Natasha Trethewey. Photo by Joel Benjamin via LOC.
You can find her collection “Domestic Work: Poems” at the Montclair branch.
Posted by: montclairlibrary | June 7, 2012
New poet laureate
Posted in News | Tags: books, literary news, poetry
Posted by: montclairlibrary | June 7, 2012
Reading and work
Reading at work. Photo by The Reading Agency.
Anne Kreamer makes “The Business Case for Reading Novels” in her blog for the Harvard Business Review. Research shows that “fiction-reading activates neuronal pathways in the brain that measurably help the reader better understand real human emotion — improving his or her overall social skillfulness” — meaning reading fiction might help you interact better with co-workers and clients and maybe even make you a better manager.
There are already a wealth of non-fiction books out there on improving your career or managing more effectively or doing your specific job better, but Kreamer recommends several fiction books she feels are relevant to the working world:
- The Way We Live Now by Anthony Trollope, inspired by 19th century financial scandals
- Turn of the Century by Kurt Andersen, about trying to balance the demands of work and life in 2000
- Sanditon by Jane Austen, an unfinished novel about a real estate speculator
- Bleak House by Charles Dickens, about the human cost of a prolonged lawsuit
- JR by William Gaddis, about an 11-year-old who builds a fortune in the stock market
- Something Happened by Joseph Heller, about a middle manager as he prepares for a promotion
What do you think? Can reading Dickens make you a better manager?
Posted in Just for Fun | Tags: books, employment, reading
Posted by: montclairlibrary | June 6, 2012
Book-scented perfume
“The smell of a freshly printed book is the best smell in the world.”
— fashion designer Karl Lagerfeld
Do you love books enough to want to smell like them? A new perfume called “Paper Passion” attempts to “put the particular bouquet of freshly printed books in a bottle.” The perfume is a collaboration between perfumer Geza Schoen, publisher Gerhard Steidl and Wallpaper* magazine, with packaging by Karl Lagerfeld.
If you’re more of a light reader, Demeter makes a Paperback fragrance.
At $115 a pop for Paper Passion, I’m thinking it might be a whole lot cheaper just to hang out in the library more if you want to smell like books.
Posted in Just for Fun | Tags: books
Posted by: montclairlibrary | June 4, 2012
Finding a job
Career books at a bookstore – image by click via MorgeFile.com
We all know the library is a good place to find books, CDs and DVDs, but can it also help you find a job? The Campaign for America’s Libraries has two useful posts on its @ Your Library website recently about using the library in your job search. “Identifying Potential Employers” outlines ideas for using library databases, reference materials and internet access to research companies, with lots of specific links and resources, and “Libraries provide resources for job seekers” provides more information about how libraries and job seekers are working together, including links to the resources provided by a couple of public libraries like corporate research and information for the recently unemployed.
At the Montclair branch, check out the special Career Collection section (look in the nonfiction 650s or ask a staff member to point the way) for books about resume writing, re-entering the workforce, acing a job interview and more.
Posted in Library Services | Tags: books, employment
Posted by: montclairlibrary | June 3, 2012
BART art celebrates reading
Illustration by Owen Smith for BART
A new line of posters in BART stations features BART passengers reading books with Bay Area connections as scenes from their imaginations come to life in the BART car around them. Alameda artist Owen Smith’s “Literary Journeys” series features Jack London’s “The Call of the Wild,” Amy Tan’s “Joy Luck Club” and Dashiell Hammett’s “Maltese Falcon” (which we have a soft spot for since it was published the same year the Montclair branch opened, 1930).
According to an article in The Montclarion last week, the posters are “about that universal experience of literature that lives in our collective conscious.”
Posted in Just for Fun | Tags: authors, books, reading
Posted by: montclairlibrary | May 31, 2012
The Summer Reading Program is coming!
School is almost out for the summer, which means the library’s summer reading program is ramping up. The theme this year is “Dream Big – Read!” Between June 16-August 11, 2012, kids who read 8 hours or more are eligible to win a free book and other prizes. Parents and older kids can read to children who aren’t reading yet. You can sign up for the program and get more details at the library or on the OPL website.
There are activities for kids at the Montclair branch all summer long, and a free reading program wrap-up party featuring Circus Bella at the Oakland Museum of California on August 5th.
For teens, the library is offering its Teen Summer Passport program again – teens ages 12-18 can register and then earn points for visiting Bay Area hotspots; writing book, movie or video game reviews; attending library programs; creating a self-portrait; or volunteering.
Posted by: montclairlibrary | May 30, 2012
Discover & Go with OPL
Looking for some free and low-cost activities this summer? We’re so excited that the Oakland Public Library is now part of the Discover & Go program. OPL library cardholders can get free and discounted passes to local museums and cultural institutions – from the California Academy of Sciences to the California Shakespeare Theater. Check out the full list of participating institutions here.
To get started, just log in at http://discover.oaklandlibrary.org/ with your library card number and PIN (the same ones you use to view your library account info on the OPL website). There’s a slideshow tutorial on how it works here: http://ccclib.org/tutorials/DiscoverGo/
Plus, the Contra Costa Library system has an awesome list of books for kids and adults to go with every museum they including in their Discover & Go program: check it out.
Posted in Library Services | Tags: services, summer
Posted by: montclairlibrary | May 22, 2012
Holiday closures
Mark your calendar: The Montclair branch (and all OPL branches) will be closed Tuesday, May 29th, in honor of Memorial Day. And the branch is always closed Sundays and Mondays – so pop in this week if you need a book before the 30th. Enjoy the long weekend!
Posted in News | Tags: hours, library news
Posted by: montclairlibrary | May 21, 2012
Do you love history? We need a volunteer!
Old image of Montclair firehouse, from Erika Mailman’s website
Do you love looking at old photographs and newspaper clippings? Know your way around the Oakland History Room at the Main Library, or want to learn? Interested in our community’s history?
The branch staff is looking for a volunteer to help compile a history of Montclair and the Montclair branch library. If you love history and research, this is a great way to help create something which will become part of the library’s collection.
The goal is to compile an electronic file and a binder for use by the public, containing articles and photos. We need someone to go to the Oakland History Room (on the second floor of the Main Library at 125 14th Street), usually on Friday mornings from 9am to noon before the library opens. (Other times might be possible if arranged with the OHR librarian.) We anticipate this project would take 1-2 months. There are manila folders of articles and photographs – these need to be culled, organized, and scanned.
Leon Cho, former librarian and branch manager of the Montclair Library, is heading up this project and will give direction on organization of subjects and photos. The Oakland History Room librarian will also give some initial directions on safe handling of historical materials.
Skills needed: Attention to detail, ability to work carefully with archival (often fragile) materials, interest in local history, ability to get to Main Library.
Interested? Questions? Contact Branch Manager Lynne Cutler at (510) 482-7810 or lcutler@oaklandlibrary.org.
Posted in News | Tags: history, storybook architecture, village, volunteers
Posted by: montclairlibrary | May 15, 2012
Teddy Bear Photo Party!
This Saturday, May 19th, children are invited to the library for a Teddy Bear Photo Party at 11:00am (right after Family Storytime). Bring your favorite stuffed animal for a photo shoot and picture frame craft in celebration of National Photography Month!
Posted in Events | Tags: arts & crafts, children, Events, Programs
Friends of Montclair Library 