Take some time to explore local Black history this month. Black communities in Marin County, along with the rest of the Bay Area, have a rich and complex past, present, and future—while we are highlighting the past this month, let us be sure that we work to support a just present so we can create an equitable future.
Marin City
The 1944 California Supreme Court case James v.Marinshiporiginated in the Marin City shipyards andultimately ruled that union membership could not be withheld from individuals on the basis of race. To learn more about the history of Marin City, directly from the stories of those who live and have lived there, check out Marin City Memories by Marilyn L. Geary. You can also attend our VR Experience Highlight drop-in program this monthto learn more in A Way Out Of No Way: Marin City’s Hidden Shipbuilders. Researchers can also contact us via email about local history resources in our California Collection.
San Francisco
Though it has changed quite a bit in recent years, San Francisco’s Fillmore District has a deep history as a hub of Black culture. Between the 1940s and 1960s, justone square mile of the district contained at least two dozen night clubs and music venues that were home to a great number of Black musicians. Check out more in Elizabeth Pepin’s book Harlem of the West, which documents San Francisco’s Fillmore Jazz Era.
Oakland
The East Bay’s dense Black history and culture intersects with the sometimes lesser–known Black cowboy and rodeo community. Gabriela Hasbun spent over a decade photographing the Black contestants at Oakland’s annual Bill Pickett Rodeo, and you can experience this iconic event through her photographs inThe New Black West.
Libraries now: Discover & Go
Visit the Oakland Museum of California and experience the special exhibit “Angela Davis: Seize the Time” through June 11—you can use your library card to get a museum pass with Discover and Go!If you want to learn more about Angela Davis, check out her autobiography or her other writings, such as Freedom is a Constant Struggle.
Libraries then: Segregation and civil rights
Those who fought for the desegregation of public libraries played a huge role both in the civil rights movement and in shaping the libraries we have today. Check out more on the history of libraries and segregation in Not Free, Not for All by Cheryl Knott and Freedom Libraries by Mike Selby.
Happy New Year! As we welcome in 2023, we’re taking a moment to look back on our library in 2022. Please join us in reviewing the books and media our community enjoyed, and more! Place a hold on anything you missed, and get a jump on your resolution of using your public library more. Thanks for being the best part of our year!
All San Rafael Public Library branches will be closed December 24 – January 2. The Pickleweed Library will be closed December 20 – January 2. We will reopen Tuesday, January 3, 2023.
Please note that the entire Albert J. Boro Community Center will be closed starting on December 19, including the Pickleweed Library. Most City departments/facilities will be closed between Dec. 24 and Jan. 2, and will re-open for services on Jan. 3.
Q: Will the book drops be open?
A: Yes, the book drops at the Downtown, Pickleweed, and Northgate branches will remain open during the closure. Please note it may take up to a few days for your items to be scanned in and taken off your record. SRPL has been fine-free since July 2021 – no late fees will be collected.
Q: What will happen to my holds?
A:All holds on the shelves when we close will be extended for the length of our closure. No holds will be transferred to or from our libraries during this closure.
Q: Are other MARINet libraries or book drops going to be open? When?
A: Please check the status of each MARINet library you plan to visit or return items to.
Las Bibliotecas de San Rafael permaneceran cerradas a partir del 24 de diciembre hasta el 2 de enero. La Biblioteca Pickleweed estará cerrada desde el 20 de diciembre a 2 de enero. Reiniciando labores el día 3 de enero.
La Biblioteca Pública de San Rafael y sucursales permanecerán cerradas la última semana de diciembre.
Downtown Cerrado: sábado, el 24 de dic
Abierto: martes, el 3 de ene
Northgate
Cerrado: sábado, el 24 de dic
Abierto: miércoles, el 4 de ene
Pickleweed
Cerrado: martes, el 20 de dic
Abierto: martes, el 3 de ene
La Biblioteca Pickleweed y el Centro Comunitario Albert J. Boro cerrarán sus puertas a partir del lunes 19 de diciembre y reabrirán el martes 3 de enero.
¿Estarán abiertos los buzones para devolver materiales?
Sí, los buzones de las bibliotecas Downtown, Pickleweed, y Northgate así como el de Lucas Valley Road estarán abiertos durante el cierre. Puede que tome más de un par de días para que sus devoluciones sean registradas en el sistema, ya que a partir de julio 2021 la biblioteca no cobra multas por regresar material atrasado.
¿Qué pasará con mis pedidos?
Todos los encargos permanecerán en los estantes durante el cierre de la biblioteca. Ningún pedido será transferido ni removido a otra biblioteca durante el cierre.
¿Estarán abiertas otras bibliotecas del consorcio de MARINet? ¿Cuándo?
Visite el sitio web de MARINet para consultar los horarios y planear su visita. Podrían cambiar los horarios.
The San Rafael Public Library acknowledges that we are located on the unceded ancestral lands of the Coast Miwok people of present-day Marin and southern Sonoma counties. We honor with gratitude the land itself, and all of its ancestors: past, present, and emerging.
Take a look at the Native American Heritage Month website to explore virtual exhibits, historical and contemporary photography, and video content provided by the National Archives, the Smithsonian Museum, and the Library of Congress. You can also check out the Native Land website to explore the languages and cultures native to North America. And, of course, you can celebrate Indigenous authors and voices this month and year-round with these lists!
The City of San Rafael commits to standing against all forms of hate in our communities. United Against Hate brings together Bay Area communities every year to reaffirm that commitment.
Acts of hate can be individual as well as institutional. When we witness actions, words, or feelings driven by hate, it is important to stand in solidarity with those who are affected, to amplify voices that may not be heard, and to listen earnestly. When we realize that our institutions uphold values of hate, we must stand together to start the process of change and ensure that it is not hindered by those who benefit from a status quo built on hatefulness and the inequities it spawns.
We encourage everyone to do some reading this week that opens a new window in your understanding of our communities, or that reframes some of the work you’ve already done to understand how hate impacts everyone, from individuals to groups as a whole. Check out these lists for kids, teens, and adults:
Hispanic Heritage Month is celebrated each year from September 15 to October 15, originally just one week at its inception in 1968 and eventually expanded to a full month in 1988. September 15 is the anniversary of independence for several Latin American countries, and many more celebrate their independence throughout September and October. This is a month for everyone to celebrate the histories, cultures, languages, triumphs, struggles, and futures of Hispanic/Latinx Americans.
On October 11, the San Rafael Public Library will be hosting an author talk with Reyna Grande, in conversation with poet Yaccaira Salvatierra, in celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month. Reserve a copy of her newest book, A Ballad of Love and Glory! While you’re waiting, check out some of these amazing authors, illustrators, poets, and more—not just this month, but year-round.
September is Library Card Sign-up Month! If you don’t already have a library card, get one today! Library cards are totally free and available to residents of all ages; you don’t even need proof of address, just bring your photo ID (for youth under 16 a guardian with a photo ID needs to be present).
Are you a student at a San Rafael City School? You’ve got a San Rafael Public Library account! Every year the library partners with the school district to create accounts for all new students. Just visit any of our branches to pick-up your physical card, and check-out a whole stack of books (did you know you can check-out 50 items at a time?)!
Maximize Your Library Card
Replace your card for free
Lost your library card? Got a well-loved and tattered card that our barcode reader can’t handle? No problem! Come to any of our 3 branches and we’ll get you a shiny new card—for free!
We’re Fine-Free
Stressing because your books were due last week? Stop it! You have bigger things to worry about. At the San Rafael Public Library (and all public libraries in Marin) we’re fine-free. Now, we do want those books back, and if they’re lost or waaaay over-due you will get a billing notice, but fear not! Once you return them that notice will clear from your account.
Get the MARINet Mobile App
There’s an app for that! That being your library 🙂. Place holds, manage your account AND pull up your digital barcode when you’re at the self-check. If you’re at a bookstore and see a book you want to read but don’t want to buy, you can scan the ISBN number, and place a hold on the spot. Available in the IOS App Store and on Google Play.
Love public libraries? Us too! Know what else are pretty great? Public parks! We have passes good for one vehicle entry to Marin County Parks, Marin Municipal Water District, Mt. Tam and California State Parks (new!). Search “park pass” in our library catalog to get started.
Did you know that with your library card you can gain free entry into a selection of local museums? It’s true! Visit marinet.discoverandgo.net to get started. Each participating museum has their own restrictions, and it’s a good idea to plan your visits well in advance, especially for popular venues.
Do you love books and your library but don’t love leaving your house? Do you prefer enjoying content on an eReader, phone or tablet? We’ve got you covered with eBooks and digital audiobooks for check-out, as well as free content to stream!
Have you ever gotten stuck trying to find your next read? NoveList Select is an amazing tool you can use anytime! This is a module created by EBSCO that’s integrated into the MARINet catalog, and it uses community feedback and a dedicated team of librarians to group titles by similarities.
First, search our catalog for a title you enjoyed reading. Let’s look at The Lightning Thief as an example — chances are you or a loved one have either heard of or already read this super-popular book!
Next, click on the title of the book to see more information about it.
After you’ve clicked on the title, you can scroll down to see staff lists featuring that title as well as recommendations generated by NoveList.
And if you scroll further down, and you’ll see even more: related titles (usually by the same author), descriptive community tags, and similar authors. This is a great place to start browsing.
However, if nothing’s caught your eye yet and you want to do a more in-depth search, click on the “View all from NoveList” link. A new widget will pop up with all kinds of information: full series information, read-alikes split into titles, authors, and series, and a list of story elements. All of those story elements are search filters, too — so if you want to read about another quest for a magical items that’s as action-packed as The Lightning Thief, just click on those options and NoveList Select will suggest a few titles.
The best thing about NoveList Select is that it will only recommend things to you that are in MARINet’s catalog. No need to worry about finding the perfect book and being unable to get it! NoveList isn’t available for every single title in our catalog, but most titles will have at least some information that will help you browse for your next read. Always feel free to get in touch with your local branch if you need some help finding a book!
We’ll be offering fun programs and activities, mostly outdoors, for all ages, at all locations, all summer long! Check-out our events calendar to see what’s happening, or visit us in-person to chat with library staff and get a summer activity guide. You can also read through our summer newsletter for a snapshot of all our programs through August.
¡Dele un vistazo a lo que ofreceremos durante el verano en las tres locaciones: Central, Northgate y Pickleweed! Para saber las fechas, horarios y locación consulte el calendario de eventos, o lea el boletin de verano.
Kids entering grades K-6 can pick up a reading log and a free book at any of our branches! Keep reading throughout the summer to earn another free book when you return your log.
¡Para niños en grados K-6 pueden recoger un registro de lectura y un libro gratis en cualquiera de nuestras sucursales! Sigue leyendo durante el verano para ganar otro libro gratis cuando devuelvas tu registro de lectura.
June is Pride Month 🌈💖! This Pride we’re inviting you to celebrate and learn about our transcestors: the trailblazing humans and events that led us to where we are now in our ongoing fight towards a world in which trans people are safe and seen.
Native Californians
People that would be considered trans by our current understanding have always existed in North America and across the world. European colonizers violently instated their own binary gender norms on the native peoples of the Americas, and these expectations continue to be upheld today. In 1990, the term “two-spirit” was coined as an umbrella term to refer to First Nations people and Native Americans who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, queer, transgender, non-binary, or gender-fluid. However, many folks prefer to use words specific to their individual language, tribe, and experiences.
Charley Parkhurst was born in 1812 in New England and assigned female at birth. As a youth he ran away and began to live his life as a man. He traveled West to California, following the 1849 Gold Rush. Charley became one of the most respected stagecoach drivers of his time, fending off bandits while handling a coach led by 6 horses through rough terrain – one of the most difficult and dangerous jobs during the Gold Rush era.
Read Charley’s obituary from 1880 in the Daily Alta California newspaper, via the California Digital Newspaper Archive. Please note that this is historic, primary source material. The author misgenders Charley and discusses trans bodies in a way that is unacceptable by today’s standards, but was commonplace at the time.
Compton’s Cafeteria Riot
In August of 1966, a patron at Compton’s Cafeteria in the Tenderloin district – serving primarily trans women and drag queens – resisted arrest and sparked a riot. The patrons at Compton’s Cafeteria as well as in the rest of the Tenderloin had been suffering abuse, harassment, and assault at the hands of police officers and that night they defended their lives, their community, and a beloved (and rare) trans-friendly safe space together. This historic event went completely unreported and was largely unrecognized on a national level, but it ignited local activism.
In the 1960s, Felicia Elizondo was a regular patron of Compton’s Cafeteria, which was at the time a haven for young, queer sex workers like her. Moving forward, she advocated for the rights of trans women of color and worked for several non-profit organizations in San Francisco focused on support for the HIV-positive community. She also contributed panels to the NAMES Project AIDS Memorial Quilt. In addition to her activism, she performed regularly as the drag queen Felicia Flames and served as the grand marshal of the 2015 San Francisco Pride Parade.
Read a 2007 interview with Felicia Elizondo as part of the Library of Congress Veterans History Project. Elizondo discusses her experience serving in the military prior to coming out as a trans woman.
Stop Aids Now or Else
At 7:27am on January 31, 1989, protesters stopped traffic on the Golden Gate Bridge – the first time a protest had brought all traffic to a complete stop. The protest was organized by a group called Stop AIDS Now Or Else (SANOE) in collaboration with the AIDS Coalition To Unleash Power, or ACT UP. The AIDS crisis affected the queer communities of San Francisco deeply since it first appeared in 1981; in 1992 cases peaked to 2,332 in one year.
There is still no vaccine against HIV, but advancements in medication allow many folks who are HIV-positive to lead healthy lives. Additionally, the introduction of PrEP in the past decade has greatly decreased the risk of HIV transmission through prevention. Sadly, due to global injustice, sub-Saharan Africa remains most severely impacted region of the world, accounting for 2/3 of the world’s HIV cases.
Read And the Band Played On, a ground-breaking investigative work by Randy Shilts. Shilts passed away from AIDS-related complications in 1994.
Connie Norman
Throughout her life, Connie Norman advocated for medical rights – particularly for HIV-positive patients battling AIDS, but also in the name of other marginalized communities who were being ignored by the County of Los Angeles. In 1991, she lobbied in support of AB101, which did not pass at the time but would have prohibited employers from discriminating on the basis of sexual orientation. She also hosted the first commercial radio talk show centered on gay rights in LA.
Tamara Ching is an activist for AAPI, sex worker, HIV-positive, and transgender communities. She was an original member of the Transgender Advisors to the San Francisco Human Rights Commission, and she has also served as an advisor to the Board of Supervisors, the San Francisco Police Department, and the Department of Public Health in the fight for trans rights.
Check out this interview (available as audio and text transcript) with Tamara Ching, part of the Stanford Pride Oral History Project.
Susan Stryker
In 1994, Susan Stryker published her first academic article – also one of the first articles to be published in a peer-reviewed academic journal by an openly transgender author. Her work as a historian and filmmaker focuses on trans history, and her filmography includes Screaming Queens, a documentary about the Compton’s Cafeteria riot.
Read Transgender History, Susan Stryker’s pioneering history of transgender people in the United States after World War II, which was recently updated as a second edition.
Honey Mahogany
Honey Mahogany is the current chairperson of the San Francisco Democratic County Central Committee, and its first transgender chair. She co-founded the Transgender District in the Tenderloin, named after Compton’s Cafeteria and the uprising that took place there, and she served as chief of staff to San Francisco District 6 Supervisor Haney before his recent election to the State Assembly.
Listen to a 2020 KQED spotlight on Honey Mahogany in which she shares the origins of her activism and political engagement .
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