There was a terrific piece on CBS Sunday Morning – the 21st Century Public Library – about the exciting changes in public libraries throughout the country. One person referred to the library as the community living room and another said its purpose was the engagement of the public. The mayor of Austin, upon the opening of the new public library there, said the most interesting things people check out are seed packets. The Alameda Free Library also checks out seeds as well as garden tools. Our library is continuing to reinvent itself to serve the changing needs of our community. Check out the many new services!
The Friends of the Alameda Free Library is changing too. We offer amazing Friends @ Home art docent and author talks. We have multiple options to purchase used books including the Books for Friends store and one day pop-ups. The exciting news everyone is waiting to hear about is the return of the traditional Used Book Sale at the O’Club. This popular event is coming this October 21-23, after an absence of three long years. We have had many, many questions about the Big Sale so we know the public is as excited as we are about its return. We have more than 1,000 boxes of books, so mark the dates on your calendar and plan to join us and buy some great quality books at low prices.
In frequent talks with Alamedans, I’ve discovered that many people are not aware of our outstanding online author and docent talks. I encourage our readers to check out the schedule on our website, register to attend, and invite friends and neighbors. There is no charge to attend and everyone is fascinating and informative.