By Sue Hotz

‘San Carlos Gone By’

Our San Carlos community blossomed in the1960s, and now a resident, Becky Green, is on a quest to document its early history by creating a “San Carlos Gone By” website and a photo display made from your 1960s and 1970s San Carlos photos, newspaper clippings, memorabilia and stories. Impressed with her idea, together we formulated a plan. From 1 – 4 p.m. on Sept. 10, Oct. 8 and Nov. 12, Green will be available in the San Carlos Branch Library’s Winer Family Community Room & Art Gallery to scan your photos and collect your stories. You may also contact her at [email protected] or call 619-251-3447 to set up a private appointment. Our combined hope is that her “San Carlos Gone By” collection will be shown in the branch’s Art Gallery and will become a permanent historical display in the new branch library. Learn more on our website.

Winer Family Community Room & Art Gallery

Frequently, San Carlos Branch Library visitors tell us that they never knew the branch had a Community Room. This room occupies the western side of the library and can be accessed through the double doors in the children’s area or the double doors to your immediate left when entering the west side of the library and opposite the rest rooms. Both double doors have signs above them: “Winer Family Community Room & Art Gallery.” The art displays change monthly; all meetings and most programs take place here.

Art shows

Aug. 20, noon – 2 p.m., Tim Mountain invites you to attend his artist reception in the Winer Family Community Room & Art Gallery. Mountain is an excellent photographer and also one of our branch’s library clerks. All of his photos are available for purchase and will remain on display until Sept. 1.

Sept. 6 – 29 we will be treated to drawings created by the local Colored Pencil Society. The local group was founded in 1990 by a small yet diverse group of established artists using the colored pencil as their fine art medium of choice. On Sept. 24, come and meet the artists and their president, Bobbie Bradford.

FSDPL annual meeting

The annual general membership meeting of the Friends of the San Diego Public Library will be held at the Central Library on Sept. 10, 9:30 – 11:30 a.m. Carpooling is suggested. The program will include an overview of the FSDPL year’s activities, the honoring of outstanding Friend’s volunteers from each Friend’s chapter, and a talk by Jay Hill, CEO of the San Diego Library Foundation. Norma Cirello, Sue Hotz, Lee Ottman, and Judy Williams have been chosen as the 2015-2016 outstanding San Carlos Friends of the Library volunteers.

Authors and books

Aug. 26 from 2 – 3 p.m., San Carlos resident Eleanor Ramrath Garner will discuss her award-winning book, “Eleanor’s Story, an American Girl in Hitler’s Berlin.” Pre-1939, when Eleanor was nine, her father accepted a job in Berlin. This is the story of the civilian American Ramrath family’s struggle to survive in war-torn Berlin until they were able to return to the U.S. in 1946. Ingrid Garner has written and acts in an internationally award-winning play based on this book; she plays the part of her grandmother, Eleanor.

The Library Book Club for Sept. 8 at 12:30 p.m. is reading “Road to Character” by David Brooks.

OASIS

Sept. 16 at 1 – 3 p.m., San Diego historian Gabe Selak will retell the tale of how an early San Diego drought ended; “It’s Raining Men: San Diego’s Cataclysmic 1916 Hatfield Flood.”

Fun adult programs

Our Monday, 1 – 5 p.m. Craft Circle members are busy getting ready for the holidays. Some are knitting or crocheting blankets, scarves and hats; others are designing unique jewelry. This group is very informal and new members are always welcome; drop in when you can. They have lots of ideas and handy hints to share. Go to bit.ly/2b1KOhW for a description of all of our fun adult programs.

Summer daze gives way to school days

Starting in September, the After-School Special program for ages 5 – 9 on Wednesdays at 2:30 p.m., will focus on literature and creative art on the first, third and fifth Wednesdays; the second and fourth Wednesday programs will focus on stories and STEAM — science, technology, engineering, art, and math.

On Sept. 17 from 1 – 2:30 p.m., our special event “Piñata Workshop” celebrates Hispanic Heritage month. Families will work with papier-mache and decorate their own piñatas. Registration is required; call 619-527-3430. Process Art resumes every Thursday at 4 p.m. starting Sept. 1. Yoga & Stories continue on Tuesdays at 4 p.m.; chess on second and fourth Tuesdays 5 – 7 p.m.; and pre-school Storytime & Crafts on Fridays at 10 a.m. Remember to collect your Summer Reading Program prizes.

Introduction to Drama for Tweens

We are offering an Introduction to Drama for Tweens, ages 8 – 12, from 4 – 5 p.m. on the second Wednesday of the month. The first session, Sept. 14, will introduce students to “Choral Reading.” Participants will explore simple forms of drama that support language arts with hands-on workshops. They will engage in oral reading, learning to convey meaning by using their voice, facial expressions and gestures. Presented by Stacey Wein, director of Literature Comes to Life. Registration required.

Dates to remember

• Sept. 2, 2 – 4 p.m.: SCFOL Members-only Pre-Used-Book Sale
  • Sept. 3, 9:30 a.m. – 3 p.m.: Monthly Used Book Sale
  • Sept. 5: Closed for Labor Day
  • Sept, 10, 9:30 – 11:30 a.m.: Friends of the Library Volunteer Recognition at Central Library
  • Sept. 10, 1 – 4 p.m.: “San Carlos Gone By” Picture Party

— Sue Hotz is board member and publicity chair for the San Carlos Friends of the Library. Reach her at [email protected].