Got the quarantine blues?

Posted by on 08 May 20

Got the quarantine blues? Us too. Read some blues poetry created by San Rafael youth in our Blues Poetry Class led by Librarian Lea Aschkenas and commiserate with us. Have your own blues poetry to share? Post it and tag us on Facebook and Instagram. #quarantineblues #blues #bluespoetry #walterdeanmyers

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Explore the Art of Yayoi Kusama

Posted by on 01 May 20

There is still time to register for our Yayoi Kusama Talk and Activity with local artist and educator Rachel Palacios! But if you can’t make it (or want to get an early start!) the Yayoi Kusama Museum in Japan has created this super fun worksheet to discover and experiment with Kusama’s unique and bold art practice: Yayoi Kusama Museum Exploration Worksheet. Print the worksheet from home or, if you don’t have access to a printer, have fun looking at her art and reading about her on the museum website.

You read that right–Yayoi Kusama is such an important artist, she has her own museum dedicated just to her work and curation of artists and works related to and influenced by her! Don’t miss this opportunity to learn more about one of the most important living contemporary artists in the world!

My Father’s Dragon Read-Aloud on YouTube

Posted by on 22 April 20

Librarian Margaret Stawowy is reading a beginning chapter book for children ages 4-7.  My Father’s Dragon by Ruth Stiles Gannett was published by Random House in 1948.  It is now in the public domain. It was both a Newberry Honor Book and an ALA Notable Book.   

The novel is about a young boy, Elmer Elevator who runs away to Wild Island to rescue a baby dragon.  Listen to this children’s classic and let your imagination fly!    

National Poetry Month Is Here!

Posted by Aaron on 08 April 20

Instituted by the Academy of American Poets in April 1996, National Poetry Month was established “to remind the public that poets have an integral role to play in our culture and that poetry matters.”
Usually, National Poetry Month is a time for poetry readings and celebratory activities around poetry and poetry writing. As we shelter in place, we’re bringing the celebration to you!  We will be collecting video clips of poets, mostly local, who will read a poem for your reflection and enjoyment. Here is the link to the Poetry YouTube Playlist.  Get inspired!  See if you feel moved to write a poem of your own. Now, more than ever, we need poetry!

Want to dive in deeper?  See these websites for more poetry:
Would you like a poem delivered to your inbox each day?
Or maybe you’d rather HEAR the poem.
Want more videos?
And, of course, you can SEE our poetry videos on the Poetry YouTube Playlist
For more information about National Poetry Month, see the Poets.org site

And as William Carlos Williams put it, “if it ain’t a pleasure, it ain’t a poem.”

Watch City Council Meetings Live on YouTube

Posted by bonnie on 04 April 20

Watch the live broadcast of the City of San Rafael’s Council Meeting on Monday, April 6th at 7pm. You will be able to comment in the live chat or comment live by phone by contact ing the City Clerk at 415-485-3066.

The April 6 City Council meeting will again be streamed on YouTube Live at 7 pm. For those unable to participate through YouTube live, we will also provide a phone number you can call in to listen and/or participate. While we cannot allow physical access to the meeting due to the Shelter in Place order, we are offering several ways you can make your voice heard:

1. Write to the City Council in advance
2. Comment live on YouTube during the meeting
3. Call-in and “raise your hand” if you want to speak during public comment time

More information about how to participate

Upcoming City Meetings

Learn How to Make a DIY Mask

Posted by Aaron on 28 March 20

Librarian Jill Tokutomi demonstrates how you can make your own mask.

Fu Mask pattern from freesewing.org

As mentioned, there is some conflicting information about if and how the public should be using masks at this time. Here are some resources to help you decide for yourself:

World Health Organization: When and how to use masks

New York TImes: More Americans Should Probably Wear Masks for Protection

BBC: Why Some Countries Wear Face Masks and Others Don’t

Science Mag: Would everyone wearing face masks help us slow the pandemic?

Don’t have elastic on hand? Salvage some from old stretchy articles of clothing:

Your Online Library

Posted by on 26 March 20

Due to the County’s Shelter-in-Place order we’re working hard to offer as many online programs and services for all ages until we see you again in our libraries. Please check out our most recent newsletter Your Online Library.

Register to receive newsletters from us about upcoming programs and service changes

¡Sobreviviendo al estar con los Niños en Casa!

Posted by Aaron on 25 March 20

¡Hola Niños!  

¿Es super aburrido estar en casa? ¿Los adultos les dicen que ya dejen la computadora o la tableta? Aquí hay algunas ideas de cómo puedes encontrar cosas que hacer, incluso si estás atrapado en casa.  Si bien algunas de estas ofertas son digitales, intenta mezclarlas! 

A Moverse   ¡Enciende tu música favorita y ponte a bailar! Invita a los adultos a bailar también.  Ten una fiesta de baile familiar.  Camina al rededor del vecindario con precaución. ¡Un poco de sol convertirá el gris de tu cielos , en cielos azules! Volvamos a los tiempos de antes donde no tenían nada de tecnologia  digital. Pregunta a los adultos que juegos jugaban de niños como el Yax, Carteritas, Lotería, Saltar la Cuerda, La Cebollitas, o un Trabalenguas. 

Encuentre la Calma en este enlace, Insight Timer has meditations and meditation music just for kids.  Si todavía no puede calmar su mente?  Practique la respiración profunda—pero no detenga la respiración.  ¡Haz algunas repeticiones y mira cuánto mejor te sientes! 

¡Canta!  Después de moverse y meditar, cantar es otra de esas cosas que tiene tantos beneficios, ¡como elevar tu estado de ánimo! ¿Y adivina qué? Las prácticas de respiración de Find Some Calm van a dar fruto.  La gente cantaba mucho antes del karaoke, ¡y tú también puedes! 
¡Puntos extra por aprenderte una canción que un  adulto en casa cantaba de niño! ¡Les  recomendamos  cantar junto con su familia! 

Visita el Zoológico   El  San Diego Zoo, el Georgia Aquarium Y el Monterey Bay Aquarium  están ofreciendo vistas en vivo por la cámara web de pandas, pingüinos y ballenas Beluga. 

Piensa Creativamente:  The Bay Area Discovery Museum https://bayareadiscoverymuseum.org/bringing-badm-to-you is coming to you.  It’s fun! It’s open-ended!  Awaken your inner engineer/scientist/artist! Tap into your creativity! 

¡Hagamos Arte! Incluso si piensas que no tienes materiales para hacer algo de arte.   Mira a tu alrededor y elabora esculturas con todo lo que veas: calcetines, peluches, envases desechados, gomas, correo basura y objetos para reciclar. No hay una manera incorrecta de hacer esto, pero, por favor, ¡díselo a un adulto primero, para que no tomes algo que se necesita en la casa! Haga clic en este enlace: https://theartofeducation.edu/2017/10/17/found-object-sculpture-choice-based-space/  

Utiliza la Biblioteca Digital 
¡Visite nuestra página de Niños para ver nuestros recursos electrónicos, incluidos libros electrónicos y audio, cuentos digitales, una lista de juegos aprobados por bibliotecarios y mucho más! https://srpubliclibrary.org/kids/ 

Surviving Staying at Home for Kids!

Posted by Aaron on 23 March 20

¡SOBREVIVIENDO AL ESTAR CON LOS NIÑOS EN CASA!

Hey Kiddos!  

Is staying at home getting booorrrriiiinnnnggg? Are your adults telling you to get off the computer or tablet??  Here are some ideas of how you can find things to do even if you are stuck at home.  While some of these offerings are digital, try to mix it up!   

Get Moving to change your blahs into some serious bounce!  Turn on your favorite music, and dance!  Get your adults in on the action too.  Have a family dance party! Or head out for a walk around the neighborhood, an open park, or trail.  A little sunshine will turn your blues into blue skies! Go non-digital: get into play from the old days!  Ask an adult about games they played as kids, like Simon Says, jump rope, or hopscotch. 

Find Some Calm  Insight Timer has meditations and meditation music just for kids.  Still can’t quiet that monkey mind?  Practice taking slow deep breathes in and out—but don’t hold your breath.  Do a few rounds and see how much better you feel! 

Sing!  After moving and meditating, singing is another one of those things that has so many benefits—like upping your mood! And guess what? All that breathing practice from Find Some Calm is going to pay off as you hold those notes.  People were singing way before karaoke, and you can too!  Extra points for learning a song from the adult in your house from when they were a kid!  Singing together with your family is highly encouraged! 

Go to the Zoo:  The San Diego Zoo, the Georgia Aquarium and the Monterey Bay Aquarium are offering live webcam viewings of pandas, penguins and beluga whales. 

Think Creatively:  The Bay Area Discovery Museum is coming to you.  It’s fun! It’s open-ended!  Awaken your inner engineer/scientist/artist! Tap into your creativity! 

Make Some Art! Even if you aren’t stocked up on art supplies, art is all around you waiting to happen.  Look around, and make sculptures with anything you see: dirty socks, stuffed animals, discarded packaging, rubber bands, junk mail! There’s no wrong way to do this—but please, tell your adult first, so you don’t take something that they need!
Check out:

The Art of Education.

Make Use of your Digital Library:  Go to our Kids’ page to see our e-resources including E-Books and Audio, digital storytimes, a vetted list of librarian approved games, and more!

Join the Online Book Club!

Posted by on 23 March 20

The San Rafael Public Library Joins Libraries Worldwide in Largest Digital Book Club Engaging and informative “Funny, You Don’t Look Autistic.” E-book and audiobook are now available for reading and global discussion. – Thursday, March 23, 2020-April 13, 2020 

San Rafael Public Library patrons can join thousands of readers around the world in laughter and learning during Big Library Read, the world’s largest digital book club. From March 23–April 13. 

Booklovers can enjoy stand-up comic Michael McCreary’s hilarious yet insightful memoir, Funny, You Don’t Look Autistic, from their public library as an ebook or audiobook with no waitlists or holds! San Rafael Public Library readers can join by visiting https://marinet.overdrive.com/ or downloading the Libby app https://www.overdrive.com/apps/libby/, then discussing online at https://biglibraryread.com/join-the-discussion/.  

Big Library Read is available in over 22,000 libraries and schools around the world, including more than 90 percent of public libraries in North America. It is facilitated by Rakuten OverDrive, the leading digital reading platform for popular ebooks, audiobooks and magazines.  

Funny, You Don’t Look Autistic is stand-up comic Michael McCreary’s memoir in which he points out that autism “looks” different for just about everyone with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Diagnosed with ASD at age five, McCreary got hit with the performance bug not much later. During a difficult time in junior high, he started journaling, eventually turning his pain into something empowering—and funny. This unique and hilarious #OwnVoices memoir breaks down what it’s like to live with autism for readers on and off the spectrum. Funny, You Don’t Look Autistic is an invaluable and compelling read for young readers with ASD looking for voices to relate to, as well as for readers hoping to broaden their understanding of ASD.  

Big Library Read is an international reading program that simultaneously connects millions of readers around the world with an ebook through public libraries. Funny, You Don’t Look Autistic is the 21st selection of this program which began in 2013 and takes place three times per year. Readers can join an online discussion about the book at https://biglibraryread.com/join-the-discussion/. The free program runs for two weeks and only requires a library card from a Marin County public library to get started.  

Funny, You Don’t Look Autistic was published by Annick Press and can be read on all major computers and devices through Libby, including iPhone®, iPad®, Android™ phones and tablets and Chromebook™ without waitlists or holds. Through Libby, readers can also “send to Kindle®” [US libraries only]. The title will automatically expire at the end of the lending period, and there are no late fees.  

Hope you can join us!