Taxonomy? Taxidermy? No, just Taxes for now ...

If you come to the library looking for subjects that begin with "TAX" at this time of the year, well, we're going to point you in the direction of the IRS and the State Franchise Tax Board and those pleasant types. We do NOT distribute or carry tax forms here at San Jose Public Library, but we do have a slew of information on obtaining tax related assistance. One of the more useful and requested bits of information is the free assistance that can be obtained at a variety of locations and dates through an array of providers. So take a deep breath, get your paperwork together and good luck tackling that unavoidable yearly burden of civic duty.

March Book Club Title

We had a good time talkin' about The Distant Land of My Father, this year's Silicon Valley Reads selection, and we're lookin' forward to the author Bo Caldwell being here next week, but it's time to move on with our reading selection for March. We have chosen Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen to be our next read. So get your copy now as it remains a popular title in our library system and many others, I'm sure. The next meeting will be on Wednesday, March 12th at 6:30pm. See you there.

February Frenzy

There are a lot of events going on this month at West Valley! We hope to see you here!

Anime & Manga Club for Teens
Fri, Feb 8, 4:00 PM - 5:30 PM
Do you love all things anime and manga? Want a place where you can share your artwork and make new friends? West Valley Branch Library has an anime and manga club just for teens ages 12-18, and we want YOU to join! We get together every month to watch anime episodes and films, discuss manga, plan club activities, eat Japanese snacks, and have fun!
This event takes place in the Group Study Room B

Celebration of the Year of the Rat
Sat, Feb 9, 2:00 PM - 3:00 PM
Please join us at Calabazas Park (1230 Blaney Ave, San Jose) for a spectacular Chinese New Year celebration. Watch a dragon parade, a lion dance, and a kung fu/ ta chi demonstration, and participate in fun family craft activities.
This event takes place at Calabazas Park, 1230 Blaney Ave. San Jose, CA , (408) 996-1536

Friends of the Library Book Sale at West Valley Branch
Sat, Feb 9, 9:00 AM - 3:00 PM
Books galore! We'll have children's, adult, and teen books; picture books, computer books, books in languages other than English; books about gardening, cookbooks, and romance novels; and any other category you can imagine. Friends of the Library get first dibs from 9am to 10am, and the sale opens to the general public at 10am. After 2pm, every bag of books you fill is only $2. All proceeds go to the Friends of the West Valley Library, who generously support the library's programs and collections.

Teen Battle of the Bands Audition
Tue, Feb 12, 4:00 PM - 6:00 PM
In honor of Teen Tech Week, it’s time to “Tune In @ your library”! We're calling all teen musicians (groups and solo) between the ages of 12-18...Now’s your chance to be heard! Enter San Jose Public Library’s Battle of the Bands 2008 online by February 15th for your chance to compete at a live concert in March and win awesome prizes, including studio recording time and generous gift certificates! The first part of this battle takes place ONLINE. Send us your submissions between Feb. 6-15. Email us at sjplbattleofthebands@gmail.com with a link to your music online (i.e. your page on MySpace, YouTube, Pure Volume, etc), along with your contact information. Don’t have your music online yet? Stop by our “virtual audition” recording session at West Valley on Tuesday, 2/12 at 4pm, along with your musical equipment. We will record you playing and help you upload the video online. Please visit the information desk for more information and official rules.

Valentine's Day Bash for Teens
Thu, Feb 14, 4:00 PM - 5:30 PM
Hey teens! Is true love in the air, or does it just stink? Whether you love or loathe Valentine’s Day this year, join us for a fun V-Day Bash! We’ll be making valentines (or UN-valentines, your choice!), decorating “broken heart” cookies, showing a movie about unconventional love, playing fun games, and of course, eating lots of chocolate! For teens ages 12-18.

Creative Writing Workshop for Children
Wed, Feb 20, 10:00 AM - 2:00 PM
Learn the basics of creating fictional characters from a talented author, publisher, and teacher in a fun-filled 4 hour creative writing workshop. Please bring your own lunch. Snacks provided. Geared toward children ages 9 -15.

teensReach Meeting
Thu, Feb 21, 4:00 PM - 5:00 PM
teensReach is our advisory and volunteer group for teens ages 13-18. We meet every third Thursday of the month to share ideas and plan activities in the library. Earn volunteer hours, be heard, make a difference in your community, and have fun! Please join us at the next meeting!

Silicon Valley Reads Presents - Author Bo Caldwell
Thu, Feb 21, 6:30 PM - 8:00 PM
Join us as we welcome the author of this year's Silicon Valley Reads title The Distant Land of My Father - Bo Caldwell. Ms. Caldwell will be reading a little from her book and taking questions about the book and her work . It is a fascinating piece of fiction and we expect a lively and interested gathering of participants. All are welcome.

Chinese Zodiac Family Craft Activity
Sat, Feb 23, 12:00 AM - 1:30 PM
Join us for a fun family craft activity for all ages in honor of Chinese New Year! Learn about your Chinese Zodiac sign and make a fun craft project for the year of your birth. This event is sponsored and led by West Valley’s teensReach volunteer group.

South Bay Guitar Society: Thomas Viloteau
Sat, Feb 23, 2:30 PM - 3:30 PM
Please join us for "A Conversation with Thomas Viloteau", presented by the South Bay Guitar Society. Born in Paris in 1985, Thomas Viloteau is an internationally-renowned classical guitarist, and winner of the 2006 Guitar Foundation of America International Solo Competition. Please join us for performance excerpts and a Q & A with this accomplished young musician.

Game On! Teen Gaming Party
Fri, Feb 29, 4:00 PM - 5:30 PM
Teens ages 12-18, please join us for our monthly gaming party! We'll be playing Nintendo Wii and Guitar Hero, and we'll also have board games and snacks.