2011 marks the 200th anniversary of Sense and Sensibility, Jane Austen's first published novel. For 200 years, people have enjoyed Jane Austen's interesting characters and plots as well as her dry humor. Laurie Viera Rigler has written two novels about two different women who adore Jane Austen's novels.

In Confessions of a Jane Austen Addict, Courtney Stone, a young woman from 21st century Los Angeles, finds her self mysteriously transported to England in the early 1800's. Not only does Courtney find herself in a new time period and a new country, she also finds herself in a new body, that of a a young woman by the name of Jane Mansfield. Courtney has to adapt to different clothing, and different etiquette. While Courtney wonders if she will ever return to her old life, she decides to try to enjoy her new life, and not make too many mistakes. This novel is available in the following formats:  book  spoken CD  spoken ebook

In Rude Awakenings of a Jane Austen Addict, Jane Mansfield, an unmarried daughter of a nobleman, finds herself mysteriously transported to Los Angeles in the year 2009, into the body of Courtney Stone. Although Jane appreciates modern marvels such as modern plumbing, electronics and the freedoms of independent women, she is still puzzled by other modern things such as skimpy clothing and public displays of affection between unmarried people. Jane also discovers that her favorite anonymous writer, the authoress of Sense and Sensibility and Pride and Predjudice is named Jane Austen, and that she has written a total of six novels. Jane adapts to her new life as much as she can; however, she still misses her old life. This novel is available in the following formats:  book  spoken CD

Would you like to read Jane Austen's novels?

They are available in various formats.   Film adaptations have also been made of her novels.  Graphic novel adaptations of her first two novels have also been published.

Sense and Sensibility  - first published in 1811
book  ebook  spoken ebook  spoken CD  dvd  graphic novel

Pride and Prejudice - first published in 1813
book  ebook  spoken ebook  spoken CD  dvd  graphic novel

Mansfield Park - first published in 1814
book  ebook  spoken ebook  spoken CD  dvd

Emma - first published in 1815
book  ebook  spoken ebook  spoken CD  dvd

Northanger Abbey - first published in 1817
book  ebook  spoken CD  dvd

Persuasion - first published in 1817, but dated 1818
book  ebook  spoken ebook  spoken CD  dvd

If you missed the Stitches West Knitters Convention last weekend at the Santa Clara Convention Center, don’t fret. The Rose Garden Library has a knitting circle that meets the 1st and 3rd Tuesdays of the month in the Community Room downstairs and the library has a myriad of knitting pattern titles that provide inspiration for your next creative project. The following titles are the latest to arrive at Rose Garden Branch:

Knitting Green by Ann Budd

Modern Top Down Knitting by Kristina McGowan

Scarves and Shawls for Yarn Lovers by Carri Hammett

Recently we were asked to help a class of first graders find non-fiction books which include a table of contents. We located the Checkerboard Animal Library series. Each book in the series follows a standard format providing information on a particular animal and includes a table of contents, glossary, bibliography and index relating to that specific animal. Titles provided in the bibliographies are older and may be difficult to locate.

An example of a book from this series is Dog-Faced Bats by Pamela J. Gerholt. The young reader is given an overview of these bats, including habitat, size, shape, senses, defense, food eaten and babies.  Information is provided using clear and relatively simple language, with photographs on every other page.

In The Nice Mice in the Rice by Brian P. Cleary, the author uses silly sentences and rhyming words to teach young children long vowel sounds. Lots of fun illustrations and repetition of words help ease children along. The sentences become more challenging as the book progresses, including what the author calls “discovery” words – extra words for the young reader to locate. Part of the “Sounds Like Reading” series. 

On Saturday February 12, 2011 in celebration of 2011 Silicon Valley Reads, the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Library had the privilege to host the author Michelle Richmond. The author spoke about her book The Year of Fog and the audience enjoyed the presentation during which the author read from her book, spoke of her experience as a writer, and the interpretation of her writings. Questions were asked concerning the plot, characters, and scenes from Ms. Richmond’s books. Ms. Richmond explained how she embedded many themes in her writings including memory, Costa Rica, photography and a darkroom. The audience had a wonderful time asking questions about The Year of Fog and enjoyed the interaction with the author. If you weren't able to attend Michelle Richmond’s presentation, there are many other additional 2011 Silicon Valley Reads activities.

Whistling Vivaldi: And Other Clues to How Stereotypes Affect Us by Claude M. Steele

A casually dressed young black graduate student walks at night through an affluent urban neighborhood. No matter how friendly or inconspicuous he tries to be, he senses fear in the people he meets passing by. Nervously he whistles a tune from classical music to calm himself and discovers that others find him less threatening.

This book is about identity contingencies, the things you have to deal with because you have a given social identity in a given situation – whether you are old, young, male, female, black, or white. Your social identity imposes stresses on your life, such as how you behave in certain places, and your academic or athletic performance. One such identity contingency we all experience is stereotype threat, our comfort level with people of different groups when we are concerned, consciously or unconsciously with what people might think and how they might judge us. This, according to Steele, a social psychologist, is a standard predicament. Addressing the general reader, Steele explores recent research on stereotype threat and social identity, showing how these come into play in various situations and how individuals can both increase awareness and reduce the disadvantages of identity threat.

A special way to remember your beloved pet is to collect his or her fur and send it off to a "spinner" to have it magically turned into yarn! Now you can knit or crochet a scarf, hat, sweater (for you and/or your pet), or anything else you want to make depending on how much yarn your pet hair created.

Knitting with Dog Hair by Kendall Crolius and Anne Montgomery lists spinners (who will turn your fur into yarn), dog breeds (top breeds for best results), step-by-step instructions on how to collect, clean, and store your pet's fur, patterns for beginner or experienced knitters and how to modify patterns to accommodate pet-spun yarn. There's also instructions on how to make and use a "drop spindle" to create your own yarn. The authors don't really approve of dyeing pet yarn, but do include a short chapter about using natural and store-bought dyes.

So, if you like to experiment with unusual yarns or just create a unique gift for your pet-loving friend or relative, have a look at Knitting with Dog Hair.

Did you know we have Rosetta Stone English level 1, 2, & 3 software at the Family Learning Centers? That is not all we have. There is so much more that we have to offer. Learning English for most ESL adult learners is an arduous task. Where do you find the time? How can you afford those expensive ESL learning materials? If you can’t even afford to buy the textbook, you obviously cannot afford to buy English learning software. That’s where we come in.

At the Family Learning Center, we have lots of ESL books, CDs and DVDs to enhance your learning experience. These you can borrow for 3 weeks and will be able to renew 3 more times if you need to have them longer. Does that sound good so far? Let me tell you more. Besides from the books, CDs and DVDs, we have English learning software. As I mentioned above, we have Rosetta Stone English, Longman English Interactive 1 & 2, Side by Side Interactive 1 & 2, Ultimate Phonics and Lexia Reading - Strategies for Older Students (SOS). You may or may not be familiar with these titles. If you have not used them before, do come to your local Family Learning Center and ask us to show you how to use them. We will be more than happy to show you around and to get you started.

Hope to see you soon! 

Những Tài Liệu Học Anh Văn có tại Trung Tâm Giáo Dục Gia Đình của Thư Viện San Jose

Quý vị có biết chúng tôi có những software học Anh Văn như Rosetta Stone 1, 2 và 3 tại các Trung Tâm Giáo Dục Gia Đình của Thư Viện San Jose?  Chúng tôi còn có rất nhiều tài liệu khác để giúp cho quý vị trau dồi Anh ngữ.  Chúng tôi hiểu được khó khăn của quý vị khi phải học thêm một ngôn ngữ thứ hai trong lúc tuổi đời đã không còn nhỏ nữa.  Một số quý vị thường tâm sự với tôi là quý vị “học trước quên sau nên học được chữ nào hay chữ nấy”.  Có thể quý vị không có thời gian hoặc có nhiều tiền để mua những sách vở Anh Văn đắt tiền đó.  Nếu mua sách vở đã quá đắt thì làm sao quý vị có thể mua những software học Anh Văn vốn đắt hơn sách vở nhiều.  Đây là điểm chính của vấn đề mà chúng tôi muốn nêu ra để quý vị biết mà tìm đến các Trung Tâm Giáo Dục Gia Đình gần nhà.

Ở các Trung Tâm Giáo Dục Gia Đình của Thư Viện San Jose, chúng tôi có nhiều tài liệu học Anh Văn miễn phí.  Quý vị có thể mượn các sách vở, băng CD, và DVD học Anh Văn được 3 tuần.  Quý vị có thể gia hạn thêm 3 lần như vậy nếu quý vị cần giữ lâu hơn.  Ngoài những sách vở học Anh Văn, chúng tôi còn có những software như Rosetta Stone English, Longman English Interactive 1 & 2, Side by Side Interactive 1 & 2, Ultimate Phonics and Lexia Reading - Strategies for Older Students (SOS). Có lẽ quý vị chưa có dịp làm quen với những software nầy.  Quý vị nên đến các Trung Tâm Giáo Dục Gia Đình gần nhà để tìm hiểu thêm.  Chúng tôi lúc nào cũng sẳn sàng đón tiếp quý vị. 

Hẹn gặp quý vị một ngày gần đây tại các Trung Tâm Giáo Dục Gia Đình của Thư Viện San Jose! 

Los materiales que aprendían ingleses en su centro que aprendía de la familia

¿Usted nos conocía tiene nivel inglés 1, de la piedra de Rosetta el software 2, y 3 en los centros que aprendían de la familia? Ése no es todo lo que tenemos.  Hay tanto más que tenemos que ofrecer. El inglés que aprende para la mayoría de los principiantes del adulto de ESL es una tarea ardua. ¿Dónde usted encuentra el tiempo? ¿Cómo puede usted permitirse esos materiales que aprenden costosos de ESL? Si usted no puede incluso permitirse comprar el libro de textos, usted no puede permitirse obviamente comprar software que aprendeinglés. Aquí es adonde venimos pulg.

En el centro que aprende de la familia, tenemos porciones de los libros, de los CDes y de DVDs de ESL para realzar su experiencia de aprendizaje.  Éstos que usted puede pedir prestado por 3 semanas y que podrá renovar 3 más veces si usted necesita tenerlas más de largo.  ¿Ese bueno sano hasta ahora?  Déjeme decirle más.  Además de los libros, de los CDes y del DVDs, tenemos software que aprende inglés.  Como mencioné arriba, tenemos inglés de la piedra de Rosetta, Longman 1 y 2 interactivos ingleses, de lado a lado 1 y 2 interactivos, el último Phonics y la lectura de Lexia - estrategias para más viejos estudiantes (SOS).  Usted puede o no puede estar al corriente de estos títulos.  Si usted no los ha utilizado antes, viene a su centro que aprende de la familia local y pide que le demostremos cómo utilizarlos.  Seremos más que felices demostrarle alrededor y conseguir su comenzado.

¡Esperanza de verle pronto! 

Life in a Coral Reef by Wendy Pfeffer provides simple descriptions of how coral reefs form, discussing the plants and animals living in, on and around them. Children learn about the interdependence of the plants and animals who find food in the coral reef habitats. A beautifully illustrated book, part of the Let’s-Read-and-Find-Out Stage 2 Science book series. Recommended for ages 5-9.

Black Swan: The music was amazing!

Eclipse: This was my favorite movie because I really liked the books and Edward Cullen.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part I: I enjoyed the action and drama in this movie.

Salt: The movie had a great plot line that made the whole movie interesting. Also, the action was very realistic and amazing.

The Social Network: This is my favorite movie of 2010 because it shows how the dot-com bubble can shape an individual’s life.

Toy Story 3: It wrapped up the series perfectly, it was awesome watching the characters again and it was almost perfect. The only problem is that the next Pixar film (Cars 2) has little potential.

Like many French youth, Jeanne is educated but unemployed; she spends her time rollerblading through her Paris suburb, listening to her iPod, going nowhere in particular. One day she comes home with cuts and bruises, saying she's been the victim of a hate crime; a national uproar ensues, but friends and family begin to doubt her story.  Directed by Andre Techine, The Girl On The Train stars Catherine Deneuve and has a 79 percent rating at Rotten Tomatoes.

Following are just two of the many reference questions we received in the last two months, answered by our top-notch reference librarians.

Q1: I know that at the King Library there are special collections of music, but I'm looking for a museum-type place that has musical instruments. Do you have any of those, or know of a place in or near San Jose? It's for a Girl Scout badge.

A1: Perhaps you’re thinking of the Beethoven Center on the 5th floor of King Library? It has some antique keyboard instruments. The nearest actual museum with musical instruments is the Museum of Musical Instruments in Santa Cruz. Another place which might be of interest to you is Clarion Music, a store that sells musical instruments in San Francisco.

Q2: I am just about finished with all the books Jeffery Archer wrote and would like to find another author I enjoy.  Is there a web site or link on your site to anything which would suggest some compatible/ similar authors or books. Something like "If you like J. Archer, you should try __________".  Not Amazon's "others who purchased this book, also purchased __________________".

A2: We have just the database for you! It's called NoveList Plus. You can search for your own reading interests in several ways, including author searches. On a specific author entry you’ll find a box that reads “NoveList Also Recommends.” Here you will find suggestions for other authors who write in a similar style. You can access NoveList from the SJPL home page. Click on the first box on the upper left side ("Books and Media"). When you click on the link to NoveList, you will be prompted for your SJPL barcode and PIN. If you need help using the database, please see the tutorials at the NoveList site. Happy Reading!

  Everyone knows getting a good night's sleep is great for one's health. Sometimes, conditions or the local environment can prevent quality sleep. Problem sleepers often have apnea, an irregular and gasping breathing pattern during sleep, that creates a strain on the heart and lungs of the person who has the condition. The San José Public Library has a number of books on sleep disorders. These titles will assist the problem sleeper. Get that good night's rest and life will be better.

Are you planning to enter your school science fair? Are you determined to make green slime or an erupting volcano? Or maybe you need some science project ideas to inspire you. Let the library help you find a fantastic topic, instructions and supportive material for your project. Get started with our library catalog. Search for books that will give you ideas for a science project.  Can’t get to the library? No problem. You can read this science fair project ebook Janice VanCleave's Guide to the Best Science Fair Projects at home on your computer. And don’t forget to check out the Science Fair Websites listed on our Kids Science Websites page. With all these research tools provided by the library you are sure to create a winning science fair project. Have fun, and good luck!

Babymouse is a sassy young mouse who dreams of glamour, excitement, adventure, straight whiskers, being queen of the world, and of course, being invited to Felicia Furrypaws's oh-so-exclusive party. Readers will love Babymouse's vivid imagination and also the clever illustrations and hilarious storyline of brother-sister team Matthew Holm and Jennifer L. Holm. The artwork is full of humor, life and movement.

Babymouse lives a life any school kid will identify with. Getting up in the morning is hard, P.E. is not for the faint of heart, opening your locker is dangerous and good friends are worth more than gold. Babymouse has an imagination that sweeps her away.

Also check out this interview with the authors.

Berryessa Library offers many health classes that benefit your body and mind.  It's time to get up, get out and move your body! And don't forget to bring your friend along!

* Integral Tai-Chi: Tuesday nights, 7-8 pm

* Tai-Chi with Roy Wong: Wednesday mornings, 11 am-12 pm

* Line Dancing: Wednesday nights, 7:30-8:30 pm

* Yoga: two Fridays each month, 6-7 pm

All classes are FREE and held in the Community Room.  Dates and times are subject to change.  Please check our Monthly Program Calendar for details.

In God Never Blinks: 50 Lessons for Life’s Little Detours newspaper columnist Regina Brett devotes a short essay to each of fifty pearls of wisdom gained through the unexpected curves life’s thrown her. From single motherhood at 21 to marriage at 40 to battling cancer at 41 she’s learned that life can change in the blink of an eye and every so-called disaster can be kept in perspective by asking, “In five years, will this matter?”  Beginning with lesson 1: “Life’s not fair, but it’s still good,” the essays offer practical advice on finances, “Start saving ten percent for retirement as soon as you get your first paycheck,” relationships, “If a relationship has to be kept secret, you shouldn’t be in it,” and life in general, “When in doubt, just take the next right step.” Each essay is sprinkled with illustrative anecdotes from the author’s life and spiritual journey; “It’s okay to get angry with God. He can take it.” Many contain common sense advice that rings true no matter your faith. Having reached that milestone birthday, one of my favorite chapters included 50 things to do when you turn 50. This inspirational title is also available as a book on CD or downloadable audio file.

Norooz, the Persian New Year, is being celebrated in March, and Almaden Library joins in the celebration with a special dance performance on Saturday, March 5, at 3 to 4 p.m. You are warmly invited to this free family performance of Persian dance with Ballet Afsaneh dancer Farima Berenji and her students in the Community Room. Wonderful to watch, Persian dance is an enchanting art form. And Farima is an internationally recognized artistic director, performer, and choreographer. Come and enjoy this entertaining celebration of Persian dance. For all ages.

The Silicon Valley Reads 2011 selected novel is The Year of Fog by award-winning Bay Area author, Michelle Richmond. You are warmly invited to meet Michelle at a free author talk and book signing on Saturday, March 26, at 3 to 4 p.m. in the Community Room of Almaden Library and Community Center.

The Year of Fog “follows the journey of a young woman through the mysteries of memory and guilt after her fiance's six-year-old daughter disappears while in her care.” Michelle’s book will be on sale at the author visit, which is co-sponsored by the Friends of Almaden Library.

In The Cookbook Collector by Allegra Goodman, Emily Bach is the young CEO of a Bay Area dot-com startup that is about to go public. Her sister, Jess, is a flighty Ph.D. student at Cal who works at an antique book store. Emily's fiance Jonathan is also in high-tech, but in Cambridge, Massachusetts. In an effort to prove her love, Emily divulges a company secret to Jonathan, and he spends much of the rest of the novel trying hard not to run with her idea at his own company. Meanwhile, Jess flits from one guy to the next, taking up with a community of environmentalists that are trying to save the redwoods before finding real happiness. I found her story more interesting than Emily's, primarily because Emily seems too perfect. Jess, however, is trying to figure out who she is, struggling with philosophy, religion, books and love.

The novel is set from 1999 to 2001 and the electiricty in the air around Emily  and Jonathan's companies is intense.  It's almost unreal to think back to that period of excess and naivete. Goodman, author also of Intuition and Kaaterskill Falls, has managed to make this an intriguing story that kept me riveted until the end.

My son Noah is in fourth grade and recently performed a starring role in the school play "Beauty Lou and the Country Beast." Incredibly, the children, in grades k – 5, have three days to rehearse their lines, songs and dance routines for their main performance on the fourth day. With such a short time-frame and only two people "training" the children it was surprisingly a wonderful well put-together show!

Now you may think it was the school staff that helped the students put on the show but it was a group called Missoula Children’s Theater. Having never heard of this organization I did some minor research and learned that they are a non-profit group that has been around since the 1970’s. MCT sends out teams of two staff members; the actor and the director, throughout the U.S. and Canada from school to school putting on these performances. My son has often talked about an interest in acting and this was a nice way for him to get a taste of it. Many children are never exposed to the performing arts and MCT certainly makes a lasting impact on lots of children.

If you get an opportunity please check out their website and read about their history. As a non-profit organization they happily accept donations and through their website you can book them for a week or check out their tour dates.

I love this rendition of the classic old tale. The Three Silly Billies by Marge Palatini adds a modern twist to the old tale by having various folktale characters such the Three Bears and Little Red Riding Hood pool resources to pay toll. Be prepared for spectacular fun ending and then some more.

Living in Silicon Valley is usually associated with the high tech industry and congested freeways. But there are areas only a few minutes from the busy life of Silicon Valley, where animals find refuge and people can learn and relax.

I am talking about the Don Edwards National Wildlife Refuge, right here in the South Bay.

On 30,000 acres the Refuge hosts over 280 species of birds each year. Located along the Pacific Flyway it is a busy stopover during spring and fall migration. Experience this amazing place with the whole family and get away from the busy urban life for a while.

If you would like your children to learn more about the Wildlife Refuge, come to one of our events with a wildlife expert at your local library.

• Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Library, March 11th @ 4pm
• Alviso Branch Library, April 8th @ 3pm
• Almaden Branch Library, April 21st @ 3:30pm

More events will be scheduled in upcoming months.

Are you in fourth grade? Are you looking for a good book to read? Well, come to Pearl Avenue Branch Library and check out the marvelous display of book reports created by Mrs. Schnitter’s Fourth Grade Class at Terrell Elementary School. These are not your regular old book reports. They are spectacular works of art that look exactly like books. Turn the art work over and read the book report. Then head on over to the library's Juvenile Fiction collection and find the real book on the shelf to borrow. 

We’re looking for an enthusiastic and self-starter to help Tully Library staff search for materials on Tuesdays (10-12 Noon) or Fridays (9:30-11:30 AM). The job will develop your researching skill in using our library catalog and provide you with experience working independently in a library environment. Your commitment of 6 months or more is required. If you are interested, please contact Chieu at chieu.nguyen@sjlibrary.org or 408-977-1441.

Thư viện cần tìm một nhân viên thiện nguyện để làm mỗi buổi sáng. Nhân viên thiện nguyện này sẽ đi tìm kiếm những món hàng trong thư viện để gởi đến các thư viện khác. Thư viện sẽ huấn luyện cho nhân viên thiện nguyện nầy cách truy tìm món hàng nhưng nhân viên thiện nguyện phải làm mỗi thứ Sáu (9:30-11:30 AM) hay thứ Ba (10-12 Noon) cho sáu tháng. Xin vui lòng liên lạc Chiêu tại email chieu.nguyen@sjlibrary.org  hay số phôn 408-977-1441.

Estamos buscando a voluntarios entusiastas y dinámicosque puedan ayudar al personal de la biblioteca durante los  martes o el viernes por la mañana. Esta oportunidad le proporcionará  habilidad de enriquecer su experiencia de investigación en la biblioteca de. Se requiere su compromiso de 6 meses o más. Si está interesado, póngase en contacto con Chieu al chieu.nguyen@sjlibrary.org o llame al 408-977-1441.

Deeply rooted in the human psyche is the desire to know more about our progenitors, our family. Who were they? Where did they live many generations ago, before they arrived in the United States? For many people, without a family Bible, it's been nearly impossible to trace family ancestry much further back than the great grandparents. While a membership in Ancestry.com may be of some help in locating new members of your family tree, sooner or later you will see the words: no father, no mother.

With the advent of DNA testing for genealogical purposes, it's now possible to trace your paternal ancestry back to the earliest known ancestor in the United States. Of course, there are some big "ifs" involved in this endeavor. First, if you are a female seeking more information about your distant family members, you'll have to find a willing male relative (brother or cousin) to help out with the process. All that's necessary is to order a DNA testing kit from a reputable lab (such as Family Tree DNA, in Houston, Texas). A few swabs of the cheek will produce the necessary cells for testing; send off the packet to the lab, and wait for the results to arrive. It will take about six weeks or more to get the first results, sent via your e-mail address (everyone is asked to supply an e-mail). You should sign up with your surname group to get a better rate and it's best to request up to y37 markers, in order to get a close match. Here is where the other big "if" comes in. Others from your ancestral tree must have submitted their results, too, to make this whole process worthwhile. Of course, it's also informative to see what other surnames are listed in the results that you receive.

In order to make some sense of terms you may not be familiar with (what is a "haplotype" and why should I care what mine is?) you will find several titles at King Library to help you interpret the results. Here are two you may wish to consult: Trace Your Roots with DNA: Using Genetic Tests to Explore Your Family Tree, by Megan Smolenyak Smolenyak and Ann Turner; and DNA and Genealogy, by Collen Fitzpatrick and Andrew Yerser.

After receiving the results, you can choose to e-mail close matches in an effort to find out how you are related. You can also use the results to go back to Ancestry.com or Rootsweb.com, and search for the family trees with the new found names of your ancestors. Happy hunting!!

Captive of the Labyrinth: Sarah L. Winchester Heiress to the Rifle Fortune by Mary Jo Ignoffo.

If you visit one of San Jose’s local attractions, the Winchester Mystery House, you‘ll learn Sarah Winchester was a reclusive, eccentric, (if not insane), superstitious heiress haunted by ghosts of victims of the Winchester rifle. According to local historian Mary Jo Ignoffo, such speculations began during Winchester’s lifetime and continued after her death when her large uncompleted mansion opened as a tourist attraction. Ignoffo carefully examines and refutes these charges, concluding  that Sarah Winchester, at one time the richest woman in California, was a successful businesswoman, investor, orchardist and amateur architect who relocated to California in midlife after her husband’s death. Crippled by arthritis and other ailments, Sarah preferred the company of her extended family and chose not to participate in the social life of the rich and powerful of the Santa Clara Valley.

In the introduction, Ignoffo tells that us she was challenged to write a biography of Winchester by former California Room librarian Bob Johnson, after finding little reliable information in the King Library’s California Room files. Ignoffo searched local archives, locating correspondence between Sarah and her lawyer and scrapbooks and photo albums kept by Sarah’s former employees at her ranch in Campbell. Visiting New Haven, Connecticut, site of Sarah’s former life and legacy, Ignoffo researched Sarah Winchester’s family history. Since Sarah Winchester left little personal correspondence, nothing is known of her inner life and thoughts; Ignoffo has pieced together a fascinating story of Sarah’s Winchester life in historical context, digressing at times into related subjects such as the history and manufacture of the Winchester rifle, séances and spiritualism and San Francisco high society in the early twentieth century.

 Yosemite National Park in the winter is a marvelous time! From the heights of Badger Pass where one can recreate in the snow, to the beautiful low winter sunlight illuminating Horsetail Falls, and the snow cone at the base of Upper Yosemite Falls, there are winter wonders available to behold that summer visitors do not have the pleasure of seeing.

After a brief winter visit filled with all of the above and more I am thoroughly invigorated and filled with awe and amazement. From Crane Flat, the snow-covered vista of the Clark Range was my destination and the trail (rated as “easiest”) was a perfect introduction to snowshoeing. The following day I enjoyed a ranger-led snowshoe hike in Badger Pass where I learned all kinds of amazing facts about the winter season, what tree squirrel tracks look like and that with snowshoes on, I can safely traverse very steep terrain!

At a cozy evening program in the Cliff Room, I watched  Huell Howser’s California’s Gold classic “Yosemite Firefall” episode (video available on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eXsA7E21ErQ). This was a real treat as Mr. Howser’s distinctive style and infectious enthusiasm roused the audience to a round of applause at the conclusion of the episode.

Some books to help you get into the winter spirit at Yosemite National Park:
 

• Frommer’s National Parks of the American West
• First Light : Five Photographers Explore Yosemite's Wilderness
• Snow-shoeing
• Familiar Animal Tracks

For more information on Yosemite National Park, visit the San José Public Library!

Almaden Branch Library offers Reading to Children services on four afternoons every week!

You are invited to have your children listen to stories read by an experienced reader in the beautiful Children's Library at the branch.

Your children can pick the books that they want to hear or can leave it up to the reader. This service is aimed at children up to age 12. No appointment is necessary — just drop in!

Here is a list of our readers and the convenient times when they read to children:

Gil — Tuesdays at 2:30-3:30 PM

Michele — Thursdays at 1:00-2:00 PM (Michele will be off Feb. 17 but back Feb. 24)

Laura — Fridays at 1:30-2:15 PM

Christian — Saturdays at 12:00-1:00 PM

See you in the Children's Area for your Reading to Children experience!

My son is a night club DJ.  He used to have gigs at San José hot spots such as “The Brit” (Britannia Arms), Wet, and Fahrenheit, but he moved to L.A. last year. I would give you the link to his web site, but it’s rated R for language, and San José Public Library’s site is family friendly.

My son the DJ primarily spins, scratches, and mixes hip hop. I grew up with Elvis, the Beatles, and Bob Dylan, and I don’t know much about hip hop. As a librarian, and a curious person, I love to use the library’s resources to learn about things. As a mother, I want to understand my son’s work. Follow me as I search for information on hip hop, and you may get some ideas about how to do your own research.

Naturally I start with the library catalog. I do a keyword search for “hip hop” and get 459 results. Yikes! That’s more than I bargained for, so I decide to narrow the search. I do a subject search (instead of keyword) and get  45 hits. At least that’s manageable. I scan the list of items and decide on the book Rough Guide to Hip-Hop and the DVD Wild Style. Neither one is available at the King Library where I work, so I hit the request button at the top of each catalog record and place requests to have them sent to the King Library for me. Unlike entertainment movies, the DVD can be requested since it’s non-fiction.

Next I decide to take advantage of SJPL’s helpful electronic resources. I go to the library’s web site (www.sjpl.org) and click on the “research” box at the bottom of the home page. For a quick overview of hip hop, I select World Book Encyclopedia on the research page. I enter “hip hop” in the search bar and read the article, but I want to know more.  I click on “Magazines and Newspaper Articles,” which takes me to a database called “Academic Search Premier.” When I enter “hip hop” I get 11,638 results. I scan a few articles with titles such as “Hip Hop Hermeneutics and Multicultural Education: A Theory of Cross-Cultural Understanding,” and “Anticipation and Delay as Micro-Rhythm and Gesture in Hip Hop Aesthetics.” These articles are too academic for me!

I go back to the Research page and click on “More Research Resources by Topic,” scroll down and find “Student Research Center.” I try my search here and get 64,552 hits. I scan the first few pages and find these articles are more my speed. I think I’ll read “The Roots of Hip-Hop” for historical background and “Hip-Hop Dudes and Divas” to learn about the personalities.

I’m exhausted by now (and you probably are, too), but I hope you’ll take the time to look at the multitude of resources available to you on the SJPL web site. And don’t forget, you can always ask a library staff member for assistance. Help is available via phone, e-mail and chat reference, as well as in person.  

Besides being fun and a great stress reliever, group drumming builds a sense of community across people of all ages, backgrounds, and abilities. Willow Glen area residents recently enjoyed a group drumming experience facilitated by Jeni Swerdlow of DRUMMM at Willow Glen Library. DRUMMM brought rhythm instruments for all participants at the free event, which was sponsored by Friends of Willow Glen Library. In this video, two young drummers keep the beat with DRUMMM’s Adley Penner and dozens of other participants. If you missed this event, you’ll have another chance on Saturday, March 5, when DRUMMM visits the Cambrian Library at 2 p.m.

Want to learn more about group drumming? Find books at the library such as Hip Grooves for Hand Drums. Or visit globaldrumcircles.com, where you’ll find information about drum circles in the Bay Area including an event slated for March 18 in Willow Glen.

We all know this quote even if we’re not Sherlock Holmes fans. I’ve read a few Sherlock Holmes novels and always believed that Sherlock Holmes said these words in many of the books; but I just discovered in my reading of a new book& The Sherlockian by Graham Moore, that Sherlock Holmes never uttered that exact phrase in any of the sixty Holmes’ stories written by Arthur Conan Doyle. Then why is it attributed to the great detective? Stay tuned! First let me tell you a bit about this new book. The Sherlockian is a great read and an historical mystery that has not one but two mysteries to solve. One takes place in the present where Harold White who has just been inducted into the pre-eminent Sherlockian society, the Baker Street Irregulars, must figure out who has murdered scholar Alex Cale who claims to have discovered the long-lost diary penned by Arthur Conan Doyle. The other mystery takes us back to 1893 where the famous Arthur Conan Doyle and his best friend Bram Stoker of Dracula fame team up to solve a series of murders. Both Harold and Conan Doyle use Holmes’ methods to solve the crimes, and along the way we learn many facts about Mr. Doyle and his creation Sherlock Holmes. There really is a lost diary, and Arthur Conan Doyle did help police solve crimes. Also why would Conan Doyle actually kill off his great detective and how did the people of London react to Holmes’ death. You'll discover the answers and more in The Sherlockian.

If you’re a true Sherlockian, a Holmesian or just curious, there are many books and sources you can investigate to learn more about Conan Doyle and his great detective Sherlock Holmes. Here are a few: Teller of Tales: The Life of Arthur Conan Doyle by Daniel Stashower, The Real World of Sherlock Holmes: The True Crimes Investigated by Arthur Conan Doyle by Peter Costello, Sherlock Holmes Handbook by Thomas Ross, or visit the website: www.Sherlockian.net or SJPL's database Literary Reference Center.

Now back to that phrase, “Elementary, my dear Watson.” Holmes often says “elementary” when asked how he figured something out and he often referred to Watson as “my dear Watson,” but those fragments never appear together; one of the closest examples appears in “The Adventure of the Crooked Man.” That famous phrase, never uttered by Holmes in any of the Sherlock Holmes books, was said by Basil Rathbone in the movie Sherlock Holmes and the Secret Weapon. Here's a short clip with Basil Rathbone as Sherlock Holmes and Nigel Bruce as Watson. Mystery solved!

 Two more fabulous romantic films :

When Harry Met Sally (1989) The film raises and addresses the question of whether men and women can be just friends.  It has inspired several relational concepts, such as “high maintenance,” and has made it easier for all of us to get our salad dressing on the side!

Love Actually (2003) Although set during Christmas, this film is both romantic and hilarious all year round.  A series of vignettes of different aspects of love as shown through ten people whose lives and interests intersect.  It is also cleverly written and portrayed.

We also have the music soundtracks for both films! 

Explore the various programs and services that the Hillview Branch Library has to offer. Included in this video are Family Storytime, programs for youth, family learning center classes and more!

Carmel R. Ordaz here, reporter for the Edenvale Gazette. I will be starting a weekly, getting to know your staff, interview with my fellow co-workers here at Edenvale Library. This week I’m interviewing one of our new Pages, Dan Tran.

CRO: Dan, can you tell my your title here at the library?

DT: I’m a Page here at Edenvale.

CRO: Did you start off as a page?

DT: No, actually, I started off as an Aide at Santa Teresa, and before that I was in the pool as an Aide.

CRO: How do you think you support your staff and the patrons?

DT: The staff, I think as a morale booster, you come in with a good attitude and the staff likes to see that and you like to see that too. Everyone says hi with a smile, it’s nice to come in and know it’s a friendly environment. With the patrons you do the same, you welcome them, and when they ask you for help you’re glad to help them - it’s something that you want to do.

CRO: What do you like about your job?

DT: I like that it can be fast or slow, but it’s never way too fast where it’s really stressful. I used to work at a restaurant and it’s pretty hectic. I like the fact that customers come in and are not angry all the time.

DT: I think the library is a great way to learn a lot of things, about yourself or anything. As I work here I like to help people learn even more, whatever they are looking for. All the information is here but the question is how do I get it, and you just show them the way.

CRO: Do you have a favorite book as a kid and as an adult?

DT: I would say Ender’s Game by Orson Scott Card.

CRO: Do you have a favorite movie, like in your DVD collection?

DT: Probably Back to the Future.

CRO: The first one?

DT: No, all three.

CRO: So Dan, would you like to add anything else?

DT: It’s a privilege for me to work here. The staff is great, you guys are great. Yeah, working here has allowed me to interact with customers in a different way, to develop language skills and people skills. It’s really great.

CRO: Alright Dan, thank you very much for the interview.

Based on the book The Accidental Billionaires: The Founding of Facebook, A Tale of Sex, Money, Genius, and Betrayal by Ben Mezerich, The Social Network discusses the origins of Facebook and the founders of the social-networking website. Mark Zukerberg creates a website that connects people from around the world, but who would have thought that the man who connected us all (over 500 million users and counting) is disconnected from everyone himself?

I thought this movie was very interesting and entertaining. If you are a user of Facebook, you should check this movie out. Plus, Justin Timberlake is in this movie and he is totally hot!

…where the vampires and humans live together and work together in a university town. College student Claire Danvers becomes embroiled in the tenuous drama of being human in a town governed by vampires. She unwittingly breaks every rule of conduct and becomes an important part of the community, whether she wants to or not. Claire and her roommates at the Glass House are a compelling group of misfits, who continually deal with the rigorous drama of life and death in a place where the undead are in charge. Find out what happens next in Rachel Caine’s Morganville Vampires series.

In Malena Watrous' debut novel, If You Follow Me, 22-year-old Marina and her girlfriend Carolyn travel to a small town in Japan to teach English to local high school students. While there they struggle to learn the rules of gomi, or garbage, like which receptacle to use for their empty wine bottles. They struggle with each other too, realizing too late that being far from home with only each other is too much strain on their relationship. Marina also struggles internally to cope with her father's suicide.

This book had me hooked from the start and I found myself thinking about Marina, Carolyn and their friends and co-workers throughout my day. It was also intriguing to learn about the Japanese take on garbage. We always hear that people in the U.S. throw away too much trash, but learning that the people of Japan soak the labels off their bottles before recycling the glass brings the point home. This book is about much more than garbage, however, and through her energetic prose and great characters Watrous makes this "stranger in a strange land" story work.

Are you looking for a job?  Would you like to share tips and leads with other job seekers? Then please join Santa Teresa's Job Hunters Support Group. We meet the third Tuesday of each month in Santa Teresa Library's Community Room from 9:30-11:00 am.  Please note that the library is not open when the meeting begins, so plan to enter the Community Room from its parking lot door. Our next meeting is Tuesday,  February 15.  Everyone is welcome.

You might also want to check out San José Public Library resources for job hunters. We have books on resume writing, how to interview, and study guides for examinations for many occupations.  In addition, we offer several wonderful databases that are available 24/7 from your home computer as well as in the library. One of our newest is Career Transitions. If you are considering entering a new occupation this database will help you explore new opportunities, assess your strengths and weaknesses, and even construct a new resume. Some other databases that you may find helpful are listed under Careers, Education, and Testing.  In them you will find career information, help with updating your skills, and practice tests for various occupations. Just remember that you will need a library card to access these resources from home.

The other day I was trying to find how to spell a word that I don’t use often and wondered then about all the different types of dictionaries there are.  Check out what comes up when you search our catalog for “dictionary.” I had no idea there were so many different ones!

American Heritage First Dictionary
American Heritage High School Dictionary
Usborne Illustrated Elementary Math Dictionary

The History Book Club of the Almaden Library invites you to a celebration of Black History Month as we discuss the autobiography of Nelson Mandela, Conversations With Myself. Through a collection of writings and interviews, the South African statesman recounts his journey from prisoner to president. Join us on Tuesday, February 15 at 6:30 pm.

Children, teens and families are invited to come to the Edenvale Branch Library to create Valentine’s Day cards on Friday February 11 at 4:00 PM. Supplies will be provided.

Here are some cozy Valentine’s Day books that young children may enjoy:

Be Mine, Be Mine, Sweet Valentine written by Sarah Weeks, illustrated by Fumi Kosaka. Several animals and a little boy give special valentines to the ones they adore.

If You'll Be My Valentine  written by Cynthia Rylant, illustrated by Fumi Kosaka. A little boy gives special handmade valentines to those who are important to him.

Valentine Mice!  written by Bethany Roberts, illustrated by Doug Cushman. Several mice deliver valentines to the other animals in the forest.

If you enjoy these books, check out the websites of authors Sarah Weeks and Bethany Roberts, and illustrator Doug Cushman.

Bread and Jam for Frances by Russell Hoban is a classic charming book for first graders or picky eaters.  Frances eats her favorite food for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.  She inevitably tires of eating bread and jam for every meal and discovers the benefits of variety.

Did you know that the California Room has a nice collection of local high school and college yearbooks, and even a few middle school yearbooks?  We have San Jose High yearbooks ranging from 1902 to 1988, and are always looking to add to the collection. Do you have local yearbooks gathering dust in your garage that you would like to donate? The yearbooks are very popular, both for former graduates looking to reminisce and for family members looking for pictures of their parents or grandparents.

Over the years we have also assisted adoptees searching for their birth parents -- and have witnessed the heartwarming moment when they see a photo of their birth mother or father for the first time in one of our yearbooks!

More moments like these are made possible by filling in the gaps in our yearbook collection. Here is a list of the ones we have. Everyone is welcome to come in and view the collection during our open hours, which are Tuesday-Saturday, 1-6. And if you have one or two to donate that you don't see on the list, it would be a much appreciated contribution to the collection!

5) You have the chance to win $250! What can you buy with $250?? Tons of things like: 500 Jack-in-the-Box tacos, 41 movies at Camera Cinemas, 50 Starbucks’ Tall Mocha Frappuccino…. or more important things like new guitar strings, sound equipment, or awesome matching fedoras. 

4) Increase your fanbase!  Did you know that over 7 million bodies come through our doors every year?  That’s a lot of Facebook friends.

3) Get a jump start on your rockstar career early!  The average age of the members of The Rolling Stones is about 66; that means at least 50 years of rock for your band!

2) Make rock concerts in libraries a good thing!  San José Public Libraries are not places where you can only wear rubber soled shoes and have the potential of being shushed.  They are thriving, active, and fun community hotspots.  Do your part to keep the library that way!

1) Make your parents/family/friends proud.  Yeah, I know; that sounds kind of lame, but it’s true.   Performing in front of live audiences is really nerve wrecking,  but the end result is the pride you and your loved ones will feel when they see you on stage. 

So sign up NOW for our annual Battle of the Bands competition!

Want an excuse to read Diary of a Wimpy Kid by Jeff Kinney? Here it is! Join the Alviso Branch Library Book Adventures as we laugh our way through this month's reading selection. We will tackle this fan fave on Saturday February 19th at 2:00 PM. So come and share your favorite moments in the book and take part in some fun activities. ZOO-WEE MAMA!

It’s that time right before bed and as most parents do, you’re going to read your child a bed time story. Everyone is settled and comfortable and in your best storytelling voice you begin reading, “Once upon a time….” when your child interrupts with a comment, a question, an observation or something out of the blue. Of course, you comment on his/her comment and continue “there were three….” when there’s another comment, question or observation. Eventually a long, long time later you actually manage to get through the book, or you’ve fallen asleep! If this scenario sounds familiar then you must read Interrupting Chicken by David Ezra Stein. Here’s a little clip to give you a taste of this funny book that parents and children will enjoy. Check it out, but I don't guarantee your child won't interrupt!

We are surveying our customers to find out how the library can best be of service to them. So if you use the Evergreen Library, please take a minute to fill out this survey.

Alex Ross’ The Rest Is Noise could be considered as one of the most important and comprehesive survey of modern music in recent history.  The author looks back more than 100 years, starting from Richard Strauss and Gustave Mahler of Vienna in the transitional period of 19th and the following century.  Readers will be amazed by the amounts of information on the composers’ lives, styles, and contemporaries.  Intriguing stories of eccentricities and scandals revolving towering figures such as Sibelius, Stravinsky, Schoenberg, Britten, etc. sometimes read like tabloids, but give significant insights into their creativity and long-lasting influences.  Sporadic musical analyses (such as ones for Strauss’ Salome and Britten’s Peter Grimes,) remind readers of CD liner notes.  Chronically arranged, the book starts with the German masters of Berlin and Vienna at the end of 19th century, then to Stravinsky and the Serialists (Schoenberg, Webern, Berg), nationalists (Bartók, Sibelius, Copland), to the suppressed (Shostakovitch, Prokofiev), minimalists (Young, Reich, Stockhausen), and latest contemporaries (Adams, Pärt, Glass.)  In 623 pages, The Rest Is Noise is quite fun to read and offers readers of all levels and expertises a concise but clear and complete understanding of modern music.

* Read more about 20th-Century Music

* Check out Listen To This by Alex Ross

Each Friday at 4:00PM the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Library offers Friday Fun. The month of February has some fantastic, fun, friendly programs. On February 4th the children had a great time making musical instruments; coming up there will be a Valentine Card Craft, Mural Making and the Art of Japanese Calligraphy with Hikaru. So check out Friday Fun; it's a great way to start off your weekend! Of course the library offers many books on Valentine Crafts, Calligraphy and Every Day Crafts, check them out!

Little Princes: One Man's Promise to Bring Home the Lost Children of Nepal

Connor Grennan signed up as a short-term volunteer at a Nepal orphanage, partly to justify his own desire to travel the world. Upon returning to the United States, he set up an organization to raise money for orphan support. As he became more involved, he learned that these children were not necessarily orphans. Parents in remote villages paid traffickers to take their children to Kathmandu so they could find work and be safe from Maoist recruiters. Grennan's organization, Next Generation Nepal, now seeks to end this trafficking and reunite children with their parents. In this inspiring story, Grennan tells a harrowing account of one of his first journeys to a remote location to find parents and his online courting and eventual face-to-face meeting with the woman who became his wife.

Meet Max, a gentle giant of a a dog. He recently visited Willow Glen Branch Library for a special program, 'Furry Friends at the Library.' Max is a Borzoi. Borzoi are gentle-natured, even though Russian aristocracy bred them as hunting hounds for hundreds of years. The American Kennel Club has a page about Borzoi. Their beautiful coats kept them warm in the frigid temperatures, and their long, leggy build enabled them to chase wolves, foxes, and rabbits across the plains. They are often called Russian wolfhounds. Max is not a hunter, though; he's perfectly happy being a pet and a Furry Friend, going new places and meeting new people. Here, he's listening to Michael read a Mo Willems book, The Pigeon Wants a Puppy. You can read the book yourself or discover other books by the whimsically funny Mo Willems. Find your favorite and come to the next Furry Friends visit to read it to a pooch of your choice! Read up on dog breeds in one of many books in the library, including Little Lions, Bull Baiters & Hunting Hounds: A History of Dog Breeds for kids; and 101 Adorable Breeds; or Need to Know? Dog Breeds for all ages. Also, check out Reigning Cats and Dogs for several stories of royal pets through history. Keen-eyed youngsters might try to spot the Borzoi the next time they watch the classic Disney film, Lady and the Tramp.

Celebrate 2011 with Bingo! Children are invited to the Almaden Library for a game of Bingo celebrating the New Year.  Win prizes and decorate a twelve-month calendar you can use throughout  the year.  Join in the fun on Wednesday, February 16 at 3:30 pm.

Celebrate Lunar New Year at Berryessa Branch 

Saturday, February 5, 11-4:00pm

 Program 

11:30   Opening by O Mei USA Lion Dance

12:00   “O Mei Kung Fu 峨嵋功夫” by O Mei USA

12:15   “Happy Lunar New Year! 新年好!” by Toyon School, Room 1

12:30   “Fred NO Frevo” by The Circle of Fifth

12:45   “1. 採茶撲蝶   2. 小城故事   3. 戰颱風”

             傅旭芳古箏教室(Chiffon Fu Gu-Zheng Ensemble)

             Melody Li 李妙心; Andrea Lin 林儒渝; Lucy Zhu朱露曦;

             Jocelyn Wang王韻慈; Allison Zhang 張康融

1:00     Learning Mandarin at North Valley Chinese School

             光華中文學校: Michael Truong & Nicholas Kavanaugh

1:10     “Vietnemese Songs:Đón Xuân; Xuân 2011”

             Trang Huynh, PHHS

1:20     ”Golden Rabbit Family’s Lunar New Year Eve ”

             Bryan, Bonnie, Edmont, and Sunny Chu

1:40     “Chinese Songs” by Cecilia Cai

1:50     Berryessa Chinese School CSL, Ms Lee 博愛中文學校CSL班

2:00     “Taichi” by Master Roy Wong’s Taichi Class

2:15     “春樂” & ”歡慶” by Students of Shi, Zhi Ping Dance School

             Ann Zhu, Anna Liu, Erin Lin, Elena Wu, Hannah Po,

             Rachel Li, Tammi Chan, Tersah Lin; Elisa Zhang,

             Sophia Xiao, Alice Hsieh, Isabella Hou, Megan Huang, Michelle Fong, Rosa Lin

2:30     “Butterfly Lover 梁祝” ;“Carmen Fantaisie卡門“

             Albert Li and Kevin Lin

2:45     “Line Dance” by Berryessa Line Dance Class, Mrs. Liao

3:00     “Mental Math Demonstration”

             Students of Chinese American Abacus Association

3:15     Li, Shu Dong Kung Fu, 李書東功夫表演

3:30     Duet by Liping and Linda’s Duet

4:00     The End (please join Raffle with Linda Chen near Booth area)    

Special Thanks to

Berryessa Library and Friends of Berryessa Library

Berryessa Union School District

North Valley Chinese School

Berryessa Chinese School

Chinese American Abcus Association

All Booth Volunteers

All Entertainment Program Participants

Honorable David Cortese, District 3 of Santa Clara County

Honorable Kansen Chu, District 4 of City of San Jose  

A little cake, a lot of fun Santa Teresa Library is turning one!

We're having a Library party, come celebrate with us on Saturday, February 5 - All Day (10:00 AM - 6:00 PM)!

We have loads of activities planned:

10:00 AM - 1:00 PM: Paul Bernal and his Historical Costumes

10:00 AM - 2:00 PM: Share your Santa Teresa Library

10:30 AM: Local Photography with Ron Horii

11:00 AM: Dazzling Divas Local Tap Dancers

11:00 AM: Storytime & Nature Craft with Local Author of Birds of a Different Feather, Matt Beasley and Illustrator Jennifer Morillo

12:00 PM: Salute our New Building with Library Director Jane Light and Councilmember Ash Kalra

1:00 PM: Legends of Santa Teresa Story & Craft with Author Mike Boulland and Illustrator Kate Tyler

2:00 PM: Author Visit with Paula Phelan, 1939 & Into the Dark, with Our Bookclub

2:00 PM: Geocaching with Sam

3:00 PM: Local Photography with Ron Horii

3:30 PM: Bookmark Crafteroo for Kids

4:00 PM: Dazzling Divas Local Tap Dancers

4:30 PM: The Tenor Band, Playing Dance Music and More!

Friends of the Santa Teresa Library will have an all day booksale. The Quilters of Southside Community Center will have their work on display in the Community Room. There will be Library tours, sidewalk chalk for decorating, items on display from The California Room and from Santa Teresa Park's Historical Collection.

We hope to see you at the Library!

Now that winter is almost over, if you're someone who enjoys competitive events, and wants to find a way to get in better shape that doesn't involve spending time at the gym, you might want to consider participating in a triathlon this spring or summer.

A triathlon is an event, which in its most popular form, involves (in this order) swimming, cycling, and running. Triathlons vary in distance, but international races are usually one of these two: Sprint distance: (750 m swim, 20 km bike, 5 km run) or Intermediate, which is (1.5 km swim, 40 km ride, 10 km& run.) Triathlon events are very competitive, with each athlete competing for overall course completion time, and athletes usually try to keep improving their time with each succeeding race. Before getting started with training, you'll need to have some basic things: a lightweight bicycle and helmet, a bathing suit and wetsuit (unless you love cold water), and, a good pair of running shoes.

After you've purchased the necessary equipment, here are some books that you'll find helpful, and all the titles are available in the San José  Public Library: Triathlon 101, by John Mora; The Triathlete's Training Bible, by Joe Friel; and Triathlon: Start to Finish, by Sam Murphy.

Now that you are all set for the big adventure, you'll have to decide which triathlon will be your first venture. There are many triathlons which take place all over the Bay Area. Here are four to consider: Morgan Hill Spring Triathlon, at Uvas Reservoir; Pacific Grove Triathlon; Big Kahuna Triathlon (Santa Cruz), AND for the hale and hearty (or fearless) amongst us, the Escape from Alcatraz Triathlon in San Francisco.

If you're like me and you enjoy watching your favorite athlete compete, or if you just want to get an idea of what it's all about, spectators are always welcome at all of these events. Triathlons are the "in" thing, and whether you want to get in on the action or just watch and cheer on someone else, it's lots of fun!!

On the weekend of Feb 12-14, 2011 the South Bay Guitar Society will host the 2009 Guitar Foundation of America International Competition First Prize winner, FLORIAN LAROUSSE. In addition to his ticketed evening concert, hospital outreach concert, live radio interview, master class and classroom "meet the artist" demonstrations, we wish to offer an admission free one hour pre-concert talk on Sat. Feb 12, 2-3 pm at Berryessa Library. The event will include live performance samples from his evening concert. The Society provides event time volunteers to assure a proper artist introduction, to answer questions, hand out programme booklets and moderate the Q/A segment.

* Learn more about Florian Larousse

* Learn more about South Bay Guitar Society

* Check out Guitar Music CDs from your local libraries

* Check out books on Learning Guitar

Volunteer readers from Project Cornerstone will read One by Kathryn Otoshi to children and families on Tuesday February 8th at 11:30 a.m. at the Evergreen Branch Library. The book reading will be followed by a discussion of its themes. One is a Silicon Valley Reads Children’s Companion book. It introduces young readers to numbers, counting, and primary and secondary colors by offering the story of ill-tempered Red who got too powerful for his own good and had to be brought down to size by One--a single entity with the courage to stand up for what was right. This book is recommended for kids in grades K-3.

Also check out the author Kathryn Otoshi’s reading of her book.

I've traveled the world twice over,
Met the famous; saints and sinners,
Poets and artists, kings and queens,
Old stars and hopeful beginners,
I've been where no-one's been before,
Learned secrets from writers and cooks
All with one library ticket (or Library card)
To the wonderful world of books.
~ Anonymous ~

This is the ninth year of Silicon Valley Reads, Santa Clara County's one book-one community program. The Santa Clara County Library, the County Office of Education, and the San Jose Public Library Foundation present the program each year, with the sponsorship of a number of local foundations, organizations and Friends of the Library groups throughout the county.

The Year of Fog, a novel by Michelle Richmond, is the selection this year. You will have a number of opportunities to hear her talk about the book and her work as a writer, as well as to have her sign your copy of the book. She will be at the Dr Martin Luther King, Jr. Library on Saturday, February 12 at 1 PM, at the West Valley Branch on Wednesday, March 9 at 6:30 PM, the Cambrian Branch on Wednesday, March 16 at 6:30 PM, the Berryessa Branch on Wednesday, March 23 at 6:30 PM, the Almaden Branch on Saturday, March 26, at 3 PM, and the Santa Teresa Branch on Wednesday, March 30 at 6:30 PM. The  Silicon Valley Reads website lists all author visits and numerous other events.

The library has copies of the book in paperback and also in audiobook and eBook formats.

My book club, like many others, read the book this month. We had a lively discussion about memory and loss, among other themes explored in the book. I'm curious -- what did you think of the book? Did you read the end at some point to break the tension or did you read straight through?

In the opening years of the last century, a woman leads a hardscrabble life trying to raise several children while avoiding her abusive husband.  When she tries to sell a camera won in a lottery, a kindly shopkeeper sends her away with words of encouragement and extra supplies.  The photos she takes change the way she sees the world and how others see her.  A film by veteran director Jan Troell, Everlasting Moments was shortlisted for an Academy Award and has an 80 percent score at Metacritic.

Nothing says love more than a homemade Valentine's Day card! Check out some of these Valentine's Day craft books at your local branch: Valentine Crafts: A Holiday Craft Book; Crafts for Valentine's Day; Hearts & Crafts. Better hurry though, February 14th is less than 2 weeks away!

http://catalog.sjlibrary.org/search~S1?/Xbrown+bear&searchscope=1&SORT=D/Xbrown+bear&searchscope=1&SORT=D&SUBKEY=brown%20bear/1%2C161%2C161%2CB/frameset&FF=Xbrown+bear&searchscope=1&SORT=D&1%2C1%2C 

 BrB  The "My First Reader" format of the classic picture book Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? by Bill Martin Jr and illustrator Eric Carle will delight beginning readers as they discover various creatures looking at one another. Question-and-answer pages are included to help reinforce vocabulary.