Laughter Yoga is said to be a life-changing experience, "a revolutionary idea - simple and profound" which combines unconditional laughter with yogic breathing.  It has received worldwide media exposure, having been featured on ABC News, Oprah Winfrey, BBC and CNN.

Join certified Laughter Yoga Leader & Rebel Librarian, Tracey Firestone for a discussion of happiness and well-being as a choice followed by instruction in Laughter Yoga. Come be a part of  the growing Laughter Yoga movement!

Summer Reading Celebration will begin June 1st. Sign-up online or at your local library. Read between June 1st-July 31st, and claim your prizes. Your email address is required to get the reminder for participation.

If you would like to receive academic assistance for your children, check out the Summer Tutoring programs below at Tully Branch Library:

Math and Reading Tutoring for K-5th. Pick up either English/Spanish or English/Vietnamese registration form at Information Desk and turn it in to the lead volunteer tutor, Ms. Huong Nguyen. The program takes place in Family Learning Center Classroom every Wednesday 3:30-5:00 PM.

A six-week Summer Reading Camp for ages 9-17 Monday-Thursday 11:30-2 PM, starting Thursday June 18, in our Family Learning Center. Sign up with Reading Ready Wizards organization on Thursdays from 2-4 PM.

For more information, contact  Chieu Nguyen at chieu.nguyen@sjlibrary.org.

Storytimes are available to younger children at Tully Community Branch Library as scheduled below. Children can log the names of the books that they are read to during Summer Reading Celebration period for prize claiming purpose.

Inclusive Storytime with Stay and Play: 1^st Tuesday 11:30-12:00 Noon in Storytime Area.

Bilingual Vietnamese/English Storytime: 2^nd Thursday 10:30-11:00 AM in Storytime Area.

Preschool Storytime with Stay and Play: Every Thursday 10:30-11:30 AM except for 1^st and 2^nd Thursday.

Toddler Storytime with Stay and Play: Every Tuesday 11:30 AM-12:30 PM except for 1^st Tuesday.

Stories with Ms. Kathy: Every Tuesday 6:30-7:30 PM in Storytime Area. The program is performed by our wonderful Storytelling volunteer, Kathy B.

If you haven’t been to our Tully Community Branch Library, come and check it out. Lots of fun programs and lots of materials to check out! DVDs nowadays can be checked out for three weeks. Valid library card and PIN are needed at checkout.

If you have a talent for creating comic/manga style illustrated short stories, you are invited to enter San José Public Library’s Graphic Novel Making Contest for all ages as part of our Summer Reading Celebration, 2012. This contest is sponsored by San José Public Library, Hijinx Comics, San José Museum of Art and TRY Japan Culture Group.

Here’s how to enter …

• Create your own comic book with a maximum length of 8 pages, including the cover page.
• Use letter-size paper (8.5 x 11) with black-and-white drawings and text on one side only
• Each submission must be the creative and original work of a single individual—the author/illustrator.
• Computer generated images are acceptable as long as they are your original work (no clip art)
• Consider submitting a photocopy that is an accurate reflection of the original (as submissions are non-returnable).
• San José Public Library reserves the right to reproduce your work. You can reuse all your work after the contest
• Be sure to print and complete the creative works release form. Include your Name, Age, Contact Information and Signature.
• Entries can be submitted to any San José Public Library location no later than 8p.m. on Tuesday, July 31, 2012.  There is a limit of one entry per contestant.

Entries will be judged on content and illustrations by a panel of library staff and comic industry professionals. All cash prizes will be awarded as gift cards. 

• Children (up to age 6): first place will receive Art Supplies
• Children (7-12):  first place $40, second place $20
• Teens (ages 13-17):  first place $100; second place $70; third place $50
• Adults (age 18 and above):  first place $100; second place $70; third place $50

Winners will be announced and prizes awarded at a reception to be held at the Berryessa Branch Library on Saturday, August 25th at 2:00 p.m.in the Community Room. Author Oliver Chin will be the keynote speaker. 

Check out the award winning entries from 2011 and 2010.

Learn how to make your own comic book, graphic novel or manga!  Oliver Chin will be teaching this free workshop for teens at some San José Public Library branches.

San José Public Library staff members are ineligible to participate.

San José Public Library reserves the right to refuse submissions that are not appropriate for a general audience.

Nathan Fillion, star of the undeservedly short-lived Firefly series, is currently starring in, Castle, a popular series on ABC.  Castle is about a mystery writer, Richard Castle, who teams up with a detective, Kate Beckett, to solve crimes in New York City.  Richard Castle has just killed off the character of his best-selling series, and is struggling with ideas for a new book series. Enter Detective Kate Beckett, a smart and tough homicide detective that becomes Castle’s muse for his next series of books. Castle is able to pull strings with the mayor’s office, and is allowed to follow Detective Beckett on her cases. Although Castle’s non-traditional approach to solving crimes is very different from Detective Beckett’s more conventional approach, the two make a strong team. With witty humor, lots of banter, a bit of romance and a great soundtrack, Castle is an entertaining television program! The show is currently in its fourth season, but the first three seasons are available for checkout at the Library.

In a brilliant marketing ploy, several books “written” by Richard Castle have been published. These books are based on the Castle and Beckett characters and loosely follow some of the plotlines that the characters go through on the television program.  All three books are also available at the Library.