Just a reminder that all Oakland public libraries, including the Montclair branch, will be closed Friday, October 23rd due to the city-wide budget shortage.
Posted by: montclairlibrary | October 5, 2009
Library will be closed October 23rd
Posted by: montclairlibrary | October 2, 2009
Leon’s Retirement Party
Branch Librarian Leon Cho retired September 29th after almost 25 years with the city – here he is cutting the cake at the retirement party the Friends threw for him. (Photo by Dean Banks) Leon is looking forward to spending some time on his other interests, including photography, painting and woodworking.
The Montclarion’s Ginny Prior gave Leon a nice shout-out in her “Town Crier” column today (October 2).
Posted by: montclairlibrary | September 30, 2009
Welcome, Sandra
Some great news: Sandra Toscano, a former children’s librarian at Montclair, will be coming back as the branch manager beginning today (Sept. 30). Since the branch was without either a children’s librarian or a branch librarian, Sandra’s a great fit. She will be here full time for at least six months, at which time funding for the position will be re-evaluated. Be sure to give Sandra a “hello” next time you’re in the branch!
Posted by: montclairlibrary | September 27, 2009
Banned Books Week
Ever read “The Catcher in the Rye”? How about “The Color Purple”? “Slaughterhouse-Five”? “The Great Gatsby”? Then you’ve read a banned book! People have tried to ban all these books, and many other classics, at one time or another. How many banned books have you read?
September 26-October 3 is Banned Books Week (BBW), sponsored by the American Library Association (ALA), the The American Booksellers Foundation for Free Expression (ABFFE) and others.
The ALA says: “BBW is an annual event celebrating the freedom to read and the importance of the First Amendment. Held during the last week of September, Banned Books Week highlights the benefits of free and open access to information while drawing attention to the harms of censorship by spotlighting actual or attempted bannings of books across the United States.”
Why not exercise your First Amendment rights and read or re-read a banned book? The ALA website lists frequently challenged books by year, author and other criteria.
Comments Off on Banned Books Week
Posted in Just for Fun | Tags: literary news
Posted by: montclairlibrary | September 23, 2009
Goodbye, Leon!
Our hard-working branch librarian, Leon Cho, will be retiring next week. Tuesday 9/29 will be his last day, and the Friends will be hosting a going-away party at the library that day for patrons and staff. We’ll have some quick thank-you speeches at 2pm and cake and lemonade from 2-4 or so. Come on by and say thanks to Leon for all his help over the years!
In honor of Leon, here’s the SF Chronicle’s list of 11 (fictional) Librarians Not to Mess With.
Posted by: montclairlibrary | September 20, 2009
Hot days may mean temporary library closures
The weather forecast for the coming week calls for some hot days here in Oakland. Did you know that on hot days, in some cases the Oakland Public Library has to close some of its branches in order to abide by OSHA guidelines for heat exposure risks to employees and the public? Our quaint little Montclair branch is one of many without air conditioning, so it’s subject to heat-related closures if the temperature inside reaches or exceeds 87 degrees Fahrenheit. The decision to approve such temporary closures must be made by a Library Administrator, who will evaluate other factors too, such as the number of users in the library, their comfort level and the health of staff.
For more information on heat-related closures, including a list of branches which have air conditioning, see the Oakland Public Library website.
Stay cool, Montclair.
Comments Off on Hot days may mean temporary library closures
Posted in News
Posted by: montclairlibrary | September 16, 2009
Re-Opening party in the news
The Montclarion ran a nice photo of our July 18th re-opening party in its August 7, 2009 edition:
Caption: Branch librarian Leon Cho, left, Susan Piper of Councilwoman Jean Quan’s office and Carmen Martinez, director of library services for the Oakland Public Library, welcome guests to the newly re-opened library and book sale for the community on July 18. The library had been closed for mold abatement since late March. Several hundred guests enjoyed face-painting and refreshments, including a cake provided by Quan.
Photo: Dean Banks
Comments Off on Re-Opening party in the news
Posted in Events | Tags: Events, re-opening
Posted by: montclairlibrary | August 1, 2009
Summer Reading Programs wrapping up
A big thanks to everyone who participated in the library’s summer reading programs, especially with the Montclair Branch being closed at the beginning of the program.
There will be a free family Summer Reading Program party for all participants on Sunday, August 9 from 12:30 to 4:30 p.m. at the Oakland Museum of California. More details on the OPL website at http://www.oaklandlibrary.org/PR/pr072309fun.htm
The Teen Summer Passport Program will have its own party on Saturday, August 29, at 3 pm at the Main Library’s TeenZone, 125 14th St. The party will feature live music by the Bay Area Girls Rock Camp. For more information about the party, please call (510) 238-7232 or 238-7234, or visit the OPL website.
Posted by: montclairlibrary | August 1, 2009
Library fines and fees going up
News from the Oakland Public Library:
“Starting August 1, several of the Oakland Public Library’s fine and fee charges will go up. Overdue fines for most adult/teen materials will now be 25 cents per day (instead of 20 cents per day), and it will cost $2 (not $1) to replace a lost or damaged library card. Individuals will also have to pay 15 cents per page for computer printing (no free copies), and $2 (not $1) to make an interlibrary loan request.”
Here’s an up-to-date overview of the Library’s fines and fees:
Late Items
Adult/Teen Materials: 25 cents per day
Video/DVD, Book-on-tape, Book-on-CD: $1 per day
Tools: $1 to $20 per day, based on tool’s value
Children’s Materials: No fine
Children’s Videos/DVDs: $1 per day
Loss/Damage Fees
Lost Materials (including tools): cost of replacement
Damaged Materials (including tools): cost of repair
Damaged Barcode: 50 cents
Library Card Replacement: $2
Other Fees
Interlibrary Loan (ILL): $2 request fee
Computer Printing Fee: 15 cents per page
Comments Off on Library fines and fees going up
Posted in News | Tags: library news, services
Posted by: montclairlibrary | August 1, 2009
Reminder about new library hours
Just a reminder that the new hours for all Oakland branch libraries have new hours starting today, August 1. The new hours for the Montclair Branch are:
Tuesdays: 12:30-8
Wednesdays, Thursdays & Saturdays: 10-5:30
Fridays: 12-5:30
(Closed Mondays and Sundays)
Also, please note that due to citywide budget shortages, the Library will be closed Friday, August 14.
TIP: If you’d like stay up-to-date on hours, closures, events and other news, sign up for the Oakland Public Library email newsletter by clicking the “Sign up for our e-newsletter” button on their home page at http://www.oaklandlibrary.org
Friends of Montclair Library 