the Mac vs. PC wars.

College Terrace Library Temporary Closure

2008-08-13T19:42:00.000-07:00

College Terrace Library will be closed August 21-22 due to the removal of a diseased eucalyptus tree. You can read all the details here.

Libraries On the Road

2008-08-08T12:51:00.000-07:00

A story by Reuters News titled "Libraries Step Into the Age of IPod" is a wonderful promotion for the many downloadable book titles we offer. If you haven't see our list of full text resources, you might want to take a moment or two to do so. We offer Overdrive (mentioned in the article) and a number of other full text online resources.

One note, most companies that offer e-books have not made it to "the Age of IPod" in that they don't work with Apple products. We hope they catch up soon!

Unrelated, but certainly timely!

Official Olympics site
Palo Alto Library sets record on number of items checked out
San Mateo County Fair

2008-07-17T15:32:00.000-07:00

The Library is rolling out a new calendar that will help you locate the perfect event to attend. A small version is now on the side bar. Click on a date or the month to begin exploring.

Searching by location, audience or date range is easy, with two views available - as a list or as a calendar. With this new tool, it is easy to enjoy what the library offers!

Features include:

Having the event added to your Outlook calendar
Getting a reminder emailed to you closer to the event
Emailing the event information to a friend
Registering for programs if that is required

Be sure to provide us with feedback as we are all new to this product.

Learn a Language Online

2008-06-17T10:12:00.000-07:00

The library now offers a new product called "Tell Me More", which is a completely interactive online program for learning a second language.

Languages currently offered: English, German, Dutch, French, Spanish and Italian
Use of voice recording to ensure correct pronunciation
Grammar, phonetics, vocabulary, games and more!

To access "Tell Me More" from home, you will need a valid Palo Alto City Library card. You also need the proper equipment and software. There is a way to test your equipment after you sign in. Mac users, you can use the program but you will not be able to use the audio component. If you have trouble installing or using Tell Me More, try the FAQ.
Try it now!

Summer Reading Lists

2008-06-06T11:49:00.000-07:00

Every Spring, newspapers, magazines and radio shows offer lists of summer reading titles. Usually they are light in both weight and content to allow the reader to soak up the rays unencumbered. Here is a list of lists for you to enjoy.

Read International Papers Online

2008-05-29T14:18:00.000-07:00

The Library has added a new online resource called Library PressDisplay. This is a fantastic resource that allows you to read today's newspapers from around the world, many in the language of that country. Some of the newspapers are available in audio format, which enables you to have the paper read to you.

If you or a loved one want to keep abreast of events in a foreign country, this is the site for you! You need a Palo Alto library card to use this at home.

For the Baby Boomers Out There

2008-05-23T12:56:00.000-07:00

Survey Closed - thank you for your feedback, and look for some great programs in the fall of '08!

The Library is planning programs specifically designed for the baby boomers who live or work in our community. We need your input! If you have a moment or two, please consider taking our survey to help us get the best fit. Thank you!

Best Online Job Sites

2008-05-16T14:23:00.001-07:00

"The 30 Best Web Sites for Job Hunters" is a good place to start for a job search. The question of "which job site is best?" is one posed to the reference staff on a regular basis. Now we are armed with some answers.

If you love mysteries, you will love this list!

2008-05-08T12:42:00.001-07:00

The Mystery Writers of America just announced the winners of the 2008 Edgar Awards. The best novel award went to Down River by John Hart. Other categories include best young adult mystery, best screenplay and more. If you want to see all the nominees, check here.

You can check our catalog for titles you want to explore.