Tag Archives: Library

Update on Library Closures and Service Changes related to COVID-19

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(The following is a message from the Library Director of Redwood City)

Dear Library Community,

The staff of the Library greatly appreciates your thoughtful comments about the importance of libraries during the current health emergency in San Mateo County. While in many ways we would love to be open for business to meet your needs, we will be joining all of the school districts and all of the public libraries in San Mateo County in closing our facilities to the public beginning Monday, March 16. Redwood City Public Library will remain closed through March 31 for the time being, and we will evaluate the best time to reopen based on additional information we learn between now and then.

I wanted to take this opportunity to provide you a brief update on what Library services will and will not be available over the upcoming weeks.

  • Redwood City Public Library locations will remain open for their normal business hours on Saturday, March 14 and Sunday, March 15 
  • All four Redwood City Public Library locations will be closed from Monday, March 16 through Tuesday, March 31 
  • The book drops at all four libraries and the outside input for the automated library return system at Redwood Shores will remain open 24 hours a day for the return of library materials  
  • All of our 24/7 online resources on our website, including eBooks and eAudiobooks; streaming TV, movie, and music services; and digital subscriptions to newspapers and magazines will remain available at https://www.redwoodcity.org/departments/library/downloadables
  • Library assistance will be available by telephone from 10 am – 5 pm Monday through Friday at 650-780-7018, extension 4. You can also reach us by email at
  • Due dates for library materials, including Wifi hotspots, will be extended automatically, so you do not need to worry about your materials being returned late at this time
  • Customers will not be able to place new holds through the online catalog during the closure, but all materials already on hold shelves will remain there until we are able to reopen
  • All Library meeting room reservations from March 16 – March 31 will be cancelled, and refunds will be issued for any paid reservations. No new meeting room reservations will be taken for dates between now and May 31, but you may continue to make reservations for dates from June 1 forward
  • All library programs, storytimes, and events through Sunday, April 12 are cancelled or postponed

We are working closely with our local educational community to identify ways the Library can assist students with their home education programs while the schools are closed.

We continue to encourage everyone in our community to continue safe health practices to avoid exposure, including handwashing, social distancing, avoiding handshakes, and other recommendations of the Centers for Disease Prevention and Control at
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prepare/prevention.html

We wish you and your families good health, and we hope we have the opportunity to serve you at the Library once we can do so in a safe manner.

Take good care,
Derek Wolfgram
Library Director

Library Costs & Hours

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(The following was provided article and information was provided by Derek Wolfgram, Director of Library Services, Redwood City Public Library)

The Library is seeking community feedback on the service hours of the Redwood Shores Branch Library. Please take the survey linked at the end of this article to help inform our decision making on this challenging issue.

The City of Redwood City has begun implementation of its Financial Sustainability Plan, which seeks to increase revenues and reduce expenditures in order to address an anticipated structural imbalance of $12 million in the City budget by fiscal year 2022-23. The first phase of the financial sustainability plan includes reductions of $3.7 million in fiscal year 2018-19, and an additional $2.3 million in fiscal year 2019-20. These reductions impact all City departments, including public safety, parks, and libraries.

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Happy 10th Anniversary, Redwood Shores Branch Library!

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Celebrate 10 years of one of the most important institutions in Redwood Shores by visiting our beautiful local library! 

If you were not able to attend the special Anniversary celebration on September 8th, you can still be a part of this special event simply by visiting the library to use it for what it is here for! Discover a great new book, explore the Interpretive Center, have a coffee at the Sea Link Café, or just come and relax with a view of the Bay trail. Give tribute by coming out and enjoying this very special place here in Redwood Shores. 

Happy 10th to the Redwood Shores Branch Library!

Redwood City Public Library Launches “Discover & Go” Museum Pass Program

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The Redwood City Public Library is thrilled to announce a great new service, “Discover & Go,” which provides Redwood City library cardholders with FREE and discounted passes to local museums and other interesting and educational cultural institutions.

With the high cost of living in the Bay Area, this program is a way to stretch family entertainment and activity dollars, and provide a wide range of outings that the family will love and remember.

This unique program allows Library cardholders to make reservations online by date or by venue, and immediately print- out passes at home. Those with no Internet access can come to the Library and use the public computers to take advantage of this great new feature.

Anyone without a library card can get one by visiting a library branch, or by going to www.redwoodcity.org/library and clicking on “Get a Card.”

Redwood City Library cardholders can reserve free and discounted passes from a growing list of destinations, including:

  • The Tech Museum
  • California Academy of Sciences
  • The San Jose Museum of Art
  • Museum of Craft and Folk Art
  • Bay Area Discovery Museum
  • Oakland Museum of California
  • Museum of the African Diaspora
  • Cartoon Art Museum
  • Asian Art Museum
  • Contemporary Jewish Museum
  • Exploratorium
  • Lawrence Hall of Science
  • Pacific Pinball Museum

For more information, view the Discover & Go page on the Redwood City Public Library webpage: http://www.redwoodcity.org/library/discoverandgo.html

Joining “Friends of the Library” Reaps Community Rewards

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Let’s take a quick poll of Shores residents — how many of you are members of the Friends of the Redwood City Public Library? Only a few? Ok, how many have ever heard of the Friends of the Library? A few more … Finally, how many of you enjoyed, or would enjoy, the many wonderful free programs that the Friends provide for kids, adults, and families?

The Friends is a non-profit group of volunteers who raise funds for one reason only: to benefit the community using Redwood City’s four libraries, by making significant gifts to expand Library programs. The Friends provide a truly remarkable range of services, for example:

  • Programs for kids and adults featuring books, films, and music
  • Career and technology education and assistance programs
  • The famous Dad & Me Programs
  • Family Night and Saturday activities
  • KinderCard program to provide kindergartners with Library cards
  • Literacy programs
  • Parenting workshops and cultural arts programs
  • Online tutor assistance
  • Children’s summer reading programs
  • …and the list goes on and on!

Funds are raised through their great bookstore located at the Downtown Library, and through memberships in the Friends of the Library, which start at just $10. Take a look at the Friends website at www.redwoodcity.org/library/friends_of_the_library.html — the more members there are, the more great programs like those listed above for kids, youth, adults, and families can be provided, and the more benefit to the Redwood Shores residents and our entire community.

I invite everyone in Redwood Shores to join the Friends of the Redwood City Library today. And of course visit the Redwood Shores Library at 399 Marine Parkway, and go online at www.redwoodcity.org/library to learn about everything we do.

— By Dave Genesy, Redwood City Library Director

Library Cleanup Days

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Did you know that the Redwood City Library system has been recognized as the BEST library in the Bay Area, of any size? One reason is our great volunteers, and you can help maintain that high standard by participating in the Library’s quarterly cleanup days. These fun volunteer opportunities include “shelf reading” (ensuring books on the shelves are in the correct order), cleaning children’s book covers, and pulling ripped or damaged books from our shelves.

It’s so easy to volunteer — locations vary depending on where you’d like to volunteer, and which libraries have the most need. You can also choose the hours, as long as they’re between 10 am and 5 pm. We do ask for a minimum of four hours in order to really make the most of your valuable volunteer time.

Call to arrange the best time and location for your volunteer work as part of a quarterly Library cleanup day!

When:

  • 3/19/2011
  • 5/21/2011
  • 8/13/201
  • 10/15/2011

Choose your preferred four hours between 10 AM and 5 PM

For more Information please contact Jenny Davis, Redwood City Public Library, 650-780-7046, .

Visit your Library’s website at www.redwoodcity.org/library, and see other Redwood City volunteer opportunities by visiting www.redwoodcity.org/calendar, and sort by “Volunteering”.

Cards for Kids

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Redwood City would like to let you know about another groundbreaking program of the Redwood City Library Foundation — to help open the world of books to the youth of our community, the Foundation is launching its new Cards for Kids campaign to ensure that every 5th grade student in Redwood City and North Fair Oaks has a library card.

During the next few months all 5th grade classes will be visited and new cards will be issued to every student – any outstanding fines will be waived from students’ existing cards. It’s similar to the Library’s annual, extremely successful, KinderCard campaign that provides library cards to all kindergarten students.

It almost goes without saying, but research clearly shows that 5th grade is a crucial benchmark for kids in deciding to be positively involved in school, in choosing their friends, and in staying involved in the community. Using a public library – whether for homework assistance, borrowing books, using computers, attending events, or just as a safe place to be – increases the likelihood of school success. The Foundation is committed to funding those programs that touch many people and make a difference in our community’s literate and educational health.

The new Cards for Kids initiative is funded by a recently-accepted significant donation to the Library that will be used to focus on increased Library services for youth throughout the City, including storytimes at all City libraries, youth and family participation in community events, increased volunteerism, and connecting the Library and its services with students.

The Redwood City Library Foundation has a lot of wonderful, successful programs, including the Opening Day Collection of the new Redwood Shores Library, the Teen Homework Center, Traveling Storytime, providing a variety of library materials and collections, the Dad & Me in the Library program, and more. Learn about the Foundation at www.rclfdn.org.

Special Amnesty for Library Fines: “Food for Fines” Helps Second Harvest Food Bank

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The Redwood City Public Library, in partnership with the San Mateo County Library, the San Mateo County Board of Supervisors, and Second Harvest Food Bank, presents a unique way to both clear up unpaid library fines, and build community by donating food to those in need. It’s the 2010 “Food for Fines” program, which allows library patrons to pay-off their library fines by donating food during between November 15 and December 30.

Anyone with outstanding library fines is invited to deliver nonperishable food items to any Redwood City library (or to any of the San Mateo County Library’s twelve branches) during regular business hours. The higher the amount of someone’s unpaid fines, the more food they should donate! They’ll leave the library with a cleared account (up to $100 in fines may be forgiven), and the great feeling of having helped others as the holidays approach.

All food collected will be provided to Second Harvest Food Bank, and of course everyone is encouraged to donate food to help those in need, even if they don’t owe any library fines – each library has a special Second Harvest Food Bank bin where donated food items can be placed. Over 45.5 million pounds of nutritious food is delivered annually by Second Harvest Food Bank to low income people in need in Santa Clara and San Mateo Counties. The majority of these people are children and seniors. These millions of pounds of food are provided free of charge to 326 local nonprofit agencies at more than 700 sites, including pantries, soup kitchens, shelters, and after-school programs.

Please note that food donations as part of the Food for Fines program cannot be applied towards the cost of lost or damaged library items, unique collection items, or printing fees. The program is only valid for fines and fees of to San Mateo County Libraries and Redwood City Libraries. Libraries can accept only store-sealed items, and cannot accept glass containers.

The Redwood City Public Library offers many free programs for children, adults, and families, and is the learning center of our community. For more information about library events and services you may access the library’s home page at www.redwoodcity.org/library  or call 780-7026.

Visit Redwood City’s award-winning website at www.redwoodcity.org  for information about the City and its services, the community, recreation programs, education, and local business. Subscribe to Redwood City’s email newsletter and other City documents by visiting www.redwoodcity.org/egov

Library Events in September

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The City of Redwood City invites you to come down to your local library for exciting events all year long. Redwood Shores residents are especially encouraged to check their calendars for events for familes, adults, teens and young children right here at our local branch. 

For a full schedule updated regularly of events going on in Redwood City Public Libraries, please bookmark the Events page at the following link: http://www.redwoodcity.org/library/events.html 

 

Four Women, Four Visions:
Virginia Miller-Bowen, Maila Kesti, Veronika Moopjorodi, Devon Ruehl  
Through September 26, 2010
Redwood Shores Branch Library 

Photography, digital infrared photography, oil and acrylic, and collages of mixed media including layers, graphite drawings, beeswax and oil paint. 

Family Program:
Red Panda Acrobats  

Saturday September 18 @ 11:00am
Redwood Shores Branch Library 

A spectacular performance of exceptional acrobatic skills, traditional Chinese music, and colorful costumes. 

Red Panda Acrobats 

Peninsula Book Club 

Tuesday September 28 @ 6:00pm 

Redwood Shores Branch Library, Meeting Room B 

We will discuss Middlesex by Jeffrey Eugenides. In his second novel, the author of The Virgin Suicides (1993) once again proves himself to be a wildly imaginative writer, this time penning a coming-of-age tale, ranging from the 1920s in Asia Minor to the present in Berlin, about a hermaphrodite. – Booklist Reviews 

For information and to RSVP visit
meetup.com   

Middlesex 

Weekly Storytimes Begin September 20 

  • Mondays @ 10:30am – Preschool Ages 3-5
  • Mondays @ 11:30am – Toddler Ages 1-3
  • Tuesdays @ 7:00pm – Bedtime Stories for All Ages
  • Thursdays @ 10:30am – Preschool Ages 3-5
  • Thursdays @ 11:30am – Tiny Tales for Pre-walkers*

*space is limited, please sign up in the Library 

 Friends of the Library 

Donations Please! 

Friends of the Library would like your donations of gently used paperbacks, CDs and DVDs. The Friends  is currently low on stock. A donation bin is located in the lobby of the library’s main branch. Thank you! 

Volunteer with Friends of the Library 

Volunteer With Project READ! 

Project READ is a free literacy Program sponsored by the Redwood City Public Library. 

We are currently getting ready for our September tutor training.  If you would like to participate in creating a literate community please join us. 

Tutor Training dates are: 

  • Thursday, September 16th, 6pm to 9pm
  • Tuesday, September 21st,  6pm to 9pm
  • Thursday September 23rd, 6m to 9pm
  • Tuesday, September 28th, 6pm to 9pm
  • Thursday, September 30th, 6pm to 9pm

Project READ 650-780-7077
E-mail:  

Computer Recycling

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The Computer Recycle Committee is reserving Saturday September 11, 10:00 am to 2:00 pm for the annual Computer Recycling event at the Redwood Shores Library. Please add it to your calendar.

This year, the Computer Recycle Committee is working in collaboration with Goodwill Industries. Together, the team has established a goal to receive 17,000 lbs of electronic waste on this day. You may be aware that the Goodwill San Mateo facility focuses a significant portion of its business to “green recycling” of computers and other electronics. Aside from this work, Goodwill uses this business to educate and retrain a transition workforce. This is a great chance for our community to contribute to the cause!