November 3, 2006

Off the Shelf

November: celebrating Fig Week, National Pomegranate Month, and other events

By Tim Collins
Adult Services Librarian

November! Celebrate National Fig Week November 1-7, Cook Something Bold and Pungent Day on November 8, Homemade Bread Day on November 17, and National Pomegranate Month! Come to the library and visit the Dewey 641’s: lots of good cookbooks here.

This column – Tully and Evergreen Libraries alternate
This is the first “Off the Shelf” column since the new Evergreen Library opened. Loyal Evergreen Times readers will now have twice the library news than they had before. I will continue writing news of the Tully Community Branch Library, and my colleague, Vanessa Menor, will be writing of news of the new Evergreen Branch Library in the following issue. We will alternate after that. Thank you, Diego Abeloos, editor of the Evergreen Times, for suggesting this arrangement.

Evergreen residents are a mobile lot, who often get around to several San José Public Library locations. While Vanessa Menor and I will of course be telling of news and particular events specific to our own locations, we’ll also relate news of new databases, system-wide programs, and just generally items of interest to all SJPL customers, no matter where in the city or beyond you reside, or which location you visit the most.

Safety in Public Places
This next falls in the category of “Gee, do I really want to talk about this? We don’t want to give anybody ideas.” However, recent and not-so-recent events here at Tully Library make it abundantly clear that it would be remiss not to mention this topic from time to time.

The library is a public place. We, San Jose Public Library staff, strive our utmost to make sure that it is a safe public place. Nevertheless, there is no substitute for your own personal vigilance and just-plain common sense.

Keep your personal possessions and valuables with you. Don’t leave your purses and keys lying on a table as you meander in the stacks. If you walk away from your laptop, you’re leaving it wide open for someone else to walk away with your laptop.

And parents, you know that commonplace expression “Our children are our most valuable possessions?” They are! Please keep an eye on your children! We have good staff members here who excel in calming down a crying or otherwise upset child who has lost their parent. But that’s a skill we prefer to practice as seldom as possible.

Here are a couple of quotes from SJPL’s Unattended Children Policy:
Young children may not be left unattended anywhere in the library…. A parent, guardian, or other responsible adult must accompany all children under the age of 7, and any children who do not know their first and last names, their phone number, and the first and last name of the person who brought them to the library.

While staff is concerned about the safety and well being of children and young adults, they cannot assume responsibility for them in the absence of the parent or guardian.

Staff may contact library security, University Police, or City Police when the parent/caregiver for an unattended child cannot be located, or if young children are left unattended on a regular basis.

Readers of this column know that I prefer to report positive news, happy news, uplifting news. But sometimes forewarned is forearmed. Be as safe as you can be in public places, not just the library, but all public places! Be aware!

A Visit from the Library
Most of the time, you come to the library. Well, we would like to turn that around, at least on occasion. We would like to come to you! If you belong to a community group, or a school, nearby residential facility and would like to hear of some of the services we, your local branch library, have to offer, let us know. We’d love to visit you! The library offers a wealth of services, databases that can be accessed remotely, and in general, information resources of which many people aren’t aware. What do we have to offer you? Call us and let us schedule a visit! Oh, and continue to read this column, of course!

Tim Collins is the Adult Services Librarian at the Tully Community Branch Library, 880 Tully Road, between McLaughlin and Senter. It is one of the branches of the San Jose Public Library. The Library’s phone number is 808-3030. For more information about the library, visit the website at sjlibrary.org.

Tully Library’s Calendar

For Children and Families
Tuesdays, 11:30 a.m. – Fun for Ones, followed by Stay and Play
Tuesdays, 6:45 p.m. – Family Storytime

Thursdays, Nov. 2, 9, 16, 30, 10:30 a.m. - Toddler Time, followed by Stay and Play

Fridays, Nov. 3, 17, 10:30 a.m. – Preschool Storytime followed by Stay and Play
Fridays, 4 p.m. – Kids activities: Nov. 3 – Game Day. Nov. 17 – Make a Turkey craft program
Fridays, Nov. 3, 17, 4:30-6:00 p.m. – Cambodian dance lessons

Saturdays, 11:30 a.m. – Family Storytime
Saturdays, 10 a.m. - 12 noon – Cambodian language class
Saturdays, 1 and 3 p.m. – Vietnamese Language class

For Young Adults and Adults
Sundays, Tai Chi classes - Beginning 1-3 p.m.; Advanced 3-5 p.m.

Tuesdays at 5 p.m., and Saturdays at 11 a.m. - Computer tutoring
Tuesday, Nov. 21, 6:30 p.m. – Citizenship legal advice in Spanish

Wednesdays at 5 p.m. – Conversation Group
Wednesdays, 6:00 p.m. – Beginning Computer Classes in Vietnamese

Saturdays, 1 and 3 p.m. – Vietnamese/English Citizenship classes (Sat., Nov. 4, the 3 p.m. class is a legal-oriented citizenship QandA)
Saturday, Nov. 4, 5-6 p.m. – Citizenship Interview Information
Saturdays, Nov. 4 and Dec. 2 – starting at 10 am – Special book sales

Tuesday, Nov. 21, 6-7 p.m. – Friends of Tully Library Meeting

Wednesday, Nov. 15, 6 p.m. – TeensReach Meeting and Orientation
Wednesday, Nov. 29, 7 p.m. – Book Discussion, Life of Pi by Yann Martel

Library Closures
Nov. 11, Saturday – Veteran’s Day Holiday
Nov. 23, 24, Thursday and Friday – Thanksgiving Holiday