Events for the Week of January 1….

Please note that the library will be closed on both Sunday, January 1 and Monday, January 2.  Events going on at the library this week include…

• Lectores meeting on Tuesday (1/3) at 6:00
• Toddler Storytime on Wednesday (1/4) at 10:30
• STAR Reader on Wednesday at 3:00
• Baby Storytime on Thursday (1/5) at 10:30
• STAR Reader on Thursday at 3:00
• OIC Computer Boot Camp on Friday (1/6) from 1:00-4:00 (en español)
• Drop in Computer Lab on Friday at 3:30
• STAR Reader on Saturday (1/7) at 2:00

You can always check the Branch Page (http://www.lapl.org/branches/arroyo-seco) on the LAPL website for upcoming events or check out the Master Calendar (http://www.lapl.org/whats-on/calendar) where you can search for something specific across multiple branches

Trivia of the Month --- Answer

The question was what is meant by the phrase “free rider.”  To quote directly from our source: 

Free riders are those who are content to partake of the benefits of some cooperative enterprise, without contributing to it.

The question, and answer, were taken from p. 141 of the Oxford Dictionary of Philosophy by Simon Blackburn.  The book was published in 2005 by the Oxford University Press.

Library Events in January…

(Mark your calendars accordingly)

The library has some interesting events planned in January.  As always, I thought I’d take a minute and give you a run down so you can plan ahead.  Let’s start with the non-repeating events:

- - - - - - - - - - 

1/3 @ 6:00
Club de Lectores
Hay café, pastel casero, ye conversación amena sobre el libro que estamos leyendo

1/6 from 1:00-4:00
LA OIC Boot Camp
This program puts low cost computers in the hands of low income people.  This session is in Spanish. Call or drop by to sign up.

1/9 from 2:00-4:00
LA DOT Tap Card Information Session
Stop by with questions for the LA Department of Transportation.  Get your TAP card reloaded while you’re here.

1/9 @ 4:00
Make it Monday: Color Science
Have fun with science and learn all about colors with local Cal Tech Scientists.

1/10 @ 3:00
Teen Program
Join us for a fun activity of some as yet unspecified kind.

1/17 @ 6:00
Club de Lectores
Hay café, pastel casero, ye conversación amena sobre el libro que estamos leyendo

1/23 @ 4:00
Make it Monday: Building Block Challenge
What can you make from building blocks? Come impress us with your skills.

1/28 @ 3:00
Arroyo Book Club
Join us for a lively discussion of Sweet Tooth by Ian McEwan.

1/30 @ 4:00
Make it Monday: ph Experiments
Come have fun experimenting with acids and bases with the help of local Cal Tech Scientists.


- - - - - - - - - -

Each month the library also has a number of ongoing classes & events.  They are:

Toddler Storytime - - - Wednesdays at 10:30 
Little Ones’ 3 and under & their grownups are invited to join us for stories, music, & games. 

Baby Storytime - - - Thursdays at 10:30 
Bounces, rhymes and songs for prewalkers (age 0-12 months) and their caregivers.  (No session on 1/26)

STAR Volunteer Readers - - - Available on Wednesdays at 3:00, on Thursdays at 3:00, & on Saturdays at 2:00 
STAR readers present the fun of storytelling and reading to children one-on-one or in small groups. Kids earn a free book to keep after 3 visits. 

Drop in Computer Lab - - - Fridays at 3:30
Bring your questions about computers, tablets, eReaders, or other electronic devices.  We will do our best to help you figure out answers. 

- - - - - - - - - -

Please do not hesitate to call the library at 323-255-0537 if you have any questions or would like more information.  Remember that you can always check the Branch Page (http://www.lapl.org/branches/arroyo-seco) on the LAPL website for upcoming events or check out the Master Calendar (http://www.lapl.org/whats-on/calendar) where you can search for something specific across multiple branches.

The Road to Little Dribbling

Bill Bryson provides a personalized tour of Britain in The Road to Little Dribbling.  Bryson, an American who has spent most of his life in Britain shares his love of the county and it’s eccentricities in this book.  Now my favorite book of Bryson’s is In Sunburned Country (an exploration of Australia) so I come to each of his books hoping to find that book’s equal and this book did not rise to the challenge.  Bryson appears to be settling into a curmudgeonly old age if this book is any judge.  He is constantly bewailing the deterioration of society, the proliferation of stupidity, the prevalence of litter and reminiscing about how things used to be more sensible, this gets a bit tiresome even when I agree, however, every now and then a bit of the Bryson I enjoy would appear as he shared some fascinatingly amusing fact or story.  On the whole while this is not a book I would tell people not to read I would probably recommend another work by the author instead.

Events for the Week of December 25….

Please note that the library will be closed on both Sunday, December 25 and Monday, December 26.  We will also be closing at 5 pm on Saturday, December 31.  Events going on at the library this week include…

• Toddler Storytime on Wednesday (12/28) at 10:30
• STAR Reader on Wednesday at 3:00
• Baby Storytime on Thursday (12/29) at 10:30
• STAR Reader on Thursday at 3:00
• Drop in Computer Lab on Friday (12/30) at 3:30

You can always check the Branch Page (http://www.lapl.org/branches/arroyo-seco) on the LAPL website for upcoming events or check out the Master Calendar (http://www.lapl.org/whats-on/calendar) where you can search for something specific across multiple branches.

Solar Express

In Solar Express L. E. Modesitt, Jr. tells a story set in 2114.  The Earth, beset by global warming, is divided into three political blocks roughly corresponding to North America, India, and China and the political wrangling among these blocks forms the backdrop and the between chapter spicing of the book.  The principal storyline follows the discovery of what is at first thought to be a comet but later is realized to be an alien artifact by an astronomer working out of an observatory on the far side of the moon.  She has been corresponding with the pilot who brought her up to the observatory and that man, coincidentally, is the pilot sent to intercept and investigate the object before it reaches perihelion.  The story alternates between her point of view, as she continues her investigation of a particular solar phenomenon, deals with a bureaucracy that proves that nothing is any better 100 years up the time line, and keeps up her correspondence with the pilot, and his point of view as he tries to investigate something that is truly alien while dealing with the competing interests of the other political blocks.

The book is quite interesting though I did find its pace a bit slow.  Recommended for those with a taste for SF that don’t require an action packed story line.

The Arroyo Book Club’s January Pick

The Arroyo Book Club will be reading the book Sweet Tooth by Ian McEwan for their January meeting.  Booklist described the book as follows in their review:

McEwan’s attentive audience can never anticipate what his next novel will be about, but because his fans know that any McEwan book will offer a wildly creative plot carried by complex characters and an elegant yet ironically muted writing style, they are willing, whenever a new novel appears, to go with the author wherever—historically and psychologically—he leads. This time that place is the spy world of British intelligence in the early 1970s. (Remember, although WWII is over, the Cold War is definitely not.) With grace, assurance, and credibility, McEwan assumes a female persona in this first-person remembrance, narrated from the vantage of 40 years later. Serena Frome is a smart, attractive, Cambridge-educated young woman who is recruited by her older lover for the MI5 intelligence agency. She is slotted into a secret program called “Sweet Tooth,” designed to cultivate writers likely to produce novels ideologically in tune with the government. Spydom is, of course, fraught with betrayal, and Serena is not immune to that common pitfall. McEwan readers can rest assured that, in common with its predecessors, this novel has a greatly compelling story line braced by the author’s formidable wisdom about—well, the world.

Stop by for a copy and join us for discussion on January 28 at 3:00.

Events for the Week of December 18….

Please note that the library will be closing at 1 pm on Saturday, December 24.  Events going on at the library this week include…

• Make it Monday features a Christmas storytime and craft on Monday (12/19) at 4:00
• Lectores meeting on Tuesday (12/20) at 6:00
• Toddler Storytime on Wednesday (12/21) at 10:30
• STAR Reader on Wednesday at 3:00
• Baby Storytime on Thursday (12/22) at 10:30
• STAR Reader on Thursday at 3:00
• Drop in Computer Lab on Friday (12/23) at 3:30

You can always check the Branch Page (http://www.lapl.org/branches/arroyo-seco) on the LAPL website for upcoming events or check out the Master Calendar (http://www.lapl.org/whats-on/calendar) where you can search for something specific across multiple branches

Trivia of the Month...

This month’s question comes to us from the world of philosophy and is --- what is meant by the phrase “free rider?”

The Grave Soul

In Ellen Hart’s The Grave Soul Jane Lawless is hired to by a man to investigate the death of his girlfriend’s mother.  Kira knew her mother had died in an accident when she was five yet had been troubled all her life by nightmares that her mother was strangled.  Jane sets off to a small in Wisconsin to investigate and soon finds herself mired in the middle of a tightly knit but highly dysfunctional family and faces some dangerous consequences.

Recommended to fans of Ellen Hart as well as people who like a low key mystery with interesting characters.

Events for the Week of December 11….

Events going on at the library this week include…

• LA DOT Information Tables on Monday (12/12) from 2:00-4:00
• Make it Monday features a Special Program on Tide Pool Animals on Monday at 4:00
• Teen program on Tuesday (12/13) at 4:00
• Toddler Storytime on Wednesday (12/14) at 10:30
• STAR Reader on Wednesday at 3:00
• STAR Reader on Thursday (12/15) at 3:00
• Drop in Computer Lab on Friday (12/16) at 3:30
• STAR Reader on Saturday (12/17) at 2:00
• Arroyo Book Club meets on Saturday at 3:00

You can always check the Branch Page (http://www.lapl.org/branches/arroyo-seco) on the LAPL website for upcoming events or check out the Master Calendar (http://www.lapl.org/whats-on/calendar) where you can search for something specific across multiple branches

The Job

In The Job Steve Osborne tells tales from this 20+ years working as a policeman in New York City.  While the book was interesting enough to keep me reading until the end I was left with the sense that if this is what police are like then I’m not surprised there are so many who are “bad.”  The author, who seems nice enough, displays a combination of excessive machismo, worship of the profession to the exclusion of even granting value to other jobs, and a total us against them mentality.  If his fellow officers think & feel the same then it’s not surprising that bad actors are shielded from consequences and everything is perceived as an attack or a threat.  It looks to me like the best reform the police could undergo would be to break individuals from the group think they seem to be mired in (based --- I’ll confess solely on my impression from this book).

An interesting book worth the read both for its anecdotes and for its picture of how our police think.

History of Highland Park

If you’re curious about past plans for improvement for the Northeast Area of Los Angeles take a look at this 1972 “Northeast Los Angeles Preliminary Plan” 

http://dbase1.lapl.org/webpics/calindex/documents/11/520693.pdf.  

This is particularly interesting to read since you have the ability to compare what was proposed with what turned out to happen.

Events for the Week of December 4….

Events going on at the library this week include…

• The NELA Holiday Parade is on Sunday (12/4). Join us and march. We’ll meet in the library parking lot at 11:45.
• Make it Monday features a building block challenge on Monday (12/5) at 4:00
• Teen Council meeting on Tuesday (12/6) at 4:00
• Lectores meet on Tuesday at 6:00
• STAR Reader on Wednesday (12/7) at 3:00
• STAR Reader on Thursday (12/8) at 3:00
• Drop in Computer Lab on Friday (12/9) at 3:30
• STAR Reader on Saturday (12/10) at 2:00
• Classical Guitar Performance by David Margolis on Saturday at 2:00

You can always check the Branch Page (http://www.lapl.org/branches/arroyo-seco) on the LAPL website for upcoming events or check out the Master Calendar (http://www.lapl.org/whats-on/calendar) where you can search for something specific across multiple branches

December’s eResource of the Month….

The December eResource of the Month is Universal Class.   Universal Class contains over 500 free, online, non-credit, continuing education courses that can be taken through the library’s website. Courses are self-paced but there is a teacher leading them.  This teacher is there to answer questions and to monitor and assess your progress.  The courses are designed to be completed in 10 to 20 hours. Subjects available for study include: business, career training, computer training, cooking, real estate, crafts & hobbies, and psychology.  You are given 6 months to complete the course once you sign up and may take up to 5 at a time. 

Find Universal Class via the library website’s Research & Homework page under U (http://www.lapl.org/collections-resources/research-and-homework#U).  You will need your library card number for access.  

Trivia of the Month (& Answer)...

The month’s question asked who said “The Liberty of the press is essential to the security of the state”?  Joh Adams can be credited with that quote in the Massachusetts Constitution in 1780.

The question (& answer) were taken from p. 405 of the Dictionary of American Quotations selected and annotated by Margaret Miner and Hugh Rawson.  The book was published in 1997by Penguin.

December's Arroyo Book Club Book

December’s book club book selection is the play Julius Caesar by William Shakespeare.  We will be reading the “Shakespeare Made Easy” edition (ISBN: 0812035739) so you will have the option of reading the original text or the translated into modern English text.  We will meet to discuss the book on December 17 at 3:00.  This is earlier in the month then usual since our usual fourth Saturday falls right on the holiday.  

Stop by the library and pick up a copy of the book and then plan to join us for discussion.  I would ask that you make note of any passages you find particularly compelling for whatever reason and plan to share with the group (perhaps even declaim them).

While we’re on the topic of Shakespeare… be sure to catch America’s Shakespeare: The Bard Goes West --- an exhibition at the Getty Gallery in Central Library.  The display will continue through February 26.  During the same period a number of branches will be doing Shakespeare themed programming of all flavors.  Be sure to stop by the event calendar (http://www.lapl.org/whats-on/calendar) and do a search on the term Shakespeare to pull up a list of these programs, then plan to go to the ones that most intrigue you. There really is an extraordinary collection of events so don’t miss out.

Events for the Week of November 27….

Events going on at the library this week include…

• Make it Monday features a make an electronic greeting card project on Monday (11/28) at 4:00
• Toddler Storytime on Wednesday (11/30) at 10:30
• STAR Reader on Wednesday at 3:00
• Baby Storytime on Thursday (12/1) at 10:30
• STAR Reader on Thursday at 3:00
• LA OIC Computer Boot Camp on Friday (12/2) from 1:00-4:00
• Drop in Computer Lab on Friday at 3:30
• STAR Reader on Saturday (12/3) at 2:00

You can always check the Branch Page (http://www.lapl.org/branches/arroyo-seco) on the LAPL website for upcoming events or check out the Master Calendar (http://www.lapl.org/whats-on/calendar) where you can search for something specific across multiple branches.

Library Events in December…

(Mark your calendars accordingly)

The library has some interesting events planned in December.  As always, I thought I’d take a minute and give you a run down so you can plan ahead.  Let’s start with the non-repeating events:

- - - - - - - - - - 

12/2 from 1:00-4:00
LA OIC Boot Camp
This program puts low cost computers in the hands of low income people.  This session is in English. Call or drop by to sign up.

12/4 @ 11:45
NELA Holiday Parade
Join us and march in the Northeast Los Angeles Holiday parade.  We will be celebrating our love of books so join us dressed as a character from a book or carrying a sign advertising your favorite book.  We will meet in the library parking lot.

12/5 @ 4:00
Make it Monday: Building Block Challenge
Join us fun with building blocks.  What can you make?

12/6 @ 3:00
Teen Council Meeting
Join us for an activity of some kind and simultaneously share your thoughts about the library.

12/6 @ 6:00
Club de Lectores
Hay café, pastel casero, ye conversación amena sobre el libro que estamos leyendo

12/10 @ 2:00
Classical Guitar Concert
Join us for a performance of classical guitar music by local musician David Maroglis.

12/12 from 2:00-4:00
LA DOT Tap Card Information Session
Stop by with questions for the LA Department of Transportation.  Get your TAP card reloaded while you’re here.

12/12 @ 4:00
Make it Monday: Special Tide Pool Animal Program
Experience marine life up close and personal with live tide pool animals and specimens.

12/13 @ 3:00
Teen Program
Join us for an exciting, teen-friendly event

12/17 @ 3:00
Arroyo Book Club
Join us for a lively discussion of Julius Caesar by William Shakespeare.

12/19 @ 4:00
Make it Monday: Holiday Crafts
Join us and make some lovely winter holiday themed projects.

12/20 @ 6:00
Club de Lectores
Hay café, pastel casero, ye conversación amena sobre el libro que estamos leyendo

- - - - - - - - - -

Each month the library also has a number of ongoing classes & events.  They are:

Toddler Storytime - - - Wednesdays at 10:30 
Little Ones’ 3 and under & their grownups are invited to join us for stories, music, & games.  (No session on 12/7)

Baby Storytime - - - Thursdays at 10:30 
Bounces, rhymes and songs for prewalkers (age 0-12 months) and their caregivers.  (No session on 12/8 or 12/15)

STAR Volunteer Readers - - - Available on Wednesdays at 3:00, on Thursdays at 3:00, & on Saturdays at 2:00 
STAR readers present the fun of storytelling and reading to children one-on-one or in small groups. Kids earn a free book to keep after 3 visits. 

Drop in Computer Lab - - - Fridays at 3:30
Bring your questions about computers, tablets, eReaders, or other electronic devices.  We will do our best to help you figure out answers. 

- - - - - - - - - -

Please do not hesitate to call the library at 323-255-0537 if you have any questions or would like more information.  Remember that you can always check the Branch Page (http://www.lapl.org/branches/arroyo-seco) on the LAPL website for upcoming events or check out the Master Calendar (http://www.lapl.org/whats-on/calendar) where you can search for something specific across multiple branches.

Zero World

I’m not quite sure of what I make of Zero World by Jason M. Hough or rather I’m not sure how to discuss what I make of the book without giving away plot points that the author is very good at revealing unexpectedly.  What we have here is basically a thriller with SF overtones and an author who likes to keep everyone in the dark.  Peter Caswell is a spy, an industrial spy.  He has an implant that resets his memories after every assignment so, while he knows he has killed, he never knows details of any kind.  He is sent off on a mission to a recently recovered space craft where he finds all but one of the crew dead.  Discovering that the crew had been through a mysterious rift in space to an earth-like planet, he is sent in to see if he can find and assassinate the missing crew member.  

The book is quite good - though this is an author with no compunction about killing many, many characters.  I, however, found that the author’s parsimonious release of information about the overall structure of the world and his continual use of surprise annoying.  Try at your own risk.

Events for the Week of November 20….

As I’m sure you know, Thanksgiving is this week.  The library will be closed on the 24^th & 25^th because of it.  Events going on at the library during the rest of the week include…

• Make it Monday features Thanksgiving themed crafts on Monday (11/21) at 4:00
• Toddler Storytime on Wednesday (11/23) at 10:30
• STAR Reader on Saturday (11/26) at 2:00
• Meeting of the Arroyo Book Club on Saturday at 3:00

You can always check the Branch Page (http://www.lapl.org/branches/arroyo-seco) on the LAPL website for upcoming events or check out the Master Calendar (http://www.lapl.org/whats-on/calendar) where you can search for something specific across multiple branches.

NELA Holiday Parade

The Northeast Los Angeles Holiday Parade will march down Figueroa Street from about where the library lives (Piedmont Avenue) to Sycamore Park on Sunday, December 4th.   This year the library will be participating and we invite you (& your family & friends) to join us.  Our theme will be “Highland Park’s Favorite Books” so figure out some way to honor your favorite book ---- a related costume, an informative poster or banner ----- and join us.  We will meet up in the Library parking lot at 11:45 on the fourth.

Please get in touch if you plan to join us so we can know to expect you.  Call us at 323-255-0537, email us at ayosco@lapl.org, or drop by and sign up in person.  The more the merrier so pass along word of the event to everyone you know who might be interested.

Trivia of the Month...

This month’s question is: who said “The Liberty of the press is essential to the security of the state”?

Sorcerer to the Crown

In Sorcerer to the Crown Zen Cho takes us to a Regency England in a world that has working magic.  Zacharias Wythe is the Sorcerer Royal and is beset by both his status as a freed slave in a society that esteems class and a serious waning in the amount of magic available for use by English sorcerers.  Escaping town to lecture at a school for gentlewitches Wythe meets Prunella, a prodigiously talented orphan girl recently reduced to servant status who is anxious to escape.  The story goes on to slyly undermine the social mores of the Regency period in which it is set.

An interesting book this will appeal to those who enjoyed Susanna Clarke’s Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell.

Events for the Week of November 13….

Events going on at the library this week include…

• Make it Monday features a Dreamcatcher craft on Monday (11/14) at 4:00
• Exciting teen program on Tuesday (11/15) at 4:00
• Lectores meet on Tuesday at 6:00
• Toddler Storytime on Wednesday (11/16) at 10:30
• STAR Reader on Wednesday at 3:00
• Baby Storytime on Thursday (11/17) at 10:30
• STAR Reader on Thursday at 3:00
• Drop in Computer Lab on Friday (11/18) at 3:30
• STAR Reader on Saturday (11/19) at 2:00
• Movie Showing (of the book club book) on Saturday at 3:00

You can always check the Branch Page (http://www.lapl.org/branches/arroyo-seco) on the LAPL website for upcoming events or check out the Master Calendar (http://www.lapl.org/whats-on/calendar) where you can search for something specific across multiple branches.

Websites I Like…

A website to look at when you’re looking into how the schools in your neighborhood are doing is the Ed-Data site (http://www.ed-data.org/).  This site allows you to examine the demographics of a specific California school as well as the performance.  It also allows you to compare schools or districts, though the interface for doing so takes a little work for understanding. It will let you export your results so you can use this tool when preparing your own report.

Marry Kiss Kill

In Marry Kiss Kill by Anne Flett-Giordano two Santa Barbara based detectives find themselves investigating three deaths, a local homeless musician gunned down in a park, a recently bankrupted financial mogul who seems to have committed suicide, and an eco-crazy psychologist who is found dead apparently accidently killed by a deer.  Are all of these deaths murders? How could they possibly be connected? Our detectives set to work and eventually bring justice to all.

The book is billed as humorous by its jacket copy but I just didn’t see it.  The characters are all pretty terrible people and the detectives are so snarky, sardonic, and tied up by questions of sex & relationship that it is hard to see them functioning in the real world.  This was not a book I enjoyed though I could see it appealing to someone who appreciates snark & sarcasm.

Events for the Week of November 6….

Remember that the library will be closed on Friday November 11 for Veterans Day.  Events going on at the library during the rest of the week include…

• Make it Monday features a building block challenge on Monday (11/7) at 4:00
• Toddler Storytime on Wednesday (11/9) at 10:30
• STAR Reader on Wednesday at 3:00
• Baby Storytime on Thursday (11/10) at 10:30
• STAR Reader on Thursday at 3:00
• Arroyo Seco Open House ALL DAY on Saturday (11/12).  Activities include:
• Community Bike Ride – Starts at 10:00
• Friends’ Book Sale – From 10:00 to 12:00
• Library eResource Classes – on the hour from 12:00 to 3:00
• L.A. Plays Launch Party & Storytime – at 1:00
• City Services & Renters’ Rights Presentation – at 3:00
• There will also be informational tables staffed by The Literacy Program & The Arroyo Arts Collective from 10:00-3:00
• STAR Reader on Saturday at 2:00

You can always check the Branch Page (http://www.lapl.org/branches/arroyo-seco) on the LAPL website for upcoming events or check out the Master Calendar (http://www.lapl.org/whats-on/calendar) where you can search for something specific across multiple branches.

November’s eResource of the Month

Would you be interested in leveraging your cell phone for your educational advancement?  Then the electronic resource of the month for November, Cell-Ed, is perfect for you.  Cell-Ed is a mobile bilingual English-Spanish learning service that delivers 3-minute lessons to your mobile phone.  Three courses are available: English on the Go, Vamos a Leer, and Citizenship on the Go. Lessons are taught using calls and text messages, Internet data is not required. 

Do note that in order to take advantage of this service you will need unlimited data and texting on your mobile phone.

You will find the Cell-Ed platform online on the library’s website under the “Adult Literacy” page under the “Learn Online” menu. (http://www.lapl.org/adult-literacy/learn-online) 

In order to begin you will simply call 213-223-7330 and enter the PIN 5275.  You will have to work through a short enrollment process before you can begin for the first time.  

If you need any help you may call the Los Angeles Public Library’s Singleton Adult Literacy Center at 213-228-7037.

Trivia of the Month (Answer)...

The question for the month was what is a whimbrel?  A whimbrel is a North America bird residing chiefly in Alaska and along the northern facing coasts of Canada.  The bird is approximately 17 inches long with a 31 inch wingspan.

Find more information about this and other birds in the book we took the question from…. The question (& answer) were found on p. 242 of Birds of North America  by Fred J. Alsop III.  The book was published in 2001 by DK Publishing.

Events for the Week of October 30….

Events going on at the library this week include…

• Make it Monday features Halloween Fun on Monday (10/31) at 4:00
• Lectores meet on Tuesday (11/1) at 6:00
• Toddler Storytime on Wednesday (11/2) at 10:30
• STAR Reader on Wednesday at 3:00
• Baby Storytime on Thursday (11/3) at 10:30
• STAR Reader on Thursday at 3:00
• LA OIC Boot Camp on Friday (11/4) from 1:00-4:00 --- en español
• Drop in Computer Lab on Friday at 3:30
• Student Smart ACT practice test on Saturday (11/5) starting at 10:00
• STAR Reader on Saturday at 2:00

You can always check the Branch Page (http://www.lapl.org/branches/arroyo-seco) on the LAPL website for upcoming events or check out the Master Calendar (http://www.lapl.org/whats-on/calendar) where you can search for something specific across multiple branches.

Library Events in November…

(Mark your calendars accordingly)

The library has some interesting events planned in November.  As always, I thought I’d take a minute and give you a run down so you can plan ahead.  Let’s start with the non-repeating events:

- - - - - - - - - - 
11/1 @ 6:00
Club de Lectores
Hay café, pastel casero, ye conversación amena sobre el libro que estamos leyendo

11/4 from 1:00-4:00
LA OIC Boot Camp
This program puts low cost computers in the hands of low income people.  This session is in Spanish. Call or drop by to sign up.

11/5 from 10:00-2:30
Student Smart (ACT Practice Test)
Take a practice ACT test.

11/7 @ 4:00
Make it Monday: Building Block Challenge
Join us fun with building blocks.  What can you make?

11/12 All Day
Arroyo Seco Open House
Join us for our open house.  Schedule includes:

10:00         Community Bike Ride with the Book Bike

10:00-12:00 Friends’ Book Sale

12:00-4:00   Library eResource Introduction Sessions

1:00           L.A. Plays Launch Event

3:00                City Services and Renters Rights 

11/14 @ 4:00
Make it Monday: Stories & Crafts
Join us for Thanksgiving themed fun.

11/15 @ 3:00
Teen Program
Join us for an exciting, teen-friendly event

11/15 @ 6:00
Club de Lectores
Hay café, pastel casero, ye conversación amena sobre el libro que estamos leyendo

11/19 @ 3:00
Movie Showing
Join us for a screening of the film based on this month’s Arroyo Book Club selection.

11/21 @ 4:00
Make it Monday: Building Block Challenge
Join us fun with building blocks.  What can you make?

11/26 @ 3:00
Arroyo Book Club
Join us for a lively discussion of José Saramago’s Blindness.

11/28 @ 4:00
Make it Monday: Activity
Join us for a craft.

- - - - - - - - - -

Each month the library also has a number of ongoing classes & events.  They are:

Toddler Storytime - - - Wednesdays at 10:30 
Little Ones’ 3 and under & their grownups are invited to join us for stories, music, & games.  

Baby Storytime - - - Thursdays at 10:30 
Bounces, rhymes and songs for prewalkers (age 0-12 months) and their caregivers.

STAR Volunteer Readers - - - Available on Wednesdays at 3:00, on Thursdays at 3:00, & on Saturdays at 2:00 
STAR readers present the fun of storytelling and reading to children one-on-one or in small groups. Kids earn a free book to keep after 3 visits. 

Drop in Computer Lab - - - Fridays at 3:30
Bring your questions about computers, tablets, eReaders, or other electronic devices.  We will do our best to help you figure out answers. 

- - - - - - - - - -

Please do not hesitate to call the library at 323-255-0537 if you have any questions or would like more information.  Remember that you can always check the Branch Page (http://www.lapl.org/branches/arroyo-seco) on the LAPL website for upcoming events or check out the Master Calendar (http://www.lapl.org/whats-on/calendar) where you can search for something specific across multiple branches.

The November Arroyo Book Club Book

The November Arroyo Book Club Book is Blindness by José Saramago.  The book is described:

“A city is hit by an epidemic of "white blindness" that spares no one. Authorities confine the blind to an empty mental hospital, but there the criminal element holds everyone captive, stealing food rations and assaulting women. There is one eyewitness to this nightmare who guides her charges-among them a boy with no mother, a girl with dark glasses, a dog of tears-through the barren streets, and their procession becomes as uncanny as the surroundings are harrowing. As Blindness reclaims the age-old story of a plague, it evokes the vivid and trembling horrors of the twentieth century, leaving readers with a powerful vision of the human spirit that's bound both by weakness and exhilarating strength.”

This book was made into a movie in 2008 by director Fernando Meirelles.  It starred Mark Ruffalo and Julianne Moore, among others.  We will be showing the movie as well as discussing the book this month.

Plan to join us for a screening of the movie on 11/19 at 3:00 and for the book discussion on 11/26 also at 3:00.  You can stop by the library for a copy of the book at your convenience.

Events for the Week of October 23….

Events going on at the library this week include…

• Make it Monday features a building block challenge on Monday (10/24) at 4:00
• Toddler Storytime on Wednesday (10/26) at 10:30
• STAR Reader on Wednesday at 3:00
• Baby Storytime on Thursday (10/27) at 10:30
• STAR Reader on Thursday at 3:00
• Drop in Computer Lab on Friday (10/28) at 3:30
• Student Smart ACT seminar on Saturday (10/29) starting at 10:00
• STAR Reader on Saturday at 2:00

You can always check the Branch Page (http://www.lapl.org/branches/arroyo-seco) on the LAPL website for upcoming events or check out the Master Calendar (http://www.lapl.org/whats-on/calendar) where you can search for something specific across multiple branches.

The Dark Side of the Road

In The Dark Side of the Road Simon R. Green introduces us to Ishmael Jones.  Ishmael works for a mysterious organization tasked with cleaning up problems caused by aliens and other outsiders.  As the book opens Ishmael’s boss, the Colonel, has summoned him to a house in the country.  Ishmael arrives in the teeth of a blizzard to find that the Colonel has vanished.  Ishmael investigates the growing mystery as bodies begin to pile up around him and the weather keeps everyone trapped.

The book is both readable and reasonably interesting.  It does cover territory that has been handled better by other authors but is worth a look at if you like a classic cut off estate mystery with supernatural or perhaps extraterrestrial trappings.

Arroyo Seco Open House

The Arroyo Seco Regional Branch Library is holding an Open House on Saturday, November 12.  Everyone is invited to come on by for any (or all) of the interesting events we have planned as well as to check out the library and all of the resources we have to offer.  The days’ events include:

A Community Bike Ride with the Book Bike at 10:00
Join the book bike for a family friendly ride through Highland Park.  This is our first attempt at a community ride and we’d like to see many of you join us for an enjoyable bout of communal exercise out in the fresh air.  (All riders will be required to sign a Personal Release Waiver. Any rider under the age of 18 must have a parent present (to sign release waiver) either on the day of the ride or at the Library prior to the ride beginning.   All riders under age of 18 must wear a helmet as required by law.  All riders under 15 must be accompanied by parent or guardian.)

Friends of the Library Book Sale from 10:00-12:00
Stop by for the first Friends book sale we’ve had in a while and find some lovely (cheap) bargains to add to your collection.  While you’re here see about signing up for the Friends group yourself….  so we can have even more book sales, as well as other activities, in the future.

Library eResource Introduction Sessions 12:00-4:00
We will be running classes on various eResources the library makes available to card holders on the hour all afternoon.  Specifically:

12:00 Databases
Come learn about the many databases the library has and what they can do for your. We have databases for everything from genealogical research through car repair to comprehensive newspaper access.

1:00 eBooks & eAudiobooks
Learn how to check out and download eBooks and eAudiobooks.

2:00 Other eMedia
Explore streaming movies and free music downloads as we talk about eMedia products that aren’t books or audiobooks.

3:00 eMedia Demonstration & Questions
Join us for a demonstration of various eMedia products.  Question session follows so bring any questions you have along and ask them.

L.A. Plays Launch Event at 1:00
L.A. Plays is a program that allows for children to check out toys kits to play with at home.  Join us for the launch of this fun new service as we celebrate with a special storytime.

City Services & Renters’ Rights Presentation at 3:00
Coumcilmember Cedillo’s Staff present information on what city services are available to you & what rights you have as a renter.  There will be time for questions after the presentation.

So be sure to mark your calendar and come on by the library try a program or activity, check out our materials --- both real & virtual, and just say hi.

P.S. if you don’t have a library card they’re free & really easy to get… be sure to get one when you stop in.

Trivia of the Month...

This month’s question is what is a whimbrel?

Events for the Week of October 16….

Events going on at the library this week include…

• Make a Mexican Rag Doll in Make it Monday on Monday (10/17) at 4:00
• Lectores meet on Tuesday (10/18) at 6:00
• STAR Reader on Wednesday (10/19) at 3:00
• STAR Reader on Thursday (10/20) at 3:00
• Drop in Computer Lab on Friday (10/21) at 3:30
• Student Smart ACT seminar on Saturday (10/22) starting at 10:00
• STAR Reader on Saturday at 2:00
• Arroyo Book Club meets on Saturday at 3:00

You can always check the Branch Page (http://www.lapl.org/branches/arroyo-seco) on the LAPL website for upcoming events or check out the Master Calendar (http://www.lapl.org/whats-on/calendar) where you can search for something specific across multiple branches.

The Science of Discworld

The Science of Discworld by Terry Pratchett, Ian Stewart, and Jack Cohen uses Pratchett’s discworld setting and characters as a springboard to explore the creation and evolution of our universe, sun, planet, and planet’s living things.  The book uses a narrative framework where the wizards of discworld have created a new universe and are anxious to explore it, particularly since it does not seem to have any of the ingredients the magic of their own universe requires.  So you’ll find a chapter where the wizards explore the universe, solar system, and eventually planet in the context of their own expectations followed by an expository chapter that discusses the actual science of the issue just investigated by the wizards.  The authors do a nice job of telling a fun story and balancing it with interesting, easy to follow science fact.

Recommended for those who enjoy science with an added top coat of whimsy.

OIC Computer Boot Camp

La organización LAOIC (http://laoic.org/) continúa su programa de venta de computadoras para familias de bajos recursos. Para calificar, debe proveer prueba de ingresos totales que sean menos de $23,000 al año y completar la clase de computadora de 3 horas. La clase proxima será el 4 de Noviembre, 1:00-4:00. Usted debe registrarse antes de tiempo llamando al 323-255-0537. 

---------

The OIC of Los Angeles (http://laoic.org/) has a program aimed at putting computers in the hands of low-income individuals & families for a low cost.  The computer in question is a core 2 duo desktop with flat screen monitor and the low cost in question is $149 plus tax.  Participants must provide proof of low-income status.  Such proof includes documentation showing earnings less than $23,000 a year or receipt of Medicaid, SSI, TANF, GA-U, DSHS support, or free school lunches.

The program begins with a 3 hour boot camp.  We are offering those boot camps here at the Arroyo Seco Library on the first Friday of each month from 1:00-4:00.  Months alternate between classes in English and Spanish.  The November class will be in Spanish. Call us at 323-255-0537, or stop by, to sign up.  

If you have questions about the program please call OIC at 323-754-3116. 

Events for the Week of October 9….

Please remember that the library will be closed on Monday for Columbus Day.  Events going on at the library the rest of the week include…

• Teen Program on Tuesday (10/11) at 3:00
• Toddler Storytime on Wednesday (10/12) at 10:30
• STAR Reader on Wednesday at 3:00
• Baby Storytime on Thursday (10/13) at 10:30
• STAR Reader on Thursday at 3:00
• Drop in Computer Lab on Friday (10/14) at 3:30
• Student Smart ACT practice test on Saturday (10/15) starting at 10:00
• STAR Reader on Saturday at 2:00

You can always check the Branch Page (http://www.lapl.org/branches/arroyo-seco) on the LAPL website for upcoming events or check out the Master Calendar (http://www.lapl.org/whats-on/calendar) where you can search for something specific across multiple branches.

Websites I Like…

The Digital Public Library of America is a fun site to play around in.  Their goal is “bringing together the riches of America’s libraries, archives, museums, and cultural heritage sites, and making them freely available to students, teachers, researchers, and the general public.”  They make more than 14 million items available for searching or browsing and create special curated collections for your enjoyment.  Another feature they have is a timeline which, logically, allows you to take a chronological look at their collection.

Take a moment and play around with it.

The Fold

The Fold by Peter Clines centers around the “Albuquerque Door,” a device designed to allow for instantaneous transportation.  Mike Erikson, our hero, is hired by an old school friend to investigate the door and its researchers to determine whether funding should be continued.   Mike begins the investigation and soon discovers things are not as they should be.  Naturally things escalate and soon he is fighting for the very fate of the world.

If you think about the premise even a little it is quite clear how the door theoretically works and what the problems surrounding the door are --- I had that all sussed out by the end of the first chapter --- so this is not a book you read because you don’t know where things are headed.  It is however nicely full of action and interesting enough to keep your attention despite itself.  I would recommend it to those who like a good action SF story.

October eResource of the Month

The October eResource of the month is Brainfuse VetNow.  This oddly titled resources offers “free, live, online academic and job assistance for veterans transitioning to civilian life. Tutors are available every day 1:00 PM to 10:00 PM PST.”  

Brainfuse offers a comprehensive suite of online academic services designed to support many learning needs and styles.  Included you will find live tutoring, skills building, a 24/7 help center, and foreign language and writing labs.  There is a test center with access to online practice quizzes to help you succeed in preparing for any of a number of exams or with subjects giving you particular difficulty.  There is also a flash card app that provides access to a large number of flash cards for prepping with.  

If you are a vet or you know a vet check this resource out.

You can access Brainfuse VetNow from any computer, though you will need your library card and PIN handy if you are on a non-library computer.  From the library’s website click into Research & Homework and scroll down to the b’s (http://cms.lapl.org/collections-resources/research-and-homework#B).  

Events for the Week of October 2….

Events going on at the library this week include…

• Make it Monday learning activity on Monday (10/3) at 4:00
• Club de Lectores meeting on Tuesday (10/4) at 6:00
• Toddler Storytime on Wednesday (10/5) at 10:30
• STAR Reader on Wednesday at 3:00
• Baby Storytime on Thursday (10/6) at 10:30
• STAR Reader on Thursday at 3:00
• OIC Computer Boot Camp on Friday (10/7) at 1:00
• Drop in Computer Lab on Friday at 3:30
• STAR Reader on Saturday (10/8) at 2:00
• Stress Relief Techniques Class on Saturday at 3:00

You can always check the Branch Page (http://www.lapl.org/branches/arroyo-seco) on the LAPL website for upcoming events or check out the Master Calendar (http://www.lapl.org/whats-on/calendar) where you can search for something specific across multiple branches.

Trivia of the Month... Answer

The month’s question was what is a bozze?  A bozze is a Libyan measure of liquid volume equivalent to 2.835 liters.

The question (& answer) were found on p. 152 of For Good Measure by William D. Johnstone.  The book was published in 1975 by Holt, Reinhart and Winston.

Library Events in October…

(Mark your calendars accordingly)

The library has some interesting events planned in October.  As always, I thought I’d take a minute and give you a run down so you can plan ahead.  Let’s start with the non-repeating events:

- - - - - - - - - - 
10/3 @ 4:00
Make it Monday: Activity
Join us fun for a fun, science themed activity.

10/4 @ 6:00
Club de Lectores
Hay café, pastel casero, ye conversación amena sobre el libro que estamos leyendo

10/7 from 1:00-4:00
LA OIC Boot Camp
This program puts low cost computers in the hands of low income people.  This session is in English. Call or drop by to sign up.

10/8 @ 3:00
Stress Relief Techniques Class
Feeling stressed? Join us for a class where you will learn simple techniques to help you alleviate that stress.

10/11 @ 4:00
Teen Program
Join us for our monthly teen program.

10/15 from 10:00-2:30
Student Smart (ACT Practice Test)
Take a practice ACT test and follow up in subsequent weeks with seminars addressing specific areas of the test.  Participation in all four sessions & advanced sign up required.

10/17 @ 4:00
Make it Monday: Make a Mexican Rag Doll
Join us and make a Muñeca de Trapo.

10/18 @ 6:00
Club de Lectores
Hay café, pastel casero, ye conversación amena sobre el libro que estamos leyendo

10/22 from 10:00-12:00
Student Smart
Join us for the first of our targeted workshops aimed at the ACT. This session will be focused on the English section of the test. Participation in all four sessions & advanced sign up required.

10/22 @ 3:00
Arroyo Book Club
Join us for a lively discussion of Ta-Nehisi Coates’ Between the World and Me.

10/24 @ 4:00
Make it Monday: Building Block Challenge
Join us fun with building blocks.  What can you make?

10/29 from 10:00-12:00
Student Smart
Join us for the first of our targeted workshops aimed at the ACT. This session will be focused on the Mathematics section of the test. Participation in all four sessions & advanced sign up required.

10/31 @ 4:00
Make it Monday: Halloween Fun
Celebrate Halloween with us with some spooky fun.

- - - - - - - - - -

Each month the library also has a number of ongoing classes & events.  They are:

Toddler Storytime - - - Wednesdays at 10:30 (no session on 10/19)
Little Ones’ 3 and under & their grownups are invited to join us for stories, music, & games.  

Baby Storytime - - - Thursdays at 10:30 (no session on 10/20)
Bounces, rhymes and songs for prewalkers (age 0-12 months) and their caregivers.

STAR Volunteer Readers - - - Available on Wednesdays at 3:00, on Thursdays at 3:00, & on Saturdays at 2:00 
STAR readers present the fun of storytelling and reading to children one-on-one or in small groups. Kids earn a free book to keep after 3 visits. 

Drop in Computer Lab - - - Fridays at 3:30
Bring your questions about computers, tablets, eReaders, or other electronic devices.  We will do our best to help you figure out answers. 

- - - - - - - - - -

Please do not hesitate to call the library at 323-255-0537 if you have any questions or would like more information.  Remember that you can always check the Branch Page (http://www.lapl.org/branches/arroyo-seco) on the LAPL website for upcoming events or check out the Master Calendar (http://www.lapl.org/whats-on/calendar) where you can search for something specific across multiple branches.

Arroyo Book Club Pick for October

The Arroyo Book Club book for October is Ta-Nehisi Coates’ Between the World and Me.  To quote the LAPL catalog description (as I always do) this book is…

A bold and personal literary exploration of America's racial history by "the single best writer on the subject of race in the United States" (The New York Observer)

"This is your country, this is your world, this is your body, and you must find some way to live within the all of it."

In the one hundred fifty years since the end of the Civil War and the ratification of the Thirteenth Amendment, the story of race and America has remained a brutally simple one, written on flesh: It is the story of the black body, exploited to create the country's foundational wealth, violently segregated to unite a nation after a civil war, and, today, still disproportionately threatened, locked up, and killed in our streets. What is it like to inhabit a black body and find a way to live within it? And how can we all--regardless of race--honestly reckon with our country's fraught racial history and free ourselves from its burden?

Between the World and Me is Ta-Nehisi Coates's attempt to answer those questions, presented in the form of a letter to his adolescent son. Coates shares with his son--and readers--the story of his own awakening to the truth about history and race through a series of revelatory experiences: immersion in nationalist mythology as a child; engagement with history, poetry, and love at Howard University; travels to Civil War battlefields and the South Side of Chicago; a journey to France that reorients his sense of the world; and pilgrimages to the homes of mothers whose children's lives have been taken as American plunder. Taken together, these stories map a winding path toward a kind of liberation--a journey from fear and confusion to a full and honest understanding of the world as it is.

Masterfully woven from lyrical personal narrative, reimagined history, and fresh, emotionally charged reportage, Between the World and Me offers a powerful new framework for understanding America's history and current crisis, and a transcendent vision for a way forward.

Stop by the library to check out a copy and join us on October 22 at 3:00 for discussion.