If you shop in the City of San Jose, beginning January 1, 2012 (that's about 4 months away) there will no longer be disposable plastic bags for your merchandise.  That means you will need to bring your own bags to put your groceries or other purchases in. 

Plastic bags are a convenience that just isn't worth the price on the environment.  Did you know that plastic bags are the most commonly found items during creek clean-ups or that Californians use 4 million plastic bags a year?   Plastic bags are considered to be dangerous to over 260 species of wildlife including sea turtles who mistake the bags in the ocean for jellyfish and then try to eat them.  Swapping out plastic bags for reusable ones is a change that everyone can easily make!

What can you do to get ready for the change?

Recycle your plastic grocery bags by turning them into "yarn" that you can then use to crochet a reusable shopping bag. This is recycling/reuse at its finest. I've made a couple of these myself - they are quick to make and they are flexible and strong!  This video shows you how to do it!

Purchase bags at your local store.   They are only a few dollars and if you start now buying one a week, you'll easily have enough for your weekly grocery run before the ordinance goes into effect.

Check out the book bags the library friends sell!  These bags are built for toting books, but they'll carry your canned goods and loaves of bread just as easily.  And you'll be supporting the library as well!

The winners of our Graphic Novel Making Contest 2011 were announced at the award ceremony on August 27th. The winners are:

Children

1st place: Nidhi Naroth, age 12, “The Cliff”

2nd place: Liam Kirk, age 8, “The Adventures of Agent Bucktooth”

3rd place: Shirley Huang, age 12, “Arrow’s Forest Friend”

Teens

1st place: Apanuba Mahmood, age 13, “Flower’s Canvas”

2nd place: Jessica Lee, age 17, “Little Red Riding Hood”

3rd place: Nancy Duong, age 17, “Chess: The Black Queen and the White Knight”

Adults

1st place: Michael Merritt, age 18, “Pure Element: Revelation”

2nd place: Jessica Tang, age 18, “Turning Point”

3rd place: Darren Tat, age 41, “Rabbit in the Moon”

Congratulations to all our winners and many thanks to all who participated.

Children and teens are welcome to attend Tutor Time on Tuesday afternoons starting on September 11 at the Edenvale Branch Library from 3:30 PM until 5:30 PM. Tutoring in all subjects will be available.

The SJPL website has a useful Kid's Homework Page as well as a useful Teen Page. Students can also chat with an online tutor by using Live Homework Help.

If you have any questions, please email sj.homeworkcenter@gmail.com.

"I've contacted the aunt and uncle whom I visited in rural Pennsylvania every summer as a boy. You'll be staying with them." says Dad

"What are their names?"

"Uh...Poppy and Moo."

"Mike, come meet Poppy!"

I followed the line of the yardstick, which seemed to point to a huge recliner in the far, dark corner of the room.  With a statue sitting in it.

At least, it was frozen like a statue. Its arms were almost as white as its undershirt except for the blue veins running up and down. Above the undershirt, hair peeked out, then a fat neck and stubbly chin. Lips stuck out in a pout. Eyes stared straight ahead. Two tufts of gray hair stuck up like devil horns. The whole statue looked like it hadn't moved in days.

"Say hello to Poppy!" Moo said.

Mike is a kid who is the only sane center of the town called "Do Over." Sent by his dad to spend six weeks of his summer vacation building an artesian screw, Mike cannot figure out how to tell his dad that he hates math. However, when he arrives in "Do Over," he realizes that he is the only person who can fundraise $40,000 for the adoption of Romanian Mike.

Over the course of the summer, Mike finds the calling within himself. Full of humorous situations and eccentric characters, Mike manages to rouse people in Do Over. At the same time, though, does he manage to finally reach his Dad? Read it and find out!

Kathryn Erskine is the National Book Award winner for Mockingbird. Once again, she presents a most likable protagonist, Mike, in the novel, The Absolute Value of Mike (AR 8.0, Level 3.9)

Have you read or heard the Grimm's fairy tale called Rapunzel? Did you ever wonder why Rapunzel was locked in a tower, and how she felt about being there? Did you ever think of an alternative to her waiting for a prince to come rescue her?

If the answer to any of these questions is "yes," then Rapunzel's Revenge is the book for you! This graphic novel is based on the fairy tale, but provides a thrilling alternative to the familiar story.

The book was put together by the three Hales - wife and husband team Shannon and Dean Hale, and artist Nathan Hale (who is related only by name to the authors). They have produced a witty, humorous, and adventure-filled book that older children, teens, and adults will enjoy.

Check it out at your local San José Public Library!

Access to MyiLibrary is working again. Please contact Ingram's Technical Support department should you have any issues.

What do you do if you have a generous heart and some new or very gently used books, DVDs, videos, or CDs that you don’t need?

Of course, you should donate them to your local branch’s Friends of the Library, who gratefully accept these items at donation bins in all library locations.

But here is a tougher question — What do you do if you have a generous heart and some gently used magazines, National Geographic issues, encyclopedias, or textbooks that you don’t need?

The answer is that unfortunately, the library and its Friends groups cannot accept donations of magazines, including National Geographic; encyclopedias; or textbooks.

So, where can you donate these kinds of items, especially if you prefer that they be re-used rather than simply recycled?

Here is a list of organizations in the local area that may accept donations in these categories — provided that the items are in good condition. This list was compiled by searching recyclestuff.org. Please call each organization before donating, since it may no longer accept the kind of donation you are planning to give.

Magazines:

•Friends Outside in Santa Clara County - (408) 468-0100

•Saratoga Library Friends - (408) 867-6126

•St. Elizabeth's Day Home - (408) 295-3456

•Yu-Ai Kai/ Japanese American Senior Services - (408) 294-2505

National Geographic Magazine:

•Boys and Girls Club of Silicon Valley - (408) 957-9685

•Yu-Ai Kai/ Japanese American Senior Services - (408) 294-2505

Encyclopedias:

•Friends Outside in Santa Clara County - (408) 468-0100

•Friendship Church of God in Christ - (408) 258-5445

•Savers Thrift Store - (408) 287-0591

•St. Elizabeth's Day Home - (408) 295-3456

Textbooks:

•Goodwill - Donation Center - (408) 998-5774 ex248

•Goodwill - Retail Store - (408) 265-5692

•Salvation Army - (408) 286-3291

•Savers Thrift Store - (408) 287-0591
Note: The Friends of the Pearl Avenue Library, Friends of the Seventrees Library, and Friends of the Hillview Library will take gently used textbooks.

For where to donate other items that the Friends of the Library cannot accept, you can search the recyclestuff.org database yourself. Like, where can I donate my dust-accumulating classic computing books from the 1970’s?

“This is a simple tale. I was born in the Little Neck Public Library in Queens, New York. Next to the card catalog. Well that’s the way I remember it, and I’m sticking to the story no matter what!” On page one of The Memoir Project: A Thoroughly Non-standard Text for Writing & Life, Marion Roach Smith begins by sharing one of her earliest memories: her mother took her to the catalog and showed her a card with her father’s name on it. “From that moment on, what I wanted most was a place in the Dewey Decimal System.“

If you've suffered writing the tale of your life -- or any writing project, Marion Roach Smith provides some humorous relief as well as practical suggestions.

"Forget all those mindless writing exercises and learn to write for real."

"Your writing math must add up to a figure so compelling the reader can't take his or her eyes off your argument."

"Editing is the perfect murder, though the darlings you kill can live to see another day."

As you can tell from the cover, Clay Hensley is not one of Principal Keller's favorite students. Making jokes at the expense of others, running through the halls and creative pranks are some of Clay's favorite activities at school. Clay's numerous visits to the principal have been faithfully transcribed by the school secretary, who marvels at Clay's fearlessness.

Clay's hijinks seem to be endless, until his brother returns home after a stint in prison. Clay idolizes his fearless brother, Mitchell, until Mitchell forces him to make some changes. After Mitchell demands a physical transformation, Clay feels confused about his new status. So do his friends.

Then Clay learns that his past may finally catch up to him and an agreement with Principal Keller is in jeopardy. Will Clay learn the hard way that his past may define his future?

Andrew Clements' Trouble-Maker (AR 3.0, Level 4.7) shows us the effects of past behavior and reputation on the perceptions of other people. Will Clay manage to show everyone that he is different? Will Clay truly fit the image that his brother wants? Read it and see!

The difference between what we do and what we are capable of doing would suffice to solve most of the world's problems.

- Mohandas K. Gandhi

I admit it: I am an unabashed Gandhi-phile. I love Mohandas K. Gandhi!

How could you not love a unassuming bespectacled man who stood 5'4" in a loincloth and went from being tongue-tied talking to a handful of people in a London parlor to speaking with enormous moral conviction to millions of Indians – and to the daunting might of the British Empire. This was a man who led his countrymen and women from the indignities of colonization to independence from the British – not with suicide bombs, vitriol or Facebook – but with nonviolence, love and an adherence to truth. And it worked – the British Empire left India.

An excellent introduction to the life of the Mahatma is Richard Attenborough's deservedly award-winning film, Gandhi.  A labor of love, it is said that the director poured over every photograph and newsreel known to exist of Gandhi's life to recreate this biopic as accurately and movingly as possible. Check out the astonishing opening scene with a literal cast of thousands (actually it was over 300,000) – the largest number of extras ever used in the history of film – and of course this was all pre-computer animation or digital enhancement!

Finally if after watching the movie you, like me, catch the Gandhi bug, Gandhi's Autobiography: The Story of My Experiments with Truth has a surprisingly candid and intimate voice. I found it as much a good read as it is a window into one of the most compelling movements of the 20th century.

• Preschool Storytime (3-5 years-old) - Fridays from 11:15am -11:45am
 
• Inclusive Storytime - (2-8 years-old) Last Friday of the month from 12:30pm - 1:00pm with Stay & Play Activity

We invite kids and their families to enjoy these storytimes at Almaden Branch Library.

San José Public Library now has Blu-ray DVDs as well as traditional DVDs!

• Blu-ray players have come down in price and will play any DVD, not just Blu-ray discs (“regular” DVD players WILL NOT PLAY Blu-ray discs, however; you must have a Blu-ray player to play a Blu-ray disc)
• Blu-ray discs offer durability and a better viewing experience
• More major movie titles are being offered in Blu-ray format

Blu-ray DVD packaging will look very similar to current DVD packaging, but the case will be labeled as Blu-ray in a banner across the case and on the label. The catalog will also state that the title is a BLURAY DVD. Look for Children’s Blu-ray DVD titles, such as the movie Rango (also in the system in regular DVD format) and a selection of Young Adult and Adult motion picture titles.

Children and their families are invited to attend a Go Wild! Kids' Nature Program at the Edenvale Branch Library Community Room on August 23 at 3:30 PM.  

Staff from the Don Edwards San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge will present an entertaining and educational program where participants will learn about Bay Area birds with stories and fun activities.

To learn more about the Don Edwards San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge, please visit their web site.

I am rediscovering a forgotten delight: reading short stories. I am always looking for something to read during quiet times and a short story can easily be read in one sitting. I have been known to nod off while reading a novel, but never while reading a short story. A well written short story moves right along and leads the reader on to a conclusion within an hour or less. Find a good collection of short stories and start reading. If one story is not so great, well, move on to the next. You are bound to find at least one stellar story that will rock your reading world.

I recently read an outstanding collection of short stories written by Elizabeth Berg. It was displayed at Pearl Avenue Branch Library. The cover and title caught my eye: The Day I Ate Whatever I Wanted.  Now that title spoke to me. Thoughts of chocolate, donuts, cake, ice cream, lasagna and other assorted high caloric, yummy, fat laden comfort foods swirled through my mind. What a fantasy to ponder! I grabbed the book from the display and checked it out. At first glance I thought the book in my hands was a novel, but I quickly discovered this was not so after finishing the first story: The Day I Ate Whatever I Wanted.  I devoured that story faster than a bag of potato chips and smiled and laughed throughout the reading of it. My appetite was whetted and so I moved on to the second story and then the third until a few days later I had read and mentally digested all 13 stories in this delectable collection. 

The full title of Elizabeth Berg’s short story collection is The Day I Ate Whatever I Wanted: And Other Small Acts of Liberation. While an element of food is present in most of the stories, there is a touch of rebellion sprinkled throughout.  I would not characterize this collection of stories as “Chick Lit,” but the theme of the collection is  women and their inner lives. Elizabeth Berg has an easy writing style that connects with readers. I often found myself on the verge of laughter or tears while reading a story.  Through her fine storytelling Berg explores the different stages of women’s lives. There are challenges, frustrations, joys, sacrifices and disappointments that season every woman’s life, and Elizabeth Berg has illuminated them brilliantly. So, get yourself a bowl of ice cream, a slice of pie, or some chips and dip and settle in with The Day I Ate Whatever I Wanted (book or CD ) for a banquet of delicious stories.   

Summer Reading for 2011 is over. This fun program took place from June 18 to July 30. Teens enjoyed the celebration and wanted to join the program next year. Let's hear their thoughts about the summer reading experience.

Something Borrowed by Emily Giffin tells the story of Rachel, a 30-year old attorney living and working in Manhattan who fell in love with her best friend's fiancé and how she struggled between friendship, love and morals. It's a fun read and very entertaining. This witty page-turner is recently being developed into a film. Emily Giffin has also written Something Blue, Baby Proof, Heart of the Matter and Love the One You're With.

Here If You Need Me: A True Story by Kate Braestrup

As a chaplain to the Maine Warden Service, Kate Brastrup accompanies game wardens on search and rescue operations providing assistance both to families of victims and rescuers. Braestrup studied to become a Unitarian minister after her husband, a state trooper, was killed in a car accident, leaving her a widow with four children. Laced with humor, this inspirational memoir tells her journey from grief to compassion.

Calli lives in a family of over-achievers. Every single person in her family, including her parents "go for the gold." Except Calli. She is happy being an average fifth grade kid, but doesn't know how to fit in with her extroverted family, who want her to be an over-achiever, too. Especially torturous is her father's version of the ABC's. Her brother and sister, Alex and Becca, each announce their achievements during the ABC's. But Calli, the "C", does not feel she has anything to contribute. Until, she meets Noah. Noah isn't like other kids. Her approach to Noah changes life for both him and her in ways she could never have imagined!

Along the way, Calli learns that her parents have issues of their own. Her older brother brings some sanity to her world with his understanding of the family dynamic. Becca, meanwhile, has a hidden secret, too.

Calli Be Gold (AR 6.0, Level 4.2) will reach the heart of any kid who doesn't really fit in, whether at school or at home. Michele Weber Hurwitz clearly understands the problems that upper-elementary or beginning middle-school kids have in this stellar debut novel. She cleverly uses humor to offset some of the serious issues her characters face. The combination of humor and pathos made this book a page-turner!

I could not put it down until the wee hours of the morning! This adult librarian was in tears from about half-way through the book all the way to the end. I was also laughing, as well, so I am sure my family thought I was becoming unhinged. I can wholeheartedly say that this book is the best book I have read so far this year. Try it and see for yourself!

Grab your smartphone and get ready to learn about the history of San Jose!  

Thanks to a Library Services and Technology Act grant and about a year's worth of hard work, we've created three walking tours of downtown San Jose that you can take using your smartphone and your feet! 

Go to www.scanjose.org to see images from our California Room Collection while standing at the locations that the photographs were taken. Think of it as a time machine in the palm of your hand!

There are three tours to choose from:
A Walk Around the Plaza - takes you on a loop around Plaza de Cesar Chavez
Tragedies and Calamities - a no holds barred look at some of the tragic events in San Jose history
Old Santa Clara Street - highlights some of the great architecture that has sprung up and come down over the years.

Don't have a smartphone?  Come join us on September 10th at 11:30 for a group tour using smartphones and iPads to take A Walk Around the Plaza!  We will meet in front of the Art Museum - 110 S. Market Street.  I'll be there and I hope you will too!

This year, the Islamic holiday Ramadan takes place from August 1st to the 29th. To Muslims, Ramadan marks the month God bestowed the first verses of the Qur'an to the Islamic prophet Muhammad. Ramadan's date changes in the Gregorian calendar because its time each year is based on the 9-month Islamic calendar. Celebrations for Ramadan include month-long fasting during daytime, and more time dedicated to prayer.

Fasting in Ramadan occurs from dawn to dusk and includes abstaining from eating, drinking, sexual intercourse, and the viewing or hearing of obscene or irreligious sights and sounds. Fasting is supposed to help Muslims detach themselves from worldly activities and become more spiritual. Muslims are also encouraged to read the entire Qur'an during Ramadan and to focus less on worldly affairs. Muslims are expected to work on spiritual cleansing, charity, good deeds, and helping others. People will prepare special foods and buy gifts for their family, friends, and the poor. The preparation of special foods is for the Iftari, a traditional fast-breaking meal at the end of the day.

Decorations can also be a part of Ramadan, including lit lanterns or colorful lights strung up in public places. Ramadan ends with the holiday of Eid ul-Fitr about 29 or 30 days after the beginning of Ramadan. During this holiday people dress in their best clothing, gather for a morning prayer, and then enjoy feasting and visiting friends and family.

To read more about Ramadan, take a look at some of these titles:

• Ramadan by Sheila Anderson
• A Party in Ramadan by Asma Mobin-Uddin
• Magid Feasts for Ramadan by Mary Matthews
• Ramadan: Count and Celebrate by Fredrick McKissack

Written by volunteer Robert D.

Reynie Muldoon, an orphaned child with special abilities decides to respond to a newspaper advertisement addressed to "gifted children looking for special opportunities." After passing several mind-bending exams, he joins an elite team of four talented children and they become the Mysterious Benedict Society. They soon go on an adventurous journey of espionage and self-discovery to defeat a master criminal who plans to take over the world. Readers will be intrigued by interesting characters and a gripping plot.

Check out The Mysterious Benedict Society by Trenton Lee Stewart at your library, available in the following formats:

• Book - Choose either paperback format or& hardcover format.

• Audio Book - Listen to this book using your CD player.

• eBook - Read this book on your eReader, computer or tablet computer. Check our New User's Guide for more information on how to download.

• eAudio Book - Listen to this book on your MP3 player, smart phone or computer. Check our New User's Guide for more information on how to download.

If you are a fan of Carl Hiaasen's previous books Hoot and Flush, you'll be sure to gain more than enough satisfaction and laughs from another of his patented ecological-mysteries, Scat, set in the author's home state of Florida.

This time Hiaasen is writing about an unliked and unpopular biology teacher who has seemingly vanished after a field trip to Black Vine Swamp. Of course there's more going on than meets the eye and our two main protagonists Nick and Marta are interested in finding out what, exactly, is behind the mysterious disappearance. Their guess is that classmate and resident troublemaker Smoke is behind the whole mess and in fact he is, but not how anybody could have imagined. Hiaasen has again created a cast of goofy and memorable characters that all comes back to an endangered Florida panther (hence the title) who is more than a little annoyed by what's going on in the swamp and its natural surroundings.

Great story, funny characters, and ecological relevance ...

Carl Hiaasen at his writer-for-young readers finest. Check it out.

West Valley's monthly book club is still going strong! Some of our members have been coming regularly for many years, but new members are always invited to join in on the literary fun and conversation. Members take turns suggesting titles for the group to read and discuss at the next meeting, which results in an interesting and diverse array of selections. Yesterday evening's discussion was centered around the classic My Antonia, but next month we're switching gears to Southwestern mystery with Tony Hillerman's The Shape Shifter. This was Hillerman's last novel in his award-winning and prolific Navajo Tribal Police mystery series before his passing in 2008. I haven't read it yet, but according to Wikipedia, the plot involves "a Navajo rug, a suspicious fire, a threatening phone call, and fruitcake." If that doesn't sound mysterious, I don't know what does.

Request your copy today (also available in large print and audiobook) so you'll be ready to join us next month on September 14, 6:30-7:30pm in the West Valley Branch Library Community Room as we discuss The Shape Shifter.  

The Door in the Forest by Roderick Townley, takes place in Everwood, after the war to end all wars. Near Everwood was a magical island, maybe enchanted, maybe cursed, it depended who you talked to about it. No one had ever visited the island as far as Daniel Crowley knew. Surrounding the island on all sides were hedge-apple trees with curved, medieval-looking thorns, also thistles, firethorn, baneberry and poison oak. Besides the three streams encircling the island, there was the quicksand. In the water were the poisonous white-headed water snakes, which the legend said had human faces. Still Daniel hoped to find a way to visit the island. He was hungry for adventure. Before too long any reader of this book will be thinking “Oh Daniel, be careful what you wish for!”

Pick up this book and in addition to meeting Daniel, who can’t tell a lie, you’ll follow the adventures of Wesley, his younger brother who loves to learn, his specialty is geography, and Emily, a seemingly quiet, shy young girl who comes to live with her Grandmother after her mother is taken away as a spy. There is a war, known as The Uncertainties, going on outside of Everwood. Refugees and soldiers occasionally pass through the town. Then one day the soldiers come to stay. Everything changes. They too want to visit the island and refuse to believe that the residents of the town don’t know how to get there. The soldiers soon realize that if anyone can tell them the secrets of Everwood and the island surely it’s the boy who can’t tell a lie.

Both a mystery and a fantasy book, this is fast moving story that held my interest through to the very end.  

Is your child anxious about starting kindergarten? Kindergarten is a big transition for children, and it can be hard, especially in the beginning. One of the best ways to prepare your child for kindergarten is to set aside a quiet time when you and your child can sit down together and read books about others who are dealing with the same fears. The library offers many books about starting school and starting kindergarten. Here are just a few. You might find your own anxieties calmed by reading these wonderful stories! Check out the San José Public Library catalog for these titles and others about starting school.

Annabelle Swift, Kindergartner by Amy Schwartz

Although some of the things her older sister taught her at home seem a little unusual at school, other lessons help make Annabelle's first day in kindergarten a success. Amy Schwartz "provides a funny, balanced view of the emotions experienced by a child just starting school."

Look Out Kindergarten, Here I Come by Nancy Carlson

The first day of Kindergarten is finally here, and Henry can't wait to paint pictures, sing songs, and practice counting. Sounds like a great time!

First Day Jitters by Julie Danneberg

The main character in this story is very worried about what will go wrong on the first day of school. Will anyone like her? Will she know anyone? It will be hard! I just know I'm going to hate it! There is a twist at the end when readers discover it's actually the teacher who has first day jitters. Children will be amazed that they're not the only ones who worry about starting school.

Wemberly Worried by Kevin Henkes

Wemberly, a little girl mouse, is terrified at the thought of school. On her first day she meets a new friend who is also worried. The two of them help each other get through the day.

On a recent Saturday my wife and I followed through on a planned day trip to discover the ever evolving Presidio in San Francisco. We made the short trip to the City, intent on visiting the Walt Disney Family Museum (WDFM). A wonderful collection of Disney ephemera and historically significant material, the museum delights with a variety of displays (both interactive and passive), levels, and sight lines. After spending over 5 hours there, I decided to 'balance' my understanding of Walt Disney by reading Neal Gabler's work, Walt Disney: The Triumph of the American Imagination. The book is meticulously researched, primarily focusing on Disney's early studio experiences. For anyone who wishes to learn more about this fascinating American icon, I can heartily recommend this work and a visit to the WDFM.

Do you suffer from perfectionism? Do you worry so much about your homework that you can’t get it done? Or do you always feel like you could have done better? What to Do When Good Enough Isn’t Good Enough by Thomas S. Greenspon will help you understand about perfectionism. It explains the difference between doing your best and being a perfectionist. You will hear about how people become perfectionists and learn how to ease the pressure of being this way. There are activities to help you think of yourself differently and tips on getting help from the people in your life. It also talks about when perfectionism progresses to something worse. This book gives simple steps to help you be more realistic with yourself and feel better about yourself.

Can a book about the dictionary be funny? Who is the Lone Granger? And what is a Frindle? The answer to the first question is surprisingly… Yes! The story Frindle features the dictionary and the idea of word origins yet manages to be very funny indeed. But don’t take my word for it, judge for yourself and learn the answers to the remaining questions by reading this classic school story by popular children’s author Andrew Clements. What begins as a test of wills between Nick - a well know prankster and his new 5th grade teacher, soon becomes a movement that grows beyond Nick’s class, his school and even beyond his town.

Transcendent Man: A Conversation About the Future was broadcasted on Wednesday August 3rd in 500+ movie theaters across the country. The speakers panel included physicist Michio Kaku, Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak, inventor Dean Kamen and others. It was a live discussion of the Transcendent Man documentary by Barry Ptolemy with the subject of it - futurist Ray Kurzweil present. Discussion explored Ray Kurzweil's idea that in next twenty years exponential growth in nanotechnology, genetic engineering and robotics will lead to merging between man and machines that is called Technological Singularity. Our library has the following several books by Kurzweil that explain his ideas and the movie Transcendent Man.

• The Age of Intelligent Machines
• The Age of Spiritual Machines: When Computers Exceed Human Intelligence
• The Singularity Is Near: When Humans Transcend Biology

There is a growing movement in urban areas throughout the country. People are raising chickens to provide themselves with eggs. Look around your neighborhood's backyards and you'll probably find at least one neighbor with a small coop and run in their backyard.

Why on earth would you want to keep chickens? Some people think chickens are amusing and they bridge the gap between livestock and pets. Some people want to eat eggs that don't make them feel guilty. Others claim that the eggs are more nutritious and the chickens also help them get rid of kitchen scraps.

In San Jose, the municipal code allows for 1-4 hens to be kept at least 15 feet from any structure and no roosters are allowed. Not all municipalities are so welcoming of backyard chickens. Mad City Chickens is an organization that was founded in Madison, Wisconsin as a way to change the local laws to allow for residents to keep chickens in their backyards.

The library has a very good, but small collection of books on the topic. Choosing and Raising Chickens by Jeremy Hobson and Celia Lewis and The Joy of Keeping Chickens by Jennifer Lynn Megyesi are both good introductions. In these books, you'll learn which breeds are best for backyards, which ones are good layers (Buff Orpington and Australorp)

If you want to include your children in this new adventure (which is a really expensive way to get eggs) check out Tilly Lays an Egg by Teri Golson. In this story, Tilly lays eggs all over the farm and in a Where's Waldo style, you must find the egg in each photo.

Teri Golson keeps her own flock of chickens and her hencam makes for an interesting diversion. In plain sight, you'll see one or two chickens most of the time and she also has a rabbit hopping around in the pen. She also has a hen blog that has some entertaining photos and stories of the goings on at her little farm.

She isn't the only author out there who is enthusiastic about poultry! Alice Walker recently published The Chicken Chronicles: Sitting with the Angels Who Have Returned with My Memories: Glorious, Rufus, Gertrude Stein, Splendor, Hortensia, Agnes of God, The Gladyses, & Babe: A Memoir - a book of her essays about her flock of chickens. All of the essays were originally blog posts, so you can read it online if you're willing. The essay she wrote entitled "Enough Mother" was extremely moving. She weaves stories about her life and her activism work with the comings and goings of her small flock.

You may not want to be as connected to your breakfast as the backyard chicken keepers are, but if you are like me, you must love chicks. So CUTE!

Drumming is the oldest form of music. It’s natural and spiritual, and just plain fun. It’s international and intercultural – all cultures have some form of drumming. Drums can be played with hands or with sticks, and sometimes with brushes. Hand drumming is often used in music therapy due to its tactile nature. Some animals drum as well! Drums can be used for music or communication. They are used in the military to motivate or to set a pace for marching.

Read about the various aspects of drums and drumming at the library.

Join the Thump! Drum Circle at the Vineland Branch Library.

Come to the Edenvale Branch Library Community Room on Tuesday, August 9, 2011 at 3:30 PM to see some creative teens acting out or interpreting various children's stories. These polished and animated teens have participated in local or national speech competitions. You are welcome to join us for a highly entertaining hour of stories which will be a treat for children and their families.

This event will be repeated at the following locations:

Almaden Branch Library        Thursday, August 18, 2011 - 3:30pm - 4:30pm

Vineland Branch Library        Monday, August 29, 2011 - 3:30pm - 4:30pm

STICKERS, STICKERS EVERYWHERE! You will find lots of them at the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Library on Saturday, August 6 at 3:00PM.  At this STUFF! Program children will be using stickers to create pictures and we all know how much kids love their stickers. Join us for this fun, creative activity.

STUFF! is a program designed for children of all ages. It's about the "Stuff we keep around, and all the different 'Stuff' we can create from it." The program is being conducted by Chris Bunz, a motion graphics/editor and takes place twice a month at the King Library. Come check it out!

It's a new month which means 4 new Friday Fun programs at the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Library. Our Friday Fun programs start at 4:00PM and are always a fun way to start off the weekend. Here's our line up for August.

August 5: Food on My Plate: Goodbye Food Pyramid, Hello Food Plate! The USDA has replaced the Food Pyramid with the Food Plate. Children and adults will learn about how it works and children will be making a food plate craft. A fun and informative program for all.

August 12: Game Day: We will bring out the board games and puzzles and everyone is invited to come play and have fun!

August 19: The Art of Japanese Calligraphy with Hikaru: Learn the Art of Japanese Calligraphy with Hikaru. She'll be teaching the strokes to write different words. All supplies are provided.

August 26: Play Bingo for Fun and Prizes: Bingo is back by popular demand. Join us as we play Bingo for fun and prizes. Of course, one of our prizes is a book!

Bay Area Consumers' Checkbook is a magazine published twice a year (with occasional updates). Like Consumer Reports, it is nonprofit and unbiased and gives you advice on making wise decisions and choosing what's best for your needs. Unlike Consumer Reports, it evaluates local businesses and services rather than products. Their evaluations are based on subscriber surveys and are less sensational and inflammatory that what you will find on free-for-all websites (such as Yelp.com). They provide ratings on such topics as price, timeliness, customer service, etc.

San José Public Library does not subscribe to their website (www.checkbook.org) but we do provide back issues of their magazine at ten library locations. The King Library has five years worth of back issues, but the branches that have it typically keep six months to two years of back issues. Or you can subscribe to their print or online magazine for a fee from home.