Looking for a New Interest?

When the air turns chill and we want to curl up with a book, it's a good time to "fall" in love with tutoring as a READ TO SUCCEED volunteer!

The Tulare County Library's READ TO SUCCEED program is looking for tutors to help out at the Tulare City site. Join us for a New Tutor Orientation scheduled for October 16, 2015, from 9 am to 12 noon at the Tulare Adult School. With more than a third of Tulare county residents struggling with reading, the READ TO SUCCEED program aim is to reduce the illiteracy rate in the county. All tutors in the program are volunteers. The need for more tutors is great, so anyone who loves reading, math, and helping others is welcome to attend the orientation program!

For more information or to sign up, please call the READ TO SUCCEED office in Tulare (559) 930-9358.

Banned Books Week: Celebrating the Freedom to Read

In support of the right to choose books freely, Tulare County Library joins the American Library Association, libraries, and bookstores all over to the country to commemorate Banned Books Week. From September 27 through October 3, 2015, the Library highlights the annual celebration of our right to access books without censorship. Censorship denies our freedom as individuals to choose and think for ourselves. For children, decisions about what books to read should be made with the people who know them best - their parents!

This year's observance centers on a most basic constitutional freedom "Celebrating the Freedom to Read" and encourages us not to take this for granted.

Since its inception in 1982, Banned Books Week reminds us that while not every book is intended for every reader, the right of each individual to decide what to read, listen to, or view is fundamentally American. Tulare County Library and thousands of libraries and bookstores across the country will celebrate the freedom to read by showcasing books that have been banned, censored, or threatened, and highlighting those who bravely speak out about censorship.

On display in the Visalia Branch are works by and about authors who supported intellectual freedom, including Thomas Jefferson, Maya Angelou, Judy Blume, and Henry Thoreau. Stop by and borrow one of these books wrapped in paper as a symbol of the many titles which have been banned or censored.

American libraries are cornerstones of our democracy, because libraries provide free access to a world of information that brings opportunity to all people. Now, more than ever, celebrate the freedom to read @ your library! Read an old favorite or a new banned book this week.

The Tulare County Library provides something for everyone. For more information on programs, resources, and library locations please call (559) 713-2700 or go to www.tularecountylibrary.org.  The Visalia Branch is located at 200 W. Oak Ave., Visalia, CA 93291.

October Raven Festival Return to Three Rivers

The October Raven Festival is back in Three Rivers for another year! Come out to the Three Rivers Branch Library for these fantastic events:

Saturday, Oct 3 -  11 am – 1 pm    

 

LEGO RAVENLAND CHALLENGE

Let you imagination soar! You’re invited to show off your LEGO building skills and knowledge about our native residents . . .the RAVENS. Create a design of your own using LEGOs. We will display the projects or pictures of the projects at the library during the month of October.

 

RAVENS AND WATERCOLORS

Join Cheryl Cotter as she leads a casual watercolor workshop where you will be able to capture your inner RAVEN. Cheryl is a visual artist and teacher who will help you find gifts you never thought you had. Materials will be supplied and you will take home you own post card sized painting.

 

Thursday, Oct 8 @ 6:30 PM

 

YOSEMITE’S RAVEN LADY – KAREN AMSTUTZ

Ravens predominate in this small Three Rivers community, so come join us for a fun family night and celebrate the Raven’s unique character. Watch as Karen becomes a Raven with costumes and her voice. Listen and she speaks “Raven”, and tells us about the birds that are part of the mystery of our natural world.

 

CHRISTINA LYNCH will read the Raven by Edgar Allen Poe and reprises her original Three Rivers parody. Christina is a television writer, novelist and writing instructor. She has co-written two novels under the pen name Magnus Flyte, City of Dark Magic and City of Lost Dreams, and is working on a solo novel set in Italy. She teaches at UCLA Extension, Antioch LA and College of the Sequoias.

 

Thursday, Oct 15 @ 6:30 pm

 

WILE E. THE . . . RAVEN? Come hear stories about how Ravens are even more clever and “wily” than coyotes. Meet Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Park’s Chief of Interpretation, Colleen Bathe as she shares stories from National Park sites.

For more information, call the Three Rivers Branch at (559) 561-4564 or visit their website. The Three Rivers Branch is located at 42052 Eggers Dr., Three Rivers, CA 93271-0216.

Independent Film Series, October 27

Join us at the Visalia Library on Tuesday, October 27 at 6:00pm to watch The Lesson!

Synopsis: In a small Bulgarian town, Nade is an honest, hard-working elementary school teacher and devoted mother, struggling to keep her life together. Her unemployed, alcoholic husband has secretly spent their mortgage payments on booze, the agency where she translates legal documents for extra cash is going under, and a thief in her class has stolen the last of her money out of her purse. With few options left, Nade turns to a local loan shark for help, but with the repossession of her home looming, she finds herself with little hope. Resorting to measures her former self would have found depraved, Nade attempts one last desperate act to get the money she needs.

Directed by Kristina Grozeva and Petar Valchanov | Canada | 2014 | Bulgarian with English subtitles | 105 min.

The film will be shown at 6:00pm in the upstairs "blue" meeting room at the Visalia Branch Library. This event is free and open to the public. Absolutely everyone is welcome.

For more information, visit the Reference Desk or call (559) 713-2723. You can also join the event on Facebook.

Monthly Friends Meeting, October 8

The Friends of the Tulare County Library will hold their monthly meeting on Thursday, October 8, at 7:00pm in the library's upstairs (purple) meeting room. Absolutely everyone is welcome to attend, including and especially current Friends, prospective Friends, and anyone who is interested in learning more!

Please contact the Visalia Reference Desk at 559-713-2703 for more information.

Lego Club Launched this Month at Four Tulare County Library Branches

It's not too late to join Tulare County Library's newest club -- the Lego Club, that is.

Launched this month at Alpaugh, Strathmore, Three Rivers, and Woodlake Branch Libraries, the club meets weekly to build with Legos. On the last week of the month, a contest is held and the winner wins a prize!

Meeting times and themes are below:

Alpaugh Branch: Wednesdays, 3:00pm - 5:00pm
Strathmore Branch: Tuesdays, 2:00pm - 5:00pm

Three Rivers Branch: Wednesdays, 3:30pm - 5:00pm

Woodlake Branch: Tuesdays, 3:00pm - 5:00pm

Themes:

September - Free Style

October - Tallest Structure

November - Most Creative

December - Free Style

 

These programs are absolutely free, and no registration is required.

For more information on days and times of the clubs at each branch, please go to www.tularecountylibrary.org and choose the locations tab or call the branches.

Friends of the Library-Exeter's Half-Off Fridays

Starting September 25, 2015, the Friends of the Library-Exeter will have half-off Fridays. All materials, excluding 25 cent items, will be 50% off their regular prices. All 25 cent items, magazines and well-loved paperbacks, will be two for 25 cents.The Exeter Branch library is open Fridays from 9am-1pm and 2pm-6pm. Come to to the Exeter Branch Library for a deal! For more information, please contact the Exeter Branch Library at 559-592-5361.

Revisiting the Past at the Tulare County Library

Shades of Tulare County Redux, an historical photo exhibit, opens at the Visalia Branch of the Tulare County Library on Tuesday, September 22. This exhibit consists of over thirty images originally in personal photo albums of local residents of Asian descent collected during the initial Shades project in 1999.

The exhibit runs from September 22 through December 10 and is located on the second floor of the Visalia Branch outside the entrance to the Annie R. Mitchell History Room. Exhibit hours are from 1:00pm - 5:00pm, Tuesday - Friday.

Join us for an opening reception on Wednesday, September 23 from 6:30pm - 7:30pm at the Visalia Library. Local historian and author Terry Ommen (Wild Tulare County, Then & Now: Visalia) and Tulare County Film Commissioner and local historian Eric Coyne will speak about their experiences assisting in the creation of the collection. Refreshments will be provided.

The exhibit and reception are both free events. No registration is required. For more information on this exhibit or reception, please contact Lisa Raney at (559) 713-2723 or the reference desk at (559) 713-2703.

The Visalia Library is located at 200 W. Oak Ave, Visalia, CA 93291. The Tulare County Library serves all the citizens of Tulare County with locations in fifteen communities, five book machines, and an online presence at www.tularecountylibrary.org.

"Every Hero" is a Summer Reading Success!

Tulare County Library wrapped up Summer Reading 2015 with over 9,000 participants, which includes 2,656  children, teens, and adults who signed up for reading logs and prizes. This year we celebrated summer with "Every Hero Has a Story," so it is not surprising there were lots of fun superhero crafts and activities. In addition, we recognized our real life heroes with story times, a safety fair, and visits by Fire, Police, Ambulance Drivers, School Staff, and the Red Cross.

Special performances this year included a magician, reptiles and other wildlife, musicians, Native American dancers, and more. Children and parents turned out for reading, performers, and activities in all Tulare County Library's fifteen locations, with Visalia seeing a huge turnout for performances with up to 400 at each event. Congratulations to our Librarians and Library Staff for being the heroes of Summer Reading.

Also, grateful thanks to the Friends of the Tulare County Library for our Summer Reading special programs!

All Libraries Closed for Labor Day

Earlimart, Pixley, and Terra Bella Branch Libraries are closed for Labor Day on Monday, September 7.

All other branches are regularly closed on Mondays.

Library services on our website are available 24/7.

Enjoy your labor day holiday!

Visalia Branch Children's Events, September 2015

Are you looking for something fun to do with your wee ones this month? Check out our calendar below to see what's going on this September at the Visalia Branch!

Storytime has returned to 10:00am on Wednesdays, and we have two Toddler Times. One is on Tuesday, and one is on Thursday. Please note that they are at different times. Fridays are fun for the whole family!

No registration is required for any of the programs, and all programs are free.

For more information, please call 559-713-2731.

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September is National Library Card Sign-Up Month!

 

September is National Library Card Sign-Up Month!

 

 The Exeter Branch Library is having a great promotion for all children (ages 0-17). Any child (ages 0-17) who obtains a new, not replacement, library card receives a gift certificate. This offer is only valid while supplies last, so hurry in and get your library card! For more information, contact the Exeter Branch Library at 592-5361.

 

 



First Tuesday Book Club, October 6

For October, we're reading Gods of Gotham by Lyndsay Faye.  

Summary: New York City, 1845. Timothy Wilde, a 27-year-old Irish immigrant, joins the newly formed NYPD and investigates an infanticide and the body of a 12-year-old Irish boy whose spleen has been removed. 

We will be meeting in the Visalia Branch Blue Room to discuss this book on October 6 from 6:30pm - 7:45pm.

Independent Film Series, September 22

Join us at the Visalia Library on Tuesday, September 22 at 6:00pm to watch God's Slave!

Synopsis: Based on the actual events of a 1994 bombing in Buenos Aires still making headlines today, GOD'S SLAVE follows Ahmed, trained since childhood as an Islamic terrorist now assigned to execute a suicide bombing at a synagogue, and David, the cold-blooded Israeli special agent who will stop at nothing to prevent the attack. But neither man is defined solely by their extremist views. Ahmed, posing as a doctor, lives happily with his wife and young son; though David's marriage is on the rocks, he remains devoted to his wife and daughter. With time running out before the attack, David zeros in on Ahmed as a suspect, his investigation culminating in violent, if unexpected, consequences.

Directed by Joel Novoa | Venezuela and Argentina | 2013 | Spanish with English subtitles | 90 min.

The film will be shown at 6:00pm in the upstairs "blue" meeting room at the Visalia Branch Library. This event is free and open to the public. Absolutely everyone is welcome.

For more information, visit the Reference Desk or call (559) 713-2723. You can also join the event on Facebook.