A Note from Library Director Allison Gray: 

Friends are people that everyone needs. Friends we can rely on in times of need, friends with whom we can share our interests, friends who can help us meet our goals. At the Goleta Valley Library, we are exceedingly lucky to work with the Friends of the Goleta Valley Library. This group of hard-working volunteers does so much for the library and the community it serves. For example, all of the new books purchased this summer were paid for by the Friends of the Goleta Valley Library! We are so grateful for this very generous donation. 

Later in this newsletter, you will read about Brainfuse HelpNow!, an Internet program where students can access live tutors to help them with their homework;  this too is sponsored by the Friends of the Goleta Valley Library. This wonderful organization also runs the ongoing book sale in the lobby of the Library, which unfortunately is inaccessible at this time, and sponsors the annual children's Summer Reading Club among many other children's programs.

We are indeed fortunate to have such wonderful friends! If you don't have time to volunteer, you can become a member of the Friends of the Goleta Valley Library to show your support for the Library - click here. 

Stay Connected

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! Please also visit our website, www.GoletaValleyLibrary.org, for the latest information.

We are looking forward to the day where we can get back to normal operations at our libraries but in the meantime, we appreciate your continued support and interest in all of our programs.  Be well.

B. Allison Gray
Library Director

P.S. If you received this e-newsletter from a friend and would like to subscribe, click here.

Library Director Allison Gray at the Goleta Valley Library Sidewalk Service

Halloween at the Library

We invite you to celebrate Halloween virtually with Goleta Valley Library! During the last week of October, we will be offering a variety of themed programs and activities for the whole family to enjoy, including live storytimes, spooky snack workshops, a meeting of the Teen Graphic Novel Club, and much more! Plus, we will be holding a Literary Pumpkin Decorating Contest via the library’s Facebook page from Sunday, October 25^th to Saturday, October 31^st – we can’t wait to see what you create! This fun and festive week will end with a Monster Mash Dance Party at 2pm on Halloween, where participants can show off their costumes and dance to some favorite Halloween tunes. All program details are available on the library events calendar here.

Goleta Valley Library Now Offering Grab-N-Go Bags

Pick up a bag of paperbacks for children, teens, or adults

The Goleta Valley Library is thrilled to offer an additional way for patrons to enjoy reading material with a new Grab-N-Go service available during Sidewalk Service hours. Patrons can stop by the library on Wednesdays through Saturdays from 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. and request a bag of paperbacks from the staff member at the Sidewalk Service station outside the library entrance. Library staff will bring your prepackaged bag of books to the table located outside the library’s main doors.

The paperbacks, which are not checked out to patrons’ accounts and have no due date, may be returned whenever readers are finished with them. Library staff is very excited to offer a variety of genres for different interests, with adult and teen bags separated by genre and children’s bags separated by reading level.

The following Grab-N-Go options are currently available for pickup at Goleta Valley Library:

Safety Guidelines for Pickup

Please note that all visitors to the library must comply with social distancing rules. To receive service, everyone must wear a face covering and line up six feet apart on the sidewalk leading up to the library’s front walkway. Library staff follow public health safety guidelines, wearing face coverings and gloves, and an apron if they are emptying the book drops. Please be respectful of other patrons and do not come to the library if you are feeling ill. We appreciate your understanding and cooperation.

We hope you enjoy all of the materials you borrow from the library! Visit www.GoletaValleyLibrary.org for updates and information regarding library services, operations, and programming. If you have questions, please contact the library via email at goletavalleylibrary@cityofgoleta.org or by telephone at (805) 964-7878.

New Playaway Bookpacks for Kids!

We are excited to introduce a new read-along literacy tool for children called Playaway Bookpacks! Bookpacks include both a print and audio version of a book, which provides children the opportunity to listen to a story while they follow along on the page. This pairing is very effective in helping readers build their vocabulary and strengthen reading comprehension and retention. It is also particularly helpful for emerging and struggling readers, children who are learning English as a second language, and readers with special learning needs.

Each Bookpack comes in a durable, bright orange case that contains one or more books and a portable, handheld MP3 player that is preloaded with the recorded stories. With titles available at all reading levels and in a variety of genres, our collection of Bookpacks has many wonderful options for young readers to enjoy! These titles can be reserved by Goleta Valley Library cardholders via the catalog and picked up through Sidewalk Service. The Bookpacks must be returned to Goleta Valley Library in any of the four book drops outside the library. Watch for more titles to be added soon! The Playaway Bookpacks collection was made possible through the generous support of the Friends of the Goleta Valley Library.

Isla Vista Bookmobile Van

Thanks to a very generous grant secured for the Goleta Valley Library by State Assemblymember Monique Limón to provide library services for the Isla Vista area, we are deep in the midst of plans to purchase a bookmobile van for use in Isla Vista. We also plan to install 10 Little Library units around Isla Vista. If you live in the area and think your apartment complex or neighborhood needs one, contact Library Director Allison Gray at agray@cityofgoleta.org. 

Additionally, we will be in various parts of Isla Vista this fall signing people up for Goleta Valley Library cards so they can start using our downloadable services and reference and recreational databases before we actually start delivering books and other materials in the area. We have many plans and are working with the Isla Vista Community Services District to select the perfect sites for bookmobile stops, outdoor story times, book drops, and more. Everyone who participates will be expected to wear face coverings and follow all social distancing rules in order to get service. We're really looking forward to having a greater presence in Isla Vista.

New Books Available!

We know it can be hard to find new books to read or listen to, and new films to watch, when you cannot browse the library shelves. We are doing our best to try to recreate that experience for you during this time. Check out our Facebook and Instagram accounts for covers of new books we've added to the collection. You can also view our list of new Adult Fiction here and new Adult Non-Fiction here. There are many popular authors releasing books later this fall and we expect to have all their books and some of their audiobooks. Our digital downloads are pretty easy to browse to find new material.

Brainfuse JobNow/VetNow Available Now

Thanks to the California State Library, we will now have the full Brainfuse database suite.  Along with our fantastic Brainfuse HelpNow! live tutors to help school age and university students with their homework, patrons will now have access to JobNow and VetNow.

JobNow has all the tools you could possibly need to help you with your job search, from resume and cover letter help, to job search databases, skills matching tools, study guides to the various specialty tests required by some career areas, and so much more. VetNow is specifically designed to help veterans get back in the workplace as well as help with social aspects of life. Both databases hold a vast amount of helpful information, there are also tutors to help adults with all kinds of tasks. All you need is your Goleta or Santa Ynez Valley Library card and a whole new world of job and life skills help is available to you. Click here to explore these great databases.

Buellton Library

New! Virtual Poetry Club

Experiment with different forms and styles of poetry in a positive atmosphere with Buellton Library’s new Virtual Poetry Club taking place October 21, from 3:00 – 4:00 p.m. Think of this time as a gift to yourself-time to write and explore. We'll look at poetry and take the opportunity to create your own pieces. Sharing your own work is optional. For our first club meeting, we'll focus on getting to know each other and share ideas about colors, your interests, your favorite poet and/or book of poems. Best suited for teens and adults. Poetry Club will meet every third Wednesday of the month from 3:00 – 4:00 p.m. Registration is suggested but not required. To register, click here. On October 21, log on here to the meeting with your smartphone, tablet or computer.

Buellton Bookworms Book Club

Join the Buellton Bookworms Book Club in our virtual monthly discussion on October 16 from 1:00 – 2:30 p.m. This month we are reading Educated by Tara Westover. Call the Buellton Library to reserve a copy or request one online at https://blackgold.org/. Best suited for adults. Registration is suggested but not required; you can register here. To join the book club on October 16, click here. You can also dial in using your phone by calling (312) 757-3121 and using Access Code: 315-429-685..

Solvang Library

Friends of the Santa Ynez Valley Library Presents: A Day in the Life of a Woman Suffragist

The Friends of the Library, Santa Ynez Valley, invite you join us virtually for an exciting and unique presentation celebrating the passage of the 19th Amendment. Darci Tucker, a nationally known portrayer of historically significant women will introduce you to Harriot Stanton Blatch, the daughter of women’s suffragist Elizabeth Cady Stanton, as she waits for the final state vote on the 19th Amendment, women’s right to vote, in August of 1920. Experience the feelings and passion of this significant moment!

Due to the current COVID-19 situation, the Friends of the Library has decided to reimagine virtually our first annual fundraiser. Join us on Saturday, October 17, 2020, at 2 p.m. A donation of $25 is suggested.

Why does the Friends of the Library need your help?
The Friends of the Library work closely with the libraries of the Santa Ynez Valley to raise funds that enable them to provide services and programs beyond their regular funding, such as: extended hours of operation, the purchase of additional books and materials, children’s reading programs, programs to engage underserved members of the community, and performances to make history come alive.

To donate for this event and receive your Zoom link for the performance, go to http://friendssyvlibrary.org/give. 

Ghost Story Challenge 2020

The Solvang Library is announcing its third annual Ghost Story Challenge, inviting members of the public to submit an original, mysterious or scary story related to the supernatural, of 500 words or less. The Challenge is open to adults 18 and over, and to young writer’s 6^th-12^th grades.  Anyone in the Central Coast area may enter. Deadline for submission is 5:00 p.m. on Tuesday, October 27.

How to submit: send your story in the body of an email (no attachments please) to Solvanglibrary@cityofgoleta.org. Include your full name, phone number, and age category: Adult (18+) or Teen (6^th-12^th grades). Entries received without full names or as a Google link cannot be accepted. A panel of professionals will judge the entries and winners will be announced on October 31^st.

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