Goleta Valley Library's Reading Corner - November 2019

Thank You Volunteers!

Thanksgiving is just days away and it’s a perfect time to thank everyone who visits, supports, works or volunteers at our libraries.  We are so grateful for everyone who is part of making our libraries the wonderful places they are. 

On Tuesday, we held a Volunteer Appreciation Breakfast at our Goleta Library to thank the generous people who help keep our libraries organized and running efficiently.  More than forty people showed up which is just a small sample of the hundreds of volunteers we have that routinely help out at all of our libraries.  We can’t thank you enough for giving back to your communities in this wonderful way which benefits so many!

A Note from Library Director Allison Gray: Give the Gift of Reading 

As the holidays grow nearer, you may start wondering about what to give to the person in your life who has it all.  Why not consider giving the gift of books?  People frequently give money to the library branches in honor of someone special in their lives.  We, then, specially bookplate the materials we purchase with the donation.  Every year, I personally give money to the Goleta Valley Library in honor of my late mother, who was also a librarian, and faithfully read a book every day of her life.

November is Picture Book Month!  As we close this month, please share some favorite picture books with the children in your life.  New titles are added every week.  If you need recommendations, ask our helpful staff. Also, as a reminder, in November, our libraries will be closed for the Thanksgiving holiday on November 28^th and 29^th.

Stay up-to-date on what’s happening at the Library by following us on our Facebook page (@GoletaValley Library) and Instagram (goletavalleylibrary). We post regularly about programs, books, websites, and more. We would love you to follow us on our social media platforms.

B. Allison Gray
Goleta Valley Library Director

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GOLETA VALLEY LIBRARY

Tiny Library Coming to Goleta

Hashtags are a familiar sight on your computer or phone but it’s rare to see a giant-sized one in person and especially one filled with books! The City of Goleta is pleased to report that there will be a “Tiny Library” in the shape of a hashtag in front of the Goleta Valley Library located at 500 N. Fairview Avenue in mid-December. 

The Tiny Libraries exhibit, by artist Douglas Lochner, is the result of a partnership between the Santa Barbara County Arts Commission and the City of Santa Barbara. It consists of six bright, life-sized, functional art “libraries” in the shape of punctuation marks distributed along State Street.  You may have seen them in Santa Barbara, and we are thrilled to soon have a Tiny Library in Goleta soon.

Once it arrives, the colorful Hashtag will be displayed on the landing space in front of the Library for six months. Library staff will stock the Hashtag with books for all ages. These books are free to the public, and individuals are also encouraged to leave books to donate to other readers. Follow the Library on Facebook (@GoletaValleyLibrary) and Instagram (goletavalleylibrary) for updates on when the Tiny Library will arrive.  

Thanks to the Santa Barbara County Arts Commission for their work to get these tiny libraries on display throughout the County.  More information about the Tiny Libraries program is available at www.sbac.ca.gov/tinylibraries.

Mystery Book Club Pick

This month’s Goleta Valley Library’s Mystery Book Club pick is “The Room of White Fire” by T. Jefferson Parker. What’s it about?  Roland Ford, a marine-turned-private investigator struggling from the recent death of his wife, races to track down a soldier who has escaped from a mental institution and who possesses a dangerous secret.   Join us for a thrilling discussion on Tuesday, November 26 from 6:00 – 7:00 p.m. 

Homework Help

In case you didn’t know, Kindergarten – 5th graders can get FREE homework help at Goleta Valley Library Tuesdays and Thursdays from 3:15 – 6:00 p.m. Homework can be stressful and overwhelming for students and parents. We encourage you to take advantage of this amazing service. Also, with a library card, students of all ages can get tutoring help online with Brainfuse HelpNow.

SOLVANG LIBRARY

Solvang Trading Card Club

Come to trade, learn to battle!  Solvang Library’s Trading Card Club: Pokemon, Yu-Go-Oh, & More meets the third Thursday of each month from 3:30-4:30 p.m., best for ages 7-12. All participants win cards! Players of Magic the Gathering welcome also. 

Saturday Movies in Solvang

Head to the Solvang Library for free movie screenings on the 4^th Saturday of each month at 1:00 p.m. This month’s movie “Yesterday” is coming up on November 23, 2019.  After a freak accident during a worldwide blackout, struggling musician Jack Malik wakes to discover that he is the only person in the world to remember The Beatles. Rated PG-13, released in 2019 by Universal Pictures.

There is always a lot going on at all of our libraries and we will keep you posted on many different ways you can be involved and enjoy all that they have to offer.  We thank you for your support and wish you a Happy Thanksgiving!

We leave you with Ten Reasons to Be Thankful for your public library written by Diane Adams and published in the International Falls Journal.

BUELLTON LIBRARY

Buellton Bookworms Bookclub

This month, the Buellton Bookworms Bookclub is reading Cheryl Strayed's “Wild.” This autobiographical book is about a young woman who loses everything and decides to hike the Pacific Crest Trail to find her sense of self in the great outdoors.  It’s a great must-read book for our list!

10 Reasons to be Grateful for Your Public Library

November is a month is which gratitude is expressed for the blessings in our lives. Here are 10 reasons you might be grateful for your public library:

1. Improve quality of life - According to a 2013 report by the Pew Research Center, 94 percent of Americans say that having a public library improves the quality of life in a community. They also improve the quality of life for your family.
2. One-on-one help for parents - Got a question about potty training? Sleeping through the night? College applications? Google will give you a million answers, but the public librarian helps you narrow the search to the right book, resource, or peer.
3. Ready to read - Library story times help preschoolers get ready to read. Children learn to listen, share, and engage. And parents check out books to read at home. According to the National Center for Education Statistics, children who are read to at home enjoy a substantial advantage over those who are not.
4. Babies need books and parents need each other - Story times help babies develop their gross and fine motor skills, their eyesight, their language and emotional and intellectual capabilities. They introduce babies to the world of reading, art, and storytelling. They also connect new moms and dads to one another.
5. Teen hang-out - The library provides a safe and relaxing place for teens and tweens to hang out when they aren’t in school or involved in other activities. They can find a quiet corner to read or draw, get online to play games or do homework, or just hang out with their friends.
6. Homework help - Public libraries help students get their work done outside of school. Some students meet their tutors at the library, or simply come to find a quiet place to do their work. And there’s a librarian in the house if they get stuck!
7. Success at school - According to the Annie E. Casey Foundation, kids who don’t read proficiently by the third grade are four times likelier to drop out of school. Libraries provide books at all levels and in all interest areas, even for reluctant readers. Libraries provide Summer Reading Programs to keep kids reading during the summer break. A 2010 Dominican University study found that participation in summer reading programs boosts student’s reading skills.
8. Success in life - Research finds that illiteracy or low-literacy is related to drop out rates, poverty, welfare services, and incarceration. Part of the solution seems to be to read. Every book has its reader, every reader has its book, and no one matches the two things better than a librarian.
9. Free - Anyone can come into a library and stay as long as they like, without spending a penny. Books, e-books, movies and more can be borrowed and downloaded for free. Library materials, programs, and technology are available for everyone to enjoy, no matter their socio-economic status.
10. Connection - Public libraries serve as community connectors. They connect people to ideas, to information, to resources, to art and literature and culture. But most of all, libraries connect people to each other.

Happy Thanksgiving!