October and November Specials in the Bookstore

Time for the Holidays: Do your holiday planning and shopping at the Santa Monica Public Library Friends' Bookstore! We have terrific cookbooks and crafts books, plus lots of almost new books, that would be perfect gifts for friends and family. How about almost pristine copies of your aunt’s favorite mystery writer’s books? Or a recent fiction best seller or biography for your brother? And don’t forget our collection of children’s and young adults’ books that would make great presents for a local school.

Special Reference Sets: The library has given the bookstore two important sets of books for resale:
Jane’s Fighting Ships
Jane’s All the World’s Aircraft
If you are interested in either of these multi-volume sets and wish to make an offer, please stop by the bookstore or call 310-395-1951 and leave your name and phone number.

Monthly Theme: Be sure to check out our monthly theme books, displayed in the windows and on the Perennial Place cart.

Schedule: New items arrive by the dozens almost every day, so drop by soon. Bookstore hours are Monday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday from 11-4:30, Sunday 1:30-4:30, closed Tuesday and Wednesday. Location is on the left as you enter through the north entrance of the Main Library at 601 Santa Monica Boulevard.

Friends: To learn more about the Friends of the Santa Monica Public Library and the activities we support, to become a member, or to make a donation, check out our new website at www.friendsofsmpl.org.

Santa Monica Public Library, Living Library Project

On Saturday, September 10, Living Books drew a near sellout crowd at the Santa Monica Public Library’s fourth annual Living Library Project. The goal of the Living Library is to foster understanding and develop connections through dialogue. Both the books and readers reported that they were impressed with the quality of the conversations and three of our bestselling Living Books were City staff members.

The Living Books available for thirty-minute personal conversations were: an atheist, a communist, a Big Blue Bus driver, a homeless advocate, a Muslim, a police detective, a transvestite, a union representative, a teen, a bicycle advocate, and a homeschooler.

Thanks to the Friends of the Library for their generous support of the program.

Learn more about the Human Library visit humanlibrary.org.

Ocean Park Branch gets new bench seating

A new Dolphin Zetty Bench, recently delivered to the Ocean Park Branch and paid for with Friends funds, is a huge hit, according Karen Reitz, the branch manager. Ms. Reitz says, “Thank you so much for your continued support. We love our Friends of the Library!

Gift from a local foundation

In June, the Friends received a generous gift from a local foundation to further enable us to pursue our mission to provide resources, services, and a place to encourage the community to read, connect, relax and learn. The donor also hopes to stay connected with the library and its future programs and accomplishments. We send them our wholehearted thanks for their generous donation.

Popular Fairview Branch Librarian Retiring

Sylvia Anderle, popular children's and Latino Outreach Librarian at the Fairview Branch is retiring after 21 years. Sylvia has dedicated herself to the children and families of the community, especially of the Sunset Park and Pico neighborhoods. In 1991 she presented the first Spanish-language story times at the Santa Monica Public Library that continue to be enthusiastically attended.

Sylvia developed the highly successful tutoring program which has paired thousands of children entering first through fifth grades with trained volunteers who work with students to improve their reading, comprehension and math skills and to assist them with homework.

In 2005 Sylvia received national recognition for her excellence of service and commitment to young people as a recipient of the New York Times Librarian Award.

The Friends extend very best wishes for continued success and happiness in all her future endeavors.

ONE day at Santa Monica Public Library

• 5,399 people visited the library
• 6,032 items were checked out or renewed
• 1,357 reference questions were answered
• 400 people bought books in the Friends’ Bookstore
 

Time to prepare for your summer travels

Visit the Friends of the Santa Monica Public Library Book Store during June and buy books in a foreign language, at HALF-PRICE. Half-price means you can buy twice as many books and be doubly fluent! (The sale does not apply to higher value books, marked with a circle label.)

New items arrive by the dozens almost every day, so drop by soon. Bookstore hours are Monday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday from 11-4:30, Sunday 1:30-4:30, closed Tuesday and Wednesday. Location is on the left as you enter through the north entrance of the Main Library at 601 Santa Monica Boulevard.

To learn more about the Friends of the Santa Monica Public Library and the activities we support, to become a member, or to make a donation, check out our new website at www.friendsofsmpl.org.