alt+library

I was lucky enough not to face any required summer reading lists until I went to college. So I still think of summer as the best time to read for fun. – Margaret Haddix

alt library — Sat, 05 May 2012 21:54:07 +0000

Summer reading is nigh! Beginning June 1st, you can sign up online or in any Sacramento library to participate. Think it is just for kids? The grand prize for adults is an iPad. Free iPad just for reading. Any adult who completes a single tic tac toe game card will receive a re-useable tote bag and be entered in the drawing for the iPad. You have until August 15th to complete as many tic tac toes as you like, for repeated entries into the prize drawing. But what to read?

June’s alt+library book club selection is Crooked Little Vein by Warren Ellis. The opening line, “I opened my eyes to see the rat taking a piss in my coffee mug” pretty well establishes the tone for the sick and seamy ride the novel drags you on. Along the lines of the other twisted fiction alt+library book club has enjoyed (The Gargoyle, Geek Love, Invisible Monsters), graphic novelist Ellis’ first detective novel is a definite cult fiction must-read.

The library offers other activities outside of the book club as well. The alt+fitness series at South Natomas library (May’s Brutal Yoga and June’s Punk Rock Aerobics), the First Fridays at North Sacramento library, and sundry other programs in all the other Sacramento library branches will keep you busy and entertained all summer long.

So pull your library card out of your wallet and come see what the summer has to offer. Check out meetup.com/altlibrary or http://www.facebook.com/saclibrary to stay posted on what is happening in a library near you. Or don’t be so lazy, get to a library far from you.

alt+library First Friday: Retro Crafts

alt library — Thu, 03 May 2012 18:22:23 +0000

Capital Decades : 1930s

alt library — Tue, 24 Apr 2012 17:07:25 +0000

Throughout the month of May, the Central Library will be celebrating life in 1930s Sacramento as part of its second annual Capital Decades program series. Special programs will cover City Life, Fashions and Styles, Motion Pictures and Dance; and 1930s displays with vintage material from the Sacramento Room and Sacramento Art Deco Society will be set up for viewing at the Central Library.

City Life (Tuesday, May 8, from 6 p.m.to 8 p.m.): Introduction to life in 1930s Sacramento including industry and labor, Hoovervilles, recreation and amusements, and schools; presented by William Burg, James Scott, Tom Tolley and Amanda Graham.

Fashions and Styles (Tuesday, May 15, from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.): A fashion show featuring dresses and accessories of the 1930s presented by Sacramento Art Deco Society president Doreen Sinclair.

Motion Pictures (Tuesday, May 22, from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.): Movie expert Matias Bombal will present clips from 1930s films and discuss the development of the Broadway entertainment district in Sacramento.

Jitterbug! (Tuesday, May 29, from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m.): Dance instruction from Midtown Stomp from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. and a dance to follow with period music and a silent showing of a classic 1930s dance flick.

All events will take place in the Tsakopoulos Library Galleria at the Central Library, 828 I Street, downtown Sacramento. Attendees are encouraged to dress in period attire. Registration is required for each event by telephoning the library at (916) 264-2920 or visiting www.saclibrary.org.

Gratitude is the sign of noble souls. – Aesop

alt library — Tue, 03 Apr 2012 23:05:29 +0000

And we here at alt+library have so many reasons to be grateful! This is our 100th blog post and we would like to take this opportunity to thank some of the many people who have supported our blog, meet-up, programming and indeed very existence.

For those who are coming to “For The Spell of It” this coming Friday, you may have a chance to win a free night’s stay AND a bottle of wine (21+ only!) if you can outspell the competition. That’s right, the Greens Hotel has generously donated a free stay in their charming boutique hotel – each room has a different letter, perfect for a spelling bee champ.

We’d like to thank the newly formed alt+friends group, supporters of the alt+library programming. More information on this group soon but you can learn more about the Friends of the Sacramento Public Library here.

We’d like to thank Scholastic Publishing and ALA for their generous grant that allows us to put on our week of “You Belong @ Your Library” GLBTQIA programs for National Library Week.

We’d like to thank photographer and creative genius Terri Brindisi (aka Sac City Rollers photographer “Flash Exposure”) for the huge volume of work she did, shooting images for the “You Belong @ Your Library” campaign. Her photos can be found online, in Outword, on the back of buses and on posters all over Sacramento libraries.

Of course, we cannot thank enough the Sacramento Public Library and the support and leadership of our director, Rivkah Sass. Without such a wonderful library district, alt+library would never have made it off the ground.

Thank you to all and sundry who have helped; here’s to a bigger, better, stronger alt+library future!

Come out, come out, wherever you are!

alt library — Thu, 22 Mar 2012 23:41:25 +0000

Come join us for a celebration of Sacramento’s GLBTQIA culture in the libraries for National Library Week! Speed daters – sign up here. (I can’t wait to see the cheerleader costumes.)

Women’s History Month – Women in Rock!

alt library — Thu, 08 Mar 2012 20:20:59 +0000

Every day in March at the North Sacramento – Hagginwood library at 3:30p, we will play a song from a different iconic female musician. We will play a total of 31 different songs (sometimes 2 a day), a different performer for each day of the month. Think you know music? You could win a $30 gift card to iTunes if you are the first person to correctly identify every woman pictured on the “Women in Rock” poster in the library. Below is a segment of the poster, how many can you identify?

For the Spell of It

alt library — Tue, 06 Mar 2012 18:25:33 +0000

You’ve got this. Register here: http://ow.ly/9fW95

Kuch Kuch Hota Hai: Bollywood Spectacular!

alt library — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 23:51:56 +0000

Something is happening indeed! alt+library is starting a series of afterhours “First Friday” programs at the North Sacramento Library (2109 Del Paso Blvd). Our kickoff program is March 2nd and is a “Bollywood Spectacular”! We will be enjoying a film, Bolly dance lesson, henna, chai and Indian snacks.

Not familiar with names like Madhuri Dixit, Aishwariya Rai, Shahrukh Khan or Kajol? BollyWHAT has created a newcomer’s guide to Bollywood that will help you on your way to becoming familiar with all the elements of film. Be sure to join our meetup.com/altlibrary so you can stay current with what will be happening next in alt+library! Or we’ll wag our thumbs at you until you tug your ears.

Speed Dating for Book Lovers III

alt library — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 21:07:11 +0000

It is that time of year again–Speed Dating time. The list is pretty full at the moment–ladies are being wait-listed, but we still have room for a couple more guys. This is our third year doing this, so we can say with some confidence that there will be people who chicken out at the last minute–it is still worth your while to register.

Does Speed Dating for Book Lovers work? Yes! It worked in Omaha…and we’ve heard rumors of last year’s success.

So, register here: http://tinyurl.com/76rhbkx and bring a book to spark conversation. Also, this year’s event is not scheduled on Superbowl Sunday–so there goes that excuse!

alt+fitness: Partner Yoga

alt library — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 00:18:45 +0000