Vol. 45 No. 4 April 2014 AT THE LIBRARY APRIL 2014 1 Coming Up: SFPL.ORG MAY Marble Machine Tinkering All month long at various branch libraries MAY 2, 8 & 10 Mother’s Day Cards Marina, Richmond & Ingleside Branch Libraries MAY 10 Grand Opening New North Beach Branch Library, 1 p.m. MAY 14 WritersCorps WordStorm Main Library, 3 p.m. Robin Sloan—Mr. Penumbra’s Bookstore Mr. Penumbra’s 24-Hour Bookstore is an odd place, indeed. Its clients, mostly older adults, arrive at unusual hours of the day and night, borrow heavy tomes, but never buy a book. The mystery is partially unraveled through modern technology, but not without some interesting and sometimes hilarious side trips. The author, Robin Sloan, clearly is comfortable in both the virtual world as well as that of musty bookstores. Robin Sloan will be speaking about his book, Mr. Penumbra’s 24-Hour Bookstore, SFPL’s current On the Same Page selection, at the Main Library’s Koret Auditorium on April 30 at 6 p.m. For more information, see Page 4. R eady, set, let’s play! Visit the Library in April during Month of the Young Child to find special opportunities for fami- lies for creativity, fun and play. Bring the entire family to one of the 16 playdates held at the library on Saturdays in April, including such activities as simulated sandboxes, table tents, stamping tables, pack- ing box tunnels, pop bottle bowling, and art. Visit play stations that promote sensory, auditory, and spatial explorations to encourage your child’s burgeoning language skills. The Big San Francisco Family Playdate will offer fun learning opportunities for the young and their families. Día de los niños/día de los Libros will be held on Sunday, April 6 at Parque Niños Unidos at 23rd Street and Folsom. Enjoy an afternoon of music, dance and activities in support of literacy and growth. The Library’s Día partners include Tree Frog Treks, Jumpstart, Raising a Reader, SF Environment and more. Join us for this extravaganza of multicultural performances and activities, hop on the Green Bookmobile, and receive a free book for each child! Month of the Young Child will also bring a variety of musical acts, including Charlie Hope, and the Alphabet Rockers performing at a total of 18 shows. Charlie Hope’s music is melodic, interactive and sing- able. Whether you’re a parent or a child, you’ll want to stomp your feet, become a train or roar like a lion! Charlie Hope’s I’m Me! CD won top honors at the Independent Music Awards, with Best Album & Best Song for 2009. In 2010 she won Canada’s prestigious Juno Award for her album “Hope.” Catch one of Charlie’s shows during her Bay Area Tour. Alphabet Rockers is a fresh and funky family music group from San Francisco who mix hip hop, beatbox- ing, soul music, imagination and dance for an interactive show, with the foundation of learning concepts. Featuring Kaitlin McGaw and Tommy Shepherd, the group incorporates cool dance moves, stomp-like chore- ography, and the appreciation that each of us is our own rockstar. Please check the calendar on Page 6 for locations and times of these and other programs. B efore Flower Drum Song exploded on the Broadway stage and silver screen, a golden age of Chinese American nightclubs and performers flourished from the 1930s to the1960s. Cabarets with names like Forbidden City, Kublai Khan, Chinese Skyroom, China Doll, and the New Shanghai Terrace Bowl were venues where Chinese American singers and dancers could finally perform regularly in routines that had previously been considered white forms of entertainment. These spots, mainly in San Francisco, with one in New York City and another in Oakland, were places where many non-Asians had their first close-up encounters with Asians other than what they saw in the movies, which were typically stereotyped depictions based on racist notions of the time. Forbidden City, U.S.A.: Chinese American Nightclubs, 1936-1970 is a ground-breaking exhibition curated by Arthur Dong that chronicles the history and legacy of this little known Chinese American story, including all of its glitz and glamour. Chinatowns and their inhabitants in the 1930s were at the crossroads of social and Come Play with Us Forbidden City: The Golden Age of Chinese American Nightclubs S ustainable crafts, documentary films, author talks and more are among the many program offerings throughout the month of April in awareness of Earth Day and the Library’s commitment to the environment. From edible school gardens and bread-making, to used clothing swaps, cooking classes and more, library programs will offer important information and useful tips on sustainability. Among the offerings: the Wallace Stegner Environmental Center and the Green Stacks Program, in association with the San Francisco Green Film Festival, present the documentary film, Watershed: Exploring a New Water Ethic for the New West, on Tuesday, April 22. Written and directed by Bay Area filmmaker Mark Decena and co-produced by Jamie Redford, Watershed brings audiences beautiful images of the river’s dramatic geography. Narrator Robert Redford introduces people who live, work and enjoy the Colorado River and are working to do things differently. This prize-winning documentary provides inspiration for us all to make more sustainable water choices. Puzzled by the often heated discussions about maintenance of street trees, non-native species of trees and other questions? Mike Sullivan, noted tree expert and author of The Trees of San Francisco, will speak about the street trees in our city, including botanical information, historical tidbits, and information about how to plant your own tree at the Presidio Branch on April 19. Another documentary film, Green Streets, follows 29-year-old entrepreneur Tyrone Mullins and his friends as they turn trash into cash in the distressed San Francisco housing projects where they live. Through trial and error, they learn to haul 150,000 gallons of waste per month, creating desperately needed jobs and establishing recycling where all previous efforts had failed. The film will be shown at Western Addition Branch (April 22) and the Main Library (April 29). Please see the calendar for more information about these programs and others supporting Earth Day. Earth Day at the Library Colorado River, from Watershed: Exploring a new water ethic for the new West. Robin Sloan Forbidden City Postcard, c.1940s. Arthur Dong Collection Alphabet Rockers Charlie Hope Story continues on Page 3.
Transcript
Vol. 45 No. 4April 2014
AT THE LIBRARY APRIL 2014 1
Coming Up:
SFPL.ORG
MAYMarble Machine Tinkering All month long at various branch libraries
MAY 2, 8 & 10Mother’s Day CardsMarina, Richmond & Ingleside Branch Libraries
MAY 10Grand OpeningNew North Beach Branch Library, 1 p.m.
MAY 14WritersCorps WordStormMain Library, 3 p.m.
Robin Sloan—Mr. Penumbra’s BookstoreMr. Penumbra’s 24-Hour Bookstore is an odd place, indeed. Its clients, mostly older adults, arrive at unusual hours of the day and night, borrow heavy tomes, but never buy a book. The mystery is partially unraveled through modern technology, but not without some interesting and sometimes hilarious side trips. The author, Robin Sloan, clearly is comfortable in both the virtual world as well as that of musty bookstores.
Robin Sloan will be speaking about his book, Mr. Penumbra’s 24-Hour Bookstore, SFPL’s current On the Same Page selection, at the Main Library’s Koret Auditorium on April 30 at 6 p.m. For more information, see Page 4.
Ready, set, let’s play! Visit the Library in April during Month of the Young Child to find special opportunities for fami-lies for creativity, fun and play.
Bring the entire family to one of the 16 playdates held at the library on Saturdays in April, including such
activities as simulated sandboxes, table tents, stamping tables, pack-ing box tunnels, pop bottle bowling, and art. Visit play stations that promote sensory, auditory, and spatial explorations to encourage your child’s burgeoning language skills. The Big San Francisco Family Playdate will offer fun learning opportunities for the young and their families.
Día de los niños/día de los Libros will be held on Sunday, April 6 at Parque Niños Unidos at 23rd Street and Folsom. Enjoy an afternoon of music, dance and activities in support of literacy and growth. The Library’s Día partners include Tree Frog Treks, Jumpstart, Raising a Reader, SF Environment and more. Join us for this extravaganza of multicultural performances and activities, hop on the Green Bookmobile, and receive a free
book for each child!Month of the Young Child will also bring a variety of
musical acts, including Charlie Hope, and the Alphabet Rockers performing at a total of 18 shows.
Charlie Hope’s music is melodic, interactive and sing-able. Whether you’re a parent or a child, you’ll want to stomp your feet, become a train or roar like a lion! Charlie Hope’s I’m Me! CD won top honors at the Independent Music Awards, with Best Album & Best Song for 2009. In 2010 she won Canada’s prestigious Juno Award for her
album “Hope.” Catch one of Charlie’s shows during her Bay Area Tour. Alphabet Rockers is a fresh and funky family music group from San Francisco who mix hip hop, beatbox-
ing, soul music, imagination and dance for an interactive show, with the foundation of learning concepts. Featuring Kaitlin McGaw and Tommy Shepherd, the group incorporates cool dance moves, stomp-like chore-ography, and the appreciation that each of us is our own rockstar.
Please check the calendar on Page 6 for locations and times of these and other programs.
Before Flower Drum Song exploded on the Broadway stage and silver screen, a golden age of Chinese American nightclubs and performers
flourished from the 1930s to the1960s. Cabarets with names like Forbidden City, Kublai Khan, Chinese Skyroom, China Doll, and the New Shanghai Terrace Bowl were venues where Chinese American singers and dancers could finally perform regularly in routines that had previously been considered white forms of entertainment. These spots, mainly in San Francisco, with one in New York City and another in Oakland, were places where many non-Asians had their first close-up encounters with Asians other than what they saw in the movies, which were typically stereotyped depictions based on racist notions of the time.
Forbidden City, U.S.A.: Chinese American Nightclubs, 1936-1970 is a ground-breaking exhibition curated by Arthur Dong that chronicles the history and legacy of this little known Chinese American story, including all of its glitz and glamour. Chinatowns and their inhabitants in the 1930s were at the crossroads of social and
Come Play with Us
Forbidden City: The Golden Age of Chinese American Nightclubs
Sustainable crafts, documentary films, author talks and more are among the many program offerings throughout the month of
April in awareness of Earth Day and the Library’s commitment to the environment. From edible school gardens and bread-making, to used clothing swaps, cooking classes and more, library programs will offer important information and useful tips on sustainability.
Among the offerings: the Wallace Stegner Environmental Center and the Green Stacks Program, in association with the San Francisco Green Film Festival, present the documentary film, Watershed: Exploring a New Water Ethic for the New West, on Tuesday, April 22. Written and directed by Bay Area filmmaker Mark Decena and co-produced by Jamie Redford, Watershed brings audiences beautiful images of the river’s dramatic geography. Narrator Robert Redford introduces people who live, work and enjoy the Colorado River and are working to do things differently. This prize-winning documentary provides inspiration for us all to
make more sustainable water choices.
Puzzled by the often heated discussions about maintenance of street trees, non-native species of trees and other questions? Mike Sullivan, noted tree expert and author of The Trees of San Francisco, will speak about the street trees in our city, including botanical information,
historical tidbits, and information about how to plant your own tree at the Presidio Branch on April 19.
Another documentary film, Green Streets, follows 29-year-old entrepreneur Tyrone Mullins and his friends as they turn trash into cash in the distressed San Francisco housing projects where they live. Through trial and error, they learn to haul 150,000 gallons of waste per month, creating desperately needed jobs and establishing recycling where all previous efforts had failed. The film will be shown at Western Addition Branch (April 22) and the Main Library (April 29).
Please see the calendar for more information about these programs and others supporting Earth Day.
Earth Day at the Library
Colorado River, from Watershed: Exploring a new water ethic for the new West.
Robin Sloan
Forbidden City Postcard, c.1940s. Arthur Dong Collection
Early Literacy MobileSchedule of child care center visits at sfpl.org
San Francisco ZooEntrance to Children’s ZooWednesday, April 2, 10 a.m. –3:30 p.m.Free Admission for San Francisco residents
Día de los Niños Parque Niños Unidos Playground3090 23rd St. (between Folsom & Treat St.)Tuesday, April 6, 11–11:30 a.m.Celebrate children and books at this family friendly event. Free book to every child plus the Green Bookmobile, Tree Frog Treks, Jumpstart, Raising A Reader, SF Environment and more.
Spring EggstravaganzaSharon Meadow in Golden Gate ParkSaturday, April 19, 11 a.m.–3 p.m.Hippity and hoppity onboard the bookmobile during this springtime event that’s fun for the whole family.
Opening Day on the BayTreasure Island, 698 California Ave.Saturday, April 26, 10 a.m.–3:30 p.m.Visit the bookmobile on Treasure Island to celebrate Opening Day on the Bay and learn simple practices for water safety at the Treasure Island Sailing Center with FREE sailboat rides, kayaking, and stand up paddle boarding! Enjoy music, games, food, and activities for the whole family.
Swing into StoriesGolden Gate Park Children’s Playground, 295 Bowling Green Drive (off Martin Luther King Drive)Tuesdays, April 1 and 15, 9:30 a.m.–12 p.m.
Parque Niños Unidos, 3090 23rd St (between Folsom & Treat St)Tuesday, April 8, 9:30 a.m.–12 p.m.
Helen Wills PlaygroundBroadway & Larkin streetsTuesday, April 22, 9:30 a.m.–12 p.m.
Library on Wheels/Senior BookmobileSchedule of service locations at sfpl.org
Treasure Island BookmobileChapel Parking Lot West at Avenue of the Palms and California Ave.Mondays, 10 a.m.–1 p.m.Thursdays, 2–6 p.m.
2 APRIL 2014 AT THE LIBRARY
Nat Schmulowitz and ‘this Business of Humor’
This month’s Special Collections highlight is the Schmulowitz Collection of Wit & Humor, which is 67 years old! One of the earliest special collections to join the newly formed Department of Rare Books and Special Collections in 1964, SCOWAH began with 93 jest books,
presented to the Library on April 1, 1947 by attorney and Library trustee Nat Schmulowitz as a measure of his interest in the Library and the people of San Francisco. His bibliophilic activities began considerably earlier, though, perhaps by chance. In a 1958 letter Nat wrote: “You have asked how I happened to get involved in ‘this business of humor.’ It started with a reading excursion in which I was engaged about 30 years ago, when I happened to note in Much Ado About Nothing (Act II, Scene I) that Beatrice said, ‘I had my good wit out of the Hundred Merry Tales.’ I became curious about the reference and decided to discover whether Shakespeare was engaged in an inventive literary allusion or whether there really was a book of anecdotes entitled Hundred Merry Tales.”
Indeed there was, and so the Hundred Merry Tales was practically the first book in Nat’s collection and among the first to be presented to the San Francisco Public Library. Throughout his lifetime, Nat took a lively interest in the collection, acquiring more than 13,000 books for the Library. By the end of 2013, the collection numbered more than 23,000 volumes, and is considered the largest collection of its kind in the world.
National Library Week
Libraries Change Lives. This year’s National Library Week theme, first introduced more than two decades ago, resonates today more than ever. National Library Week is an observance of the value and contributions of libraries and librarians across the country, sponsored by the American Library Association. This year’s
National Library Week will be observed April 13-19.Take the opportunity to visit your library on National Library Workers Day, Tuesday, April 15, to recognize the
valuable contributions made by all library workers. This year’s National Bookmobile Day takes place on Wednesday, April 16. To celebrate the day, library
bookmobile staff will be giving away tote bags to adult patrons who come onboard the bookmobile Tuesday through Thursday, April 15-17 (while supplies last!). Kids will receive a soft Frisbee.
In further celebration of National Library Week, Patricia Southard will present a History of Libraries talk at the Merced Branch on April 16.
In honor of Teen Literature Day, the Library’s Teen Services librarians have planned a book giveaway for the Youth Speaks teen poets at their open mic at the Main on April 17. The program will take place on the Lower Level, in the café area. In addition, check out award-winning teen literature on display in the branch libraries.
Please see the calendar for details about these National Library Week events and other programs.Libraries Change Lives, indeed!
50yyears1964 - 2014
Celebrating
San Francisco History CenterBook Arts & Special Collections
Bookmobiles Bring It—In Style!To celebrate this year’s National Bookmobile Day, bookmobile staff will be giving away tote bags to adult patrons who come onboard the bookmobile Tuesday through Thursday, April 15-17 (while supplies last!).
*Forbidden City, USA: Chinese American Nightclubs, 1936-1970 A chronicle of the history, legacy and glamour of the little-known Golden Age for Chinese American nightclubs, where singers and dancers performed routines previously considered white entertainment. April 12-July 6. Opening event: April 13; Curator Arthur Dong & entertainment.
Skylight Gallery
Skylight Gallery Closes: Mon.-Sat. at 6 p.m.; Sun. at 5 p.m.
You Don’t Say! Wordless Cartoons from the Schmulowitz Collection of Wit & Humor Cartoons without words—this art form flourished in mid-19th century Europe, and America’s contribution in the 1890s helped bring about a golden age of cartooning. The exhibition includes some of the masters. April 1- May 31. Related events: April 3, 10, 17 & 24, Films.
Other Exhibits and Displays at the Library
See in Black & White Yiye Teng’s black & white photography explores a wide range of subjects, perspectives and abstract styles. Through April 10. 3rd Floor, Chinese Center.
200th Anniversary of Taras Shevchenko, Ukrainian Poet Reproduced artwork and translated poems from the Ukraine’s cultural godfather, plus Shevchenko-inspired artwork by modern Ukrainian painters. Through April 16. 3rd Floor, International Center.
The Black Woman is God Artists Tarika Lewis, Karen Seneferu, Malik Seneferu, Sydney “Sage” Cain and Ajuan Mance explore the divinity of Blackness, and the centrality of the Black woman within that cosmology. Through May 15. 3rd Floor, African American Center.
SEE/SAW Visually impaired since birth, artist Maia Scott has learned everyone sees differently through lenses of culture, fears, loves, etc. Experience her creative vision and see through fresh eyes. Through May 29. 2nd Floor, Library for the Blind & Print Disabled. Related performances: April 11 & 15.
One Step at a Time: A Modest Tour of Travel By FootA book cover display. Apr. 1-May 31. 3rd Floor, General Collections.
Pretty in Ink: North American Women Cartoonists, 1896-2013 Through original artwork and ephemera, this exhibition explores the first female comic strip artist, Rose O’Neill, and other women cartoonists from the late 19th century until now. Through June 5. 4th Floor, Art, Music & Recreation Center.
California Dreaming The poets in this exhibit range from well known to new-to-the-scene. Through June 30. 3rd Floor Atrium, General Collections Area.
Chicks with Shticks: The Kinsey Sicks and 20 Years of Dragapella Activism The Kinsey Sicks is world-renowned for their socio-political satire, their harmonies and their incisive, naughty lyrics. Through July 10. 3rd Floor, Gay & Lesbian Center Exhibit Space. Related Talk: April 9.
Remembering Tiananmen Square Presented with the Northern California Hong Kong Club, this exhibit examines the events surrounding the massacre on its 25th anniversary, and how it affects human rights in China today. April 19-July 17. 3rd Floor, Chinese Center. Related Event: June 1.
Kites from Different Regions in Japan An exhibit of 28 kites exploring the meaning & history of kite-making. April 26-July 24. 3rd Floor, International Center. Related Event: May 24.
Exhibits at the Branches
Discovering Noelie: A Life Lived in Eureka Valley, 1921-1999 The transformation of a neighborhood from a working class, Irish/Swedish immigrant community to the present gay enclave of The Castro is told through a woman’s personal belongings and photos. April 1-July 10. Eureka Valley.
*Funded by Friends of the San Francisco Public Library
Picture story, pantomime, cartoon without words—these are some of the terms for comics and cartoons in which the characters depicted remain silent. Speech balloons and thought clouds almost never interfere with the cartoon
itself, and the joke or punch line is universally understood. This centuries-old art form, dating back as early as 18th-century caricature, led to the emergence of cartoon artists whose works have influenced and still delight readers, contemporary cartoonists, and scholars around the world.
You Don’t Say! Wordless Cartoons from the Schmulowitz Collection of Wit & Humor draws on the San Francisco Public Library’s collection of works by the wordless
cartoon masters of the 19th through the 21st centuries, and their historical influences. On display are the
published works of A.B. Frost, H.M. Bateman, Otto Soglow (“The Little King”), Carl Anderson (“Henry”), Marge (“Little Lulu”), Milt Gross (“She Done Him Wrong”), Mik (“Ferd’nand”), e.o. plauen (“Vater und Sohn”), Sam Cobean, George Baker (“The Sad Sack”), Antonio Prohias (“Spy vs. Spy”), and many more. The exhibition opens April 1 in the Skylight Gallery, Sixth Floor, Main Library, and continues through May 31, 2014.
On April Fools’ Day, 1947, Nat Schmulowitz, local attorney and Library Trustee, gave 93 jest books to the San Francisco Public Library. He faithfully continued to add to what is now considered the world’s largest public collection of wit & humor.
The Schmulowitz Collection of Wit & Humor (SCOWAH), located in the Book Arts and Special Collections Center, now includes more than 23,000 books, 250 periodical titles, media and ephemera, as well as the personal archive of Nat Schmulowitz. This extraordinary collection reflects the eclectic humor of its founder, whose motto still resonates: “Without humor we are doomed.” The annual SCOWAH exhibition, which opens every April Fools’ Day, is a tribute to Mr. Schmulowitz’s generosity and lifelong interest in the Library.
You Don’t Say! Wordless Cartoons from the Schmulowitz Collection of Wit & Humor – April 1-May 31, 2014, Main Library, Skylight Gallery.
Related Programs:
Thursdays at Noon Film Series: Silent Films – Featuring Silent Movie (April 3), City Lights (April 10), Modern Times (April 17), and The Artist (April 24). All films are shown with captions when possible to assist the deaf and hard of hearing. Main Library, Koret Auditorium.
political developments. Socially, second and third generations of Chinese Americans were coming of age and seeking a foothold in popular culture. A new generation of Chinatown entrepreneurs had ambi-tions to exploit the “Orientalness” of Chinatown to attract curious tourists. And, around the corner, World War II loomed and San Francisco and New York City were to become major ports of call for thousands of service men. The time was ripe for a new image of Chinese Americans to emerge. These key milestones frame the exhibition.
Forbidden City, U.S.A.: Chinese American Nightclubs, 1936-1970 – Main Library, Jewett Gallery, April 12 – July 6, 2014
Special Programs:
Opening Event: Curator Arthur Dong and the Grant Avenue Follies dancers and Jimmy “Jay” Bolges – April 13, Main Library, Koret Auditorium, 1 p.m.
Author talk: Arthur Dong, Forbidden City, U.S.A.: Chinese American Nightclubs 1936-1970 – May 6, Main Library, Koret Auditorium, 6 p.m. Book sales by Readers Books follows the event.
Chinatown Walking Tour with City Guides – Discover the history of America’s oldest Chinatown. Saturday, May 10, 11 a.m. Reservations required. Email [email protected].
Author talk: Lisa See, China Doll – June 12, Main Library, Koret Auditorium, 6:30 p.m. Book sales by Readers Books follows the event.
These events are co-sponsored by the San Francisco History Center, Friends of the San Francisco Public Library, the Chinese Center at the San Francisco Public Library, the California Historical Society, the Asian American Studies Department at San Francisco State University, the Chinese Historical Society of America, the Museum of Performance + Design, City Guides, and the Center for Asian American Media.
Forbidden City continued from Page 1
Wordless Cartoons from the Schmulowitz Collection of Wit & Humor
You Don’t Say!
Tony Wing and Chorus Girls at Forbidden City, c.1950s. Courtesy of the Tony Wing Collection
4 APRIL 2014 AT THE LIBRARY *Funded by Friends of the San Francisco Public Library
Adults1 Tuesday
10 Commandments for Suc-cessful Writers Main, Latino/Hispanic, 6 p.m.
*Ben Sidran: Jews & the Great American Songbook Main, Koret, 6–7:30 p.m.
Complete EnneagramWest Portal, 6:30–7:30 p.m.
1, 8, 15, 22 & 29 Tuesdays
Brain Fitness Main, Latino/Hispanic, 2–4 p.m.
2 Wednesday
ITVS Cinema: MedoraMain, Koret, 5:45 p.m.
Write Your Will Reserve: (415) 355-2822. Potrero, 6–7:30 p.m.
Magic & Mind-Reading Show Adults & teens. Presidio, 7–7:45 p.m.
Book Groups1 Tuesday
A Wrinkle in Time, M. L’EngleMerced, 7–8 p.m.
2 Wednesday
Great Books Presidio, 6:30–8:30 p.m.
2 & 16 Wednesdays
Legal Book Club: The Box, M. Levinson Main, 3rd Floor Conf. Rm, 6:30–7:30 p.m.
April 2014 Events
National Poetry Month 2014April is National Poetry Month. Come celebrate the art of the written and spoken word with two special poetry events at the Main Library.
To commemorate the 100th anniversary of the publication of Gertrude Stein’s ground-breaking modernist classic, Tender Buttons, City Lights Publishers has reissued a centennial edi-tion of the book incorporating Stein’s own handwritten correc-tions. Tender Buttons: A Gertrude Stein Celebration will feature Editor Seth Perlow, poet and scholar Juliana Spahr, biographer Renate Stendahl, and poet and author Michelle Tea.
Poets Ellen Bass, Judy Grahn, Alison Luterman, Rebecca Foust and Andrea Zawinsky will read from Women Write Resistance: Poets Resist Gender Violence. This ambitious anthol-ogy is a gathering of affirming poems written by some of the best poets writing in America today.
Book sales for both events are sponsored by Readers Books.
Panel Discussion: Tender Buttons – Main Library, Latino/Hispanic, April 23 at 6 p.m.
Poets’ Reading: Women Write Resistance – Main Library, Koret, April 24 at 6 p.m.
March/April Selection:
Mr. Penumbra’s 24-Hour Bookstore by Robin Sloan
If you liked Mr. Penumbra’s 24-Hour Bookstore, check out these books about books and people who love them:
The Eyre Affair by Jasper Fforde
Great Britain circa 1985: Time travel is routine, cloning is a reality, and literature is taken very, very seriously. Baconians are trying to convince the world that Francis Bacon really wrote Shakespeare, and thousands of men are
named John Milton, an homage to the real Milton and a very confusing situation for the police. Suspenseful and outlandish, absorb-ing and fun, The Eyre Affair is a caper unlike any other.
The Man Who Loved Books Too Much by Allison Hoover Bartlett
A compelling narrative with a Bay Area tie-in, set within the strange and genteel world of rare-book collecting: the true story of an infamous book thief, his victims, and the man deter-mined to catch him.
The Secret of Lost Things by Sheridan Hay
At once a literary adventure that captures the excitement of discovering a long-lost Melville manuscript by a tower-
ing American writer and an evocative portrait of life in a surprisingly colorful bookstore.
Author Talk – Robin Sloan will speak at the Main Library on Wednesday, April 30 at 6 p.m.
*Chinese Reading Club (Man-darin/English) 100 Places to Re-member before They Disappear. Chinatown, 3:30–5:30 p.m.
Easy A (PG-13, 92 min) Portola, 3:45–5:15 p.m.
*Vis Valley Teen Action Committee Visitacion Valley, 4:30–5:30 p.m.
26 Saturday
*Fabric Origami Shirt Chinatown, 2:30–4:30 p.m.
30 Wednesday
Hunger Games: Catching Fire (PG-13, 142 min) Bayview, 3:30 p.m.
*Duct Tape Wallets & Coin Purses Noe Valley, 4:30–6 p.m.
Videos on the Large ScreenIn the Koret Auditorium at the Main, Thursdays at NoonWhen possible, films are shown with captions to assist our deaf and hard of hearing patrons.
You Don’t Say! Silent Comedies
Apr. 3Silent Movie (87 min, 1976)
Apr. 10City Lights (87 min, 1931)
Apr. 17Modern Times (87 min, 1936)
April 24The Artist (100 min, 2011)
33rd Annual Northern California Book AwardsThe Northern California Book Awards honor the work of northern California authors and transla-tors, and recognize exceptional service to the community by northern California writers and literary leaders, through the Fred Cody Lifetime Achievement Award and NCBR Recognition Awards.
Adam Hochschild, this year’s Fred Cody Award winner, will be the keynote speaker. Hochschild is an author, journalist, and lecturer. His well-known works include King Leopold’s Ghost; To End All Wars: A Story of Loyalty and Rebellion, 1914–1918; The Mirror at Midnight; and The Unquiet Ghost. His 2005 book, Bury the Chains, was a finalist for the National Book Award and won the L. A. Times Book Prize.
The ceremony and reception are presented and sponsored by Northern California Book Reviewers, Poetry Flash, Center for the Art of Translation, Red Room (redroom.com), PEN West, Mechanics’ Institute, San Francisco Public Library, and Friends of the San Francisco Public Library.
For more information on the awards visit www.poetryflash.org or (510) 525-5476.
A book sale by Readers Books follows the event.
Northern California Book Awards – April 27, 1 p.m., Main Library, Koret Auditorium
Let Them Eat BreadJoin us for a talk by Josey Baker (that’s his real name!) about his new cookbook, Josey Baker Bread: Get Baking. Make Great Bread. Be Happy. This is the first true entry-level bread-baking cookbook, thanks to Baker, a former science teacher turned San Francisco baking sensation. Josey Baker Bread combines step-by-step lessons with more than 100 photographs, offering easy-to-follow guidance for aspiring bakers. Recipes start with the basic formula for making bread—requir-ing little more than flour, water, time, and a pan—and build in depth and detail as the user progresses to more complex loaves, including Josey’s cult favorite,
Dark Mountain Rye. Josey Baker leads a small team of bakers at The Mill in San Francisco’s NOPA District.
Author Talk at the Main – April 24, 6 p.m., Main Library. Latino/Hispanic Community Meeting Room. Book sales by Readers Books, signing, and bread to snack on after talk.
Author Talk at Presidio Branch – April 26, 2 p.m., Presidio Branch. Book sales by Books Inc. Laurel Village
Healing Cuisine: Foods That Prevent and Heal Chronic DiseaseDo you or someone you know have a chronic disease such as cancer, heart disease or diabetes? Learn what kinds of foods may help heal, prevent or even reverse chronic disease. Meredith McCarty, holistic nutritionist and natural health expert, will talk about the basics of healthy eating. She’ll tell you what nutrients are most important: proteins, minerals, vitamins, fats or carbohydrates. After the talk, Meredith will show you how to prepare a deli-cious and nutritious dish, based on a whole foods, plant-based diet. She’ll show you routines that work, so you can prepare foods quickly and easily.
Meredith has authored three cookbooks on vegetarian, macrobiotic and dairy-free desserts and served as the associate editor of Natural Health magazine. She is an associate of Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine and has worked in educational programs with Drs. Benjamin Spock, Dean Ornish, John McDougall and Neal Barnard.
Author Talk – April 16, 6 p.m., Main Library, Latino/Hispanic Community Meeting Room.
Spot Deals, Find Treasures at the Spring Book SaleIn the aisles of books, DVDs, CDs, tapes, vinyls, and other goodies, clues and riddles will lead shoppers to bounties hidden in sale items at the upcoming Friends of the San Francisco Public Library’s 4th Annual Spring Book Sale in the Fort Mason Center this April 16-20, 10 a.m.–6 p.m.
Although not a detective, Julia Child worked in a United States’ wartime intelligence agency. More famously, she served culinary inspirations, with her life story captured in My Life in France. That is exactly where a Book Sale shopper found a prize ticket redeemable for a delicious $100 gift certificate to Café des Amis at the last sale. And in the book right next to it, another $100 gift certificate to Nopa.
Friends is continuing its partnerships with the most iconic S.F. institutions to pack the sale stacks with prizes to top-notch local art performances and restaurants.
Follow the Clues to Deals and Prizes
Daily clues will be broadcast over Twitter and Facebook as shoppers explore the $3 hardbacks, $2 paperbacks, and $1 media materials at the Sale. On Sunday, everything is marked down to $1.
Special Preview and Reception for Members
While the Sale is free to attend, Friends members are invited to a special preview and wine and treats reception on Tuesday, April 15, from 4–8 p.m.
To become a member, visit www.friendssfpl.org, call (415) 626-7512 ext. 120, or email [email protected].
Volunteer with Us
With nearly a quarter of a million sale items, Friends welcomes volunteers for every aspect of the Sale. Every shift volunteer will receive a $5 voucher, so come set up, stock books, and greet shoppers at the cashier. For more information, please contact Donalda Watson-Walkinshaw.
We can’t wait to see you all there!
Books at 10% off! Friends’ Bonus Bookstore Program! Friends members ($50+ level) receive a 10% discount at the following bookstores:
Academy Store, California Academy of Science A. Cavalli Italian Bookstore Adobe Bookstore Alan Wofsy Fine Arts LLC Alexander Book Co., Inc.
Amazing Fantasy The Beat Museum Bibliohead Bookstore Bibliomania Bird & Beckett Books & Records Black Oak Books Holding Corp.
Bolerium Books Books, Inc. Booksmith Borderlands Books Browser Books Christopher’s Books Chronicle Books Compass Books, Inc.
Dog Eared Books Eastwind Books Globus Slavic Bookstore Great Overland Book Company Green Apple Books & Music The Green Arcade
Kayo Books Louie Brothers Book Store, Inc. Manning’s Books & Prints Marcus Book Stores Phoenix Books Omnivore Books on Food
Readers Bookstore Fort Mason Readers Bookstore Main Red Hill Books San Francisco Botanical Gardens, Garden Bookstore Thidwick Books
AT THE LIBRARY APRIL 2014 7
Friends of the San Francisco Public Library
April Featured Sections
Readers Bookstore Main Poetry
Readers Bookstore Fort Mason The Civil War
April Events
April 2, 9 & 23
Steps Sales
All books $1 or less!
Every Wednesday (April through October),
11 a.m. – 3 p.m. at the Main Library’s Larkin Street steps (100 Larkin St.)
Please note: Steps Sales are cancelled in the event of rain. No Steps Sale on April 16.
April 3, 10, 17, 24
Thursdays at Readers Poetry Series
Readers Bookstore, Fort Mason Center
Building C, South End, 6:30 p.m.
April 3 David Meltzer and Neeli Cherkovski
April 10 Silvi Alcivar and Jorge Argueta
April 17 Ayat Jalal-Bryant and Trang Cao
April 24 Lincoln Bergman and Nicole Parizeau
April 15-20
Spring Book Sale & Member Preview
Fort Mason Festival Pavilion
Member Preview: April 15, 4–8 p.m.
Sale: April 16-20, 10 a.m.–6 p.m.
Readers Locations & Hours
READERS BOOKSTOREFort Mason Center, Building C Open seven days a week. Bookstore: 10 a.m.–6 p.m. Telephone (415) 771-1076
READERS BOOKSTORE Main Library Grove Street Entrance Open all Library hours Telephone (415) 557-4238
get social!
Stay connected with all the latest happenings, events, and deals at Friends! FriendsSFPL.org
facebook.com/friendssfpl
twitter.com/friendssfpl
pinterest.com/friendssfpl
with Friends
instagram.com/friendssfplThe mission of Friends of the San Francisco Public Library is to create, steward and support a superior, free public library system in San Francisco. We are committed to raising the standard of excellence of our libraries by funding programs and services beyond what is allocated in the city’s budget. We believe in free and equal access to information for all.
Member Profile: Julie ChristensenAs committee leader, Julie Christensen is at the North Beach Library Campaign’s forefront, and has been so for almost 10 years as a Friends member. “Friends of the San Francisco Public Library stands out as an organization that really makes a difference. The San Francisco Public Library system stays so great, and gets better all the time, with the help that Friends provides,” she says.
Julie grew up viewing her library card as a free ticket to the world, and the North Beach Branch Library has been special for her since an open mic poetry reading lured her into the library years ago. The branch’s historical archives have continued to keep her coming back to research the neighborhood.
“The best part of volunteering is getting to know the wonderful people who care about the same things as I do,” says Julie. That has definitely been true about her fundraising efforts for the new branch. In January, Julie and Friends
board member Matthew Goudeau helped organize a successful North Beach Branch Library benefit at Tosca restaurant. “We had a wonderful turnout with a lot of influential, well-known people, and I was so pleased to see them come out for our library.” Last month, Julie organized another benefit at the Chinese Historical Society of America Museum. “All our neighborhoods were represented—Chinatown, North Beach, Telegraph Hill, and Russian Hill. It was fun getting everybody together at a fantastic party that raised quite a bit of money for the branch’s furnishings and equipment.”
The new North Beach Branch Library opens this spring, with the playground starting renovation before the end of the year. “We are so excited!” says Julie, “and are grateful to Friends for all the help in getting our Library ready for more generations of service.”
WEST PORTAL 190 Lenox Way 355-2886 1–5 1–9 10–9 10–9 10–6 1–6 10–6
WESTERN ADDITION 1550 Scott St. 355-5727 1–5 1–9 10–6 1–9 10–6 1–6 10–6
See bookmobile schedule, page 2
“x” means CLOSED. For more information: www.sfpl.org (All phone numbers are in the 415 area code.)
Tours of MainTours are conducted on the first Tuesday of each month at 12 p.m. Meet at the Information Desk in the First Floor atrium. Tours are limited to 15 people on a first come, first served basis. Groups can schedule a private tour by calling (415) 557-4266.
SFPL CommissionMeetings are generally held on the third Thursday of each month. This month’s meeting: 4:30 p.m. on April 17, in the Koret Auditorium of the Main. The public is welcome to attend.
At the Library is published monthly on recycled paper by the San Francisco Public Library with support and funding from Friends of the San Francisco Public Library.
Circulation: 12,000
Online version: sfpl.org/atl
Main Library phone number: (415) 557-4400
How to reach usPublic Affairs, Main Library, 100 Larkin St.San Francisco, CA 94102(415) 557-4277; email: [email protected]: sfpl.org
Every effort has been made to produce a monthly calendar that is both accurate and complete. Please contact Public Affairs if you have any questions or comments regarding the listings.
Celebrate Earth Day at the Library. Watershed, LakePowell. Photo: Robert Dawson
