Why Yes, This Is Relevant to My Interests

Well, it's Tuesday - and Tuesday has basically become our Monday here at the library - so, to shake off the Monday (Tuesday) blues, here's some fun stuff to look at...

Did you know yesterday was William Shakespeare's birthday (sort of )?

Check out (ha!) these amazing bookmobiles from around the world.

Ever dreamed of being the hero or heroine of your favorite classic book?  Well, now your dream can come true!

Get some truly horrific dating advice from H.P. Lovecraft.

In case you were wondering, George R.R. Martin is not a fan of your Game of Thrones fan-fiction.

But then again, you probably shouldn't let that discourage you - you might be working on a future masterpiece that the world just isn't ready for yet!

Happy Tuesday!

Buena Park Reads: Book Discussion on Unbroken

As part of the month long Buena Park Reads event, the Buena Park Library will be having a discussion on the book Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand on Thursday, April 26^th at 1:00 p.m. Buena Park Reads is a month long event in which the city has been reading Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand, the story of the courageous life of Louis Zamperini, an Olympic athlete and World War II POW.

Unbroken is the story of Torrance, California native Louis Zamperini, an Army Air Forces bomber during World War II, whose plane crashed into the Pacific Ocean while on a rescue mission. Join us for an uplifting discussion of this story of courage, determination, survival, perseverance, and the resilience of the human spirit.

Happy Birthday John Muir

Born on April 21, 1838 in Dunbar, Scotland, John Muir was one of America’s most famous naturalists and conservationists. He explored and wrote about California’s Sierra mountain range and his adventures in Alaska. His writings stressed the importance of preserving the natural heritage of the country and contributed to the founding of the National Parks system. In 1892, he and other supporters, founded the Sierra Club. For more information about the man, see the John Muir Exhibit at the Sierra Club website.

The Buena Park Library owns the 100th anniversary illustrated edition of “My First Summer in the Sierra”. Illustrated with stunning photographs by Scot Miller and sketches by John Muir, it is worth revisiting this classic nature journal. You can check out the book trailer here.

Buena Park Reads: Louis Zamperini Documentary

As part of the month long Buena Park Reads event, the Buena Park Library will be showing a documentary on the life of Louis Zamperini on Saturday, April 21st at 3:00 p.m. Buena Park Reads is a month long event in which the city has been reading Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand, the story of the courageous life of Louis Zamperini, an Olympic athlete and World War II POW.

Louis’ life is a powerful story of survival, perseverance and forgiveness. Join us for this unforgettable and inspirational retelling of Louis Zamperini’s life in film.

A Night to Remember

100 years ago, on the evening of April 14, 1912, the Titanic struck an iceberg in the North Atlantic. It sank a few hours later with the loss of over 1500 lives.

To commemorate the anniversary, you could watch James Cameron’s Titanic one more time, in 3-D, or you could check out this newly acquired title:

The Band That Played On: the Extraordinary Story of the 8 Musicians Who Went Down with the Titanic by Steve Turner

When the Titanic collided with the iceberg, the eight members of the band put on their overcoats and played in the ship’s lounge, and later on the deck of the sinking ship, to calm the passengers and lift their spirits. Survivors claim they heard music playing until the very end. Their bravery became an instant legend but until this time, little had been written about the lives of these men. The author presents a portrait of eight unique individuals and takes on the controversy of the last song played by the musicians (was it "Nearer, My God, to Thee" or "Autumn"?)

Buena Park Reads: WWII Veterans Panel

As part of the month long Buena Park Reads event, a panel of local World War II veterans will discuss their wartime experiences on Saturday, April 14^th at 3:00 p.m. at the Library. Buena Park Reads is a month long event in which the city has been reading Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand, the story of the courageous life of Louis Zamperini, an Olympic athlete and World War II POW. Invited panelists include Wayne Day, Lloyd Kramer, Bob Meyer, Robert Seelye, and Walter Ehlers, the recipient of the United States military’s highest decoration, the Medal of Honor.

Everyone is invited to come and meet these men, ask questions, and honor these local veterans who have served us and their country with bravery and valor.

"Square Foot Gardening" this Saturday

Right now, citrus trees are in bloom and the air is saturated with their fragrance. However, many gardens aren't much more than a Darwinian adventure in survival of the fittest. A hole is dug somewhere in the backyard. A potted plant or some seeds are stuck in the hole. Water is added on an irregular schedule. Hopefully something edible grows.

In a previous program presented by Robert Shaw, a member and past president of the Orange County Independent Master Gardeners, he demonstrated there was more to successful gardening than sticking something in the ground. On Saturday, April 14, 2012, from 10:00 – 11:00 am, Mr. Shaw will present a program on Square Foot Gardening. Learn what it takes to increase yields in any size space and how to organize and tame the backyard chaos. Hope to see you there!

April Sale in the Volunteer Guild Bookstore

ALL HARDBACK FICTION
ON SALE FOR $1.00

Shop early for the best selection!!

Learn How to “Grow a Green Thumb” at the Buena Park Library

The Buena Park Library is offering a program on Square Foot Gardening on Saturday, April 14, 2012 from 10 am to 11 am. Join us to learn what it takes to be successful in gardening in any size space. Square Foot Gardening is a simple system that adapts to all levels of experience, physical abilities, and geographical locations. It makes a great family project and all ages can participate - kids love to garden.

The presenter is Robert Shaw, a member and past president of The Orange County Independent Master Gardeners. Master Gardeners receive 50+ hrs of classroom training and volunteer 50+ hrs of hands-on tutoring to be certified.

This program will be in the Board Room on the 2nd floor of the Library. No reservations are required. The program is for all ages and a great opportunity to learn about how to “grow your green thumb”.

The Taxman Cometh

Let me tell you how it will be

There's one for you, nineteen for me

'Cause I'm the taxman, yeah, I'm the taxman

The Beatles

Are you an individual who lives on the edge ... by waiting to the last minute to file your tax returns? Still need a form? As a service to its patrons, the Library is distributing some of the basic state and federal tax forms. You can pick them up on the first floor … near the Children’s Area. You can print forms out from the Internal Revenue Service website (www.irs.gov) and the website of the California Franchise Tax Board (www.ftb.ca.gov). The Library Staff cannot answer your tax questions (some of us can’t do our own returns!) ... however, contact info from each agency’s website is posted below:

Telephone Assistance for Individuals (IRS)

Toll-Free, 1-800-829-1040

Hours of Operation: Monday – Friday, 7:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m. your local time

California Franchise Tax Board

800.338.0505 automated service

800.852.5711 or 916.845.6500 from outside the U.S.
Hours of operation: 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays, except state holidays

Now power up the calculators and sharpen those pencils … (some of us are still old school)

Buena Park Reads

The Library will be holding its second annual Buena Park Reads community wide event during the month of April. This program is designed to get the entire community reading and discussing the same book. This year's selection is Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience and Redemption by Laura Hillenbrand. It is the story of Torrance, California native Louis Zamperini, an Army Air Forces bomber during World War II, whose plane crashed into the Pacific Ocean while on a rescue mission. Unbroken is a story of courage, determination, survival, perseverance, and the resilience of the human spirit. Check out a copy of this unforgettable story today and join us on April 14th at 3:00 as a panel of World War II veterans discusses their wartime experiences, a documentary on Louis Zamperini's life on April 21st at 3:00 and a discussion of the book Unbroken on April 26th at 1:00.