April Happenings
Standing Against Racism with our Asian American and Pacific Islander Communities
Berkeley Public Library condemns the ongoing racism and hate crimes that have long targeted our Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) communities.
 
We grieve with the families of those killed in Georgia last month and with the victims of racist anti-AAPI violence and discrimination here in the Bay Area and beyond. We stand with our AAPI staff and patrons during these exceptionally difficult times, knowing the racist rhetoric around the Covid-19 pandemic has led to a spike in racist incidents towards AAPI community members. 
 
The Library is committed to supporting the culture change required to confront and help bring about the end of racism and xenophobia. 
 
April Author Events

Obi Kaufmann
California Field Atlas

Saturday, April 10
2pm

Judy Bebelaar
And Then They Were Gone

Friday, April 16
2pm
Libby Copeland
The Lost Family*

Thursday, April 29
6:30 pm
 
* this is the BPL Book Club's selection that meets on April 27. Join in!

Poets at the Library
#monday
poetrypause

Library staff select poems for you to enjoy every Monday on
Facebook and Instagram.

This April, we will feature original poetry submitted by YOU, our patrons!
Donte Clark
Close Caskets
 
Thursday, April 15
7 pm
Julian Aguon
The Properties of Perpetual Light 

Saturday, April 24th
5 pm
 
Presented in collaboration with Eastwind Books and
UC Berkeley Ethnic Studies Library.
More Virtual Programs
Food Security

Wednesday, April 21
2pm
 
Discussion with panelists from Berkeley Food Network, Meals on Wheels, Fresh Approach, and Berkeley READs
Teen Dungeons & Dragons
For Beginners

Saturday, April 10
3 pm
 
Wednesday, April 21
3pm
 
UC Cal Scientist Lectures

Elephant seals: Are they nature's SCUBA divers?
and
A day in the life of Chlamydomonas reinhardtii, aka Green Algae

Tuesday, April 20
5:30pm
 
There are many more virtual events happening in April!
 Check the online event calendar.
 
Stories for Change Series
The Library and Berkeley Unified School District (BUSD) are collaborating on a series of author events and book clubs.
 

Aiden Thomas
Cemetery Boys

Wednesday April 14
12:15 pm

Gene Luen Yang
Superman Smashes the Klan

Wednesday, April 28
12:15 pm

Ibi Zoboi
Punching the Air

Monday, May 26
12:15 pm
All ages are welcome at these Author Events.
 
Teen book discussion

Monday, April 12
4pm
Teen book discussion

Monday, April 19
4pm
Teen book discussion

May date - TBD
"We are excited to be partnering with the Berkeley Public Library! Providing essential perspectives on young peoples’ resilience and ingenuity in the face of transphobia, racism, and incarceration, these stories highlight the importance of interconnectivity and finding ways we can work together towards a more just society."
 
- Meredith Irby, Berkeley High School Librarian
 
For Our Younger Patrons
Mac's Book Club Show
with Mac Barnett

Friday, April 9
3pm
 
Science for Kids:
The Shocking Nature of Wildfires

Saturday, April 10
10 am
Women in STEM:
T is for Technology

Friday, April 16
3:30 pm
Planet Bee:
Bee Engineers

Friday, April 30
3:30 pm
 
Find out about weekly family story time and other virtual events for all ages on the online event calendar.
 
Programming is made possible by the generous support of the 
Friends of the Berkeley Public Library.
 
Berkeley Public Library
chosen for 2021-2022 CREI Initiative
In February, the Library applied for and was awarded acceptance into the California Libraries Cultivating Race, Equity and Inclusion (CREI) Initiative, funded by a grant by the California State Library.

Last month, the Berkeley Public Library's CREI staff team - made up of staff from a variety of library locations, job descriptions and backgrounds - completed a three-day training to set the foundation for the work ahead.

Through participation in this cohort program, the Berkeley Public Library will benefit from being a part of a network of California libraries dedicated to equity-based services and collections and who are actively developing staff training, equity tools and resources to help better serve our diverse communities. 
 
"Read Right Now" e-books
Check out this collection of e-books from Overdrive/Libby, 
all available immediately, without having to place a hold.

Great reads, without the wait!

ALSO: e-magazines for teens and e-magazines for kids are ALWAYS available immediately and do NOT count against Overdrive checkouts!
 
Your Library, in the News
KTVU, Berkeleyside and the Washington Post have all helped to get the word out about the culinary collection. Staff have ordered additional kinds of kitchen tools for the collection based on comments we received from these articles!
 
Tip: You can use your library card to read the Washington Post (and the NY Times and other newspapers) for free on your personal device.
 
Updates on Library Services during Covid-19
 The Library will continue to provide updates via this e-newsletter, on social media and in our FAQs on our website:
 
berkeleypubliclibrary.org/coronavirus.
 
For the latest Covid-19 news from the City of Berkeley please refer to:
 
www.cityofberkeley.info/coronavirus.
 
Outdoor Pickup will open one hour late,
at 11am, on Friday, April 30.
 
Berkeley Public Library
2090 Kittredge St.
Berkeley, California 94704
510.981.6100
www.berkeleypubliclibrary.org/