The Big Read…

The library has a month of exciting programming lined up to celebrate both The Best We Could Do by Thi Bui, this year’s Big Read book and Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month.  Make plans to join us on YouTube for any (or all) of the following streaming programs:

April 30 at 1:00… Thi Bui in Conversation With LeUyen Pham

May 6 at 1:00… History of the IRC

Learn about the history of the International Refugee Committee and their work in supporting refugee resettlement that started with the Vietnam War.

May 7 at 1:00… A Conversation With Boreth Ly and Phung X. Huynh

An intergenerational panel discussion on the conflict in Cambodia, how it affected Cambodians and refugees, and the role of arts and culture in the healing process.

May 7 at 4:00… Meet Laos Angeles

Learn about Lao culture and listen to stories from the diaspora.

May 14 at 1:00… A Conversation With Andrea Nguyễn

Explore Vietnamese cooking with cookbook author Andrea Nguyễn and learn to make nước chấm.

May 14 at 4:00… Nguyen Tran (Starry Kitchen)

Learn more about Vietnamese food with this action-packed variety show from chef/author Nguyen Tran. You’ll need to register in advance for this program here 

May 16 at 6:00… Homelands: Generational Perspectives on the Asian American Immigrant Experience

Join us to watch four short films about the Asian American immigrant experience, and then discuss them with the filmmakers

May 20 at 1:00… U.S. Citizenship Process

Come learn about the U.S. Citizenship process from the International Refugee Committee

May 21 at 1:00… Meet Cynthia Thái

Come listen to Cynthia Thai (Thái Doanh Doanh) talk about her experiences as a second-generation Vietnamese American singing in Vietnamese and her family’s experiences publishing Sài Gòn Times and the creation of the Boat People memorial.

May 28 at 1:00… Intergenerational Trauma 

Please join Stacey Ma Dubois and Yen Sau as they talk about Intergenerational Trauma and how it has impacted Asian American refugees.

May 28 at 4:00… Zine Making With Simon Trần (Ghost Ghost Teeth)

Come and join us on this zine-making program that is focused on telling our family stories. You’ll need to register in advance for this program here 

Visit the library’s online calendar for all the details about these (and all our other) programs.  Find the online calendar here: https://www.lapl.org/whats-on/calendar

History of Highland Park…

 

Check out this document.  Here we find two photographs of the “Heart of the Highlands” one in 1918 and the second in 1959.  I suspect you’ll recognize the corner depicted even before you read the captions.  Anyway… take a look. 

Bi-weekly Trivia Question (Answer)….

This time we asked where you can find free legal forms using the library’s website.  The answer is in the Legal Information Reference Center.  It offers everyday users the necessary tools, as well as detailed how-to instructions, to deal with a wide-range of legal issues. A majority of the full-text legal reference books are provided through Nolo, the nation’s oldest and most respected provider of legal information for consumers and small businesses. With the Legal Forms by U.S. State feature, users can search state-specific legal forms by top subject areas including adoption, bankruptcy, name changes and more.

You’ll find the Legal Information Reference Center listed alphabetically on the library’s Research & Homework page under L and can access it with your library card.

Arroyo Book Club's May Pick

The Arroyo Book Club will be reading The Perfect Nine by Ngũgĩ wa Thiongʼo for our May meeting.  The library catalog provides the following description for The Perfect Nine…

In his first attempt at the epic form, Ngũgĩ tells the story of the founding of the Gĩkũyũ people of Kenya, from a strongly feminist perspective. A verse narrative, blending folklore, mythology, adventure, and allegory, The Perfect Nine chronicles the efforts the Gĩkũyũ founders make to find partners for their ten beautiful daughters—called “The Perfect Nine” —and the challenges they set for the 99 suitors who seek their hands in marriage. The epic has all the elements of adventure, with suspense, danger, humor, and sacrifice.

It looks to be a fascinating delve into another country’s foundational mythos.  This is a book that you will have to read in e-book format as we do not have enough paper copies to go around.  The ebook can be found on Hoopla at: https://www.hoopladigital.com/title/13575403

We will meet to discuss the book on May 28 at 3:00 via Zoom.  Email ayosco@lapl.org if you would like the meeting link or if you have any questions about how to obtain a copy of the book.

This time we will be basing the discussion around on our own group generated questions so make sure to have one or two prepared when you join us.

Programming Coming up This Week

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

Monday
11:00 Baby & Toddler Virtual Storytime (register: http://tinyurl.com/EdendaleStorytime)
12:00 Budgeting: Developing Your Spending and Saving Plan (LAPL Facebook/Youtube)

Tuesday
10:00 Storytime Online (LAPL Facebook/Youtube)
12:00 Prevention and Intervention: Financial Elder Abuse (LAPL Facebook/Youtube)

Wednesday
12:00 Doing Business With the City of Los Angeles (LAPL Facebook/Youtube)
4:00 Audrey Harrer: Harp 101 (email eowens@lapl.org for link)
 
Thursday
10:00 Storytime Online (LAPL Facebook/Youtube)
5:00 Climate Cafe and Gardening Club (email ecalla@lapl.org for link)

Friday 
10:00 Celebrate Día: Story Journeys With Karen Golden (LAPL Facebook/Youtube)
4:00 Book Release Party With Actor & Author John Cho (LAPL Facebook/Youtube)

Saturday
1:00 The Big Read: Thi Bui in Conversation With LeUyen Pham (LAPL Facebook/Youtube)
 
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

Highland Park History

 

Check out the article “House that Hiner built is a quaint musical shrine” by Jean Douglas Robson.  The article tells of the cute, storybook looking house across from Sycamore Park and the music loving couple who owned it.

Bi-weekly Trivia Question…

 This time it’s less about the trivia and more about a resource that the library makes available. So I have a “do you know where you can find” question for you, to wit, do you know where you can find free legal forms via the library’s website?

California State Library Pass Program…

 

Through a partnership with California State Parks and the California State Library, free State Parks vehicle-day use hangtag passes will be available for circulation through all public libraries in California. 

With these passes, Californians can access over 200 parks, lakes, beaches, and monuments in the State Parks system for free. The goal of these passes is to remove barriers for people to access State Parks and to enjoy all the benefits of the great outdoors. This program will run until June 30, 2024.

The Los Angeles Public Library will be making these passes available for checkout as soon as they are received and processed.  Check with a convenient branch to either get one or put your name down on the hold list.

Programming Coming up This Week

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 Celebrate Día: Asian Animal Tales With Roopa Mohan (LAPL Facebook/Youtube)
4:30 Book Club Bonanza: Let’s Celebrate Poetry! (email teens@lapl.org for link)

Tuesday
10:00 Storytime Online (LAPL Facebook/Youtube)
4:30 Teen'Scape Tea Time (email teens@lapl.org for link)

Wednesday
12:00 Social Media Essentials for Business (LAPL Facebook/Youtube)
7:00 Looking at Art in the Streets: Music Connections With Tony Alva and Money Mark (email eden@lapl.org)
 
Thursday
10:00 Storytime Online (LAPL Facebook/Youtube)
4:00 LA Made: Celebrating Earth Day With Bees and Trees (LAPL Facebook/Youtube)

Friday 
10:00 Yoga & Meditation With Master John (email dmatthews@lapl.org  for link)
4:00 Your Author Series: Jessica Maison (LAPL Facebook/Youtube)

Saturday

3:00 Arroyo Book Club discusses The Best We Could Do (email ayosco@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

Highland Park History

 

In a mood to learn what the women of Highland Park were up to in the early 60’s?  This document, Women of the Communities of Northeast Los Angeles from November 1964, says that it is a 48 page pictorial and feature review of the women’s organizations of the communities of Northeast Los Angeles.  The whole edition has been scanned into this file so you’ll have the advertisements of the era as well.  An interesting look at a bygone era.

Bi-weekly Trivia Question (Answer)….

This time the question asked what would it have cost you to buy a mahogany wardrobe in 1802 Maryland? The answer is $6.00, the equivalent of $84 in 2002 dollars.

The question, and answer, were found in Value of a Dollar, Colonial Era.  This is a Salem Press History ebook. It provides a collection of price history tables for goods, services, wages, investments, along with economic and historical chronologies for the American colonies and the United States, 1600-1865. It can be found on LAPL’s Research & Homework page under V and accessed with your library card.

The Games House

Claire North is one of my favorite writers for her ability to take her stories in new and unexpected directions.  The Games House is no different in this regard.  The games house of the story is a civilization and culture spanning place where people can go to play games of strategy.  Once a player graduates to the upper levels of the house these games turn real as they are played across and with the world and its citizens. The book tells of three such games. The first is a game of kings where the winner successfully installs their player as Doge of Venice. The second is game of hide and seek across 1930s Thailand with lasting consequences. The last speaks of a game of chess across the whole world for control of the house itself.

The book is an excellent choice for lovers of intricate plotting and action of all sorts. I would recommend it.

Programming Coming up This Week

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 Celebrate Día: Vietnamese Children's Stories With Trần Thị Minh Phước (LAPL Facebook/Youtube)
12:00 Centering Black Mamas, Families and Systems of Care (LAPL Facebook/Youtube)

Tuesday
10:00 Storytime Online (LAPL Facebook/Youtube)
3:00 Bark Read to a Dog (email ahowe@lapl.org for link)

Wednesday
12:00 Centering Black Joy: Virtual Yoga Session (LAPL Facebook/Youtube)
3:00 Dive into Language: Korean for Kids (LAPL Facebook/Youtube)
 
Thursday
10:00 Storytime Online (LAPL Facebook/Youtube)
12:00 The Everyday Black Mother: Owning My Truth (LAPL Facebook/Youtube)

Friday 
10:00 Yoga & Meditation With Master John (email dmatthews@lapl.org for link)

Saturday
3:00 Lummis Day Poetry Reading (email ayosco@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

Highland Park History

Have you ever passed the Church of Angels on Ave 64 late at night when their light was on and marveled at the beautiful stained glass window?  Then you’ll want to check out the 1973 article, “Stained glass window tells miracle of Easter.” You will learn a bit about the history of that church and its lovely window.  A couple of pictures are included for you to enjoy.  The file also includes a couple of other articles related to that church.  Interesting all around.

Bi-weekly Trivia Question…

 This time let’s ask what would it have cost you to buy a mahogany wardrobe in 1802 Maryland?

Cutting Propagation Fun with Plants Rescheduled

Want to grow more plants? Expand your greenery indoors and out?  Join us for a rescheduled program Saturday, April 9 at 3:00 and learn how to do just that using the power of plant cuttings. Cuttings, from succulents to perennial herbs and everything in between, can be a fun and exciting way to create more plants for the home garden. Learn the basics of how to take a cutting, soils, and tools, getting things to strike (take root), and how to care for your new plants.

This program is an LA Made program, part of a cultural programming series featuring free music, dance, theater, and conversations with local entertainers at libraries throughout the city, or these days on library social and distance platforms.

Check out the library’s online event calendar for more LA Made programs at branches throughout the city.  Find the event calendar here: http://www.lapl.org/whats-on/calendar.  Selecting LA Made from the Program Series drop down box will limit your results to these programs.

Programming Coming up This Week

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

Monday
11:00 Baby & Toddler Virtual Storytime (Register: http://tinyurl.com/EdendaleStorytime)
5:00 Advice and Consent: A Play In One Act by Yxta Maya Murray & Musical Score by Kathleen Kim (email wbermeo@lapl.org for link)

Tuesday
10:00 Storytime Online (LAPL Facebook/Youtube)
4:00 LA Made: Darkness Under the Light - Noir Writing in L.A. (email mpanzera@lapl.org for link)

Wednesday
11:00 Virtual Toddler Storytime (email shrmno@lapl.org for link)
12:00 Investing Basics (LAPL Facebook/Youtube)
 
Thursday
10:00 Storytime Online (LAPL Facebook/Youtube)
12:00 Financial Planning 101 (LAPL Facebook/Youtube)

Friday 
10:00 Mindfulness Meditation (email vmajd@lapl.org for link)

Saturday
10:00 Social Justice Book Club for Kids (email cquinn@lapl.org for link)
3:00 LA Made: Cutting Propagation Fun with Plants (email ayosco@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

Library Improvements Scheduled

The good news is that the Arroyo Seco Regional Branch Library has been scheduled for maintenance and facility improvement.  The things they will be doing to the branch include:

• Repainting – inside & out
• New Carpeting
• New Cabling
• Rewiring – adding many new electrical outlets

That last is something we’ve been wanting in the branch forever. It means a place to plug in at every table.

The bad news is that to get all this work done the library will be closed to the public. So, the branch will close for approximately 3 months beginning April 11.

During the period we are closed you can:

• Make use of the libraries excellent electronic resources via the website – www.lapl.org
• Visit other LAPL branches.  Nearby ones include Eagle Rock, Lincoln Heights, and Cypress Park

While you won’t be able to get in touch with us via phone while we’re closed, email will always be an option. Our email address is ayosco@lapl.org