Candy Land Library

Calling all Number Crunchers and Candy Munchers! Play our Candy Count Contest this February and WIN! One child, teen and adult will win a gift certificate to Games of Berkeley plus a share of the candy. Pick up a love book while you’re at it.  Winners will be selected third week in February. Closest guess wins!!!

Be sure to attend Margo’s Craft Workshop on Saturday, February 9 at 2:00 pm. She’ll help you ring in Chinese New Year, the Year of the Snake–making traditional paper cuts, and prepare for Valentine’s Day with Swedish hearts, origami hearts, and other paper fantasies.

Read Full Post »

Who’s got tape?

Need a wallet…or something to put in it??? Kids don’t care if cash was not included. Today they used all colors of duct tape to make wallets and other sticky stuff.

Albany Library kicked off the Duct Tape series, a tween event for Art Is Education month at Alameda County Library.

DuctTapeProgram2012

Read Full Post »

Friends’ Book Sale: $7229

Sale raises record $7229!

 

Special Thanks to the Students from MacGregor High School who were a HUGE HELP at the sale.

 Leftovers from the May sale went to :
 
     U S Army troops in Iraq and Afghanistan 
     African schools – Uganda and other countries 
     Nevis and St Kitts 
     a local art teacher 
     San Francisco Jail 
     St Vincent de Paul 
     Springville and Strathmore ( Tulare County) libraries

Read Full Post »

Creative Albany: Arts Day photo gallery

Read Full Post »

Arts Day! March 26, 10-4

Creative Albany!

Where: Albany Library, 1247 Marin Ave, Albany, CA 94706
Date: March 26, 2011
Time: 10:00am–4:00pm

A captivating community arts day providing a range of ways for youth and families to experience the arts in action!

• 10-12 – Origami Workshop with Margo Wecksler
• 12-1 – Tour and Reception for Youth Art Display and Local Artist, Irfan Akbar
• 1-2 – Welcome from Supervisor Keith Carson and Fratello Marionettes’ Carnival of the Animals
• 2-2:30 – Albany High Jazz Combo Performance
• 2:30-3 – Lobby Gallery Tour with Irfan Akbar
• 2:30-4 – Presentation and Craft workshop with Albany Children’s Book author, Elisa Kleven

Youth visual art will be on display throughout the month of March! Presented by Albany Library / Alameda County Library system, City of Albany, Albany Arts Committee, Friends of the Albany Library and the Alameda County Arts Commission. Special guest:Alameda County Supervisor Keith Carson, District 5 will visit at 1:00 pm!

Everyone invited: Families, Free, Kids, Open to All, Seniors, Teens

Website: http://www.aclibrary.org/branches/alb
Phone: 510-526-3720
Email: dhess@aclibrary.org

Price: free

ArtISEd_District5Flyer

Read Full Post »

Henna Tattoos

Rachel-Anne Palacios taught a group of Albany teens and adults the fine art of henna tattoos. The results were stunning and the tattoos were even more fascinating as the ink disappeared, leaving the burnt-orange color. The artist mixes designs from all traditions and had a large display of photos from earlier programs. Each person had a chance to design their own patterns and then take some of Rachel-Anne’s patterns home. We definitely want to have another afternoon of Henna tattooing.

 

 

 

 

 

Read Full Post »

Power! Who needs it?

Solar-powered math study

Check out by hand!

Well, you may need electricity to read this blog, but, for one brief silent moment on Saturday–the computers, lights and gadgets all shut down. And we all had a marvelous time!

Origami Peace Pole (with wishes in many languages)

Smiles in the aisles

Design team unplugged!

A downed utility pole may have caused our vacation from “The Grid.” Books were checked out by hand. Reference staff dusted off their Dewey Decimal knowledge with no online catalog to help. Most enterprising of all, a teen volunteer (looking like a coal miner with security lights ablaze) unloaded the bookdrop in the dark. Three cheers for her!!!

Happy artists

Dream team: Origami workshop

Please check your records this week to see if any items on the Holds Shelf were not picked up due to the power outage. Here is a portrait of a library without power and people doing what people do best: enjoying books, art and each other. The Albany way….

Read Full Post »

Kids up front!

2010 Talent show featuring Hazel, Kavya, Maya, Connor, Luna, Sarbjot, Harpreet and Magical Nathaniel!

Read Full Post »

Summer’s here and the reading’s easy

As the school year winds down, the library is busily gearing up for summer. Starting June 15, summer reading games will begin for children, teens and adults. Come pick up a reading log and you’re on your way to winning a variety of fun prizes. Check out the children’s, teen and adult summer reading game blogs for more details.

On June 16, the Tuesday night family programs kick off with a sing-along party featuring Bay Area favorite Asheba playing tunes from his new CD. Storytellers, reptiles, magicians and more will be featured throughout the summer. And if you have a special talent you’d like to share with the community, sign up to be in the July 28 talent show! The dog days of summer bring the Paws to Read crew back, with real live dogs listening quietly as children read to them.

So whatever else you plan to do this summer, be sure to stop by the library and join the fun.

Read Full Post »

Board Game Days

On selected Saturday afternoons, the Albany Library’s Edith Stone Room is busy with the non-electronic sound of people playing board games. Families and friends come to play with each other; single adults and kids come to hook up with a game. The Alameda County Library Foundation purchased the games which include Scrabble, Monopoly, Life, and Checkers as well as several decks of cards. The Friends of the Albany Library fund Community Center staffer Jamira Johnson who will explain the rules, and even play a game with you. 

Board Game Days are February 21, March 7, 21, April 4, 18 and May 2, 23 from 1-4 p.m.

 Free! Drop-in! Fun!

Read Full Post »