Silicon Valley Reads 2008

West Valley branch library has a history of hosting great author events for Silicon Valley Reads and this year is no different. Join us on Thursday, February 21st at 6:30pm as we welcome local author Bo Caldwell whose book "The Distant Land of My Father" has been chosen for this year's community read. We'll be hosting an author reading and a Q&A session with Ms. Caldwell along with a tea reception. Tea reception? Well, we'll have some good hot Chinese teas on hand in any case for everyone to warm-up with. Get your copy now of "The Distant Land of My Father" to give yourself some time to read it before the event. We hope to see you there. And for more information about Silicon Valley Reads, just click on the highlighted text!

Carl Winters, Kalimba King: Coming in Jan. '08

Carl Winters: Kalimba King
Tuesday, Jan. 22, @ 5pm in the community room

All ages are invited to enjoy this one-of-a-kind musical performance by Carl Winters, master of the African kalimba (aka thumb piano). Explore the historical and cultural roots of this interesting instrument as the Kalimba King performs and invites the audience to participate! Find out more about Carl Winters at his website: Kalimba King

10 Years of Books for Little Hands!

Congratulations to San Jose Public Library's Books for Little Hands program on 10 years of excellent service to the youngest members of our community! Books for Little Hands is SJPL's outreach program that fosters early literacy by connecting educators and childcare providers with books, classroom kits, workshops, and other resources to use in the classroom or at daycare for children ages 0-5. Teachers and care providers can visit any SJPL branch, including West Valley, to check out these special materials. Last year alone, 8,328 children in San Jose were served by this program! Check out the Books for Little Hands website for more information.

West Valley library has got a book club!

Ladies and Gentlemen, boys and girls ... our library has undertaken the task of starting-up a new book club and we have high hopes for the future of this literary endeavor. Upon receiving periodic suggestions for the formation of such a group and encountering a small but committed group of library goers and their friends, we have put together a reading club scheduled to begin with the first meeting on January 9th of the new year (2008!) at 6:30pm. And, yes, thank you for asking, we have picked a title to discuss that evening. The inaugural title for the book club will be Snow Mountain Passage by James Houston, a local author from Santa Cruz whose novel is a fictionalized account of the infamous Donner Party. All are welcome and we hope to have a list of future book club selections in the next couple of months for those of you who like to plan ahead. Please help us make this local literary gathering a success and we hope to see you there!

Holiday Season at West Valley Library

It's December! Take some time out from the hustle and bustle of the holiday season and spend some time at the West Valley Branch Library! Here are some of our programs going on this month.

Improv Workshop for Youth
Sat. Dec. 1st at 2pm
Please join us for this fun and engaging workshop for children and teens, ages 7 and up. Learn improvisation skills and play fun theater games. This workshop will be led by the Willow Glen Children's Theatre!

Design Some Holiday Gift Wrap or Card
Sat. Dec. 8 at 2pm
Get a head start on your holiday wrapping by joining us for a free holiday craft program. We will be using items around the house or yard to design some unique gift wrap. All materials will be provided by the library. This program is geared for children 5 and up. Please wear old clothes since painting can be messy.
This event takes place in the Community Room.

Let's Talk About It: Jewish Literature Discussion Series, Session 5
Sun. Dec. 9 at 2pm
Join us for a lecture and discussion of Mona in the Promised Land by Gish Jen. This is the last of a five-part book discussion series: Let’s Talk About It: Jewish Literature - Identity and Imagination. Participants of all backgrounds are invited to explore the theme “Neighbors: The World Next Door” through the reading and discussion of works of contemporary and classic Jewish literature.

Anime & Manga Club for Teens
Fri. Dec. 14 at 4pm
Do you love all things anime and manga? West Valley Branch Library has a new anime and manga club for teens ages 12-18, and we want YOU to join! Watch anime episodes, discuss manga series, try some Japanese snacks, meet new friends, and have fun!

teensReach Meeting
Thurs. Dec. 20 at 4pm
teensReach is our advisory and volunteer group for teens ages 13-18. We meet every third Thursday of the month. Earn volunteer hours, share your ideas, make a difference in your community, and have fun! Please join us at the next meeting!

Game On! Gaming Party for Teens
Thurs. Dec. 27 at 4pm
Teens, join us for our monthly gaming party! Enjoy some snacks and try out some fun new multi-player video games or board games. For ages 12-18.

Reminder: We will be closed Dec. 23-25 (Sun.-Tues) and Dec. 30-Jan. 1 (Sun.-Tues.) for the holidays. Also, all story times will take a break between Dec. 16-Jan. 6th. Happy Holidays!

*NEW* Anime and Manga Club

Anime and Manga Club for Teens
Thursday, Nov. 8 at 4pm

Have you read nearly all the manga we have in the library? Do you sketch characters all over your notebook? Love watching anime episodes and movies?
West Valley Branch Library is starting a new anime and manga club for teens ages 12-18, and we want YOU to join!
Come to our first meeting to help us decide on a name, and submit your sketches or ideas for our logo! We’ll be watching brand new anime trailers and episodes, and we’ll share our favorite manga series. Try some tasty Japanese snacks, meet new friends, and enjoy all things anime and manga! We'll be meeting in the community room.

Edenvale Branch opens tomorrow!

San Jose Public Library has a brand new branch library opening tomorrow! Check it out!

Grand Opening Celebration - New Edenvale Library
Free community celebration, featuring a ceremonial ribbon cutting, entertainment and children's activities. Immediately following the brief dedication ceremony, residents will be able to obtain library cards and enjoy full use of the new Edenvale Branch Library. The Dedication Ceremony begins at 11:00 AM, at the new Edenvale Library, 101 Branham Lane East.