Read Books, Plant Trees, and Protect Sonoma County's Forests

Posted on July 02, 2018

The Sonoma County Library is helping reforest our community with its Summer Reading Program. For every age level, readers can contribute toward the planting of trees. The Library collaboration with Forest Unlimited, a nonprofit organization whose mission is to protect, enhance, and restore the forests and watersheds of Sonoma County, offers an altruistic component to this year's summer reading program. In addition to the fun prizes awarded as a way to encourage reading, we are excited to offer a reward where readers can participate in helping our community and environment.

For each Bingo achieved in the Adult Summer Reading Program, participants will earn a contribution toward the planting of trees in Sonoma County, to help with reforestation and renewal after the 2017 fires. With the Teen and Children Summer Reading Programs, among other educational prizes earned through summer reading, there is the award of contribution toward the planting of trees in Sonoma County.

Additionally, join us to learn more about local forest health at one of our “Protecting Sonoma County's Forests--What You Can Do” presentations. Come hear from forest expert Rick Coates, Executive Director of Forest Unlimited. These presentations will be:

• Saturday, July 14 at 2:00 pm at the Cloverdale Regional Library, 401 N. Cloverdale Blvd., Cloverdale
• Monday, July 16 at 6:30 pm at the Rohnert Park – Cotati Regional Library, 6250 Lynne Condé Way, Rohnert Park
• Saturday, July 21 at 2:00 pm at the Sebastopol Regional Library, 7140 Bodega Ave., Sebastopol
• Wednesday, August 1 at 5:00 pm at the Windsor Regional Library, 9291 Old Redwood Highway, Building 100
• Saturday, August 11 at 2:00 pm at the Northwest Santa Rosa Library, 150 Coddingtown Ctr., Santa Rosa

Summertime is the perfect time for all ages to enjoy books and events. Come to the library to check out books on all the subjects you love and attend a great presentation — your summer days will be filled with imagination and exploration! Not only will the library help improve your mind, it will help plant trees.

These events are free and open to all. For more information, contact Mathew Rose at 707-823-7691 or mrose@sonomalibrary.org.  Keep in touch with these and other library events at www.sonomalibrary.org/events and on Facebook, www.facebook.com/sonomalibrary.

Children's Author Carol McCloud Visits Cloverdale Library 3:30pm and 6pm Wednesday June 27

Posted on June 25, 2018

Join us at 3:30pm for a children's event and 6pm for an adult event on Wednesday June 27, 2018, at Cloverdale Library for a talk and reading by bestselling children's author Carol McCloud as part of the library's Summer Reading Author Series.

Carol McCloud, a.k.a. the "Bucket Lady", has captivated all ages and encouraged them to become daily bucket fillers since her first book, Have You Filled a Bucket Today? A Guide to Daily Happiness for Kids, was published in 2006.

A graduate of Oakland University’s School of Education and Human Services, Carol has spent 20 years in education as a teacher, counselor, youth mentor, and early education director. As Adjunct Professor for the Florida Keys Community College in the 1990’s, Carol taught early childhood development classes and served as president of the local NAEYC affiliate.

Carol is an award-winning author, Talent Smart® Emotional Intelligence Certified Trainer, and member of the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC). She delights in presenting the bucketfilling message to audiences of all sizes and ages. Her passion for bucket filling, energetic style, and creative storytelling is true to her goal: to motivate each person to make a choice to be a bucket filler in their daily walk.

Carol lives with her husband, Jack, in Venice, Florida.

Poet Kay Ryan Visits Sonoma Valley Library 2pm Saturday June 23

Posted on June 21, 2018

Join us at 2pm on Saturday June 23, 2018, at Sonoma Valley Regional Library for a talk and reading by Pulitzer Prize-winning poet, and U.S. Poet Laureate (2008-2010) Kay Ryan, as part of the library's Summer Reading Author Series.

Kay Ryan is an accomplished poet who received the MacArthur Foundation’s “Genius” Fellowship in 2011. “Ryan’s distinctive and tightly woven verse is grounded in inclusive explorations of seemingly familiar language, ideas and experiences” the MacArthur Foundations continues, “Independent from schools of poetry and literary fashion, her mode of expression is a disarmingly clear and accessible style, characterized by concision, rhyme, wordplay and wit”. 

In 2011, Ryan also won the Pulitzer Prize for “The Best of It: New and Selected Poems” (Grove Press, 2010), described as “a body of work spanning 45 years, witty, rebellious and yet tender, a treasure trove of an iconoclastic and joyful mind.”

Ryan has written nine books of poetry, plus a limited edition artist’s book. Her books are: “Dragon Acts to Dragon Ends” (1983), “Strangely Marked Metal” (Copper Beech, 1985), “Flamingo Watching” (Copper Beech, 1994), “Elephant Rocks” (Grove Press, 1996), “Say Uncle” (Grove Press, 2000), “Believe It or Not!” (2002, Jungle Garden Press, edition of 125 copies), “The Niagara River” (Grove Press, 2005) Jam Jar Lifeboat & Other Novelties Exposed (Red Berry Editions, 2008), The Best of It: New and Selected Poems (Grove Press, 2010), and Erratic Facts (Grove Press, 2015).

“Having such an acclaimed artist at the library is one more way we can encourage reading and learning this summer” says library manager, Lisa Musgrove, “Ms. Ryan will speak for about 45 minutes and answer questions for 15 minutes.  Reader’s Books will have copies of Ms. Ryan’s books available for purchase before and after the presentation”.

Seating is limited, and is first-come, first-served.

The event is free and open to all.  The library is located at 755 West Napa Street, Sonoma.  For more information contact librarian Lisa Musgrove at 996-5217 or lmusgrove@sonomalibrary.org.  Keep up with all library events at www.sonomalibrary.org and on facebook, www.facebook.com/sonomavalleylibrary.

Library Commission Adopts Resolution in Support of Undocumented Residents/Immigrants/Dreamers

Posted on June 07, 2018

On June 4, 2018, the Sonoma County Library Commission adopted a Resolution in Support of Undocumented Residents/Immigrants/Dreamers - see full text (English/Español). The Commission stated, "Now, therefore, be it Resolved, that the Sonoma County Library (SCL):"

1.  Reaffirms its own "Statement of Inclusivity" "in light of the uncertainty many feel in our current society";

2.  Commits to enacting policies and programs recognizing the diversity of our community and furthering the inclusion of all residents living in Sonoma County;

3.  Supports DACA Dreamers and our immigrant community,  providing services to all County residents regardless of residency status; 

4.  Provides the resources to information on legal assistance/guidance extended by the County and other agencies within the County and State to undocumented students, immigrants, and their families;

5.  Continues Sonoma County Library policy of protecting the privacy of our patrons/customers by refusing to release any information regarding personal living situation, collections usage, or other information that might indicate the legal status regarding the documentation of students, families, and/or individuals, including allowing access to Library databases, permitting a search of any library branch or rural station, or responding to information requests by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement or others, unless the appropriate legal request and documents are presented;

6.  Urges Congress to pass comprehensive immigration reform to resolve the confounding issues around immigration; and

7.  Encourages all residents to use the library regardless of documented status.