Monday, August 30, 2021

September’s Arroyo Book Club Pick

 

The Arroyo Book Club will be reading This Is Happiness by Niall Williams for our September meeting.  This book is described by the publisher with:

"Change is coming to Faha, a small Irish parish that hasn't changed in a thousand years. For one thing, the rain is stopping. Nobody remembers when it started; rain on the western seaboard is a condition of living. But now - just as Father Coffey proclaims the coming of the electricity - the rain clouds are lifting. Seventeen-year-old Noel Crowe is idling in the unexpected sunshine when Christy makes his first entrance into Faha, bringing secrets he needs to atone for. Though he can't explain it, Noel knows right then: something has changed. As the people of Faha anticipate the endlessly procrastinated advent of the electricity, and Noel navigates his own coming-of-age and his falling in and out of love, Christy's past gradually comes to light, casting a new glow on a small world. Harking back to a simpler time, This Is Happiness is a tender portrait of a community - its idiosyncrasies and traditions, its paradoxes and kindnesses, its failures and triumphs - and a coming-of-age tale like no other. Luminous and lyrical, yet anchored by roots running deep into the earthy and everyday, it is about the power of stories: their invisible currents that run through all we do, writing and rewriting us, and the transforming light that they throw onto our world."

Sounds like an interesting look at a time and place remote from us here in Los Angeles.  I will have physical copies of the book available if you come by the library. If you’d rather read the ebook, you’ll find it here 

We will meet via Zoom to discuss this book on September 25 at 3 p.m.  Email ayosco@lapl.org if you are interested in attending.


Sunday, August 29, 2021

Programming Coming up This Week

Check out some of the exciting programming on offer from the library this week.  Visit the online calendar for the complete selection…

Monday
11:00 Baby & Toddler Storytime (Register: http://www.tinyurl.com/EdendaleStorytime)
6:00 Zumba with Cheryl (email vmagaw@lapl.org for link)

Tuesday
9:00-3:00  COVID-19 Vaccination Clinic (In person at the R.L. Stevenson Branch)
6:00 Life Stories Open Mic (email wwood@lapl.org for link)

Wednesday
11:00 Virtual Toddler Storytime (email shrmno@lapl.org for link)
3:45 Coding Club (email dsheridan@lapl.org for information)
 
Thursday
4:00 LA Made: Guelaguetza Restaurant + LA Taco (LAPL Facebook/YouTube)

Friday
11:00 Introduction to Mediation (email wvally@lapl.org for link)
3:00 Storytime and Sing-Along (email durant@lapl.org for link)

Saturday
10:00 Western Edge Writers (email shannah@lapl.org for link)

Catch up with us on various sites...

Friday, August 27, 2021

Scanning Services

 


Did you know that the branch has a scanner available for you to use free of charge?  We most certainly do.  The scanner has a large flatbed to allow you to scan multiple photos, or two sheets of paper, or the full pages of a book.  Itching to get your old family photos into digital format? This scanner is perfect for just that task.

Once you’ve scanned your images you can email them to yourself, save them directly to a USB drive, or even send them to the printer.

So plan your scanning project and come on by to make use of our scanner.


Thursday, August 26, 2021

History of Highland Park (& areas adjacent)….

Today’s document records a Historic Home Tour that took place in 1968.  The document advertises a fund raiser for the Church of Angels and includes a very brief history of the area and a list (with short descriptions) of the home included in the tour.

Wednesday, August 25, 2021

Bi-weekly Trivia Question…

This time let’s ask what is the world’s most populous city?  Relatedly, where do US cities appear on that list?

Monday, August 23, 2021

Celebrate Latino Heritage Month with a Learning Circle

 


Explore the cultures of ancient Mesoamerica with us in our Learning Circle.  Each week you’ll watch 3 episodes from the Great Courses' Maya to Aztec: Ancient Mesoamerica Revealed on your own and then join us to reflect on what you have learned.

We will meet for discussion via Zoom each Wednesday at 6:00 p.m. beginning on September 15 and ending on October 13.

Access the Great Course via Hoopla with your library card here

Questions? Call (323-255-0537), email (ayosco@lapl.org), or stop by the Information Desk to get them answered.

Email us at ayosco@lapl.org to enroll.

Sunday, August 22, 2021

Programming Coming up This Week

Check out some of the exciting programming on offer from the library this week.  Visit the online calendar  for the complete selection…

Monday
11:00 Baby & Toddler Storytime (Register: http://www.tinyurl.com/EdendaleStorytime)
4:30-6:30 COVID-19 Vaccination Clinic (In person at the R.L. Stevenson Branch)

Tuesday
10:30 World Music with Thalia (email vmagaw@lapl.org for link)
4:00 Virtual Teen Party Games! (email eappleton@lapl.org for link)

Wednesday
11:00 Virtual Toddler Storytime (email shrmno@lapl.org for link)
5:00 Walk Highland Park (in person, meet in Arroyo Seco Library Lobby)
 
Thursday
4:00 LA Made: History of Black Dance in America (LAPL Facebook/YouTube)

Friday
11:00 Introduction to Mediation (email wvally@lapl.org for link)
4:00 Your Author Series: Ernesto Cisneros (LAPL Facebook/YouTube)

Saturday
3:00 Arroyo Book Club discusses The Future is History (email ayosco@lapl.org for link)

Catch up with us on various sites...

Thursday, August 19, 2021

History of Highland Park…

Today we have a 19-page booklet called The Arroyo Seco Parkway:  A brief discussion of the proposed Arroyo Seco Parkway and its relation to a Boulevard from the Mountains to the Sea.  The Los Angeles Park Commission issued this booklet in February of 1913.   Now by “parkway” these writers don’t mean another word for freeway or highway they literally mean a long stretch of land left wild as a park.  Their proposed park seems to pretty much fall along the path of the Arroyo and the booklet includes photos of various spots along the way as well as maps.  An interesting proposal that seems far different from our current concreted lined arroyo.  Check it out.

Wednesday, August 18, 2021

Bi-weekly Trivia Question (Answer)….

This time we asked what the volume of water in the Great Lakes is. The Great Lakes hold roughly 5,500 cubic miles (23,000 cubic km.) of water, which is about one-quarter of all the freshwater held in the world’s lakes.  Together they cover 94,950 square miles (246,000 sq. km.) and are the largest inland bodies of water in the world.

The question (and answer) were found using World Geography (Salem Press).  This ebook is arranged into six volumes by world region. Each region covers the following interconnected categories to present a global view of how geography affects our world: Geographical Concepts and Worldview, Human Geography, including Political Geography, Regional Breakdown, Physical Geography, Economic Geography, Biogeography, and Natural Resources, and a Gazetteer. Find the ebook listed alphabetically under W on LAPL’s Research & Homework page and access it with your library card.  Once on the page for the ebook scroll down to the very bottom of the page to find World Geography.  


Tuesday, August 17, 2021

Hot off the Press Books

 


Did you know the branch has a collection of recently released, “hot” titles that are made available on you see it you take it basis?  This allows you the chance to serendipitously happen upon a title and take it home that day instead of having to wait for your name to come to the top of what is inevitably a really long hold list.

The trade-off here is that these books only check out for 7 days and there is no option for renewal.

At our branch, you will find the Hot Off the Press titles on the bookcase under the window up by the Circulation Desk.  Check them out next time you’re in the branch.


Sunday, August 15, 2021

Programming Coming up This Week

Check out some of the exciting programming on offer from the library this week.  Visit the online calendar  for the complete selection…

Monday
11:00 Baby & Toddler Storytime (Register: http://www.tinyurl.com/EdendaleStorytime)
6:00 Take a Meditation Vacation (email wwood@lapl.org for link)

Tuesday
10:30 World Music with Thalia (email vmagaw@lapl.org for link)
3:30 The Buddy Dispatch Project (email tortiz@lapl.org for link)

Wednesday
11:00 Virtual Toddler Storytime (email shrmno@lapl.org for link)
3:00 Teen’Scape Tea Time (email teens@lapl.org for link)
 
Thursday
10:00 Russian for Beginners (email language@lapl.org for link)
4:00 Big Read Discussion: Explore the Science – Ergonyms and Microbiology (Register)

Friday
12:00 Positive Changes For Your Health Benefits (LAPL Facebook/YouTube)
4:00 Your Author Series: Karla Valenti (LAPL Facebook/YouTube)

Saturday
9:00-3:00  COVID-19 Vaccination Clinic (In person at the R.L. Stevenson Branch)

Catch up with us on various sites...


Thursday, August 12, 2021

History of Highland Park…


This typewritten report, dated July 1936, provides a history of the Annandale Branch Library.  The report includes a number of photos & a newspaper clipping.  It provides an interesting look at how the library actually worked & includes staffing and circulation details.  Check it out for a peek behind the scenes.

Wednesday, August 11, 2021

Bi-weekly Trivia Question…

 This time let’s ask about lakes.  What is the volume of water in the Great Lakes?  

Tuesday, August 10, 2021

Walk Highland Park


 

We will set out on foot to explore the Highland Park area on Wednesday, August 25 at 5:30 p.m. We will meet in the library lobby and decide upon a route that may involve, hills, stairs, or both so be prepared to sweat.  People of all ages are invited so make it a family affair. Dogs are welcome to come too but they will need to wait outside for the walk to begin.  

Don’t hesitate to give us a call at 323-255-0537 if you have any questions. Email is also an option, our email address is ayosco@lapl.org.


Monday, August 9, 2021

Midnight in Chernobyl

 

Adam Higginbotham gives a detailed account of nuclear disaster in Midnight in Chernobyl.  The book starts with an account of the USSR’s nuclear energy program’s origins and development, focusing in on Chernobyl and the people who planned it, built it, and were running it in 1986.  It then proceeds with a detailed account of the disaster itself from a number of different perspectives.  It finally concludes with an examination of the aftermath for the specific involved individuals, for the population as a whole, and for the region.

While the first part was a bit slow and perhaps overly technical the account of the accident and its aftermath were fascinating and provided some real life horror.  Ultimately it is a picture of the way people bow to pressure in circumstances where they shouldn’t and how sometimes it is only luck that saves us all.  I would recommend this book though I do think those who aren’t into technical details could safely skim through the first section.  


Sunday, August 8, 2021

Programming Coming up This Week

Check out some of the exciting programming on offer from the library this week.  Visit the online calendar for the complete selection…
 
Monday
11:00 Baby & Toddler Storytime (Register: http://www.tinyurl.com/EdendaleStorytime)
2:00 Art from Home: Let's Update the Soup Can (email nohlwd@lapl.org for link)
 
Tuesday
11:30 Yoga for Well Being with Shaina (email jjones@lapl.org for link)
6:00 Poetry Open Mic (email wwood@lap.org for link)
 
Wednesday
11:00 Virtual Toddler Storytime (email shrmno@lapl.org for link)
6:00 Creative Writing Workshop (email mpanzera@lapl.org for link)
 
Thursday
4:00 LA Made: Jane Russell 100 Year Centennial (LAPL Facebook/YouTube)
6:00 Zine Workshop: Psychedelic Zines (email eden@lapl.org for link)
 
Friday
10:00 Mindfulness Meditation (email eaaronson@lapl.org for link)
4:00 Your Author Series: Michelle Ruiz Keil (LAPL Facebook/YouTube)
 
Saturday
9:30 Zumba with Lula (email vmagaw@lapl.org for link)
 
Catch up with us on various sites...
 
    LAPL platforms:    
Facebook: www.facebook.com/lapubliclibrary/
Instagram: www.instagram.com/lapubliclibrary/
YouTube: www.youtube.com/losangeleslibrary
 
    Arroyo Seco Social Media:    
Blog: arroyoseco5.blogspot.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/ArroyoSecoLibrary
Instagram: www.instagram.com/arroyosecolapl
Twitter: twitter.com/arroyoseco5

 

Thursday, August 5, 2021

History of Highland Park…


The article, Arroyo Library’s Founding Told, was written by Frances Foote & published in the Highland Park News-Herald in November of 1933.  It tells the details of the process whereby the Figueroa/Piedmont lot was secured, money was raised, and the first Arroyo Seco Branch Library was built.  It includes quite a long description of the dedication ceremony.  Read it to learn about the history of our branch

Wednesday, August 4, 2021

Bi-weekly Trivia Question (Answer)….

 

This time we asked what’s the highest mountain in the Western Hemisphere. The answer is Aconcagua. Aconcagua is located in South America within the country of Argentina.  It is 22,837 feet high. The name is likely a Spanish corruption of the Quechuan words Ackon Cahuak, meaning "stone sentinel," or perhaps of Anco Cahuac, meaning "white sentinel."

The question (and answer) was found using World Geography.  This database provides authoritative content and online tools that develop global literacy, focusing on the geographic, political, social, economic, and cultural forces that are increasingly important in our globalized world. Included are references, scholarly works, primary documents and papers, photographs, audio clips, and maps.  Find the database listed alphabetically under W on LAPL’s Research & Homework page and access it with your library card


Tuesday, August 3, 2021

Science Fun: The Night Sky…

 

Want to know what to look for in the night sky in August? Check out NASA’s Skywatching page for all the things to look for as well as all the information explaining what you see.  

Of note… The Perseid meteors will be at their peak on August 11. To quote from NASA’s site: “To enjoy the Perseid meteor shower, just find a safe, dark location away from bright city lights. Lie down or recline with your feet facing roughly toward the north and look up. The meteors appear to radiate from around the constellation Perseus, but they can streak across the sky anywhere above you.”

 Of additional note… Jupiter and Saturn will be visible in the night sky all night all month.


Sunday, August 1, 2021

Programming Coming up This Week

We’re coming up on the last week of Summer Reading, are you already signed u? If not, now’s the time. Visit lapl.org/summer to get registered.  Then check out some of the exciting programming on offer from the library this week.  Visit our online calendar for the complete selection…

Monday
10:00 Music Mondays: Where the Wild Rhythms are With Wendee Hersh (LAPL Facebook/YouTube)
4:00 Illusions by Allen the Magician (Register: http://tinyurl.com/illusionsbyallen)

Tuesday
10:00 Storytime Online  (LAPL Facebook/YouTube)
4:00 Zine Making with Recycled Materials (Register: https://lapl.zoom.us/j/82526809437)
6:00 NELA Summer: Native Potted Plants (Register: bit.ly/3sHaRAh)

Wednesday
10:00 Storytime Online  (LAPL Facebook/YouTube)
12:00 Social Media Essentials for Business (LAPL Facebook/YouTube)
 
Thursday
10:00 Storytime Online  (LAPL Facebook/YouTube)
4:00 LA Made: Bees with Byron (LAPL Facebook/YouTube)

Friday
10:00 Storytime Online  (LAPL Facebook/YouTube)
4:00 Your Author Series: Alex Gino (LAPL Facebook/YouTube)

Saturday
10:00 Jumpstart: Reading for Parents and Children (email pcoima@lapl.org for link)
Catch up with us on various sites...