June 27, 2008

Off the Shelf

July offers many opportunities at the Evergreen Branch Library

By Vanessa Menor
Special to the Times

Independence Day is one of my favorite holidays; barbecues, summer weather, fireworks, parades and watermelon are all ingredients for a perfect afternoon. Add a sunny day at the beach, I couldn’t ask for anything else. The only holiday that celebrates the United States (Thanksgiving is repeated in other countries) it’s a day that marks, well, American independence. In Merriam-Web-ster’s Pocket Dictionary “independence” is a sub-word under independent. Independent is defined as “not requiring or relying on something or somebody else.” Did you know that the San Jose Public Library is a good place to be independent?

Providing excellent customer service is one of the San Jose Public Library’s top priorities, and we do that by helping you help yourself. Online library card applications, which you can fill out online, means that the first step to creating a library account is done by you. Library catalogues have improved, and include a variety of different search options; you can look for your own items, more easily and effectively than ever before. Check-ing out using the self-check ma-chines gives you privacy, when it comes to sensitive materials. Our online databases, all of which can be accessed from home with a library card and pin, are great for research for homework and personal interest. You can even pay library fines independently! Lib-rary fines can be paid online with a credit card through the library’s website of www.sjlibrary.org.

We have a Wii! The Evergreen Library would like to thank our Friends of the Library group for purchasing our Nintendo video game system. Our new ongoing teen program is going to be “Wii Wednesdays” from 4:00-6:00 p.m. Either in the teen room or community room, we’ll be hooking up our Nintendo Wii for video games and fun for kids and teens. Visit the library’s information desk for more details.

Summer Reading Celebration Volunteers...we still need you! Teens 13 and up are invited to volunteer as part of our Summer Reading Celebration. We need volunteers to run the summer reading table, help with special programs and other projects. Your hard work makes this a great program. For more information about volunteering at the library, please contact Matt at 808-3060.

Evergreen Library’s Calendar

For Adults and Teens

- Integral Tai Chi Classes
Mondays, 7:00-8:00 p.m. in the Community Room

Integral Tai Chi is a self-healing system that integrates tai chi, yoga, relaxation and meditation to heal the mind, body and spirit.

- Conversation Club
Wednesdays, 12:30–1:30 p.m. in Study Room A

Everyone is invited to join our Con-versation Club to practice their English skills.

- Citizenship Class
Prepare for the citizenship test with others in a class setting. We will be learning about American history and government. Practice tests will be available.

- Class Schedule
Grace Church, Classroom One, 1st and 3rd Tuesdays, at 7:00 p.m. Classes will be in English and Spanish and taught by Pastor John and Judith Goldstein

Evergreen Library, Study Room A, 1st and 3rd Tuesdays, at 7:00 p.m. Classes will be taught in English and Vietnamese and taught by Hanh Luc

Evergreen Library, Study Room A, 1st and 3rd Wednes-days, at 7:00 p.m. Classes will be in English and Chinese and taught by Librarian Shu-Hua Liu

Sikh Gurdwara, Saturdays, 2:00-4:00 p.m. Classes will be in Hindi, Panjabi and English and taught by Dr. Sraon

- Evergreen Library Book Club
Wednesday, July 2nd, 6:30-7:30 p.m. in the Community Room

Join us as we discuss the book Founding Brothers: The Revolutionary Generation by Joseph J. Ellis about the American Revolution and its aftermath

- Citizenship and Immigration Q & A
Saturday, July 5th, 11:00 a.m.–1:00 p.m. in the Community Room

Free Citizenship Application Orientation. Do you have questions about your citizenship application or application process? Check out the Citizenship Q & A sessions in English/Vietnamese/Chinese and Spanish.

- District 8 Roundtable
Tuesday, July 8th, 7:00-9:00 p.m. in the Community Room

The Roundtable is a forum for Evergreen community members and neighborhood associations to meet and discuss on-going issues in our district. It is a gathering of key community stakeholders and meets to develop action plans and bring closure to the issues discussed.

- Friends of the Evergreen Library Meeting
Thursday, July 10th, 6:00-7:00 p.m. in the Community Room

Joining the Friends of the Evergreen Library is a great way to support the library and meet others in our community.

For Children and Families

- Storytimes
*Preschool Storytime, for ages 3-5, Tuesdays at 11:30 a.m.

*Mother Goose Time, for ages 0-2, Wednesdays at 11:30 a.m.
Family Storytime, for children of all ages, Wednesdays at 6:30 p.m.

*Toddler Storytime, Fridays at 11:30 a.m.

*After these storytimes, there will be Stay & Play. Stay & Play is an opportunity for parents to socialize while their children play with educational toys.

- DRUMMM
Friday, July 11th, 3:30-4:30 p.m. in the Community Room

Unleash the drummer within! No experience necessary. Drums provided or bring your own. Kids must be accompanied by an adult. DRUMMM Circle facilitated by Jeni Swerdlow.

Library Closures
Independence Day – Friday, July 4th.

Vanessa Menor is a librarian at Evergreen Branch Library.