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Halloween Parade at King Library!
Calling all princesses, fairies, superheroes, goblins, ghosts and other Trick or Treaters! Join us for our Annual Halloween Parade at the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Library on Friday, October 28. Our festivities start at 3:00PM with stories and a craft and the actual Parade starts at 4:00PM, led by Conroy the Cougar, our Library mascot. We will be trick or treating from the 1st through the 4th floors of the library so there will be lots of sweets to fill those trick or treat bags. Join us for an early start to Halloween; the kids will love this opportunity to try out their costumes before the actual day.
National Chemistry Week Celebration at King Library
There will be fun hands-on chemistry experiments at the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Library in the Children's Room from 10:00AM-1:00PM on Saturday, October 22. There will be a slime lab, snow making activities and other fun experiments. The Wheel of Chemistry Fortune will also be back spinning for all kids to win a prize. Don't miss this terrific Free Hands on Science Fun event. If all these experiments whet your appetite for more, remember the San José Public Library has many chemistry experiments you can try at home, with adult supervision of course.
Almaden Harvest Festival
Bring your family to a day of fun and fright at the 5th annual Almaden Harvest Festival and Holiday Boutique. The Festival is at the Almaden Library and Community Center on Saturday, October 22, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. General admission and parking are FREE. For more information call 408-268-1133.
Children will enjoy picking from the pumpkin patch, being spooked in the haunted houses, making crafts, playing games, and being entertained with a holiday story time and puppet show starring "Mr. K" and friends. The story time and puppet show are in the Library at 11:30 a.m. and repeated at 2:30 p.m. At 1 p.m. in the Library, Magic Dan will be performing a magic show for the entire family. For extra fun, Conroy Cougar, San José Public Library’s official mascot, will be on hand to greet everyone.
The festival features two haunted houses: one for kids and one for teens. For adults, the festival will feature arts and crafts from local artists, raffle prizes, and delicious food.
The Almaden Harvest Festival and Holiday Boutique is funded, in part, by the Friends of the Almaden Library.
Halloween Fun at the Library (and Day of the Dead, too)!
Are you looking for a book inspire your Halloween costume, or learn about Dia de los muertos traditions? The San José Public Library has lots of books to help you on your way to a Happy Halloween.
In addition, visit your local library to participate in fun crafts, and Halloween shows.
Children
Celebrate pumpkin season with a story and art activity! Parents and children ages 3-8 are encouraged to join us for one of our many Pumpkin Story and Craft events.
If what you need is a trick-or-treat bag, or a Senor Calavera (Mr. Skull) mask, join us for “Kids Craft: Halloween / Dia de los muertos” at a San José Public Library Branch near you.
You may also want to enjoy one of our Halloween themed performers, such as the Halloween Wizard Show, or Spooky Halloween Science workshop.
Teen
Teens or tweens interested in creating a skull themed tote bag, can attend one of our Advanced Craft: Skull Bag essions in the months of October.
If you enjoy crafting, you may also want to join in our Advanced Craft:Tin Art where we will cutting, shaping and coloring sheets of tin.
Adults
Visit the 5th annual Day of the Dead exhibit at King Library- Day of the Dead 2011: The Art of Remembrance.
October's Friday Fun Events at King Library
- October 7: Game Day - We'll bring out all the board games and puzzles; you play the games and have fun.
- October 14: Pumpkin Story and Craft - Get in the mood for Halloween at this fun program. Hear a Halloween Story and then create your own unique pumpkin.
- October 21: The Art of Japanese Calligraphy with Hikaru - This has become a popular Friday Fun program. Hikaru teaches children how to write words plus their own names in Japanese calligraphy using ink and brushes. All supplies are furnished. This month, don't be surprised if there is a Halloween theme!
- October 28: Annual Halloween Day Parade! Join us for our annual Halloween Parade throughout the King Library. Conroy the Cougar, the library mascot, will lead the goblins, princesses, super heroes and other characters as we go trick or treating on different floors of the library. Festivities begin at 3:00PM in the Children's Room with stories and the decorating of treat bags. Join the fun!
Incredible Magic Hat Show at King Library!
How many hats can you make from one shape? Well, Mr. Benny Bendini from Magic Circus can make at least 20! Join us at the Dr. Martin Luther, King Jr. Library on Saturday, October 8 at 4:00PM for this truly unique Magic Hat Show. Bendini creates many characters and delights us all with comedy, magic, music and mime. The show "features antics from many cultures and professions plus enthusiastic audience participation." It's FREE, it's FUN and it's a show for the whole Family! Everyone is amazed by magic so while you're at the library be sure to check out all the great magic books we have and perhaps one day you'll be able to amaze your friends with your very own magic hat show! This program is sponsored by the Friends of the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Library.
Teen and Children's Bookmark Contests!
According to the weatherman, the next week will look something like this! Don't despair kids, though, about the dreary weather! You can enter Vineland Library's October Bookmark contest for kids and teens!
The children's bookmark contest will be judged by differing grade levels: K-1, 2-3, and 4-5 and runs from 10/1-31/11. Creative is best! Just show us why you love the Vineland Library! If you go to school at Guadalupe, Noddin, Lietz, Almaden, or Allen at Steinbeck, I have already either dropped off the entries at your school or mailed the information to the principal. If you don't go to those schools, we also have entries at the Vineland Library. Just drop off your entry at Vineland Library's Information Desk by 10/31 to be entered into our fun contest!
The teen bookmark contest will be judged by the following grade levels:& 6-8 and 9-12 and also runs from 10/1-31/11. I saw some fine entries last year and hope to see some excellent work this year, too! If you go to school at Dartmouth, Union Middle, Pioneer, Branham, or Leigh, I have already dropped off the entries at your school or mailed the information to the principal. If you don't go to these schools, we have entries at the Vineland Library. Just drop off your entry at Vineland Library's Information Desk by 10/31 to be entered into our cool contest!
The winning entries will be passed out as bookmarks in November and December. Winning entrants will also be invited to the presentation ceremony on 11/10 @ 5pm!
Thanks to all the school personnel who help with this annual event!
College Day San Jose
On Friday Sept. 30 San Jose Public Library is joining with San Jose State University, the Mayor's Office, San Jose Unified School District, the Santa Clara County Office of Education and many other schools and community organizations to promote College Day San Jose, a day to to celebrate, inspire and promote college aspirations throughout San José by having everyone, everywhere, share their “Education Journey.” View the stories of Francisco Jimenez, Madison Nguyen and others.
Many libraries will feature maps where you can identify the college you attended. Library staff are encouraged to wear school t-shirts, sweatshirts or other attire. Most of all, whether you set foot in a library that day or not, we want to encourage you to take time during that day to share your college experience with others: children, co-workers, and friends.
- Why you did or did not go to college
- Where you went and why you chose that school
- The best and most challenging parts of your education journey
- If you could do it over again, would you make any different choices about your education?
- If you could give one piece of advice to a student about college, what would it be?
Every person's educational journey is unique to them. Take this opportunity to share your story!
Halloween Cartooning Workshop at King Library
Join us as we get into the mood for Halloween! Robyn Of Kids Creative Adventures will be at the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Library on Saturday, October 1 at 3:00PM teaching kids how to create their own Halloween cartoons. We will furnish all the supplies, children will bring their fantastic imaginations and creativity. Who knows what ghoulish things will be created? This workshop is limited to the first 25 children. If you can't make it to the workshop San Jose Public Library has many books on cartooning on many different subjects; here are just a few you might enjoy:
- Learn to Draw Tinkerbell by Disney Storybook Artists
- Transformers Animated: How to Draw by Sadie Chesterfield
- Heroes! : Draw Your Own Superheroes, Gadget Geeks & Other Do-gooders by Jay Stephens
Smokey Bear Visits the King Library!
The Children's Room at the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Library will be having a special visitor at its Family Storytime on Wednesday, September 28 at 4:00PM. Smokey Bear will be here teaching us all about fire prevention and fire safety. There will be stories, songs and it will be lots of fun for all ages
Many of us are old enough to remember Smokey's message, "Only YOU Can Prevent Forest Fires," but how many of us know his history. Smokey Bear was born on August 9, 1944 when the United States Forest Service and the Ad Council agreed that a fictional bear named Smokey would be the symbol for their joint effort to promote forest fire prevention. Then in 1950 a young bear cub was rescued from a forest fire and the firemen were so struck by the cub's bravery that they named him Smokey and he became the living symbol of the fictional Smokey Bear. If you're wondering where I learned about Smokey just visit www.smokeybear.com. This is the official Smokey Bear website and it has great information about him plus games, coloring sheets and other activities for young children.
But the best way to learn about Smokey and his message is to visit the King Library on September 28 at 4:00PM. Children who meet him for the first time will love him and those of us who have known him for a long time will enjoy seeing him again!
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