Trivia of the Month (Answer)....

The month’s question was what kind of dogs made the run to Nome, Alaska in 1925 carrying lifesaving doses of an anti-diphtheria serum?  The answer - Siberian Huskies.

The question (& answer) were found on p. 302 of The Complete Dog Book published by Howell Book House in 1998.

Gentleman Jole and the Red Queen

I’ve long been a fan of Lois McMaster Bujold for her generally light-hearted approach to SF.  Her latest, Gentleman Jole and the Red Queen is no exception.  In this book the narrative switches away from Miles to his mother Cordelia and to Oliver Jole a man who has a complicated history with the Vorkosigans.  It has been 3 years since the death of Aral Vorkosigan and his mourners are starting to move on.  Cordelia has decided to take advantage of some frozen reproductive material to engender some daughters and she offers Oliver the chance to use the same material to conceive some sons.  This re-kindles a relationship between the two.  In the meantime we explore the planet of Sergyar and enjoy a visit from Miles & his family.  While not quite as good as A Civil Campaign this book is definitely worth a read.

Recommended.

The Arroyo Book Club’s April Pick….

The book the Arroyo Book Club will be reading for April is Ghettoside by Jill Leovy.  As always this is a book I have not yet read so let me have Amazon.com provide you with the book description:

On a warm spring evening in South Los Angeles, a young man is shot and killed on a sidewalk minutes away from his home, one of the thousands of black Americans murdered that year. His assailant runs down the street, jumps into an SUV, and vanishes, hoping to join the scores of killers in American cities who are never arrested for their crimes.

But as soon as the case is assigned to Detective John Skaggs, the odds shift.

Here is the kaleidoscopic story of the quintessential, but mostly ignored, American murder—a “ghettoside” killing, one young black man slaying another—and a brilliant and driven cadre of detectives whose creed is to pursue justice for forgotten victims at all costs. Ghettoside is a fast-paced narrative of a devastating crime, an intimate portrait of detectives and a community bonded in tragedy, and a surprising new lens into the great subject of why murder happens in our cities—and how the epidemic of killings might yet be stopped.

A nice combination of true crime and social issues, definitely a book that will lay the groundwork for discussion.  For this particular book I’d like us to generate our own discussion questions so read it with a pen and paper handy and note down interesting questions as they occur to you, then bring those questions with you when you come to book discussion on April 22 at 3:00.  As always you can pick up a copy of the book from the library.

Events for the Week of March 26….

The library will be closed for César Chávez’s Birthday on Monday.  Events going on at the library during the remainder of the week include…

• Teen program on Tuesday (3/28) at 3:00
• Aerobics Class also on Tuesday at 5:00
• Toddler Storytime on Wednesday (3/29) at 10:30
• STAR Reader on Wednesday at 3:00
• Baby Storytime on Thursday (3/30) at 10:30
• STAR Reader on Thursday at 3:00
• Drop in Computer Lab on Friday (3/31) at 3:30
• STAR Reader on Saturday (4/1) 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 of (potential) interest…

Check out the Free Library (https://www.thefreelibrary.com/).  The Free Library offers full text access to classic literature as well as many periodical publications. It includes, for instance, back issues of the Daily News (Los Angeles).  Let me let them describe themselves:

Since 2003, The Free Library has offered free, full-text versions of classic literary works from hundreds of celebrated authors, whose biographies, images, and famous quotations can also be found on the site. Recently, The Free Library has been expanded to include a massive collection of periodicals from hundreds of leading publications covering Business and Industry, Communications, Entertainment, Health, Humanities, Law, Government, Politics, Recreation and Leisure, Science and Technology, and Social Sciences. This collection includes millions of articles dating back to 1984 as well as newly-published articles that are added to the site daily.

The Free Library is an invaluable research tool and the fastest, easiest way to locate useful information on virtually any topic. Explore the site through a keyword search, or simply browse the enormous collection of literary classics and up-to-date periodicals to find exactly what you need.

Check them out and see if you feel they described themselves accurately.

Library Events in April…

(Mark your calendars accordingly)

The library has some interesting events planned in April.  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:

- - - - - - - - - -

4/3 @ 4:00
Make it Monday: Robots
Join us to make your own art-making robot.  Registration required.

4/4 @ 3:00
Teem Program
Join us for a teen themed program of one sort or another.

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

4/5 @ 6:00
Identity Theft Seminar
Come listen to an expert explain ID theft and what steps you can take to protect yourself.  Bring your questions.

4/7 From 12:00-3:00
LA OIC Computer Bootcamp
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.

4/8 @ 2:00
Resume Writing
Looking for a job? Polish up that resume.  Come learn what should and shouldn’t be in a resume. Get some feedback on your current resume.

4/8 @ 3:00
USC Thornton Woodstock Duo
Join us for a musical afternoon.  Comprised of cellist Annie Jacobs-Perkins and classical guitarist David Steinhardt, the Woodstock Duo is an eclectic ensemble devoted to showcasing the importance of friendship in music-making.

4/10 from 2:30-4:30
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.

4/10 @ 4:00
Make it Monday: Building Block Challenge
Come show us what you can build!

4/11 @ 3:00
Teen Program
Join us for a teen themed program of one sort or another.

4/17 @ 4:00
Make it Monday: Robots
Join us to make your own shybot (light-sensitive robot).  Registration required.

4/18 @ 4:00
Día de los Niños Craft Program
Fun craft making program.

4/18 @ 6:00
Club de Lectores
Hay café, pastel casero, ye conversación amena sobre el libro que estamos leyendo

4/22 @ 3:00
Arroyo Book Club
Join us for a lively discussion of Ghettoside by Jill Leovy.

4/23 @ 3:00
Color Zentangle
Ease your stress with a bit of coloring and/or zentangle creation.

4/24 @ 4:00
Aztec Stories with Michael Heralda
Come explore indigenous Mexican instruments, stories and poetry in "Aztec Stories" with Michael Heralda!

4/25 @ 4:00
Cinco de Mayo Craft
Create a craft for Cinco de Mayo with an instructor from LA Plaza de Cultura y Artes!


- - - - - - - - - -

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 4/12)

Baby Storytime - - - Thursdays at 10:30
Bounces, rhymes and songs for prewalkers (age 0-12 months) and their caregivers.  (No session on 4/13)

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.

Indexing Reflections

Seanan McGuire continues the story she began in Indexing (see previous entry) in Indexing Reflections.  This book picks up where the other left off.  Things have begun to settle down.  Birdie, our villain, is safely locked up in Childe Prison.  The team is cleared by HR and is back in the business of keeping unruly fairy tales from rewriting reality when a twisted Cinderella breaks out of prison.  Now the race is on to find the escapee, figure out what’s really going on, and save the world.

The book was not quite as exciting as the first of the series.  The author spent too much time in the whiteout wood in a way that didn’t really bring excitement or pace to the plot.  Definitely not a book that can be read alone but I would recommend it to those who have read the first of the series and are curious about how things continue.

Events for the Week of March 19….

Events going on at the library this week include…

• Make it Monday features a building block challenge on Monday (3/20) at 4:00
• Teen program on Tuesday (3/21) at 3:00
• Aerobics Class also on Tuesday at 5:00
• Lectores meets on Tuesday at 6:00
• Toddler Storytime on Wednesday (3/22) at 10:30
• STAR Reader on Wednesday at 3:00
• Baby Storytime on Thursday (3/23) at 10:30
• STAR Reader on Thursday at 3:00
• Drop in Computer Lab on Friday (3/24) at 3:30
• STAR Reader on Saturday (3/25) 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

Saturday, April 8…

We have two events worth noting taking place on Saturday the 8th of April.  Let me tell you a bit about each.

Resume Preparation!

Would you like to learn how to create a resume? Polish your existing resume? Receive feedback about your resume? Then come to our workshop.  It will be on the aforementioned Saturday at 2:00. 

After working on your resume stick around for…

More Music!

The USC Thornton Woodstock Duo will be performing on Saturday, April 8 at 3:00.  Comprised of cellist Annie Jacobs-Perkins and classical guitarist David Steinhardt, the Woodstock Duo is an eclectic ensemble devoted to showcasing the importance of friendship in music-making.  

Everyone always says these music groups put on an excellent show. Come and see for yourself.

Trivia of the Month....

This month’s question is what kind of dogs made the run to Nome, Alaska in 1925 carrying lifesaving doses of an anti-diphtheria serum?

Congressional District 34’s Special Primary….

If you, like the library, live in Congressional District 34 you will be aware that it is in the midst of an election to replace Xavier Beccera, who has moved on to his new job as the State’s Attorney General.  

What’s notable from the library’s perspective is that we are a Vote by Mail drop off location for the upcoming primary.  So… if you vote by mail and would like to save yourself the cost of a stamp swing by the library with your filled out and properly enveloped ballot and drop it in the ballot box by April 4, 2017.

If you are not a Vote by Mail person but would like to get your voting done early the library will be the site of early voting.  The (early) polls will be open Saturday, April 1 and Sunday, April 2.  Take advantage of these extra polling hours to get your civic duty taken care of.

Identity Theft Prevention Seminar

Join us on Wednesday, April 5 at 6:00 for a presentation on Identity Theft Prevention by Veronica Lopez.  Veronica will discuss how you can protect yourself from identity theft.  After this presentation you will know:

• What ID theft is
• How ID theft occurs
• How to avoid becoming a victim
• How to recognize ID theft and protect yourself from it
• Steps you can take if you become a victim.

Veronica is a Financial Coach for the CFPB Financial Coaching Program so bring any questions you have on the topic and join us.

Events for the Week of March 12….

Events going on at the library this week include…

• LA DOT TAP Information Table on Monday (3/13) from 2:00-4:00
• Make it Monday features a Real, Live Magic Show! Monday at 4:00
• Cesar Chavez craft program on Tuesday (3/14) at 3:30
• Aerobics Class also on Tuesday at 5:00
• Toddler Storytime on Wednesday (3/15) at 10:30
• STAR Reader on Wednesday at 3:00
• Baby Storytime on Thursday (3/16) at 10:30
• STAR Reader on Thursday at 3:00
• Drop in Computer Lab on Friday (3/17) at 3:30
• STAR Reader on Saturday (3/11) 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

Medusa’s Web

Tim Powers displays his talent for combining disparate ideas in compelling and unexpected ways in his new novel Medusa’s Web.  In this book, Scott and Madeline Madden return to their childhood home in the wake of their aunt’s suicide.  Once there they are caught up in a web of “spider” addiction --- the principal feature of this addiction is that the “trip” involves literally switching out your body to another’s in another place and time.  Scott begins to see signs that his aunt, or the part of her that is living in the cracks of the spider web, is trying to take over his sister and must take action to try to shut the whole thing down.

I generally like Powers work and this book is no exception.  I would recommend it to people who like speculative fiction and enjoy books that get you thinking about larger existential questions.

History of Highland Park

This 4/15/1987 article, Occidental – Academic Excellence for 100 Years, by Nelda Thompson explores the history of Occidental College.  Find out about noted alumni and explore events of note. The article was written to celebrate the college’s centennial and includes some photographs as well. 

Take a look at it.

Events for the Week of March 5….

Events going on at the library this week include…

• Make it Monday features a Women’s Heritage themed storytime & craft on Monday (3/6) at 4:00
• Teen program – sure to be fun - on Tuesday (3/7) at 3:00
• Aerobics Class also on Tuesday at 5:00
• Lectores meet on Tuesday at 6:00
• Toddler Storytime on  Wednesday (3/8) at 10:30
• STAR Reader on Wednesday at 3:00
• STAR Reader on Thursday (3/9) at 3:00
• Drop in Computer Lab on Friday (3/10) at 3:30
• STAR Reader on Saturday (3/11) at 2:00
• Women’s Heritage Month Movie Showing also 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

March eResource of the Month

The March eResource of the Month is Kanopy --- our newest product for watching streaming videos. Kanopy is a video streaming platform with over 26,000 documentaries in art, business, education, health, etc. In addition, it provides entertainment films from the 1920s to present. The collection also includes 1,500 foreign language films in 180 languages.  Over 1,000 producers and content providers are featured including the Criterion Collection, Great Courses, Kino Lorber, BBC, and New Day Films. Library card holders will be able to check out 10 films per month. Each film has a loan period of three (3) days.

Find Kanopy by starting on the Library website’s emedia page (http://www.lapl.org/collections-resources/e-media).  To use Kanopy you will need to create an account with your email address on their site. After you verify the account you will be asked to add your library card to it to begin using the service.