July 2009 Edition
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July 2009 Vol. 40 No. 7 Visitacion Valley A Vital New Library Branch at the Heart by the Numbers of the Neighborhood Kindergartners from More than 300 members of the Visitacion Valley neighborhood gath- 15 Visitacion Valley Elementary School ered for a groundbreaking ceremony at the site of the new Visitacion sang at the groundbreaking ceremony Valley Branch Library. “This will become the heart of Visitacion Valley,” said Fran Martin of the Visitacion Valley Planning Alliance, who has worked for more than Guitar players from 6th and 10 years in an effort to get a new and larger library for the neighbor- 45 7th grade classes at Visitacion Valley hood. The Visitacion Valley Branch is a heavily used branch. “People are really hungry for learning and a library is a temple to knowledge and Middle School performed Taking up shovels at the groundbreaking (from left): City Librarian Luis Herrera, Library Commission higher aspirations.” President Jewelle Gomez, Supervisor Sophie Maxwell, The new branch, which is being built at the corner of Leland Av- Friends of SFPL Executive Director Donna Bero, Mike enue and Rutland Street, will replace the city’s current leased storefront Square footage 8,500 Farrah, deputy chief of staff for Mayor Newsom, Fuad library on Leland Avenue near Bayshore Boulevard. City Librarian Luis in the new branch—three times the Sweiss, Department of Public Works, and Branch Herrera noted that the neighborhood has had a library presence since size of the existing branch Librarian Wen Chin Chen. Photo: Jason Doiy 1934 but has never had its own library building until now. The current library site is too small to adequately serve this very diverse and very child-centered community, neighbors said. The new 8,500-square-foot branch will be three times larger than the current branch, ADA accessible and have space Percent increase in the 100 for an expanded collection of books and materials. It is scheduled to open at the end of next year. size of the collection when it’s built “We’re not just building a library structure here. We’re building a community,” said Edie Epps of the Visitacion Valley History Project. “This is bringing us all together, seniors, children, neighbors, to a safe place in the (continued on p. 2) Visit Poetry at Poet Laureate 2009: Diane di Prima the 2nd Biennial Poet, prose writer, play- workshops in the neighborhoods. wright and teacher Diane di “In my own heart, I’m thinking about the kids and the San Francisco Prima was named San Fran- old people and about empowering them to write and speak cisco’s fifth Poet Laureate by their stories. I would love to be able to go into different International Mayor Gavin Newsom in an neighborhoods and do short workshops with youth and Poetry Festival announcement at the Rich- the elderly and other groups who are not noticed,” said di mond Branch Library. Prima. “I’ve always said you don’t have to be something Calendar of events on Page 6. “Already it is enriching special to write a poem. This has been on my mind to get Story on Page 7. my life so much,” said di something going.” Prima shortly after the an- Di Prima also praised the work former Poet Laureate nouncement. “I’ve gotten Jack Hirschman has done creating the biennial International more than 100 e-mails and Poetry Festival and wants to ensure more visiting poets heard from old friends and come to San Francisco from around the world. Diane di Prima people from far away.” Born in Brooklyn, New York in 1934, di Prima lived and Di Prima is the author of 44 books of poetry and prose, wrote in Manhattan for many years, where she became including Pieces of a Song (City Lights, 1990), Loba: Books I known in the Beat movement and other experimental post- and II (Penguin, 1998), Recollections of My Life as a Woman World War II literary and art movements. She took part in the (Viking, 2001) and the new expanded version of Revolution- activities of the Diggers, doing street performance and deliv- ary Letters (Last Gasp Press of San Francisco, 2007). Her work ering free food to 25 communes three times a week, studied has been translated into over 20 languages. meditation at the San Francisco Zen Center with Suzuki As Poet Laureate, di Prima anticipates hosting a number Roshi and Sanskrit at the California Institute of Asian Studies of poetry centered events, including readings and discus- (now CIIS) and raised her five children. sion, community based poetry readings and informal poetry In addition to her writings, di Prima (continued on p. 5) The Richmond Library’s Renovation Extends to the Landscaping By John Thomas, landscape architect, Bureau of Engineering, Dept. of Public Works The Richmond Branch Library, which celebrated its grand re-opening on May 16, now provides more than a vastly improved building for its collection and programs. The new site improvements have extended and translated the building’s interior uses and archi- tectural character into a variety of outdoor settings. When taken together, the Library’s indoor and outdoor spaces promise to be a hub of neighborhood activity and a source of civic pride to Richmond District residents. Located near the center of the library property, the building is sandwiched between two landscapes with distinctly different qualities. The design of the library’s “front yard” on 9th Avenue amplifies the building’s monumental civic presence. From the sidewalk, a wide 20-foot walkway passes through a small plaza with curvilinear bench seating The new landscaping on the 9th Avenue entrance creates a monumental before ascending a grand stair leading to the Library’s magnificent (continued on p. 2) civic presence. Coming Up: AUGUST 8 AUGUST 15 AUGUST 29 Read it and Green it! Zyzzva 25th Anniversary Afrosolo Arts Festival Summer reading club ending. Main, Koret Auditorium, Exhibition of Morrie Turner’s work Log your hours. 2 p.m. Main, African American Center, Cool It! Green Teen Summer Read through Oct 15 ends July 24 www.sfpL.ORG AT THE LIBRARY JULY 2009 1 Branch Library Improvement Program (BLIP) Anza Closing Party More than 400 people gathered at the Anza Branch Library to say goodbye to their beloved branch, at least for a time. The branch on 37th Avenue near Anza will be closed until early 2011 for a renovation that includes making it seismically safe, fully accessible and technologically updated, while enhancing its unique historic character. At the closing party, a craft project kept young- Children’s Librarian Monica sters entertained and guitarist Giacomo Fiore of the Mitchell and kids at the closing SF Conservatory of Music performed. party. Photo: Helen Hartshorn Renovation highlights include restoration of historic features such as its painted ceiling, a small addition, a new elevator, a designated Teen Area, a revamped program room downstairs, and new and refinished furniture, shelving, and display areas. Merced Closing Party The Merced Branch Library on Winston Drive at 19th Avenue is undergoing an exciting and beautiful renovation. Patrons said “so long” to the branch at a fun and lively closing party that featured jazz group, Gaucho, and performer Luz Gaxiola of Circus Finelli. With a scheduled reopening in 2010, the renovation will include adding green innovations that will enable the Cutting the ribbon at the Richmond Branch Library opening celebration. Photo: Jason Doiy Luz Gaxiola of Circus Finelli branch to be certified LEED (Leadership in Bottom: Crowds gather to get a first look inside the renovated library. Photo: Joe Cheung entertains the croud with jazz Energy and Environmental Design) Silver. In group Gaucho. addition, it will receive a small addition near the front of the branch, a designated Teen Area, a quiet reading area by the Richmond Branch Landscape (continued from p. 1) fireplace and an expanded Children’s Area, among other features. main reading room. While the main focal element is the pair of Canary Island date palms flanking the stairway, it is the two pedestrian ramps enfolding the land- scape that provide it with a proper spatial setting. The ramps, which provide ac- Visitacion Valley Groundbreaking (continued from p. 1) cess for persons with disabilities to the Library’s upper floor, rise more than eight- valley for learning, education and community.” feet from the sidewalk elevation, gracefully curving as they approach the entry On hand for the ceremony were more than 80 students from Visitacion Valley landing. The site grades supporting the ramps form a bowl-shaped lawn area Elementary School and Visitacion Valley Middle School who sang and performed distinct from the surrounding neighborhood. The overall effect of the landscape’s on guitars for the groundbreaking ceremony. formality and monumental scale is similar to that of the main reading room: “I’m very excited about this new beautiful building. It’s going to be a landmark grand and ennobling. for our neighborhood,” said Anne Seeman of the Visitacion Valley Planning Alliance. In contrast to the dignified character of the 9th Avenue landscape, the The new branch will have designated areas for children, teens and adults landscape adjacent to 10th Avenue fully embraces its residential urban context. and a new program room that can be used for library events and also serve the Immediately outside the Library’s children’s room, it complements the children’s community during hours that the branch is closed. A study room will allow a qui- programs by serving as a neighborhood park. Within a unified composition et space for studying while the different roof heights and acoustical treatments echoing the building’s symmetrical organization, the landscape design includes in the ceiling will also allow for quiet spaces for reading alone.