Dallas Public Library
September 2018
Dallas Public Library's new pathway welcomes children of all ages 
A newly completed pathway is engaging and welcoming young visitors to the J. Erik Jonsson Central Library with an array of colorful letter and word designs.
 
From the west entrance to the plaza, the path is sort of a “game board,” inviting kids to answer questions as they walk towards the front doors, such as “Can you count by fives?” “How many continents can you name?” and “Can you hop like a frog?”
 
From the east entrance, letters of the alphabet, designed to reflect a word that begins with each letter, are scattered in a random pattern. Visitors are greeted with a large magnifying glass asking them to find the letters of their name.
 
The pathway was created by artist Miguel Donjuan, a member of the Oak Cliff collaborative Sour Grapes, known for their graffiti-style murals. Decoratively wrapped garbage cans, designed by Walter Gray Lamb, reinforce the letter and number recognition encouraged by the pathway.
 
“Play is an important aspect of learning for young children,” said Youth Services Administrator Melissa Dease. “The design is meant to engage children with early literacy skills, including number and letter knowledge and vocabulary skills as well as encouraging play.”
 
The letter designs are also being printed in a coloring book to be given to children when they visit the Vital Statistics office with their parents or the Youth Discovery Center on the second floor of the Library.
 
The project was funded with a Play Everywhere grant from Kaboom! which encourages the transformation of everyday spaces into opportunities for kids to play. 
 
 
Another successful year for Friends of Dallas Public Library book sale
FODPL book sale photos by Danny Hurley
 
This year’s Friends of the Dallas Public Library (FODPL) book sale was a rousing success! A total of 1,700 people shopped the sale, many of them new visitors to the J. Erik Jonsson Central Library. All proceeds support FODPL’s mission to support the Dallas Public Library system.
 
“I want to thank all the wonderful volunteers in and out of our organization who were there when we needed them,” said FODPL Executive Director Mary Wilonsky. “We could not do this sale without their help.”
 
The Friends organizes the event and volunteers staff the end-of-summer edition of the annual book sale. Proceeds benefit the 29-branch Dallas Public Library system and its programs, including English Language Learning, GED classes, preschool storytimes, Books for Dallas Babies at Parkland Health and Hospital System, the Mayor’s Summer Reading Challenge and more.  This summer’s book sale was chaired by FODPL Board Secretary Anne Harding. The next FODPL book sale will be in August 2019.
 
FODPL is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization that advocates for the Dallas Public Library and supports its programs. Annual tax-deductible memberships begin at $25 and are available at www.fodpl.org.  
 
 
 
New Polaris catalog will be the right size for any device!
The Dallas Public Library’s new, responsive catalog will resize for computers, tablets and phones.
 
“All of your favorite features from the full catalog will now be easy to use on a mobile device,” said DPL Web Designer Brenda Smith. “The new one-click request will make it easier than ever to request library materials on the go.”
 
Dallas Public Library has used the Polaris system since 2008. The library has a collection of more than 3.5 million volumes including books, DVDs/Blu-Rays, audiobooks and vinyl records, and circulates more than 7 million items annually.
 
 
 
 
This Month's Featured Events
Pamper me! Hand & face care for adults/seniors 
Monday, September 10, 1 p.m.
Martin Luther King Branch

Pamper yourself with personalized instruction on health and beauty tips for the face and hands. This skin care program includes a free facial and hand care ideas from Stylist Expert Angelia Poellnito, demonstrating best result techniques for adult skin. Come ready to say “Pamper Me!”
QPOC open mic 
Wednesday, September 12, 6 p.m. 
J. Erik Jonsson Central Library 
 
Come and hear Lucha Dallas, Lopa Banerjee & other amazing artists perform spoken word poetry for a Queer People of Color (QPOC) Poetry and Open Mic Night! Open mic is available for anyone else who would like to participate! Share your experiences in the LGBTQ communities and as a person of color! 
  
Senior living seminar 
Thursday, September 13, 1 p.m. and
Saturday, September 29, 1 p.m.
Audelia Road Branch

Are you considering a senior housing community? Whether you are casually looking around or seriously searching, whether you are looking for yourself or for seniors in your life, it is important to understand your options. Seminar topics will include:
  • When to start looking for senior living
  • How to stay in control
  • The different levels of care
  • How to discuss Senior Living with loved ones
This program will be repeated on Saturday, September 29 at 1 p.m. 
Book sale - Lakewood Branch
Saturday, September 15, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.;
Friday, September 21, noon to 5 p.m.;
Saturday, September 22, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Lakewood Branch 

Calling all treasure hunters! The Lakewood Library Friends Annual June Leftwich Book Sale features thousands of donated gently-used and well-organized books, CDs, DVDs, audio-books, and other media items at bargain prices.  Only cash or checks accepted. (Psst! A special members-only preview sale will be held Friday, September 14 at 6:30 p.m. Not a member of the Lakewood Library Friends yet? Join at the door!)  
Proceeds from the book sale benefit the Lakewood Branch Library.
Park(ing) Day 2018 
Friday, September 21, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Southwest corner of Main and Ervay, Downtown Dallas

Every year Dallasites line a portion of Main Street, turning downtown parking spots into parks. We’ll be there with our mini library, right in front of the new Royal Blue Grocery. Don’t miss out on all the whimsy the Library has to offer at PARK(ing) Day! Explore your creative side and write a poem using our giant magnet poetry. Got a dog? We’ll have a doggy hydration station and dog books! Don’t forget to snap a selfie with our groovy ‘60’s van after listening to some musical librarians have a jam session. Stop in for crafts and science experiments. And don’t forget the best part of all: Free books! 
 
 
DPL Around the Internet 
 
  • Brandon Murray, a librarian in our Dallas History and Archives Division shows what one side of school life was like in the DISD in the1960’s. Read his D Magazine article here: https://www.dmagazine.com/frontburner/2018/08/looking-back-at-dallas-isd-in-the-1960s/
  • Meet Mary Wilonsky, the friendliest Friend of the Dallas Public Library!  Lisa Kresl's interview for the Preston Hollow/North Dallas Advocate is here:  https://prestonhollow.advocatemag.com/2018/08/23/mary-wilonsky-friend/ 
  • This month DPL Acquisitions Librarian Cathy Ritchie reviews a new biography of Bob Fosse, a primer on how to watch ballet, and the definitive (and coffee-table-sized!) book on Broadway plays and musicals. Read her “Pages From the Arts” column for TheaterJones here: http://www.theaterjones.com/ntx/features/20180809061907/2018-08-09/Pages-from-the-Arts-August-2018
  • Meanwhile, on the audio side of TheaterJones, DPL librarian Andrew Anderson reviews a recording of Carl Nielsen's works featuring clarinetist David Shifrin; and a reissue of Stewart Goodyear's Complete Beethoven Sonatas.  You’ll find “Auxiliary Input” here: http://www.theaterjones.com/ntx/features/20180823072413/2018-08-22/Auxiliary-Input-August-2018
 

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J. Erik Jonsson Central Library
1515 Young St.
Dallas, Texas 75201
214-670-1400

http://www.dallaslibrary.org