By Sue Hotz | San Carlos Friends of the Library

Their salary is zero. Their rewards are personal. We love our volunteers!

On Sept. 8, Friends of the San Diego Public Library (FSDPL) will take time out to thank all the volunteers from the various San Diego Chapters of FSDPL. Festivities will be held in the Neil Morgan Auditorium at the Central Library starting with refreshments at 9 a.m., and the program begins at 9:30 a.m. The agenda includes updates on the state of the library system, followed by the recognition of each Friends chapter’s 2018 honorees. The keynote speaker is FSDPL life-member, Wanjiru Warama, author of “Unexpected America” and “Entangled America.”

Honored volunteers from the San Carlos Friends of the Library (SCFOL) receiving recognition for their continued and outstanding contributions to SCFOL are: Evie McGhee, long-time SCFOL secretary; Su Bonnet, who assists our art chair Barbara Stewart with the monthly art shows; and Jo Matthews and Sue Dennis, whose help with SCFOL’s monthly used books sales is invaluable. Congratulations and a heartfelt thank you to all of our Friends volunteers.

This past fiscal year, SCFOL volunteers donated a total of 4,713 hours, which is equivalent to almost 2.4 full-time employees. Monthly book sale volunteers worked 2,877 hours; SCFOL board members donated 1,786 hours to keep us organized; and 50 hours were spent on miscellaneous activities. We invite you to join this uniquely committed group of volunteers, and attend a third Wednesday at 4 p.m. board meeting.

Summer Reading Program

The San Diego Public Library’s Summer Reading Program (SRP) ends in August. Reading prizes must be picked up before Aug. 31, and are available only as long as supplies last. This year’s participation may reach record numbers. Congratulations to all who joined in the fun.

Our last SRP special event, Aug. 15, 2:30–3 p.m., is Hullabaloo. Expect to be entertained with quality music the whole family can enjoy! You’ll hear traces of twang, funk, rock, folk and blues in Hullabaloo’s songs. Be inspired to laugh, think, sing, dance, clap and stomp your feet. Afterward, please pick up a Fall Events Calendar and continue to join us for fun Wednesday “After School Special” programs starting Sept. 5.

Library employee update

Please introduce yourselves and welcome our new library clerks Jorge “George” Rosas and Ashley Urquhart to the San Carlos Branch Library staff.

If you have been looking for our long-time clerk Tim Mountain, he has joined the staff at the Oak Park Branch. Mountain’s photography will be on exhibit during October in our art gallery.

Art shows

Aug. 7–30, we are pleased to spotlight the art of our own San Carlos Branch Manager David Ege in the Winer Family Community Room & Art Gallery. Ege has titled his show “Grand Designs: Oodles of Doodles.” As soon as Ege could hold a pencil, he covered endless pages with doodles. His favorite high school art teacher was amazed by the complexity and intricacy of his drawings and encouraged him to turn his doodles into works of art. Twenty-five years later, on the night that Ege learned that his beloved teacher had passed away, these “oodles of doodles” appeared in a dream. Ege considers himself a “minimal expressionist, post-modern, neo-symbolist,” the term that he applies to his art style. Come meet Ege, and see “Oodles of Doodles” at his artist reception, Aug. 18, noon-2 p.m.

Coming Sept. 5, our art gallery will be filled with the amazing, unique works of two Spanish Village artists, Kathi Vargo and Beth McClellan. Vargo is a self-taught mixed-media artist who works mainly with collage and assemblage, while McClellan is self-taught in the art of paper-cutting. Their artist reception is planned for Saturday, Sept. 15, noon–2p.m.

Authors and books

Our visiting author this month is professor Rosalyn Kahn who will speak Friday, Aug. 24, 2–3 p.m. Today’s life is filled with noise and chaos. If you are looking for a way to break up your stress it can be as simple as reading Kahn’s book, “Dogs and Roses: How to Reduce Stress and Anxiety in Today’s Troubled Times.” Kahn’s answer to combating her own depression was her passion for dogs and roses — both offer huge benefits in healing. Proceeds from her inspirational book are being donated to help create a dog foster care program where veterans can place their dogs when they return to duty. Kahn is also the author of “Random Acts of Kindness are Changing the World.”

Sept. 13, 12:30–2 p.m., the Library Book Club is discussing, “Lincoln in the Bardo,” by George Saunders. This prize-winning, New York Times’ No. 1 best-selling author begins with the historical fact of the death of Abraham Lincoln’s son, Willie, in 1862, the first year of our Civil War, and the effect of Willie’s death upon the president. The novel moves on to describe Willie’s confusion as he enters into a transitional-purgatory called Bardo, a supernatural state occupied by ghosts who struggle to win Willie’s soul. Thought-provoking moments are interspersed with hilarious ones. Copies are found directly inside the library to your right.

Remember to check the SCFOL website each month to see what new adult and children books have been added to the San Carlos Branch collection.

Free OASIS program

Aug. 17, 2–3 p.m.: OASIS presents “How to Write a Book and Get Published.” Carlsbad author Antonio F. Vianna, writer of 23 published books and nine screenplays, will explain the five basic steps of writing: Planning, organizing, writing the draft, revising and editing — and then describe the process of submitting your work for publication. This workshop will emphasize the importance of branding, promoting, and showcasing your work.

Dates to remember

Aug. 14: CANCELED Youth Chess

Aug. 15, 4–5:30 p.m.: SCFOL monthly meeting. Please join us.

Aug. 31, 1:30–3:30 p.m.: Friends of the Library only, Used-Book Pre-sale. Join SCFOL during the sale

Sept. 1, 9:30 a.m.–3 p.m.: SCFOL Monthly Used Book Sale

Sept. 3: CLOSED Labor Day

Sept. 9: Grandparents Day and Rosh Hashanah begins

— Sue Hotz is board member and publicity chair of the San Carlos Friends of the Library. Reach her at publicity@sancarlosfriendsofthelibrary.org.

Tags: Friends of Library volunteers recognized, San Carlos, San Carlos Friends of the Library, Sue Hotz