Trivia of the Month (Answer)...

This month’s question was what happened on April 15, 1912?  The answer is that the Titanic finished sinking…. The Titanic actually struck the iceberg on April 14th. 

The question (and answer) were found on p. 215 of Today in History.  The book was edited by Anja Schmidt and Published by DK in 2003.

May’s Arroyo Book Club Pick

The Arroyo Book Club will be reading Willa Cather’s Death Comes for the Archbishop for our May meeting.  A lyrical classic set in the deserts of New Mexico the book is described by Amazon.com with:

Willa Cather's best known novel is an epic--almost mythic--story of a single human life lived simply in the silence of the southwestern desert. In 1851 Father Jean Marie Latour comes to serve as the Apostolic Vicar to New Mexico. What he finds is a vast territory of red hills and tortuous arroyos, American by law but Mexican and Indian in custom and belief. In the almost forty years that follow, Latour spreads his faith in the only way he knows--gently, all the while contending with an unforgiving landscape, derelict and sometimes openly rebellious priests, and his own loneliness. Out of these events, Cather gives us an indelible vision of life unfolding in a place where time itself seems suspended.

The New York Times lauds it with:

“A truly remarkable book . . . Soaked through and through with atmosphere . . . From the riches of her imagination and sympathy Miss Cather has distilled a very rare piece of literature. It stands out, from the very resistance it opposes to classification.” 

Sound good? Stop by the library for a copy and join us for discussion on May 25 at 3:00.

Events for the Week of April 28….

Events going on at the library during the week include:

Sunday – 4/28
Sunday Afternoon Movie at 3:00

Monday – 4/29
Grupo de apoyo para la familia at 10:00
Music Performance: Louie Cruz Beltran at 4:00

Tuesday – 4/30
LAPD Read Along at 3:00
STAR Reader at 3:30

Wednesday – 5/1
Toddler Storytime at 10:30
STAR Reader at 3:00

Thursday – 5/2
STAR Reader at 3:00
All Ages Create-a-Zine Workshop at 4:00

Friday – 5/3
Drop in Computer Lab at 3:30

Saturday – 5/4
College Financial Aid Seminar at 12:00
STAR Reader 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

Insects of the Arroyo – Puppets!

Come join the Arroyo Arts Collective for a family friendly paper bag puppet workshop on Saturday, May 18 at 3:00. This year’s workshop will feature the beautiful monarch butterflies, whose brilliant migrations are wonders to behold, and the bees that swarm to find new homes and to pollinate our food and flowers.

Then… On Sunday, June 2, 2019, there will be an insect puppet parade to begin the festivities of Lummis Day. We hope you’ll bring your puppet and march with us in the Bees and Butterflies: Beyond Borders Parade.

Library Events in May…

(Mark your calendars accordingly)

The library has some interesting events planned in May.  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:

- - - - - - - - - -
5/2 @ 4:00
Zine Workshop
Join us and work on your own personal Zine in this all-ages workshop.

5/4 @ 12:00
College Financial Aid Seminar
Learn the ins and outs of getting financial aid. Program in both English and Spanish.

5/6 @ 4:00
Make it Monday
Join us for some creative fun.

5/7 @ 4:00
Teen Program
Gear up for summer reading and have fun along the way.

5/7 @ 6:00
Círculo de Lectores
Hay café, pastel casero, ye conversación amena sobre el libro que estamos leyendo

5/11 from 3:00-5:00
Lummis Poetry Series
Join us for our annual poetry workshop and set your creative juices free.

5/13 from 2:30 - 4:30
LA DOT Tap Information Table
Questions about LA metro systems? Just want to refill your TAP card? Stop by.

5/13 @ 4:00
Make it Monday
Join us for a building block challenge.

5/16 from 11:00 to 3:00
Free Citizenship Workshop
Applying is simple with help from expert volunteers who speak Spanish and English. Appointment required: contact Leonor 213-480-1052 x 102.

5/18 @ 3:00
Puppet Making
Join us for a puppet making workshop. This year we will be focusing on bees & butterflies. Bring your puppet and join us for Bees and Butterflies: Beyond Borders, the 4th annual Lummis Day Puppet Parade on June 2. 

5/20 @ 4:00
Make it Monday
Join us for a citizen science program.

5/21 @ 4:00
Teen Program
Gear up for summer reading and have fun along the way.

5/21 @ 6:00
Círculo de Lectores
Hay café, pastel casero, ye conversación amena sobre el libro que estamos leyendo

5/25 at 1:30
LA Made: Korean Classical Music & Dance
Celebrate Asian American Heritage Month and come enjoy the performance of the Korean Classical Music and Dance Company.

5/25 @ 3:00
Arroyo Book Club
Join us for a discussion (fill in title)


- - - - - - - - - -

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

Grupo de apoyo para la familia - - - Mondays at 10:00

Baby Storytime - - - Tuesdays at 10:30
Stories, songs, and rhymes await babies up to 18 months.

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

LAPD Read Along - - - Tuesdays at 3:00
Officers from the LAPD read favorite stories with kids.

STAR Volunteer Readers - - - Available on Tuesdays at 3:30, Wednesdays at 3:00, Thursdays at 3:00, and 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.

Lummis Poetry Workshop

Every year in the run up to Lummis Day the library hosts a poetry workshop.  Sometimes it’s a poetry sharing where local poets read their own work.  Sometimes it’s a poetry sharing where participants share the work of poets who mean a lot to them.  Sometimes it’s a class where a published poet helps you with the process of writing poems of your own.

In all cases it is an interesting event designed just to get your poetic self buzzing.  Although I do not yet know what form this year’s workshop will take I do know it will be on Saturday, May 11 from 3:00 to 5:00.  Make plans to join us.

I’ll add more details about the specifics of this year’s plan as I learn about them.

----------------------------

New Details (4/24/19)

Rick Bursky, UCLA Extension Writers' Program and USC Adjunct Professor of Poetry, leads free poetry workshop, "A Machine Made of Words"  His workshop will help you evolve a new poem and concentrate on trimming extra words, focusing on the language itself and not simply the story.

Events for the Week of April 21….

The library will be closed on April 21.  Events going on at the library during the rest of the week include: 

Monday – 4/22
Grupo de apoyo para la familia at 10:00
LA Saves Information Table from 3:00-5:00
Citizen Science at 4:00

Tuesday – 4/23
Baby Storytime at 10:30
LAPD Read Along at 3:00
STAR Reader at 3:30
Teen Program (lotería) at 3:00

Wednesday – 4/24
Toddler Storytime at 10:30
STAR Reader at 3:00

Thursday – 4/25
STAR Reader at 3:00

Friday – 4/26
Drop in Computer Lab at 3:30

Saturday – 4/27
STAR Reader at 2:00
Arroyo Book Club discusses Pacific 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

On This Day...

On this day (4/18) in 1906 a 7.8 earthquake struck San Francisco.

Are you prepared for an earthquake?  You should be. Check out the city’s family readiness brochure.

Drag Queen Story Hour

Drag Queen Story Hour will be on Saturday, April 27 at 10:00.  Join our glamorous presenter for glittery crafts and fabulous stories! Drag Queen Story Hour is just what it sounds like--drag queens reading stories to children and families. This program celebrates play, humor, fantasy and positive role models for all ages. 

Trivia of the Month....

This month’s question is what happened on this day (April 15) in 1912?

Events for the Week of April 14….

Events going on at the library during the week include:

Monday – 4/15
Grupo de apoyo para la familia at 10:00
Make it Monday at 4:00

Tuesday – 4/16
Baby Storytime at 10:30
LAPD Read Along at 3:00
STAR Reader at 3:30
Círculo de Lectores at 6:00

Wednesday – 4/17
Toddler Storytime at 10:30
STAR Reader at 3:00

Thursday – 4/18
STAR Reader at 3:00

Friday – 4/19
Drop in Computer Lab at 3:30

Saturday – 4/20
Workers’ Comp Basics at 1:30
STAR Reader 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

Idiot Brain

In Idiot Brain Dean Burnett takes a close, readable look at just what your brain is doing and how it works.  Written for the lay person the book examines everything from how the brain regulates the body to what we know about intelligence to how the brain is influenced by other people.  The book looks at both what we know about how things work as well as what we know about how things can go wrong.

All in all this is a very interesting book that is approachable for people with no underlying knowledge of the topic. Recommended.

Highland Park History…

Check out this article (http://dbase1.lapl.org/webpics/calindex/documents/10/520280.pdf) written by Henry Welcome in 1967.  It tells the history of Sycamore Grove Park.  It remembers a time when the river ran free below the park and young children caught minnows & crayfish in its waters.  Check it out for more interesting tidbits from the past.

Events for the Week of April 7….

Events going on at the library during the week include:

Monday – 4/8
Grupo de apoyo para la familia at 10:00
Make it Monday featuring building blocks at 4:00

Tuesday – 4/9
LAPD Read Along at 3:00
STAR Reader at 3:30
Teen Program at 6:00

Wednesday – 4/10
STAR Reader at 3:00

Thursday – 4/11
STAR Reader at 3:00

Friday – 4/12
Drop in Computer Lab at 3:30

Saturday – 4/13
VITA Tax Prep from 9:30 to 1:00
Citizen Science Day StallCatcher’s Megathon from 11:00 to 12:00
STAR Reader 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 Nightmare Stacks

Charles Stross continues his engaging Laundry Files series with The Nightmare Stacks.  This volume switches to the action point of a relatively new to the series character and lays out the story of an otherworldly invasion of Earth, England specifically, and all the chaos that ensues.  Despite the fantasy premise much of the book is devoted to the attack and response which leaves the book feeling very much like a military novel.

This is a very exciting tale I would recommend strongly.  It will make the most sense to those already familiar with the world of the Laundry Files but is interesting enough to be enjoyed by those unfamiliar who are willing to just take some things as given when they are presented.

April’s eResource of the Month

April… the month of spring… the month of poetry.  The month when the library’s eResource is Literature Resource Center.  What’s the connection?  Well this is the database I turn to when my thoughts have turned to poetry.  You can use it to find many full text poems as well as:

“a broad and representative range of authors and their works including literature criticism, biographies, topic and work overviews, news, primary sources, literary works, images, links to audio and interviews, and reviews.”  Its content covers a wide range of disciplines and time periods from around the world.  

You can access it from your computer with your library card.  Start from LAPL’s webpage and click into Research & Homework, scrolling down to the L’s (https://www.lapl.org/collections-resources/research-and-homework#L). 

So I issue you a challenge. Think of a topic and find a poem you haven’t read on that topic to celebrate this month of poetry.  My search on dogs yielded this poem…