Link+ is Back!
and other November Happenings at
Berkeley Public Library
Matika Wilbur outside on the plains taking a picture of an older Native American man with traditional headware
Matika Wilbur, Native American Activist and Photographer
 
Matika Wilbur founded Project 562, a multi-year national photography project dedicated to photographing over 562 federal recognized Native American tribes in the United States. Project 562 has exhibited in museums all over the country and received national and international acclaim. Wilbur has been featured in publications such as Elle magazine, in the Guardian, the New York Times and by CNN.

Wilbur comes to Central on November 9 for two different talks:
 
11am: The Truth About Stories: Indigenous Genesis, Truth and Cultural Resistance 
(Discussion for youth and their caretakers)
 
2pm: Natural Wanderment: Native-led Environmental Movements
(Visual presentation and discussion)
 
November is Native American Heritage month. 

Visit our website for a listing of events the Library is preparing in celebration as well as book, music and film recommendations too!
 
NaNoWriMo
The World Needs Your Novel!

November is upon us and that means that the world-wide phenomena of National Novel Writing Month, aka NaNoWriMo, is about to begin. Our Library locations have programs and community write-in sessions planned all month long. Come learn from experts and be with fellow writers. 
 
Three Time NaNoWriMo Winner:
R.C. Barnes

November 2 - 1pm
Central
How to Get Published

November 2 -1pm
Claremont
Flash! Fiction Workshop
 
November 16 - 3pm
North
Check the online calendar 
for other NaNoWriMo events at the Library.
 
Scientists at the Library
Sea bird with wings spread above water
Artistic rendering of outer space with comets streaming towards an unidentifiable planet
Seabird Conservation Talk
with Scientist Dr. Dena Spatz

November 7 - 6:30pm
Claremont
What's Up! 
Astronomy Series


November 9 & December 7 - 1pm
Claremont
Tarea Hall Pittman Social Justice Series
image of a collection of awards the film has won
Q&A with (Local!) Director  
& 
Screening of the 
Award-Winning Documentary: 


The Pushouts
 
November 9 - 2pm
Tarea Hall Pittman South
 
Expert Support
icon of the scales of justice
icon of calculator
Lawyers in the Library

November 1 - 10am
West
Financial Planning

November 7 - 4:30pm
North 
icon of passport
Immigration 101

November 23 - 2pm
Central
 
Monthly Program Spotlight
photo of a woman sitting on the ground in a journal sketching 
Nature Sketching and Journaling
 
Each month, in a supportive atmosphere and in different locations throughout Berkeley, learn techniques to record observations about the natural world in word and images. You do not need any art experience or special skills!
 
Next session:
Saturday, November 16 - 2:30pm
Meet at the U.C. Berkeley Life Sciences T. Rex Skeleton

Click here for details.
 
Check our calendar for many more events throughout the month.
Library events are always free and open to the public.
Programming is made possible thanks to the generous support of the 
Friends of the Berkeley Public Library.
LINK+ is back!
company logo for Link+
Can't find what you're looking for in Berkeley Public Library’s catalog?  

Try Link+, a resource sharing network of over 60 public and academic libraries.
 
Please click here to learn more about what is new with Link+.
 
Fun fact: you can now place 25 holds through Link+ in addition to the holds you place in your Berkeley Public Library account.

And, did you know that last year we expended access to not just books but also A/V items like DVDs, books on CD, music CDs and more?
 
Your Library, in the News
pic of returned book
pic of patron returning book
pic of patron pointing out where she grew up on an old map of Berkeley
 
Book due 74 years Ago
 
Recently Library patron Jean Durham returned a book of poetry, Lady of the Lake, that her mother had taken out in 1945!

Jean didn't have to worry about an overdue fine... Berkeley Public Library was one of the first libraries in the country to go fine free back in July 2018.


Library staff have had a wonderful time talking with Ms. Durham about her memories of the Library as a child and teenager as well as her memories of growing up in Berkeley.
 
Local press covered the story and then the coverage went national - as far away as New York, Illinois, Florida and New Hampshire. 
 
See the Berkeley Public Library Facebook page. 
Read the story on Berkeleyside.
Watch the clip NBC 5 o'clock news.
Read the article in SF Gate.
 
Library Support During Times of Crisis
 "One City, One Team" throughout the PG&E Power Outages

Our Library staff and locations were integral to the City's response to the PG&E Public Safety Power Shutoffs and wildfire prevention efforts. 

Staff worked hard to ensure community access to:photo of scooter plugged in to charge at the Central Library
  • charging stations for devices such as cell phones and power-dependent medical devices 
  • access to the latest communications from the City, County and State
  • respite from unhealthy air conditions (we even opened Tarea Hall Pittman South branch on a Sunday!)
  • 24 hour wi-fi access 
Local press covered the story during one of the outages. See the Berkeley Public Library Facebook page. 
 
Central Space Renovations Starting Soon
Picture of a book open, being held by two hand. Text in book says Coming Soon
 
In October, City Council approved a construction contract for the long-planned renovations to the Central Library. 

Improvements include: 
  • Dedicated teen space on the first floor with engagement, programming, and learning opportunities for teens 
  • Gender neutral bathrooms to ensure safe and comfortable access to bathrooms for everyone
  • Lots more seating! Additional seating opportunities of varied types on both the first and second floors
  • A new, accessible public programming space on the second floor for author talks and other similar programs
  • New flooring, lighting, and additional accessibility features
  • Transformed and modernized public computer area designed to enable laptop use alongside desktop access 
 
We will keep you posted throughout construction as to what expect. We can't wait for you to experience the new spaces!

The Berkeley Public Library Foundation has raised over $600,000 for these high-impact improvements.  
 
Save the Date!
18th Annual Authors Dinner
February 8
 
Berkeley City Club
 
Every year, the Berkeley Public Library Foundation’s Authors Dinner celebrates the Bay Area’s thriving literary community and raises funds for a great cause.

Proceeds from the dinner support Library innovations, literacy projects, technology, and the capital improvements that make our public library extraordinary.

 
This year, Michael Lewis, the author of The Fifth Risk, Moneyball, The Big Short, and many other bestsellers is the honorary chair.

Joining him to host the evening will be Linda Schacht Gage, Vanessa Hua, and TJ Stiles, along with 20+ other authors. 

Tickets go on sale to the public on November 6th. 
Learn more at bplf.org. 
 
All Library locations will be closed all day on
Monday, November 11, 2019
in observance of Veteran's Day.
 
All Library locations will close early for Thanksgiving on
November 27, 2019 at 6pm and will be completely closed Thursday, November 28th and Friday, November 29th.
 
Berkeley Public Library
2090 Kittredge St.
Berkeley, California 94704
510.981.6100
www.berkeleypubliclibrary.org/