Carnival of Chaos at the Boys and Girls Club

Today the kids in the neighborhood had a special Summer Reading treat - Mark from the Carnival of Chaos visited the Boys & Girls Club Ernest Ingold Clubhouse on Page Street!

More than 100 kids and adults gathered in the gym of the clubhouse to watch the show! A few kids had the chance to catch or throw juggling props to Mark while the whole audience cheered them on.

The highlight of the show was the finale - in which Mark rode a unicycle AND juggled tennis rackets. Mark moved so quickly it was nearly impossible to get a clear photo of him!

This great performance was funded by the Friends of the San Francisco Public Library as part of the summer reading program.

Having a great day at the Haight Street Fair!

We're here at the Haight Street Fair having a blast! The Children's Bookmobile is on the Children's Alley at Belvedere Street & Haight. We have a super view of the Children's Stage and have enjoyed all of the performances so far today. First we saw Owen Baker-Flynn the Juggler, then a great Latin band, and then a bluegrass band. Right now we're enjoying some lo-fi music that appears to be emanating from the port-potty! Cathy, Lamar, and Mr Jim will be on the bookmobile all day long, so stop on by! (Well, truthfully,

Cathy and Lamar might be in the bouncy castle during their breaks.)

Darice is over at the Friends and Park Branch booth just around the corner near the Red Vic Hotel. She'll be there until the fair closes with Mary Abler, of the Friends and a host of local volunteers.

Today our cookie dough sales begin - so if you're into cookies this is your chance to support the Park Branch renovation through baking!
The Friends have more info on this fun project innitiated by a local
teen.

The Park Branch Centennial posters are also for sale at the Friends booth, so if you haven't picked one up yet, please do!

The weather's great, the crowds a lot of fun, and we'll be out all day. Stop by and visit!

p.s. The Monkeybutts are about to play - we're psyched!

DeAvilla School Visit

On Thursday, May 13th I had the opportunity to visit with all 85 students at DeAvilla School on Haight Street. I shared information about the services in our neighborhood while the Park Branch is closed and spoke about the Summer Reading Program for kids. The students at the school are a really great bunch! They listened attentively and they also participated in a fun conversation about libraries and summer reading.

My favorite part of the visit was when I asked the kids what this year's summer reading theme, "Water Your Imagination" meant to them. One kid replied that they thoght that it meant they were free to think about water conservation. Another said they were already thinking about water animals and protecting them. Another said the phrase made them think about watering their brain and having ideas grow! Did I mention that these are Kindergarten and first grade students? A really sharp bunch!

After we talked about the logistical elements of the Kids Summer Reading Club, we moved on to sharing stories. I read The Mysterious Tadpole by Steven Kellogg first. The kids seemed to really enjoy it! Then we finished up with one of my favorite books, Ugly Fish by Kara Lareau and Scott Magoon. It's the story of a fish who doesn't play so well with others and has a shocking ending. Truly a classic!

I can't wait to work more with the students and teachers at DeAvilla School when the Park Branch reopens. This growing Chinese Immersion School is a really fun place to visit.