Newsletter Highlights

Here are some articles selected from the most recent edition of Focus, a bimonthly newsletter focusing on the Friends of the Thousand Oaks Library, the Thousand Oaks Library and topics supporting literacy.

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The Newsletter of the Friends of the Thousand Oaks Library

Volume 2008 Issue 1 Winter 2008

PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE

Welcome to 2008! The Friends are looking forward to an exciting and busy year filled with many activities of interest to the entire community.

Of course, we will continue to sponsor our tri-annual two day used-book sales, the first of which will be on March 7 and 8 at the Newbury Park Library. As usual, we will have thousands of books, periodicals, CDs and other items available for sale at bargain prices. As you know, proceeds from the sale are plowed back into supporting a variety of library events throughout the year at both the Thousand Oaks Main Library and the Newbury Park Branch Library.

New this year, and coinciding with National Library Week, the Friends will sponsor a Family Day open house at the Thousand Oaks Library on Saturday, April 12. Plans for the event have not been finalized but in addition to back-room tours and door prizes, there will be musical, video and other presentations scheduled throughout the day. We will announce additional details about this full-day event soon.

Mark the dates for both events on your calendars now. You won’t be disappointed.

- Mel Weiner

NEW DIRECTION FOR FRIENDLY BOOK DISCUSSION GROUP


Friendly Book Discussion Group
leader Sai Chandavarkar

Sai Chandavarkar has a vision for the future of the Friendly Book Discussion Group. He wants to make the book selection process more broad-based and democratic, and not rely on the best seller lists. He’d like to see more participation in the group from a wider cross-section of the community. And he plans to actively recruit new members.
As the new leader of the book group, Sai has the ability to make his vision a reality.

He has already had the book group members submit book suggestions and vote on the books for 2008. Each month, a different member will facilitate the book discussion.

Sai has been a member of the discussion group since 1995, and was involved in informal book groups before that.
“If I’d followed my natural inclinations, I probably would have gone into literature,” said Sai. “But it’s too much of an ivory tower environment.”

Sai holds degrees in accounting and law and currently works for WellPoint, Inc. conducting compliance audits for Medicare. He and his wife Chitra, who teaches at California Lutheran University, have lived in Thousand Oaks for 15 years.

Sai is a big supporter of the library, and his wry sense of humor often emerges in conversation. “The library is a wonderful oasis,” said Sai with a slight smile. “Which is not to say that the surrounding area is a desert.”

New book group members are always welcome—come and give it a try!

Click here for the book selections and dates of the Friendly Book Discussion Group

LIBRARY EVENTS SPONSORED BY THE FRIENDS
By Carol Weiner


NEWBURY PARK BRANCH: (805) 498-2139

STORIES TO SHARE WITH PRESCHOOLERS - 3-5 years old
Tuesdays at 1:30 p.m.
January 22, 29; February 5, 12 

TODDLER TIME - 18-36 months
Thursdays at 10:30 a.m.
January 24, 31; February 7, 14

GRANT R. BRIMHALL LIBRARY: (805) 449-2660

FREE MOVIE MATINEE
Second Monday of the month at 1 p.m.
January 14 : The Astronaut Farmer starring Billy Bob Thorton
February 11 : License to Wed starring Robin Williams
March 10 : Flags of our Fathers directed by Clint Eastwood
April 14 : Desk Set starring Spencer Tracy and Katherine Hepburn

BABIES AND BOOKS - 16-24 months
Fridays at 10:30 a.m.
January 25; February 1, 8, 15, 22, 29; March 7, 14, 21, 28

TIME FOR TODDLERS - 2 years old
Thursdays at 10:15 a.m. and 11:00 a.m.
January 24, 31; February 7, 14, 21, 28; March 6, 13, 20, 27

PERFECT FOR PRESCHOOLERS - 3-5 years old
Tuesdays 10:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m.
January 22, 29; February 5, 12, 19, 26; March 4, 11, 18, 25

FRIENDLY BOOK DISCUSSION GROUP

Wednesday, January 9, 2008
The Essential Rumi
translated by Coleman Barks

Wednesday, February 6, 2008
Water for Elephants
by Sara Gruen

Wednesday, March 5, 2008
The Overcoat and other short stories
by Nikolai Gogol

Wednesday, April 2, 2008
1984
by George Orwell

The Friendly Book Discussion Group meets at 7:30 p.m. on the first Wednesday of the month in the Thousand Oaks Library Conference Room. For more information, contact Sai Chandavarkar at 805-367-0571 or 805-241-5205.

HISTORY BOOK DISCUSSION GROUP

Thursday, January 10, 2008
Truman
by David G. McCullough

Thursday, February 14, 2008
Diamonds, Gold and War: the British, the Boers,
and the making of South Africa

by Martin Meredith

Thursday, March 13, 2008
Washington’s Crossing
by David Hackett Fischer

Thursday, April 10, 2008
The Guns of August
by Barbara Wertheim Tuchman

The History Book Discussion Group meets at 7:00 p.m. on the second Thursday of the month in the Thousand Oaks Library Conference Room. For more information, contact Steve Crane at 818-461-5836 or 805-241-4495.

SPRING USED BOOK SALE

Friday, March 7, 2008
6:00 to 8:30 p.m.

Saturday, March 8, 2008
10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

Newbury Park Branch Library
2331 Borchard Rd.

MANY THANKS TO OUR OCTOBER
USED BOOK SALE VOLUNTEERS!

Book Sorters
Arlene Bradley
Bob Coffey
Nadia Dagher
John Durschinger
Don Garner
Bettie Rae Hall
Ed Hamilton
Marilyn Hamilton
Eileen Kessler
Judy Moore
Joy Paul
Sue Rosecrans
Fred Sonnenberg
Geri Trail
Carol Weiner
Mel Weiner
Vickie Williams
Sydelle Wolken

Other Volunteers
Olga Bernstein
Robin Brown
Juanita Buchanan
Bob Caccavo
Michael Charonnat
Nadean Charonnat
Natalie Charonnat
Donna Coffey
 
Lucille Crocetti
Gladys Eisenstat
Ken Fidyk
Sharon Ganssen
Elizabeth Goldberg
Susan Goldberg
Jeff Greenberg
Ken Grinnell
Elsie Grigsby
Tracey Hannel
Hal Hertzberg
Leroy Hilker
Max Honigsberg
Shirley Huber
Carol Lucas
Harsha Mehta
Doug Morgan
Bernardine Overman
Rosalyn Palmer
Anne Reddy
Peggy Rothring
Betsy Sakaida
Noah Sakaida
Timothy Sakaida
Lorraine Salvatore
Ruben Salas
Audrey Witt
Linda Witt
Mindy Wright
Jeanette Wright

 
Library Staff
Pam Alexander
Michael Farinon
Bea Scalise
Nancy Schram
Andy Schuttenhelm
Nancy Sevier
Judy Werner
Jerry Wing


Teen Volunteers
Krysteen Aveery
David Camacho
Amy Farfan
Jade Flores-Henderson
Pamela Guo
Rachel Hendelsman
Nicole Morrison
Tylar Singer

NCL
Marsha Mackenzie Hively
KC & Pam Brunson

 

MEMBERSHIP REPORT

Welcome to new members, and thank you to all who have renewed.

NEW MEMBERS

Diana Sinclair
John Tesoriero
William Nelson
Melissa Roghani
Vicki Williams
Lucille Crocetti

RENEWALS

Life $500
Geri Trail

Sponsor $100
Bob & Patty Biery
Joe &Charlotte Gelfond
Bonnie & Merrill Goldenberg
Hal & Leona Hertzberg
Hope Rosenfeld

Patron $50
Barbara Adams
Melanie Ashen
Nancy Berry
Margaret Crites
Sami & Nadia Dagher
Leslie Gilder
Elva Johnson
Laura Joseph
Marshall Knowlton
Lili Landa
Keith & Donna Langley
John & Nancy Leggat
Julie Lindberg
Gary Linnemeier
Jerry & Diane Mitcham
Eleanor Moore
Judy Moore
Marcia Morocco
Claudia Morrison
Linda & Steve Peters
Ronald & Susan Poulson
Michael Redding
Peggy Rothring
Dorothy Thompson
Robert Wahl
Mel & Carol Weiner
Jaynane Zima

Contributor $30
Donald & Ola Barnett
Gerald & Marianne Cline
Mark Kajiwara
Bernard Lemlech
John & Fan Lynch
Jerry & Margaret Miller
Arthur Rozell
 

(Newsletter Editor: Tracey Farr Hannel) 

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Friends of the Thousand Oaks Library is a non-profit 501 (c)(3) organization.