July 2011 Edition
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July 2011 Vol. 42 No. 7 Visitacion Valley Branch Library Grand Opening Celebration, July 30 See page 2 for more details Celebrate the Forget Sorrow: Talents of Writers An Ancestral Tale and Artists with Belle Yang is “an American writer who writes in Disabilities English and thinks in Chinese,” - Amy Tan he Main Library is proud to present an exhibition on the artist In honor of the 21st anniversary of the signing of the and author Belle Yang. Born in Taiwan and raised in the U.S., Americans with Disabilities Act, the Library presents Yang has spent decades seeking justice through her writing an author reading and a small display of artwork by and illustrations. Her work represents the lives of immigrants, artists with vision impairments. Tthose who have been devastated by World War II and life under com- The display, Unique Views of Life, features paint- munism, and her own Chinese heritage. Yang’s adult nonfiction mem- ings, photographs and drawings of urbsters (urban oirs and her latest work, a graphic memoir, entitled Forget Sorrow: An monsters) by independent artists Richard Chapman Ancestral Tale, gives voice to the men and women who disappeared in and John Ross Quevedo that help viewers under- the chaos without a murmur. This book is the third of the Manchurian stand how people with vision impairments see the trilogy; the first memoir in a comic book format. world. The display will be on view July 20-Aug. 31 in The exhibition includes paintings, books and illustrations in addition to a PBS video documentary, the Main Library, Lower Level, Koret display case and My Name is Belle, and will be on view in the Main Library’s Jewett Gallery, July 2-Aug. 14, 2011. is presented by SFPL’s Library for the Blind and Print Yang’s children’s books, set in Asia and in America, are largely autobiographical. For example, Hannah is Disabled and LightHouse My Name is based on her first years living in San Francisco as she learned English and her parents nervously for the Blind and Visually awaited green cards, which would allow them to work legally in their adopted home. Impaired. Yang, an only child, came to the U.S. with her On Tuesday, July 26, family when she was 7. She graduated from college Related programs: hear author Belo Cipriani with a degree in biology and eventually followed her Author Talk: July 7, 5:30 p.m., Latino Hispanic read from his book, Blind: father’s footsteps by studying art at the Pasadena Art Community Meeting Room, Main Library. A book A Memoir, in the program, Center College of Design and the Beijing Institute of sale by Readers Bookstore follows the event. Lives Explored: Writers Traditional Chinese Painting in Beijing. with Disabilities. Imagine A violent relationship led Yang eventually to find Author Talk in Mandarin: July 16, 2 p.m., if the most severe physical her artistic vision. Fleeing an abusive boyfriend turned Latino Hispanic Community Meeting Room, pain and sorrow in your stalker, her parents encouraged her to go to China to Main Library. A book sale by Readers Bookstore life were inflicted by the seek a haven. There, she not only found safety, but a follows the event. people you trusted most. vision that matured under the influence of political Exhibition Tour and Children’s Reading with In the spring of 2007, Belo events. As Yang recalls, “I absorbed the color and vi- Belle Yang: Yang will give a tour of her exhibi- Cipriani was beaten and brant life of peasant painting and the intellectual art tion, Forget Sorrow; read from her books; show robbed of his sight at the hands of childhood friends. of the ink-wash painting. I had also been witness to how a book is put together and create original His memoir chronicles the two years immediately Democracy Spring and the aftermath of the Tianan- drawings based on suggestions from the audi- following the assault. At the age of 26, Belo found men Massacre, which propelled me back to the U.S., ence. July 16, 3:30 p.m., Jewett Gallery, Lower himself learning to walk, cook, and date in the dark. vowing I would never waste the gift of liberty, espe- Level, Main Library. Cipriani will be joined by slam poets Bridget Brown cially creative freedom.” and Derek Zarda, poets Amber DiPietra and Michelle Puckett, blogger Jennifer Gibbons and U.S. military veteran David Fish. A book sale by Readers Bookstore follows the event. The program is presented by Ac- cess Services of the Library and the Independent Power Your Mind: Speak! Living Resource Center San Francisco. During the “Power Your Mind” summer reading and emerging leaders to celebrate free speech, artis- program, the Library will be partnering with Youth tic empowerment and youth voice. Lives Explored: Writers with Disabilities: July 26, Speaks on July 9 to present the MC Olympics, a spo- There are many events occurring throughout 6 p.m., Main Library, Lower Level, Koret Auditorium. ken word competition of global proportions and an Brave New Voices 2011, including writing workshops, The Main Library is wheelchair accessible. Assistive integral part of the 14th Annual Brave New Voices Town Hall meetings, Brave New Leaders Conference, listening devices and real-time captioning will International Youth Poetry Slam Festival. Brave New Teachers Conference, and the MC Olympics at be provided for the program. To request other Since its inception in 1998, the festival has the Main Library. Be sure to visit bravenewvoices.org accommodations, call (415) 557-4557 or contact grown to represent youth from all across the U.S. to find out more. [email protected]. Requesting accommodations and Europe. After touring for the last few years, Brave See the calendars inside for more summer read- at least 72 hours in advance will help ensure New Voices 2011 comes back to the Bay Area, bring- ing activities this month for all ages. availability. ing together young artists, activists, educators, poets, Coming Up: AUGUST 2 & 9 AUGUST 2 AUGUST 14 AUGUST 15 Literary Speed Dating Shark Discovery with Tricycle Music Fest with AfroSolo Exhibit Opens Main Library, Latino/Hispanic Aquarium of the Bay Sunday Streets Civic Center Main Library, African American Community Room, 5:45 p.m. Main Library, Koret Auditorium, Main Library, Larkin Street Steps, Center, 3rd Floor 6 p.m. 11 a.m. SFPL.ORG AT THE LIBRARY JULY 2011 1 Branch Library Improvement Program (BLIP) Left: The new corner entryway to the Visitacion Valley Branch at 201 Leland Ave. Right: Public artwork created by Mark Grieve and Ilana Spector from the ceiling. Visitacion Valley Library Grand Opening Join us for the biggest library celebration of the year. rooms and a large program room for storytimes, spe- it will allow a series of intersecting rhythms serving On July 30, we’ll celebrate the grand opening of the cial events and other neighborhood activities. The as a visual metaphor for the human experience: new Visitacion Valley Branch Library at the corner of construction was designed to make it a sustainable technology and humanities; astronomy as well as Leland Avenue and Rutland Street. building that will be certified to Leadership in Energy biology; a work that communicates to all walks of life, After more than 75 years of library services in and Environmental Design (LEED) Silver or greater all ages and relevant for years to come. leased or temporary locations, the Visitacion Valley from the U.S. Green Building Council. The building The grand opening will feature music, entertain- neighborhood is finally getting its own library build- was designed by the Bureau of Architecture’s Library ment, food and giveaways. Festivities begin at 1 p.m. ing. The new 8,800-square-foot branch library will Design Studio, Department of Public Works. The lead and will include a ribbon cutting ceremony with city have a corner entrance that reflects its prominent architect also designed the nearby Visitacion Valley and state officials plus a traditional blessing with civic presence in the neighborhood, serving as an Playground Clubhouse. Chinese lion dancers from the Jing Mo Athletic anchor on Leland Avenue. The new library will include a much larger col- Association. The Visitacion Valley Branch Library was the 18th lection of books, DVDs and other materials, more The construction of the Visitacion Valley Branch library established in the San Francisco Public Library computers, and a variety of seating choices. A key is part of the Branch Library Improvement Program system, having been opened as a “deposit collection” feature of the building is the new public art, created (BLIP), which is funded by a $106 million bond mea- in 1934. Eventually, the facility was upgraded to a full by Mark Grieve and Ilana Spector. Titled Imagine, the sure to upgrade or replace the city’s branch libraries. service branch library and installed in a leased store- dynamic sculpture is suspended from the central Friends of the San Francisco Public Library continues front facility at 45 Leland Ave. dome of the library, evoking a “universe of possibili- to raise money in private donations to pay for such The new library will feature distinct areas for ties.” Made of recycled bicycle gears, rims and pol- items as furniture, fixtures and equipment not paid children, teens and adults, including quiet study ished steel hoops of various sizes and visual textures, for through the city bond. No matter how crowded the libraries are on opening days, library users always find a cozy place A Cozy Place to Read to read a book. From left to right, Park, Ingleside and Merced branches.