TREES OF KNOWLEDGE
 Delta
Wall Plaza at the Central Library
Need another reason to visit the Central Library? The Delta Wall Plaza
on the east side of the Central Library has been landscaped and re-planted
this spring. A planting session on March 22nd kicked off the
new look with a news conference and volunteers assisting in some of the
smaller plantings coordinated by City Public Service (CPS). The new look
was created using drought-tolerant shade trees and plants native to the
South Texas area. A few of the trees and plants include three types of
Oaks, a Cedar Elm, Texas Redbud, Wild Olive, Texas Mountain Laurel,
Rosemary, Esperanza, Plumbago and Purple Lantana. Educational signs
throughout the Plaza will indicate the plant and tree varieties.
A 2002 study by American Forests of Washington, D.C. shows that since
1985 Bexar County has lost 23 percent of its tree coverage. Not only do
trees and plantings beautify urban settings, but also can lower the ‘heat
island’ effect in cities, reduce air pollution, reduce storm water runoff
and increase energy efficiency in adjacent buildings. As a supporter of
water conservation, the Library’s Delta Wall Plaza will use a 1,440-gallon
condensation capturing irrigation system designed by San Antonio Water
System (SAWS). This move will save on reliance of the aquifer water by
using the recovered condensation from the air conditioners, and is even
superior to rain water harvesting which can dry up in the long summers.
This environmentally friendly attraction will benefit everyone who visits
the Central Library for years to come.
This new planting project was made possible by a consortium
consisting of City Public Service, the San Antonio Water System, Keep San
Antonio Beautiful, the Texas Forest Service, the San Antonio River
Authority, the City of San Antonio, and the Library Board and Foundation.
SAWS and CPS will maintain the trees and plants and irrigation system
during the first year. |
CHILDREN'S PROGRAMS
 Where
does my child fit in?
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Infant Lap Sit (Approximately 15 minutes)
Most appropriate for children ages 6-18 months and their parents. Very
simple picture books and other activities specially designed for our
smallest customers.
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Toddler Storytime (15-20 minutes)
Most appropriate for children ages 18 months-3 years with an
accompanying adult. Simple picture books and other activities that help
develop social and listening skills.
-
Preschool Storytime
(Approximately 30 minutes)
Most appropriate for children ages 3-5 years with an accompanying adult.
Picture books and other special activities designed for children who are
getting ready for school.
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School Age/Family Storytime (30-45 minutes)
Most appropriate for children ages 5-12. Longer, more complex picture
books and other activities often tied to a theme and designed for the
older child. Can be an activity for the entire family.
Please note: these categories are intended only as
guidelines to help parents select sessions that their children will most
enjoy. They are not rigid requirements for attending storytime.
Check our monthly calendar for storytime locations. |
MOBILE TRAINING LAB GOES ON TOUR!
 What's
in those black cases anyway? It's a Mobile Training Lab! With grants from
the Telecommunications Infrastructure Fund (TIF) Board, the library was
able to purchase laptops and accessories so that computer classes could be
presented in a classroom environment at locations other than the Central
Library. The Mobile Training Lab (MTL) has visited various library
locations this past year but starting in May and ending in December 2003,
library staff will be taking the MTL on the road for a 5-class series at
every library location!
Library staff have scheduled the series to be presented
throughout the city at various dates and times throughout the remainder of
the year. For those of you with little or no computer experience, Meet the
Computer is the first class you should attend. Taking the classes in
sequence is strongly recommended since each class builds on the skills
learned in previous classes. The series includes
Meet the Computer,
Web Basics I,
Web Basics II,
Search the Web I and
Search the Web II. Classes are free and registration is recommended.
Contact your local branch and inquire about the class in which you are
interested.
Please check
here for our schedule as of May 1st. Additional dates will be listed
as scheduling is confirmed at each branch location. For more information
about this program or other aspects of computer skills training presented
by SAPL, please contact Thien Hoang Gretchen at 207-2563 or
thoang@sanantonio.gov.
Don't forget to check out the class schedules for Central Library as
well as other branch libraries offerings. (http://www.sanantonio.gov/library/events/classes/) |
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GENEALOGY FAIR
 Does
Trying to Climb Your Family Tree Have You Climbing the Walls?
Genealogical research is booming. According to an article on the index of the
VAGen Web page, genealogy as a hobby ranks second only to stamp collecting in
popularity. In the summer of 1999 the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day
Saints (LDS), better known as the Mormons, launched FamilySearch, an online
database of their genealogical resources. The Cornell University Library Friends
Web page reports that within minutes the LDS Web site crashed, overloaded with
requests for information. According to the Family Tree Magazine Web page,
when the Minnesota state genealogical society placed a death record index online
at
http://people.mnhs.org/dci/Search.cfm, in one month it received more than
5,000 requests for death records. An Internet search on Google brings up 9.4
million genealogy Web sites. In the first three months of 2002, the
Texana/Genealogy Department at the San Antonio Public Library answered an
average of 10,000 questions per month.
On Saturday, May 3, family history researchers will have the opportunity to
meet, talk with, and learn from San Antonio’s most
active genealogical groups. This will be an opportunity to learn about resources
available to researchers. From 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. in the Auditorium of
the Central Library, 600 Soledad, genealogy experts will be available to answer
questions and provide information about their organizations and activities.
The Genealogy Fair is free and open to the public. One hour of free parking
is available in the Central Library parking garage with a validated ticket. For
more information call 207-2500. |
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FEATURED DATABASE |
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EBSCOHost Database
Have you tried searching the library catalog for
a particular subject and ended up with no results? Afraid that an
Internet search won’t provide you with quality information? Not
sure where to turn next? Don’t give up! Instead, you may need to
try your search on the EBSCOHost database at the library. This
database allows you to search popular magazines and academic
journals for articles.
Once you learn the basics of keyword searching
on EBSCOHost, you will have many subject specific databases at your
fingertips! Within EBSCOHost there are different topical databases
you may wish to select before you begin your search. If you select
the database Academic Search Premiere you will have
access to over 6,000 journals some of which date back to 1975, and
you have the option to narrow your results from peer-reviewed
journals only. Academic Search Premiere is a great database to
search for information on current events, such as the Affirmative
Action debate or Human Cloning. Or you can also use this database
to look up general subjects like Jackie Robinson, blimps or El Niño. Just type in your keywords and click Search!
Also within EBSCOHost you may add additional
topical databases to your search. If you are looking for health
related articles, you may add several health specific databases to
search including MEDLINE and Health Source – Consumer Edition.
Need to find articles about teaching techniques for disabled
students? Add the ERIC (Educational Resource Information Center)
database to your search.
Ask
for EBSCOHost at your
library and you will
have instant access to articles covering a wide range of topics.
Many of the articles you may find are available in full-text. Once
you find an article that you are interested in, you may email it
to yourself or print the article and charge it to your library
card. And remember, with a valid library card you can also access
our databases from home at
http://www.sanantonio.gov/library/
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EVENTS |
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Solar Fest. Learn about renewable energy and
sustainable building at Solar San Antonio’s Solar Fest! The fair is
free and open to the public and will feature: Jr. Solar Sprint Racers ·
Solar Baked Chocolate Chip Cookies · Sustainable Building Materials ·
Alternative Powered Vehicles · Food, Drink, and Fun! Saturday, May 17th,
9am – 4pm at Maverick Park (Broadway and 10th Street). |
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LIBRARY EVENTS |
SALSA: Spice up Your Life with Something Healthy! Healthy eating and
physical activities, presented by Monique Durham, University Health
System. May 2, 9, 16, 23, and 30, 10:00 a.m.
Carver
Branch Library.Help Plant a Tree at Westfall. Learn the best
method for planting, the best trees for this area, and the importance of
tree cover. Saturday, May 3, 11:00 a.m.
Westfall
Branch Library.
Celebremos a Honduras con Cuentos, Canciones y una Manualidad.
Programa en español para toda la familia: Spanish storytime celebrating
Honduras with stories, songs and a craft. Tuesday, May 6, 6:00 p.m.
Cortez
Branch Library.
College Knowledge. Answers to your questions about getting into
college. Monday, May 12, 7:00.
McCreless
Branch Library.
Armed Forces Fair. Information about all branches of the military
to help answer your questions about recruitment. Saturday, May 17, 2:30
p.m.
McCreless Branch Library.
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·
Book Discussions
·
Computer Classes
·
Holiday Closings
We urge you to call your library before heading out for a special
program. Although we verify all information, cancellations do
occasionally occur. |
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