Having trouble viewing this email? View it as a Web page.

PRESS RELEASE

September 27, 2023 
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact:
Sarah Henry, Public Information Officer
510-747-4714 | shenry@alamedaca.gov

Alameda Free Library Event Alert October 2023

 Event Descriptions – Ongoing Adult and Teen Events: 

• Dungeons & Dragons: Want to try Dungeons & Dragons but can’t find a group? Looking for a new party? Come to our Dungeons & Dragons Teen Meetup! No previous experience required. Character sheets will be provided as well as rules explanations and dice. Registration is encouraged; please see the online calendar for the registration link.
• Make It: Calling all knitters, crochetiers, embroidery enthusiasts, and fiber ateliers! Please join us in the Family Study Room at Main for a fiber arts craft circle. Please bring your own project, materials, and expertise. Limited instruction available!
• Teen Advisory Board (TAB): Do you wish the library would do more events and programs that you’re interested in? Have you been anxiously awaiting a new book and you want the library to buy it? Do you need an impressive membership to put on your applications and resumes? Join the Teen Advisory Board (TAB) to let the library know what you’re interested in. The Teen Advisory Board is your chance to make a difference in the library for yourself and other teens in Alameda. Members of the Teen Advisory Board will help plan teen programs and choose teen events. Teen Advisory Board members will earn community service hours for every meeting and event that they participate in.
• Teen Book Club: Teen book club members choose what we read from a variety of titles and genres each month. Additionally, while supplies last, book club members receive a free copy of the book to keep. The title we will discuss in October is Julieta and the Romeos by Maria E. Andreu. All teens, ages 13 to 18, are invited to join the book group. Registration link is on the calendar. We will be meeting in person in the Stafford Room at the Main Library.
• Lawyers in the Library: The Lawyers in the Library program provides free 15-minute consultations by phone with a volunteer attorney who will provide guidance on legal matters. Examples of areas covered include landlord/tenant disputes, probate matters, employment problems and other general consumer issues. Please see the online calendar for registration form and instructions.
• Alameda Great Books Discussion Group: Join us for a discussion of The Art of War by Sun Tzu.
• Game Break: Don’t forget to take a break…A GAME BREAK! Try out our new games and/or watch others play. No registration needed, masks strongly encouraged. Teens only!
• Alameda Library Writers’ Group: This group is open to all adult writers looking for an opportunity to connect and share with other writers. At the meeting you are welcome to share your writing and everyone will be given a writing prompt. Whatever your genre, you are welcome to join the group! Join in person or via Zoom.
• A Novel Idea: A Novel Idea is a book club for adults featuring novels from diverse genres and authors. Join us for a lively discussion and deepen your engagement with your reading! The October book is America is Not the Heart, a novel by Elaine Castillo. Castillo's debut novel presents a portrait of the Filipino diaspora, told through the lens of a single family. Revolving around Hero de Vera—a former rebel (with the scars to prove it) turned au pair of sorts in Milpitas, California—this is a book about identity but even more about standing up for something larger than oneself.
• A Cup of Coffee and a Good Book Club: Wondering what to read next? Instead of a monthly book everyone reads, A Cup of Coffee and a Good Book Club will discuss what everyone is currently reading or has read recently that they enjoyed. This is a fun and informal way to get some recommendations and give some too. The October theme is Books with One Word Titles.. Please email the facilitator, Lynda, at llyndaw@gmail.com for more information.
• Mystery Book Club: Join the Alameda Free Library’s Mystery Book Clubfor a fun and engaging literary discussion!  We are offering this popular book club in two different locations, the Main Library and the Bay Farm Island Library. The October mystery is The Goodbye Coast: A Philip Marlowe Novel by Joe Ide..
• Movie Night - Umma (2022, rated PG-13) Amanda and her daughter live a quiet life on an American farm, but when the ashes of her estranged mother arrive from Korea, Amanda becomes haunted by the fear of turning into her own mother..

Event Descriptions – Special Adult/Teen Events: 

• Latine/Hispanic Heritage Celebration and Resource Fair: Join us for a Latine/Hispanic Heritage Month Celebration at the Library! Explore the rich cultural diversity of Latine communities through fun activities, connect with community partners, and enjoy refreshments while supplies last! Don't miss this opportunity to connect, learn, and celebrate together.
• Basic Computers 102: This class is an extension of the Computer Basics 101 class with a focus on learning how to create and manage folders to organize the files on your computer/desktop. We’ll also introduce some basic programs (like Microsoft Word and Google Chrome), and shortcuts. Feel free to bring your personal devices and USB drives. Registration is requested as space is limited.
• Search for ET: Humans have sought "signs from above” for millennia. The scientific search for extraterrestrial intelligence (SETI) began circa 1960, and, today, grows ever deeper and more technologically diverse. The scope of modern research is breathtaking. Methods include targeted searches for electromagnetic (EM) signals near known Earth-like exoplanets, continuous EM scans over the entire sky (e.g., PANOSETI at the Bay Area's Lick Observatory), the hunt for exotic forms of communication, and the careful search for ET artifacts on/near Earth.
• Murder Mystery Escape Room: Step into the thrilling world of classic crime fiction with our murder mystery game kit inspired by Ann Cleeves's Vera Stanhope novel The Darkest Evening. You will become a detective in a chilling snow-covered country house where a murder has taken place. As you gather clues, interrogate suspects, and piece together motives, you'll feel like you're living out your favorite Agatha Christie novel. Whether you're a seasoned crime-solving enthusiast or a newcomer to the genre, join us for a captivating and suspenseful afternoon of entertainment.

Event Descriptions – Ongoing Children’s/Family Events: 

Bay Farm Island Branch:

• Preschool Storytime: A 30-45 minute program geared toward children ages 3-5 years old. Creating a language-rich environment through books, music, and movement, this program also offers children an avenue toward Kindergarten readiness by asking them to take turns, share, and follow simple directions. New day! Mondays at 10:30am, ages 3-5.
• Family Storytime: Put on your pajamas and join us at the Bay Farm Island Library for family storytime! Geared for a mix of ages, we invite families to participate as we read stories, sing songs, do fingerplays and more. Every Tuesday at 7pm, all ages.
• Toddler Storytime: A 20-30 minute program that uses stories, songs, fingerplays, and movement to help young children ages 1-3 years old develop word and sound recognition, gain background knowledge of how the world works, and encourages families to build social connections with other parents and children. New program at BFI! Thursdays at 10:30 AM.
• Build with LEGO: We will provide the LEGO building blocks. Use your imagination and creativity to create with them! Every Thursday at 3:30 pm.

Main Library, Children's Programming Room:

• Preschool Storytime: A 30-45 minute program geared toward children ages 3-5 years old. Creating a language-rich environment through books, music, and movement, this program also offers children an avenue toward Kindergarten readiness by asking them to take turns, share, and follow simple directions. Every Tuesday at 10:30am, ages 3-5.
• School-Age Storytime: A 45 minute program for children in Kindergarten through third grade. Through the use of books and conversation, children are encouraged to engage with the stories, learning context from pictures and memory, and building comprehension by asking questions about the book just read. Every Wednesday at 3:30pm, grades K-3rd.
• Mother Goose on the Loose: This fast paced lap-sit program for little ones and their caregivers includes songs, nursery rhymes, knee-bounces, and movement to help develop important pre-literacy skills. This class is appropriate for infants through 2 years old. This program starts promptly at 10:30am. Latecomers may not be admitted. Every Thursday at 10:30am, ages 0-2.
• Toddler Storytime: A 20-30 minute program that uses stories, songs, fingerplays, and movement to help young children ages 1-3 years old develop word and sound recognition, gain background knowledge of how the world works, and encourages families to build social connections with other parents and children. Every Friday & Saturday at 10:30am, ages 1-3.

West End Branch:

• Family Storytime: Put on your pajamas and join us at the Bay Farm Island Library for family storytime! Geared for a mix of ages, we invite families to participate as we read stories, sing songs, do fingerplays and more. New program at WEB! Every Monday at 7pm, all ages.
• Toddler Storytime: A 20-30 minute program that uses stories, songs, fingerplays, and movement to help young children ages 1-3 years old develop word and sound recognition, gain background knowledge of how the world works, and encourages families to build social connections with other parents and children. Every Tuesday at 10:30am, ages 1-3.

Event Descriptions - Special Children’s/Family Events:

• Family Movie Matinee: Join us for a sensory-friendly, family focused screening of Encanto! The Madrigals are an extraordinary family who live hidden in the mountains of Colombia in a charmed place called the Encanto. The magic of the Encanto has blessed every child in the family with a unique gift -- every child except Mirabel. However, she soon may be the Madrigals last hope when she discovers that the magic surrounding the Encanto is now in danger.
• BFI Spooky Stuffy Storytime: Bring your favorite stuffy to a special spooky storytime! Costumes for you and./or your stuffy are optional. Leave your stuffy for a fun overnight at the Bay Farm Island Library, or take them home with you if they aren't quite ready for sleepover fun.
• BFI Spooky Stuffy Sleepover: How spooky is the library after the lights are turned out at night? Send your favorite stuffed animals to our Spooky Stuffy Sleepover at the Bay Farm Island Library and they will find out! Join us for a special storytime at 3:00 pm, or drop off your stuffy anytime during open hours (10 am - 8 pm), on Tuesday, October 17th. Spooky stuffy costumes are welcome but optional! Pick up your stuffy anytime during open hours the next day, Wednesday, October 18th.
• BFI Super Sleuths: Open to fourth and fifth graders, BFI Super Sleuths is a peer-driven, library staff led club for kids who like to read and talk about mysteries and enjoy some related activities or projects during each meeting. All sleuths are expected to have finished the assigned title before the meeting and be ready to participate in the discussions. Super Sleuths runs from October 2023 through May 2024 and will be limited to 8 participants. Please register by October 1st.
• Costume Swap: Starting October 1st, bring your gently used costumes and accessories to the Main Library and exchange them for a ticket for entry to the Costume Swap on October 22nd. Costumes will be accepted at the Information, Circulation, and Reference Desks. Entry tickets will be required for the Costume Swap on October 22nd-- please drop off your costumes early so that we can sort them for the Swap!
• The Not-So-Scary Halloween Magic Show: Surprise! It’s a magic show full of Halloween fun that's appropriate for all ages! Bring your ghosts and goblins, your superheroes and your fairies as tricks reign over treats in this silly, fun, laughter-filled show.

Download and share the press release here.

####