September 2010 Vol. 41 No. 9 Scout, Atticus & Boo: One City One Book: Zeitoun To Kill a Mockingbird uring September and October, the San Francisco Public Library, many San Francisco book stores and other partners across the city will be engaged with this year’s One City One Book, Zeitoun by 50th Anniversary Dave Eggers. For two months we will read and discuss this dramatic true story about one family’s This year marks the 50th an- journey during the wake and aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. Join in the conversation at public niversary of one of literature’s Devents, including Dave Eggers in conversation with Beth Lisick at the Main Library on Oct. 14. Among the most beloved novels, To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee. many related programs at the Main, branches and book stores are disaster planning for your pet, a lecture In honor of the anniversary, on New Orleans jazz with SF Jazz, the Thursdays at Noon film series in October, oral history workshops and, and to coincide with Banned of course, book discussions. Books Week, Sept. 25-Oct. 2, the Library presents a special September Events program celebrating this Join in the Preparing Yourself and Your Companion Animal for a Disaster classic book which has been conversation Learn how to protect your beloved pet when an emergency or disaster occurs. challenged and banned Sept. 8, Latino/Hispanic Community Meeting Room, Main Library, 6 p.m. throughout its 50 years. Book editor Oscar Villalon at public events Sept. 15, Excelsior Branch Library, 7 p.m. hosts a screening of a short documentary by direc- including Dave Eggers Sept. 22, Glen Park Branch Library, 6:30 p.m. tor Mary McDonagh Murphy, Hey, Boo: Harper Lee & To Kill A Mockingbird, followed by a book discussion in conversation with Zeitoun, A Sad Tale of Civil Liberties Abuse with San Francisco authors Jewelle Gomez, Andrew Beth Lisick at the Main ACLU attorney Julia Mass will talk about the civil liberties abuses depicted in Sean Greer and Michelle Richmond. Library on Oct. 14. Zeitoun, as well as the recent history of civil liberties abuses against Americans of Middle Eastern extraction since 9/11. Event: Sept. 28, 6 p.m., Main Library, Koret Audito- Sept. 11, Western Addition Branch Library, 2 p.m. rium. A book sale by Book Bay follows the event. Continued on Page 4 Read about the SFPL Teen Center Banned Book Challenge on Page 5. Celebrating Fabulous Activists Hispanic Heritage or the past 40 years, San Francisco Bay Area lesbians with disabilities have been at the forefront of Join us for programs that honor Hispanic Heritage political, artistic and cultural change. Despite these significant accomplishments, most of this history Month at libraries around the City. Fhas not been documented in any archive and is in danger of being lost. Celebrating Fabulous/Activist Bay Area LEsbians with Disabilities: A 40 Year Retrospective, on view Sept. 18 - Nov. 23, in the Skylight Gallery Mexico-in-Film Series and the James C. Hormel Gay and Lesbian Center at the Main Library, celebrates the contributions of ¡Vive El Cine Mexicano! disabled lesbians from the 1970s to the present. Sept. 7, Koret Auditorium, Main Library, 12 p.m. This exhibition and many of its related programs take place at an important time this fall when October La Familia Peña-Govea honors Disability Awareness Month and the recently enacted Disability History Week in California. Featured in Traditional accordion- the exhibition are photographs, a Memorial Quilt, archival materials and more that demonstrate the innovative based Mexican and Tex- contributions by disabled lesbians in the areas of art, dance, politics, civil rights and access. Mex songs and dance for African American quilt-maker children of all ages. Karen Hampton stitched and burned Sept. 18, Glen Park Branch the images, names and words of a Library, 2 p.m. dozen deceased Bay Area disabled La Familia Peña-Govea Sept. 25, Potrero Branch lesbians into a multi-layered tribute Library, 2 p.m. on hand-dyed fabric. Grounded in the African American story-quilt tradition, Francisco Herrera Hampton’s use of materials and sym- Songs, games and tongue twisters in Spanish and bols reflects the diaphanous, complex English for children of all ages, with this renowned lives of disabled lesbians. Some of the singer and guitarist. disabled lesbians depicted in the Sept. 23, Fisher Children’s Center, Main Library, Memorial Quilt include Pat Parker, 10:30 a.m. Margaret Sloan-Hunter, (co-founder of Olmec, Maya and Aztec Art Workshop Ms. Magazine) and Paula Gunn Allen. The Museum of Craft and Folk Art will work with The exhibition also includes children of all ages to create a clay plaque. ephemera, such as a Pride Parade ac- Carrie Gagliardi, Jill Lessing and Nanci Stern, circa 1982, on their way to Continued on Page 3 Sept. 24, Mission Branch Library, 3:30 p.m. Operation Concern’s disabled lesbian support group. Photo: Cathy Cade 46th Annual Big Book Sale By the Numbers 500,000 Books, DVDs, CDs, LPs and more $265,000 Raised at the sale for SFPL in 2009 400 Volunteers devoting their time 50+Categories of items 40% More materials than last year 1Extra day this year Big Book Sale, Wednesday, Sept. 22 – Sunday, Sept. 26. Member Preview on Tuesday, Sept. 21. Coming Up: OCTOBER 2 OCTOBER 5, 6, 7 OCTOBER 23 OCTOBER 24 Crossing the Street Kidquake in the Koret Buffalo Soldiers and the Tricycle Music Fest Book art exhibit on view Main Library, 10 a.m. Philippine American War With The Sippy Cups and through Feb. 25 Koret Auditorium, Main Library, Francis England Portola Branch Library 2 p.m. Larkin Street steps, Main Library, 11 a.m. sfpl.orG AT THE LIbrarY SEPTEMBER 2010 1 Branch Library Improvement Program (BLIP) Temporary Services Schedule The Library provides the following services during branch renovations. Bookmobile Locations: Anza (Balboa St., at 31st Ave.) Tuesday: 10:30 a.m.–1 p.m. Saturday: 1:30–5 p.m. Photo: Henric Kam Golden Gate Valley (1700 Green St., alongside Allyne Park.) New Potrero Branch Library Tuesday: 10 a.m.–12:30 p.m. Friday: 2:15–5:30 p.m. Attracts Crowds Merced (Buckingham Way, near Stonestown ince its re-opening in March, the beautiful, renovated Potrero Branch movie theater.) Library is proving its popularity. From its opening in early March Monday: 10 a.m.–12:30 p.m. through June 2010, the branch circulated more than 65,000 items. Saturday: 10 a.m.–12:30 p.m. In fact, its monthly circulation figure for June was 200 percent higher than the monthly circulation rate in the months before the library Park closed for renovation in 2008. (751 Stanyan St., south of Waller) SFrom the first day of opening, circulation has been on the rise. In the first four Tuesday: 3:30–7 p.m. hours of opening, the library staff circulated more than 2,000 items. By compari- Wednesday: 1–5 p.m. son, a large branch library in San Francisco generally circulates about 1,500 items over the course of a full day, explained Branch Manager Lia Hillman. Patrons are Parkside very happy with the (1281 Santiago, at 24th Ave., Northwest collections, particularly corner of McCoppin Square.) the DVD and cookbook Monday: 1–5 p.m. Photo: Jason Doiy collections. Wednesday: 1–5 p.m. The Potrero Branch Library boasts one of the most amazing views of the Presidio City. “I’d say the view from the back windows are (2715 California St. at Scott St.) working pretty well. The lounge chairs on the Second Wednesday: 10 a.m.–12:30 p.m. Floor are prime real estate,” said Hillman. Friday: 10 a.m.–12:30 p.m. The entire branch is thoroughly utilized. Every seat in every nook and cranny is occupied. Teens are reveling in their designated space. Students from nearby UC-San Francisco and the American College of Traditional Chinese Medicine use the wireless net- work access and the (relatively) quiet space. There are also a lot of users who bring in their own laptops, so there always seems to be an available computer. The program room is filled to capacity at every Bookmobile hours subject to change; regularly scheduled children’s program. The demand call (415) 557-4343 or visit sfpl.org for is so great that the Library has created two additional updated information. weekly children’s programs to accommodate the crowds. New and expanded bathrooms at the remod- eled branch mean there is rarely a line. “If anyone wants to see proof of their tax dollars at work, they should come visit the Potrero Branch BLIP Update Library,” said Hillman. Branches under construction and Potrero Library users make good use of the new computers. Photo: Jason Doiy projected opening dates: Parkside – 2010 BLIP Blogs Visitacion Valley – 2011 Merced – 2011 Want to keep up with the status of your branch library’s construction efforts? Check out the branch blogs for news and to see the latest pictures about what’s happening at your library. The Golden Gate Valley, Merced, Ortega – 2011 Ortega and Park branch libraries all maintain blogs to keep their patrons informed, both about the ongoing Anza – 2011 construction at those branches as well as about neighborhood activities and regular library programs that are Golden Gate Valley – 2011 continuing even while the branch library is temporarily closed. You can find these blogs by going to sfpl.org/blip and then clicking through to the “libraries under construction” links for each branch. Presidio – 2011 Park – 2011 The largest building campaign in San Francisco Public Library history is in full swing.