Winter 2017 – 2018 News and Calendar , 2017
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Tlacolulokos, For the Pride of Your Hometown, The Way of the Elders, and In Memory of the Forgotten, 2017. Photograph: Jeff McLane. Winter 2017 – 2018 News and News Calendar Quick Hits Los Angeles Public Library News “Proceeds support the library’s cultural and educational Head of the Class: Library Cards Reach More Students and Teachers programs, while participation fulfills your earnest desire to never leave the house. That’s right — the genius of this bookish event is that you don’t actually have to go anywhere. Finally, an event that honors introversion, social anxiety and bibliomania. Everyone wins!” —Los Angeles Times, 2017 Letter from the President 30TH ANNUAL STAY HOME The murals featured on the this newsletter cover were commissioned by the Library Foundation and the Los Angeles AND READ A BOOK BALL Public Library and made possible by major grants from the Getty Foundation as part of the Getty’s Pacific Standard Time: LA/LA. They have attracted extraordinary interest and accolades Sunday, March 4th, 2018 from the national media. Art critics, cultural commentators, with Chair Viet Thanh Nguyen school groups, community members, and patrons who visit the exhibition have been stopping in their tracks to reflect, respond Save the Date for the Library Foundation’s most enduring fundraising campaign, and, of course, take photographs to share. now in its 30th year! This “non-event” provides the opportunity to directly support the Los Angeles Public Library’s cultural and educational programs I believe the viewers are sensing that there is much to be learned such as ALOUD, Adult Literacy, and Student Smart, from the comfort from these murals, which were painted by the artist collective of your own home. Help us celebrate 30 years of success with another Tlacolulokos – comprised of two young artists from Oaxaca, record-breaking year!. Mexico. Tlacolulokos are bold, talented, and perceptive story- tellers. Their work inspires contemplation about identity and migration, and the way our cultural background informs what we think we are seeing. Last December, the Los Angeles Public Library and “We wanted to make it stress-free for teachers to teachers are blown away by the potential to create the Los Angeles Unified School District kicked off supplement their classrooms with public library interactive lessons with Library resources like the All great art is political in the sense that it brings our values the groundbreaking Student Success Card program books, knowing that teachers often don’t have free online courses and certifications through into focus: whether it be beauty, or freedom, or the right to determine what we fight for. When I look at these stunning to put a library card into the hands of every LAUSD budgets to provide classroom libraries for Lynda.com; 24/7 tutoring at Tutor.com; ScienceFlix, murals, I think about how this moment in our country is student. The special library card allows students recreational reading or to back-up their curriculum,” a digital tool for STEM learning; and much more. inspiring not only artists, but all of us to reflect on the future to check out books and access online resources, explains Mitnick. “Every library branch has a large we want – both as a society and as individuals. without incurring any fines or fees. Since the first and diverse collection of picture books, non-fiction, There are over 26,000 teachers in the LAUSD, which batch of 58,000 cards were rolled out to all incoming and chapter books—the more children who have serves over 664,000 students, the second largest Nothing has moved me more than the entries in the exhibition’s kindergarteners, plus all student levels in two access to these books, the better.” We welcome readers of this newsletter to lead the way by becoming a sponsor today! school district in the nation. “Imagine every student guest book. I like to think that while these patrons are visiting LAUSD local districts, the Library has seen a Stay Home and Read a Book Ball sponsorship contributions are fully tax-deductible, and every teacher having access to the Library’s the Central Library to check out a book, to use the free state-of- remarkable increase of usage each month. “Kids are the-art technology, or to research employment opportunities, and all sponsors will be recognized on our print invitation.* Not only teachers, but school librarians and library tools and resources—the possibilities for learning really using these cards in the exact ways we had they are also discovering something new about themselves or aides also now qualify for this card, making it easier are endless,” says Mitnick. hoped, such as getting free homework help from our the past. Here is just a small sample: For sponsorship opportunities or questions, please contact Sarah Charleton, than ever before for school staff to get access to the Library Foundation-funded online tutoring service Membership Director, at 213.292.6242 or [email protected]. Library’s collections. “I’m thrilled to launch our new Tutor.com,” says Eva Mitnick, the director of “I see myself in your work, it reaches my soul and fills it with Teacher Card and build on the longstanding Engagement and Learning for the Los Angeles pride and love for all my people, our people, the people. Those Sponsorship categories and levels: partnership we have with teachers. In our efforts to Public Library. who stand up each day to face the unknown...” • Library Legend ($10,000+) share resources and best serve students, our • Library Hero ($5,000-$9,999) librarians work closely with schools, and this new An additional 250,000 cards are being issued to “Communities supporting and engaging together in a positive, • Library Champion ($2,500-$4,999) card honors how much we value teachers,” says City students this fall, with all LAUSD students due to uplifting manner…is not only beneficial to all families, but • Library Advocate ($1,000-$2,499) Librarian John F. Szabo. “On the heels of our terrific receive a card by June 2018. “Because of the Student a beautiful expression of love and compassion. Great and • Library Enthusiast ($500-$999) Student Success card program, this enhances the wonderful exhibit.” Success Program we can communicate with every • Library Admirer ($250-$499) strong and vibrant relationship we have with single teacher at LAUSD and this is essential in teachers, students, and schools and is the latest in “¡Gracias!...Art is the universal language…Please keep this helping students. We can talk to teachers about their *Your gift must be received by January 8, 2018 to be recognized on the paper invitation. our ongoing commitment to support education in conversation going. We need it more than ever.” needs and we can respond to those needs, which will Los Angeles.” directly benefit the students,” says Mitnick. Ken Brecher “Programs like ALOUD examine how “I’ve always loved libraries and I think they To encourage the integration of these cards into President we think about where we’re going in a are magical places. The idea of a library As a result, the Library recently revamped a special curriculum, the Los Angeles Public Library created century that is reshaping everything is so powerful because it’s about access card for teachers to upgrade the borrowing a new school liaison position to better connect The murals are part of the Library Foundation’s project, from the movies we make to the art and to information. Libraries give us a range privileges for all LAUSD teachers. Now teachers can librarians and schools. Catherine Chenoweth, who Visualizing Language: Oaxaca in L.A. For more information literature we hold up as emblematic.” of opinions and a range of perspectives.” check out 50 items at a time for a four-month period. turn to page 5. currently works in this role, says that principals and —Los Angeles Times, 2017 —Alan Alda 2 Winter 2017 – 2018 213.228.7500 lfla.org 3 It’s a Wonderful Film: Lost & Found Movie Recs Visualizing Language Transforms Central Library The holidays are upon us and for many that’s prime Art enthusiasts, students, and Angelenos from all Miguel Arteta on the Cutest Couplings: “The paintings bring richly movie watching season, so we checked-in with John walks of life have gathered under the grand dome Behind-the-Scenes with Curator “Another question during ‘The Dinner Game’ asked colored images of the city’s Nein, the curator of the Library Foundation’s Lost & of the Central Library’s Rotunda and agreed— Amanda de la Garza Mata Found at the Movies, for some unexpected alternatives guests for the favorite ‘meet cute’ moment—those often contemporary Oaxacan unrealistic yet totally adorable happenstances where Visualizing Language: Oaxaca in L.A. is an inspiring, to It’s a Wonderful Life. Here, Nein shares some immigrant population into the nostalgic all-time favorites from guests of past love interests first come together. Many of us agreed timely showcase of art like our city has never seen Following the opening of Visualizing Language, we programs to shake-up your traditional holiday that nothing is cuter—in a good way—than Trouble in before. In September, this new exhibition at Central rotunda and blow Cornwell’s caught up with the exhibition curator, Amanda de viewing plans. Paradise, Ernst Lubitsch’s 1932 romantic comedy Library opened to the public as part of the Getty’s la Garza Mata, who also serves as an adjunct curator about a gentleman thief and a lady pickpocket who join pale tale right out of the space.” initiative Pacific Standard Time: LA/LA. at the Museum of Contemporary Art (MUAC) in forces to con a beautiful perfume company owner.” —Holland Cotter, The New York Times Illuminating the diversity of L.A.’s contemporary Mexico City.