King Library Events: April 1-7, 2007.

Sunday, April 1, 1:00 PM - 5:00 PM
Caret Plaza, Patio Area
Friends of the King Library Bag Booksale
The Friends of the King Library are having a bag booksale. Just $5 for all the books you can fit into a large paper bag (bag supplied by the Friends). The revenues from these sales are donated back to the library for use in sponsoring a variety of community and literacy projects. For information call (408) 808-2681.

Wednesday, April 4, 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Room 225/229, 2nd Floor
MFA Candidacy Presentations
Advanced graduate students in Digital Media Art, Photography, Pictorial Art, and Spatial Art give visual presentations of their work -- especially with respect to work which is exhibited during the week of April 2-7 in the Art Building and available to the general public for viewing. (This is independent studio work produced by MFA candidates and not related to a class.) Each of students will present about 45 minutes. A faculty moderator will facilitate a lively audience’s Q&A. The audience is a mix of faculty, students, alumni, art professionals (such as gallery owners, etc.) from the South Bay Area, and other interested persons. For more information, please contact Anne Simonson at (408) 924-4345.

Thursday, April 5, 5:30 PM - 9:00 PM
Room 225/229, 2nd Floor
Evening of Poetry - “In the Spirit of Markham and Bland” An evening of poetry with current California Poet Laureate Al Young. Mr. Young will read his work including a poem written on the occasion and in the spirit of SJSU’s connections to a long legacy of poets writing, teaching and working at SJSU. There will be displays about SJSU's Legacy of Poetry. For more information, please contact Annette Nellen at (408) 924-3508.

Saturday, April 7, 1:00 PM - 3:00 PM
Computer Lab 125, 1st Floor
Genealogy on the Internet
Want to grow your family trees? This class will introduce you to websites and databases to allow you to fill out those family tree limbs! Presented by General Collections. Prerequisite: Must have basic computer skills. Registration required. To register call (408) 808-2397.

Saturday, April 7, 10:00 AM - 2:00 PM
Rooms 322 & 324, 3rd Floor
Free Income Tax Assistance (V.I.T.A.)
Free Income Tax Assistance is provided by V.I.T.A. every Saturday, beginning February 10 through April 7, 2007. The VITA program will offer free income tax assistance for low income, disabled, elderly, or limited English-speaking persons. No appointments are necessary. Customers will be served on a first-come, first-served basis. Sign-up sheet will be available in front of Room 322 on the day of the program. If you have any questions, please call 1-800-829-1040.

Saturday, April 7, 2:00 PM - 3:30 PM
Rooms 255/257, 2nd Floor
VietREADS Presents Author & Singer Dao Strom
Author Dao Strom reads from her latest short stories The Gentle Order of Girls and Boys and sings songs from her album Send Me Home. This event is part of the multi-author series VietREADS! exploring the literature, history, food, music and arts of Vietnam. Hosted by General Collections. For more information call (408) 808-2397.

Saturday, April 7, 2:30 PM - 4:00 PM
Teen Center, 3rd Floor
Teen Poetry Café Teens, ages 11-18, bring your favorite poems to share. All styles welcome. Groove to poetry and enter to win a door prize! For more information call (408) 808-2397.

We'll be closed tomorrow, Saturday, March 31.

In observance of Cesar Chavez Day, we will be closed tomorrow, along with all the other branches. The Community Center is closed today in observance of Cesar Chavez Day. King Library will be open tomorrow. We do have a special display in honor of Chavez Day inside the library.

King Library Events: March 25 - 31, 2007.

Saturday, March 31, 1:00 PM - 3:00 PM
Computer Lab 125, 1st Floor
Learn How to Effectively Search the Library's Databases
Do you have a subject to research? This class can save you hours of time and frustration by demonstrating how to select from among the many library database subscriptions. Retrieve information quickly and easily from among the thousands of magazine and newspaper articles available by using the database best suited to your needs. Pre-egistration required. For information call (408) 808-2397.

Saturday, March 31, 10:00 AM - 2:00 PM
Rooms 322 & 324, 3rd Floor
Free Income Tax Assistance (V.I.T.A.)
Free income tax assistance is provided the IRS Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) Program every Saturday, beginning February 10 through April 7, 2007. The VITA program will offer free income tax assistance for low income, disabled, elderly, or limited English-speaking persons. No appointments are necessary. Customers will be served on a first-come, first-served basis. Sign-up sheet will be available in front of Room 322 on the day of the program. If you have any questions, please call 1-800-829-1040.

Saturday, March 31, 10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Caret Plaza, Patio Area
Friends of the King Library Booksale
The Friends of the King Library are having a booksale. The revenues from these sales are donated back to the library for use in sponsoring a variety of community and literacy projects. All hardcover books are $1; all softcover books are $ .50! A bag booksale will follow on Sunday. For information call (408) 808-2681.

Local door-to-door fundraising scam.

This (edited) message came in my in-box today:
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Several college-age men posing as San Jose State University rugby players have been knocking on doors soliciting donations. The men claim to be neighborhood residents selling children's books and they say proceeds from the book sales will be used to fund a team trip abroad. The suspects have been knocking on doors in the Rose Garden (San Jose), Los Altos, San Mateo and Berkeley areas.

For the record, the SJSU rugby club team is not raising money, and these men are not team members. If you have provided a check to men matching this description, call your local police department and your bank. To contact an SJSU representative, please send an e-mail clubsports@union.sjsu.edu.

Spoken word/performance trio headRush is appearing at King Library, April 10 at 7:30 p.m.

From their site:

Thrill to the sounds of headRush, a spoken word/performance trio comprised of Rosa Esperanza Gonzalez, Luis "Xago" Juarez and Simon Adinia Hanukai. They combine elements of Chicano/Hip-Hop/Street Theatre, Theatre of the Oppressed and spoken word poetry to create a unique rush of psycho-politico satire and popular education. Read about them at http://www.headrushcrew.com. Everyone is welcome at this exciting event.

Database update.

The Health and Wellness Resource Center now has some Spanish language content. If you need health information in Spanish, this may useful! Check it out at http://www.sjlibrary.org/research/databases/index.htm?getType=4#H.

Upcoming parenting seminar.

We'd like to invite you to come this Thursday evening to join us in talking about how to succeed at parenting a teenager. "10 Keys to Successful Parenting of Teenagers" is Sponsored by Bay Area Parent Magazine.

Thursday, March 22, 7 - 9 p.m.
@ Liccardo Center, Bellarmine College Prep. (960 West Hedding, San Jose, CA 95126)
RSVP: 408.399.4842 ext. 24

Traffic alert: Thursday, March 22.

An estimated 17,000 people will be traveling to Downtown San Jose to participate in the NCAA event at the HP Pavilion on Thursday, March 22nd at 4:00 p.m. HP Pavilion patrons will be arriving between 3:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m. You may want to consider using public transportation (visit http://www.vta.org or call (408) 321-2300). You can also try an alternate driving route. Avoid using Highway 87, Santa Clara, Julian, Autumn, Montgomery streets and the general HP Pavilion area.

For general information on driving to and parking in Downtown, visit http://www.sjdowntownparking.com/

King Library events for this week...

Tuesday, March 20, 6:30 PM - 8:30 PM
Room 225&229, 2nd Floor
Commonwealth Club Silicon Valley & The Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Presents: Lalita Tademy, Author of Red River

After spending over 20 years as a high-tech corporate executive, Lalita Tademy decided she needed a change of profession and embarked on a journey that took her back to her family's roots in the South. Her debut novel Cane River received critical accolades for blending history and fiction and was selected by Oprah Winfrey to be part of her show's book club selection. Tademy's newest work Red River is a riveting story that begins in 1873 as two families struggle during the turbulent years of Reconstruction. With the country deeply divided, emotions run high as violence erupts and dreams of freedom are broken leading to an unforgettable story of faith and courage.
6:30 p.m. Registration; 7:00 p.m. Program; 8:00 p.m. Book Signing
FREE for Members & Library Cardholders; $10 Non-Members
For reservations visit www.commonwealthclub.org/sv or call 800-847-7730.

Wednesday, March 21, 3:00 PM - 5:00 PM
Room 225 Suite B, 2nd Floor
Presenting Abu Toameh at SJSU

Arab Journalist Khaled Abu Toameh will speak on the topic "One Year After Hamas's Victory, Where are the Palestinians Headed?" Khaled Abu Toameh is an award winning journalist and television news producer. He has reported from the West Bank and Gaza Strip for more than twenty years for both Palestinian and Israeli print publications and acts as producer for television news programs in the US and Europe. Having built a reputation for unique and brave reporting on Palestinian affairs, he now produces for NBC and other major TV networks. He is also the Senior Palestinian Affairs writer for the Jerusalem Post. The event is presented by StandWithUs and is co-sponsored by Hillel of Silicon Valley, the History Department, the Journalism Department, the Jewish Studies Program, and Jewish Student Union. Contact (408) 286-6669 for more information.

Wednesday, March 21, 6:30 PM - 8:00 PM
Room 229A, 2nd Floor
Poetry Café

For poets and poetry lovers. The library is inviting poets, both published and non-published, to share their poetry. Come read, listen and enjoy. All ages are welcome. For information call (408) 808-2397.

Thursday, March 22, 12:00 PM - 2:00 PM
Room 225/229, 2nd Floor
A Conversation with Carolyn See

Center for Literary Arts Director Mitch Berman will lead a conversation with acclaimed novelist Carolyn See. Afterwards, Mrs. See will answer audience's questions and sign books. For more information, please contact Mitch Berman at (408) 924-4489.

Thursday, March 22, 7:30 PM - 9:30 PM
Room 225/229, 2nd Floor
A Reading with Carolyn See

Novelist Carolyn See will read from her newest book. This will be followed by audience questions and a book signing. For more information, please contact Mitch Berman at (408) 924-4489.

Saturday, March 24, 10:00 AM - 2:00 PM
Rooms 322 & 324, 3rd Floor
Free Income Tax Assistance (V.I.T.A.)

Free Income Tax Assistance is provided by V.I.T.A. every Saturday, beginning February 10 through April 7, 2007. The VITA program will offer free income tax assistance for low income, disabled, elderly, or limited English-speaking persons. No appointments are necessary. Customers will be served on a first-come, first-served basis. Sign-up sheet will be available in front of Room 322 on the day of the program. If you have any questions, please call 1-800-829-1040.

Help us choose new collections for new branches.

We're in the process of building new libraries in various areas of the City. We would like your input in order to help us develop the types of books, media, and electronic collections that meet the needs of six branch libraries. Please tell us what you would use in your new libraries by completing this survey: http://www.zoomerang.com/recipient/survey-intro.zgi?p=WEB2268MC6WRFG.

Biography Resource Center content updates.

We feature a number of various online databases (at http://sjlibrary.org/research/databases/index.htm). If you're trying to write a paper about a person, the Biography Resource Center is an excellent resource, and it's updated frequently. The BIORC now includes biographies on more than 340,000 people from antiquity through the present day. The next time you need biographical information or a picture of a famous person, remember to try out the Biography Resource Center.

King Library events for this week...

Friday, March 16, 4:00 PM - 5:00 PM
Room 255/257, 2nd Floor
Is My Body Good Enough? - a Workshop for Teens
Teen health educator Aly Yisrael will conduct a fun one-hour workshop dedicated to the burning question: Is my body good enough? Join us and learn to like living in your one and only human body! Audience restricted to ages 11-19. A teensReach meeting will follow from 5:00 - 5:30 PM. For more information call (408) 808-2397.

Friday, March 16, 5:00 PM - 5:30 PM
Room 255/257, 2nd Floor
teensReach meeting
Teens (ages 11-19) are invited to participate in our monthly teensReach meeting. teensReach is the youth council for the San José Public Library. It provides a key way for young adults to build their leadership skills by developing and participating in library activities, as well as becoming library advisors and advocates. Community service credits are given to participating students. For information call (408) 808-2397.

Saturday, March 17, 10:00 AM - 2:00 PM
Rooms 322 & 324, 3rd Floor
Free Income Tax Assistance (V.I.T.A.)
Free Income Tax Assistance is provided by V.I.T.A. every Saturday, beginning February 10 through April 7, 2007. The VITA program will offer free income tax assistance for low income, disabled, elderly, or limited English-speaking persons. No appointments are necessary. Customers will be served on a first-come, first-served basis. Sign-up sheet will be available in front of Room 322 on the day of the program. If you have any questions, please call 1-800-829-1040.

Saturday, March 17, 2:00 PM - 3:30 PM
Rooms 225 & 229, 2nd Floor
VietREADS Presents Poet Nguyen Chi Thien
Life, Poetry & Prison features poet and political activist Nguyen Chi Thien who reads selections from his poetry, "The Flowers of Hell." For information call (408) 808-2397.

Saturday, March 17, 2:30 PM - 4:00 PM
Teen Center, 3rd Floor
Teen Legal Rights
Teens and their parents are invited to meet a representative from the San Jose Office of the Independent Police Auditor. Some of the topics for discussion will be curfew laws, how to respond to traffic stops, and your right to remain silent. Learn about police misconduct, how to make a complaint, and the proper way to interact with police officers. For more information, call (408) 808-2397 or (408) 808-2183.

Daylight savings reminder.

Please remember that Daylight Savings Time (DST) will start on March 11 this year. You can always get the current time for California, at http://time.gov/. This is a site provided by the two time agencies of the United States: a Department of Commerce agency, the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), and its military counterpart, the U. S. Naval Observatory (USNO) so you know it's official.

Upcoming job fair on Tuesday, March 13 from 10:00 am - 3:00 pm.

The Center for Employment Training (CET) has an Employment & Resource Fair coming up! You'll meet local employers who are recruiting, participate in free jobseeker seminars hosted by local professionals, including a resume review workshop. For more information, visit http://www.cetweb.org/aboutcet/events.php.

Volunteers needed for Children's Faire, on April 28, 2007.

We are looking for enthusiastic and energetic volunteers to assist with our annual Children's Faire. The Faire is a signature event for families with young children with an annual attendance of 5,000 people; a day of educational and fun family activities. Volunteer opportunities for this special event include assisting with event set up as well as helping with programs and activities at the Faire. Please drop by the branch and ask for an application for more details! If you would like additional information regarding this volunteer opportunity you may call Volunteer Services at (408) 808-2181 or email volunteer.sjpl@sjlibrary.org.

Get ready for Teen Tech Week!

Check out all the events we have going on next week to celebrate Teen Tech Week! At Almaden, we're hosting an online and video gamefest on Friday, March 9, from 3:30 PM to 5:00 PM, and the Tech Museum of Innovation as our special guests for our system-wide "Teen Tech Week" program, on Saturday, March 10, at 3:00 PM.

March is National Nutrition Month!

We're celebrating with a series of workshops entitled "Snack Smart - Parent / Child (grades 4-8) Workshop". At these informative workshops, your child will learn tips for healthy snacks in a fun, hands-on environment. S/he’ll also learn how exercise and good nutrition will help make him or her more alert and successful in school. These workshops are geared for children in grades 4-8. "Snack Smart" is co-sponsored by San Jose Public Library and San Jose State University’s Nutrition and Food Science Department with financial support from a Kaiser Permanente "Community Benefit Grant." Registration is required. For more details please visit http://www.sjlibrary.org/about/locations/almaden/events.htm.