Oakland Public Library Your Library May 2014 May is National Bike Month Get involved at the Oakland Public Library ay is National Bike Month, sponsored by the League of American Bicyclists and celebrated in communities Mfrom coast to coast. Established in 1956, National Bike Month is a chance to showcase the many benefits of bicycling—and encourage more folks to give biking a try. The Oakland Public Library is getting into the spirit of things with several fun and informative events throughout the month. And there’s more: Oakland Public Library is working with local bike shops to get library users the bike gear you need to keep safe. Show your library card at participating stores from May 1 through May 31 and get 10% off parts and accessories. Shops confirmed at the moment include Bay Area Bikes, Manifesto Bicycles, Lakeview Bicycle, and Montano Velo. There will be more stores, and more infor- mation about other events and volunteer actions that Oakland Public Library will be doing with Cycles of Change, so visit www.oaklandlibrary.org/biketoaction for the latest information. Meet and Ride with Author Elly Blue The Man Who Biked Across America Read a book, ride a bike, and help make Oakland a better place! Read Everyday Bicycling, an instructional book that Could you ride your bicycle sets out to plant the seeds of a green revolutionary move- across America? Michael ment. Then meet the author, Elly Blue, for a dynamic presen- Woods did—and he wasn’t tation at two different Oakland Public Library locations, with a even in great shape when he scenic group bike ride in between. This inspiring and fun started. Mr. Woods is event will start at César E. Chávez Branch, with a two-wheeling interlude along the coming to three Oakland Bay Trail, before concluding at the 81st Avenue Branch. Ms. Blue will provide tips Public Library locations to about organizing group rides, share passages from her book, and sign copies of the talk about riding 4,250 miles book, which will be available for sale if you don’t already have it. Bring your bike and in 55 days last year from his new home in the Bay Area to his old meet an exciting new voice in the world of bicycle activism! A light lunch will be home in Boston. Hear about his ride and see his touring bike and 50 provided, courtesy of the Friends of the Oakland Public Library. To find out more pounds of gear. Maybe after you hear him you’ll want to do a ride of about Elly Blue and her books, check out her blog at http://takingthelane.com/blog/. your own! As Mr. Woods will tell you, you don’t need to be an athlete Saturday, May 10 at César E. Chávez Branch, 10:15am, and at 81st Avenue to bike across America. Branch, 12pm See Library Activities list for locations and dates One-Hour Bike Mechanics Workshop Energizer Stations for Bike to Work Day on This one-hour workshop is taught by a certified Thursday, May 8 instructor from Bike East Bay and is funded by the Alameda County Transportation Commission. For 2014’s Bike to Work Day, Learn the basics of bicycle mechanics, including over 300 Energizer Stations will be located along education, job training, and earn-a-bike programs. how to fix a flat, adjust brakes and gears, and how local bike commute routes in all nine Bay Area We are accepting donations of working and almost to keep your bike clean and running smoothly. For counties to provide free beverages, snacks, and working bicycles and usable bike parts. Donations adults and teens, no bike required. Details and good cheer to bicyclists. The Oakland Public are tax-deductible, and each person who donates optional pre-registration are both available online at Library will host an Energizer Station at BART’s will receive a 20% off coupon for the Friends’ www.BikeEastBay.org/education. Lake Merritt Station and the Bike Library will be at Bookmark Bookstore. You can donate your bike at City Hall’s Energizer Station. 81st Avenue Branch, Saturday, May 17, 1pm the Bikery or at the Main Library just this one day For locations of Energizer Stations throughout only! Bike Drive with Cycles of Change the region to help plan your Bike to Work com- We are also looking for volunteers to help take mute, visit www.youcanbikethere.com/energizer. Donate your old bicycle to Cycles of Change and in donated bikes. Please email Mana Tominaga at See you in the bike lane! help support sustainable communities. Cycles of [email protected]. Change fixes up old bikes at the Bikery, a commu- Main Library (Oak Street side), Saturday, May NATIONAL BIKE MONTH AT OPL nity bike shop in East Oakland, and returns them 24, 10am to the community through its school-based bicycle Get the latest on events and programs: oaklandlibrary.org/biketoaction May Closures MON, 5/26 All library locations will be closed for Memorial Day On Exhibit The Watts Tract in The Watts Tract in Transition The Oakland History Room and the TUE, 5/27 Transition. This photo, Emeryville Historical Society are mounting an exhibit on the recent Main, Brookfield, Eastmont, Golden from 1989, is of the transformation of the Watts Tract in West Oakland. Running from 32nd Gate, and Piedmont Avenue will be California Laundry, Street north to the Emeryville border, and from Chestnut Street west to open; all other locations will be formerly located at 681 the Bay, this tract has experienced major changes over the past quarter closed for Memorial Day 27th Street. It appears century. Featured in the exhibit will be photographs of the landmark to have been a house, California Hotel and Clawson Elementary School. Main Library-Oakland converted into a place of History Room, through June 30 business, with the addition oaklandlibrary.org of a façade. Photo ARISE High School Student Art Art teacher Nils Heymann has courtesy the Emeryville curated a show by his students. Works include scratchboards, textural Historical Society. pieces, and other media. Pieces will be rotating in and out of the exhibit all school year in the Chávez TeenZone and meeting room. César E. Chávez Branch, through May 30 Oakland Public Library : 1 Two Programs Concerning Author Talk: A Biography Your Health of Jerry Brown Yoga and Your Health: Why Do Diseases alifornia’s current governor—and Oakland’s former Develop in Our Bodies? C mayor—has led an eventful life, to say the least. In There are many things than can cause a Trailblazer, the first biography of Edmund Gerald “Jerry” weakness or disease in our bodies. How can Brown, Jr. in more than 30 years, author Chuck McFadden yoga help you to live a happy and healthy is not lacking for interesting material. Brown spent part of daily life? The yoga ways can be translated to his childhood in the Governor’s mansion, as son of Ed- mean “to unite” and “to join.” Yoga means to mund G. “Pat” Brown, then served two terms himself as achieve perfect balance, health, and happi- governor 1975-83 before being re-elected 28 years later. In ness. We will explore the reasons for diseas- between, he ran for president three times, worked with es and imbalances in our bodies, minds, and Aleatsae Klosova Mother Teresa, studied in a Catholic Seminary, studied Zen souls according to the principles of yoga. masters, dated a well-known pop singer, served as mayor Aleatsae Klosova, the director of Yoga in Daily Life Bay Ar- of Oakland and as Lieutenant Governor of California, and ea-Amrit Sagar Center in Oakland, will lead a self-inquiry married for the first time at age 67. Mr. McFadden, a followed by a guided meditation. Please dress so that you are longtime political reporter for the Associated Press, will comfortable for sitting and doing simple stretches. discuss how he traced the moving shadows of “Governor Lakeview Branch, Saturday, May 3, 2pm Moonbeam” in this well-informed portrait. Main Library-Bradley Walters Community Room, Take Charge of Your Health Care Decisions Saturday, May 24, 2pm Laurie Umeh and Sheila D’Amico will lead a program to help older people sort out some complicated health care issues. They will Urban Homesteading: discuss how to talk with loved ones about health care preferences, how to choose the Heirloom Skills for right person to make healthcare decisions for Sustainable Living Laurie Umeh you should you become incapacitated, and how to fill out “Advance Directive” forms and achel Kaplan, lead author of Urban Homesteading: what the legal or medical terms mean. R Heirloom Skills for Sustainable Living, will share her personal experiences with urban homesteading and Laurie Umeh is a RN and geriatric nurse broaden the discussion to the worldwide movement. practitioner who has worked for the past 15 She will discuss food growing, animal tending, bee- years with older adults in skilled nursing keeping, seed saving, water and energy conservation, facilities in the East Bay. Sheila D’Amico is a Sheila D’Amico kitchen skilling, medicine making, urban permaculture, lawyer and teacher at a community college who and the work of building a resilient community. has a passionate interest in helping people understand what they are reading by putting complicated terms into plain English. César E. Chávez Branch, Saturday, May 24, 11am Melrose Branch, Saturday, May 3, 2pm Library Activities Adults Monthly Oakland Wiki Edit COMPUTER HELP THU, 5/15 POP-UP TEENZONES Party, Main, 2pm Asian, Sat, 10:30am Teen Advisory Board Meeting, Lakeview, Fri, 5/2, 3pm SAT, 5/3 Urban Homesteading: Heirloom Asian, 4pm César E.