A Note from Library Director Allison Gray: 

I am excited to bring "The Reading Corner" back to you after a short absence. It has been a strange few months but we now have a safe system in place to assist patrons during COVID-19. In mid-March we had to abruply close all of our libraries, but were able to offer the community a number of digital services. Since mid-June we have been doing Sidewalk Service and I have enjoyed the opportunity to again see our patrons in-person.

The library staff is working hard to provide an important service during these difficult times. If you come to the library for Sidewalk Service, you must wear a face covering and keep six feet of distance between yourself and others. Please be respectful of my staff and take a moment to let them know you are thankful and appreciative.

We are quarantining all returned items for one week, as per national library research recommendations, so don't be surprised if things you return don't disappear from your record right away. However, if you returned something a couple of weeks ago and it is still on your record, please email us so we can check if it is on the shelf. With the thousands of returns we've processed in the last month, a few items have sneaked past us and not gotten checked in properly. Our apologies!

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

B. Allison Gray
Library Director

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Pictured: Library Director Allison Gray at the Goleta Valley Library Sidewalk Service

Support Local Animal Organizations with the Library’s Book to Action Donation Drive

There is still time to participate in the Goleta and Santa Ynez Valley Libraries’ 2020 Book to Action program which runs through Friday, August 21^st and ends with a donation drive for local animal organizations. This year’s program centers around the moving true story Strays: A Lost Cat, a Homeless Man & Their Journey Across America by Britt Collins. Strays describes the incredible journey of Michael King, a homeless man living in Portland, Oregon who befriends a lost cat he names Tabor. As the two travel across several states and overcome many challenges together, they form a healing bond that speaks to the special connection that we share with our animal companions and the impact that rescuing an animal can have in a person’s life.

Book to Action is a community reading program in which members of the community read the same title collectively, participate in programs related to the themes of the book, and join their efforts to take action for a relevant cause through a culminating event at the end of the program. This year’s program will culminate with a Donation Drive for Local Animal Organizations held onsite at the Goleta, Solvang and Buellton libraries. Donations may be dropped off at the libraries during Sidewalk Service Hours from 11:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m on Wednesdays – Saturdays. All donations will be quarantined and provided to A.S.A.P. and C.A.R.E.4Paws at the end of the month. Wish lists for these organizations can be found on the library website Donation Information page.

Copies of Strays are available for the community to borrow from the print and digital collections at the Goleta, Buellton and Solvang libraries. Virtual programs including storytimes, crafts, guest speakers and book discussions are scheduled through August 21^st. Visit the Library Events Calendar for details.

Local Animal Rescue Experts Examine Human-Animal Bonds at August 13 Virtual Library Event

On Thursday, August 13, at 2:00 pm, tune in to watch and participate in “Rescued: Bonds between Humans and Animals” an educational and inspirational panel of speakers from three outstanding local organizations: Santa Ynez Valley Therapeutic Riding, Happy Endings Animal Sanctuary, and Santa Barbara Wildlife Care Network. The event will be streamed live on Facebook.com/SolvangLibrary, as part of the Goleta and Santa Ynez Valley libraries’ Book to Action Community reading program occurring in July and August.

Featured speakers are Robin Serritslev, Executive Director, Santa Ynez Valley Therapeutic Riding Program, C.C. Beaudette-Wellman, Board President, Happy Endings Animal Sanctuary, and Ariana Katovich, Executive Director, Santa Barbara Wildlife Care Network.  “All three of these groups are to be celebrated for their work with both wild and domestic animals, and for the opportunities they offer for healing to both animals and humans.  We can’t wait to hear their individual stories and insights,” said library staff.

The SYV Therapeutic Riding Program’s mission is to provide quality equine assisted activities to children and adults with physical, cognitive, social, emotional and or other life challenges. Happy Endings Animal Sanctuary provides refuge to abused or neglected horses and other domestic animals and uplifts the lives of disadvantaged youth by providing a life-changing rehabilitation experience benefiting both children and horses. The mission of the Santa Barbara Wildlife Care Network is to rescue, rehabilitate and return to the wild sick, injured, orphaned, or oil-impaired wild birds, reptiles, and small mammals in Santa Barbara and Ventura counties and to educate the public about living in harmony with wildlife.

In August, the Book to Action program will culminate in a donation drive for area organizations (the above, as well as ASAP and C.A.R.E. 4 PAWS), to provide them with essential supplies and materials to continue helping local animals in need. The Goleta and Santa Ynez Valley Libraries will serve as collection sites for these materials and will present them to the organizations at the end of our Book to Action program.

The Goleta and Santa Ynez Valley Libraries’ 2020 Book to Action program runs through Friday August 21^st, and centers around the moving true story Strays: A Lost Cat, a Homeless Man & Their Journey Across America by Britt Collins. Strays describes the incredible journey of Michael King, a homeless man living in Portland, Oregon who befriends a lost cat he names Tabor. As the two travel across several states and overcome many challenges together, they form a healing bond that speaks to the special connection that we share with our animal companions and the impact that rescuing an animal can have in a person’s life. Copies of the book are available for the community to borrow from the print and digital collections at Goleta, Buellton and Solvang Libraries.

Library staff is excited to engage with the community around these impactful themes and to unite for an important cause through the Book to Action programming this summer. Click here to see the full calendar of events for the 2020 Bok to Action Program, which include crafts, book discussions, storytimes, a Pet Preparedness Panel, and Virtual Author Spotlight with Strays’ author Britt Collins.

Library Summer Reading Program Concludes with over 8,200 Books Read!

This summer, the Goleta and Santa Ynez Valley Libraries took their annual Summer Reading Program online to encourage local youth, teens and adults to read, learn and explore while the libraries remain closed to the public. Through the generous sponsorship of almost thirty community donors, plus invaluable support from the Friends of the Goleta, Solvang and Buellton Libraries, the libraries were able to maintain the reading incentive format of the in-person program of years past by offering prizes at each reading level. Youth and teens received their prizes in the mail, while all three age groups were entered into drawings for grand prizes awarded at the end of the summer. Almost 900 readers used the online system Beanstack to log their reading, where they could earn badges to chart their progress toward each prize tier. As a community, our readers completed an impressive total of 8,298 books this summer, which helped youth and teens to maintain their critical thinking skills between school years and provided adult participants with an incentive to enjoy the many benefits of reading, including increased knowledge, stress relief, and improved memory.

Although the community could not gather this year to attend the ever-popular Summer Reading Program performances, the libraries were able to host 1-2 weekly virtual shows for patrons to view from home. With concerts, puppet shows, a magician, a bubbleologist, and even the zoo, patrons could tune in through Facebook and YouTube to enjoy a combined total of fifteen virtual programs from June to August. Families watching from home were able to learn about new topics and enjoy entertainment from these spectacular performers, who masterfully adapted their routines to connect with patrons in an online format.

Teens who typically volunteer during the Summer Reading Program to get involved and earn community service hours were sincerely missed this summer, and we were excited to offer them the opportunity to earn community service hours virtually instead by writing Teen Book Reviews to be posted on the library website. Patrons are encouraged to visit this page to hear what our local teens thought about some of the books they read this summer and to get ideas for what books to read next!

At its heart, the goal of the Summer Reading Program is to encourage a lifelong love of reading and to celebrate the many important benefits of reading at every age. The Goleta and Santa Ynez Valley libraries would like to congratulate all of the children, teens and adults who participated in the 2020 Virtual Summer Reading Program this summer for all of the wonderful reading that they accomplished!

Storytimes, Crafts, Book Clubs and More Offered Virtually at the Library

As Sidewalk Service continues to provide patrons with new library materials, staff at the Goleta, Buellton and Solvang libraries are finding ways to actively connect with members of the community through weekly virtual programs. Patrons can tune in for live storytimes, craft workshops, book clubs and more from the comfort of their homes as we follow guidance from the Public Health Department on staying safe during the pandemic. Virtual programs are offered on a regular basis for all ages, ranging from Baby & Toddler Storytime, to the Teen Graphic Novel Book Club, to the Bring Your Own Book Club for adults. All programs can be enjoyed through Facebook, YouTube, or GoToMeeting, with instructions provided in the Library Events Calendar listing for each program on how to attend.

Community members can also tune in for special programming each week, such as the library’s ongoing Special Guest Storytime project and Book to Action events. Special Guest Storytime is a new program that spotlights members of the community reading their favorite picture books online for children to enjoy. The program launched in May with a wonderful reading from Mayor Paula Perotte of the beloved story Silly Sally by Audrey Wood and has since continued with a wealth of support from the Santa Barbara County Fire Department, UCSB Classics Department, and other local individuals and organizations. Book to Action is a community reading program in which members of the community read the same title collectively, participate in programs related to the themes of the book, and join their efforts to take action for a relevant cause through a culminating event at the end of the program. This year’s program focuses on the book Strays: A Lost Cat, a Homeless Man & Their Journey Across America by Britt Collins and will conclude with a Donation Drive for Local Animal Organizations held onsite at the Goleta, Solvang and Buellton libraries. Weekly Book to Action programming includes themed storytimes, crafts, book discussions and more! Additional information about these programs can be found on the library website on the Special Guest Storytime and 2020 Book to Action Program webpages.

Lastly, the library is offering personalized programs for patrons who would like to chat with a librarian or who are in need of technical assistance through the Check in with a Librarian and Tech Tutoring programs. These programs are designed to provide support to patrons during the closure to ensure that they are still feeling connected and that they can receive the help they need to access information in an increasingly virtual environment. Both programs are available by appointment on Tuesday and Thursday afternoons. A form is available on the library’s website where patrons can submit a request and a library staff member will reach out to meet their needs.

The staff at the Goleta, Solvang and Buellton libraries miss the wonderful patrons who attend our programs and we look forward to the day when it is safe to hold events in-person once again. Until that time, we look forward to connecting with you virtually! 

Visit the Library Events Calendar for a full list of virtual programs at the Goleta, Solvang and Buellton libraries. For more information go to www.GoletaValleyLibrary.org.

Thank you for your interest and support in our libraries. Happy Reading!