Everyone is invited to our Summer Reading Celebration Kickoff Event on Sunday, June 2 at the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Library, starting at 1:00 PM  to 4:00PM.

There will be many fun activities for the whole family to participate in:

• Scavenger Hunt for All Ages: Look for some of the 34 Art Works that are located at the King Library from the Lower Level to the Fourth Floor, answer some fun questions about the King Library and our website. Please note that the last time to pick up a Scavenger Hunt Clue Sheet is at 3:00PM.
• Crafts for Children and Teens: Dinosaur bone craft for kids and making beaded bracelets for teens.
• Games for All: Dr. Seuss games for the young ones, and "Win in a Minute" games for the teens and adults. Lots of fun and laughs playing these games.
• Entertainment: There will be drummers, balloonists, a juggler and multicultural music to appreciate.
• Community Partners: We will have community partners available from 1:30 to 4:00 providing information about their groups and answering any questions you might have.
• Prizes:  Everyone who participates in the Scavenger Hunt will receive a small gift and a chance to win some neat prizes.

You really don't want to miss this fun, FREE, event at your Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Library!

Alberto Cardona is a classically trained guitarist from Colombia.  He has studied classical guitar for twenty years.  He loves playing and listening to a variety of classical guitar music.  Alberto also takes ESL classes from Cris at both Biblioteca Latinoamerica and East San Jose Carnegie Branch.  One Tuesday in April, Alberto played some beautiful music for his classmates at one of Biblioteca Latinoamericana's ESL classes.  Check out this awesome YouTube video where Alberto plays music for his classmates! 

Are you interested in learning to play the guitar?   San Jose Public Library has many books, music scores, and dvds that can help you learn.      

Are you interested in learning and practicing English?  Please visit the following calendars:

ESL events at Biblioteca Latinoamericana

ESL events at East San Jose Carnegie Branch Library

ESL events throughout the San Jose Public Library system

English Pronunciation Classes at Biblioteca Latinoamericana and East San Jose Carnegie Branch Library

Students are encouraged to bring a pencil and a three-ring binder.

There are several Family Learning Centers throughout San Jose that offer ESL classes.    They are located at the following branches:

• Bascom Branch
• Biblioteca Latinoamericana Branch
• Dr. Roberto Cruz - Alum Rock Branch
• East San José Carnegie Branch
• Hillview Branch
• Seven Trees Branch
• Tully Community Branch

April is National Jazz Month.   Here are some books children and their loved ones may enjoy reading together:

The Candystore Man, written by Jonathan London, and illustrated by Kevin O'Malley
In the 1950's, the Candystore Man plays saxophone and sells candy and other treats to the neighborhood children and teens.  If you look closely, you will see a newspaper with the heading "Charlie 'Bird' Parker Dead at Age 35."

Jazz Baby, written by Carole Boston Weatherford, and illustrated by Laura Freeman
Young children play a variety of musical instruments, dance, and have fun.

Jazzmatazz!, written by Stephanie Calmenson, and illustrated by Bruce Degen
A baby notices a mouse start to play jazz music on the piano.  Dog soon starts to accompany Mouse with his dog bones and bowl.  Who else will join the jam session?

Jazzy Miz Mozetta, written by Brenda C. Roberts, and illustrated by Frank Morrison
One evening, Miz Mozetta dresses up in a snazzy red outfit and takes a walk.   While walking, she thinks about dancing again.  What will happen next?

Lookin' for Bird in the Big City, written by Robert Burleigh, and illustrated by Marek Los
A teenage trumpet player looks for Charlie "Bird" Parker, a famous saxophonist.   This story is inspired by the famous trumpet player Miles Davis.

Rent Party Jazz, written by William Miller, and illustrated by Charlotte Riley-Webb
Sonny goes to school, works part time, lives in New Orleans in the 1930's.   When Sonny's mom loses her job, Sonny learns about a special way to help out.

Rum-a-Tum-Tum, written by Angela Shelf Medearis, and illustrated by James Ransome
A girl who lives in the French Quarter of New Orleans in the early 1900's observes street vendors selling their goods with poetic and jazzy words.  Whom will she see next?

With awards season coming to a close, Adele’s Best Original Song Oscar for Skyfall got me thinking about how many great songs can be had for absolutely free with your San Jose Public Library card. You can download Skyfall, as well as many other popular tunes from Adele, by visiting the library’s Freegal page. 

Are you a fan of Mumford & Sons, whose album Babel won the Grammy for Album of the Year? Get it on Freegal. Would you like the Best Pop Vocal Album, Stronger, by Kelly Clarkson? It’s yours for free. Do your tastes run to Carrie Underwood, who won Best Country Solo Performance for Blown Away? Yep, it’s on Freegal too. And what about the Grammys' Record of the Year, Gotye’s Somebody That I Used to Know? Well, okay, that one’s not there... but you will find a great cover of the song by the band Walk Off the Earth.

Pink fans can download her latest album, The Truth About Love, which received a Grammy nomination for Best Pop Vocal Album. Check out her single Just Give Me a Reason featuring Nate Ruess, lead singer from the Best New Artist band Fun.

Freegal gives you access to songs from over 10,000 music labels including the Sony Music catalog. Find the Freegal link in the Downloads section of sjpl.org. Enter your library card number and pin, and get five new MP3 songs each week!

Contact:                                                                                                          

Elizabeth Chavarin   

Office: 1-408-808-2175

Rock the Library – Enter San José Public Library’s "Battle of the Bands"

Celebrate Teen Tech Week 2013, “Check In @ your library”

SAN JOSE, Calif. — Are you a teen (age 12 – 18) that performs with your own band? Ready to move out of the garage and onto a wider stage? Enter San José Public Library’s online "Battle of the Bands," in celebration of Teen Tech Week 2013 (March 10-16).

To enter, have your parents or a friend grab that camcorder and record your best performance. Post the video online (e.g., Facebook, YouTube, etc.). Submit your entry by sending an email to sjplbattleofthebands@gmail.com that contains a link to your music online. Be sure to include the following information:

• The name of the band/performer, and names and ages of all members
• A brief description of the band, to be used on the contest webpage
• A name, phone number, and email where the contestants can be reached

Submit entry by February 9. Please note: No personal information will be posted online.

This contest is open to all musical genres, but no obscene or offensive lyrics are allowed. Inappropriate lyrics or behavior will result in disqualification. Participants may enter together as a group, or as a solo performer. Solo performers must play an accompanying instrument. No karaoke permitted.

What’s next? Your entry will be posted on the official "SJPL Battle of the Bands" site sjpl.org/battleofthebands. Music lovers will be invited to visit the page between February 25 and March 16 to listen in and cast their votes for their favorites. The top five finalists who receive the most online votes will be announced March 19.

The top five finalists from the online voting contest must be available to play at the live final concert on Saturday, March 23 at the new Bascom Library and Community Center (1000 S. Bascom Ave, San Jose). Each band will have up to 20 minutes to perform their set.  A panel of judges will evaluate the performers on their musical ability and stage presence. The decision of the judges will be final.

First, second and third place winners will receive the following prizes:

• First Place: $250
• Second Place: $150
• Third Place: $50

The library gratefully acknowledges the generous support of all its community sponsors, including Pin Up Productions, Live 105.3, Streetlight Records and San Jose Pro Drum. 

For more information, including full contest rules, stop by your neighborhood branch of the San José Public Library, or go online to sjpl.org/battleofthebands.   For additional Teen Tech Week activities, such as video game days, contests, and crafts, go online to sjpl.org/teens.

About Teen Tech Week:

Teen Tech Week is a national initiative sponsored by the Young Adult Library Services Association and is aimed at teens, their parents, educators and other concerned adults. The purpose of the initiative is to ensure that teens are competent and ethical users of technologies, especially those that are offered through libraries such as DVDs, databases, audio books, and videogames. Teen Tech Week encourages teens to use libraries' non-print resources for education and recreation, and to recognize that librarians are qualified, trusted professionals in the field of information technology.

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