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

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.

MANY THANKS TO OUR OCTOBER
USED BOOK SALE VOLUNTEERS!