November 17, 2006

Off the Shelf

December: time to enjoy the holidays

By Tim Collins
Adult Services Librarian

December is holiday time. Check out your holiday CDs now! Ditto for picture books with a Christmas theme. This time of year, these items go fast!

Tully Library’s Calendar

For Children and Families
- Tuesdays, 11:30 a.m. – Fun for Ones, followed by Stay & Play
- Tuesday, Dec. 5, 6:45 p.m. – Family Storytimes
- Tuesday, Dec. 12, 6:45 p.m. – Puppet Show, Night Before Christmouse

- Thursdays, Dec. 7 and 14, 10:30 a.m. - Toddler Time, followed by Stay & Play

- Fridays, Dec. 1, 8 and 15, 10:30 a.m. – Preschool Storytime followed by Stay and Play
- Fridays, 4 p.m. – Kids activities

Dec. 1 – Game Day

Dec. 8 – Gingerbread House craft

Dec. 15 – Runescape Party

Dec. 22 Christmas Ornaments craft

- Fridays, Dec. 8, 15, 22, 29, 4:30-6 p.m. – Cambodian dance lessons

- Saturday, Dec. 9, 12:30-1 p.m. – Holiday live violin music
- Saturdays, Dec. 2, 9, 16, 11:30 a.m. – Family Storytimes
- Saturdays, 10 a.m. - noon – Cambodian language class
- Saturdays, 1 and 3 p.m. – Vietnamese Language class

For Young Adults and Adults
- Sundays, Tai Chi classes, Dec. 3, 10, 17 - Beginning 1-3 p.m.; Advanced 3-5 p.m.

- Tuesdays, Dec. 5, 12, 19, 5 p.m.; Saturdays, 11 a.m. - Computer tutoring
- Tuesday, Dec. 19, 6:30 p.m. – Citizenship legal advice in Spanish

- Wednesdays, 5 p.m. – Conversation Group
- Wednesdays, 6 p.m. – Beginning Computer Classes in Vietnamese

- Thursdays, 9:30 –noon – Mobile One Stop, job search assistance

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

- Wednesday, Dec. 20, 6 p.m. – TeensReach Meeting and Orientation
- Wednesday, Dec. 27, 7 p.m. – Book Discussion, The Wailing Wind by Tony Hillerman

Library Closures
- Dec. 15, Friday – Library Staff In-Service morning, library opens at 1 p.m.
- Dec. 24, 25, 26, Sunday, Monday and Tuesday – Christmas Holiday
- Dec. 31, Jan. 1, 2, Sunday, Monday and Tuesday – New Year Holiday

Mobile One Stop: Job Search Assistance
One of our fellow San José departments, the Office of Economic Development, has started up a mobile unit that is a van. We, the Tully library, are one of their regular stops. During December, they are stopping here on Thursday mornings from 9:30 a.m. to noon. Probably the most-used of the free services, the "Satellite Mobile One Stop" provides job search assistance, particularly help with resumes. But they also have labor market information, childcare information, community resource information and senior employment services. Look into it! 

Besides Tully Library, the Mobile One-Stop also visits other Community Centers and locations. Permanent offices are located at 1290 Parkmoor Avenue, phone number (408) 277-2727; and at the Center for Training and Careers, 1600 Las Plumas, phone number (408) 251-3165. The website is www.work2future.biz

Puppet Show! Tuesday, Dec. 12, 6:45 p.m.
P&T Puppets proudly present their holiday extravaganza The Night Before Christmouse, their take on the classic poem by Clement C. Moore. Come and enjoy! Every kid loves a puppet show!

Amanda Trinh, violinist – the gift of music!
On Saturday, December 9, 13-year-old Amanda Trinh will be entertaining library customers with her violin music, playing holiday favorites from 12:30 to 1 p.m.

Homework Center
Tully's Homework Center is going strong, operating from 3 to 5 p.m. Monday through Thursday (holidays and school breaks excepted), with tutoring assistance for students Kindergarten through 12th grade. Our two tutors assist students with their various types of homework: English, math, science, history. 

This is in addition to the homework help you can get online. Visit our San José Public Library website, www.sjlibrary.org. From there, click on “Kids” or “Teens” on the left side. Then click on “Homework Help.” That will take you to links where you can get homework assistance of various types, including sort of an “Instant Messenger” style venue, conversing with a tutor live online. These personal online tutors provide service in English from 1 to 10 p.m. daily, and in Spanish from 1 to 7 p.m. Sunday through Thursday.  

Of course, in a manner of speaking, the library itself is one big homework center, in addition to the many and varied other functions we serve. Need help, or an answer to your question? Ask a librarian or other staff member. That’s our job and why we have trained staff and extensive print and online resources to help you with your information needs. 

Tully Book Club
The Tully Book Club meets here at 7 p.m. on the last Wednesday of the month. This month, that’s December 27. Join us! You get more out of a book sharing your insights with each other. December’s selection is The Wailing Wind by Tony Hillerman, a mystery set in modern-day southwest Navajo/Apache country. Got a favorite book for future discussions? Come, let us know!

Farewell, Sandra Stewart
Sandra Stewart, manager here at Tully Library, is changing positions within the San José Public Library organization. She is assuming the mantle of Youth Services Manager at the Dr. King Library downtown. Ms. Stewart is particularly well suited for this position, as she has a great affinity for youth. Under her leadership, we moved from the old Evergreen library here to Tully in January, 2005. Also, this past summer, Tully Library was one of the recipients of the Pride of the City award. Congratulations, Sandra! We will miss you here.

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.