December 15, 2006

Off the Shelf

Celebrating three months of the new Evergreen Branch Library

By Vanessa Menor
Evergreen Branch Librarian

The Evergreen Branch Library has just celebrated its three-month anniversary and it’s been a great time! Our opening day had over 6,500 visitors and it’s been busy ever since. Our circulation has been phenomenal.

We were open two weeks in September, and if we had been open the entire month, we would have had the highest circulation of any of the branches. We had the highest circulation in October at 103,372 items checked out, and will be near the top when the November numbers are available. Imagine if we were open on Sundays!

Unfortunately, there is a downside to very high circulations; it can be hard to find what you’re looking for. Especially popular items at our branch have been Vietnamese media, Chinese media, children’s easy readers, children’s fiction, adult DVDs and picture books. The Evergreen Branch Library is constantly adding to its collection, but not as quickly as some would like. When you can’t find what you want, please talk to a staff member. We’re here to help you!

We can help you reserve books; items can easily be requested and sent from other libraries, both within the San Jose Public Library System and our Link+ network, for you to pick up at your convenience. You can suggest a purchase, to help us find and fill gaps in our collection. Or we can help you find something similar, or completely different, that you might also enjoy.

December is traditionally a quiet month for libraries. With holiday shopping, preparation and traveling, many don’t have time to visit. And sometimes we’re not here either. As a result, our weekly Storytimes have been put on hold. To help fill the gap, Grandma Carol will be reading stories to children on Thursdays at 11 a.m. in our Family Place. Grandma Carol is a Reading to Children volunteer who has been trained to read stories to children. This is not a regular storytime.

Our regular storytime schedule will resume in January. In addition to the programs we’ve offered in the past, we will be offering Stay & Play.

Stay & Play
After Storytime there’s no need to rush off! Stay & Play is a great opportunity to visit with neighbors, make new friends, and play with your child. The library will be providing a variety of educational toys for parents and young children to enjoy. This is a wonderful opportunity to try new toys before buying and to visit old favorites. Stay & Play toys are not available to check out; they are for enjoyment in the library.

Storytimes at the Evergreen Branch Library – Beginning January 3rd, 2007
Tuesdays, 11:30 a.m. – Preschool Storytime, followed by Stay & Play
Tuesdays, 6:30 p.m. – Family Storytime
Wednesdays, 11:30 a.m. – Mother Goose Time, followed by Stay & Play
Thursdays, 11 a.m. – Reading to Children with Volunteer Grandma Carol
Fridays, 11:30 a.m. – Toddler Storytime, followed by Stay & Play

Evergreen Branch Library’s Programs
Saturday, Dec. 16, 4:30 p.m. – 5:15 p.m.

Elves and the Shoemaker Puppet Show
The classic tale by the Brothers Grimm, adapted for puppetry by the P&T Puppet Theatre! Jack Frost starts the show by singing and scattering snow to make it cold enough for the festivities to begin! The emcee is Jingles the Dwarf along with his sidekick, Grinny the Green-nosed Reindeer. Frosty the Snowman comes out and dances amongst the audience with his top hat popping off his head. And the well-loved Grimm's fairytale, The Elves and the Shoemaker, tops off a memorable and magical show!
Fridays, Dec. 22 and 29, 1 p.m. – 4 p.m.
Attention job seekers! The Work 2

Future Mobile One Stop Van will be parked at Evergreen Branch Library! Free job search assistance, resume help, childcare information and senior employment services at a few of the services offered! Visit their website at www.work2future.biz for more information about their programs and services.
Thursday, Dec. 28, 3:30 p.m. – 4:30 p.m.

Terrific Thursdays Vacation Snowtacular Craft
You and your friends will be able to make a special snow themed craft to take home. Have fun being creative, and enjoy crafting with other kids in your neighborhood. For ages 6 and up please.

Holiday Closures
Dec. 25 and 26 - Christmas
Jan. 1 and 2 – New Year’s

Silicon Valley Reads – Tortilla Curtain by T.C. Boyle
Silicon Valley Reads, which is co-sponsored by the Santa Clara County Office of Education, Santa Clara County Library, and the San Jose Public Library Foundation, has chosen “Tortilla Curtain” by T.C. Boyle as its book for 2007. This novel is the story of illegal aliens in California, told through the eyes of two very different couples, one well-off Anglos, the other illegal Mexicans living in a canyon.

The Evergreen Branch Library will be discussing the novel for its Jan. 17, 2007 book club meeting 6:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m. Stop by the library to reserve your copy today!

Got library materials? With the hustle and bustle of the holiday season, it’s easy to lose track of time. If you have library materials at home, don’t forget to check your receipt to see when they are due back! Feature films and magazines check out for 1 week, and documentary films and all other materials check out for three 3 weeks. If you’re not sure when your materials are due, you can check your account online at www.sjlibrary.org under “My Account.” Library materials checked out from the Evergreen Branch Library can be returned to any other San Jose Public Library, and vise versa. Bookdrops are open 24-7, so return when you can.

Vanessa Menor is a Librarian at the Evergreen Branch Library, 2635 Aborn Rd, between Capitol Expressway and White Rd. Evergreen Branch is part of the San Jose Public Library. The Library’s phone number is (408) 808-3060.