All Palo Alto libraries will be closed on Monday, December 23 through Friday, December 27.  Also, the libraries will close early at 6 pm on Tuesday, December 31 and be closed on January 1, 2003.  Even when the libraries are closed, you can still use the online catalog, submit reference desk questions, and chat live with a regional reference librarian.  Because of the library closure, the loan period will be extended for materials checked out between December 1 and 14, except for DVDs and videos.

We're holding two book sales this Saturday from 11 am to 4 pm.  Most of our books are at our huge new book room, located at the Cubberley Community Center at 4000 Middlefield Road in south Palo Alto, between Charleston Road and San Antonio Road.

Once you're at Cubberley, you'll find our book room at the end of the north access road, adjacent to the Charleston Shopping Center.  We'll have signs out to guide you and to help you with parking.

Our bargain books will be sold at our Terman site at 661 Arastradero Road in Palo Alto during the same hours.

These sales wouldn't be possible were if not for the extraordinary efforts of our many volunteers to move heavy shelves and tens of thousands of books into our new Cubberley facility.

More information.  Road map to Cubberley.

Please help support Palo Alto's libraries by becoming a member of the Friends of the Palo Alto Library.  For a tax-deductible donation of just $15, you can help all of our libraries serve the community better through a wide variety of programs, and receive member benefits as well.  Or, give a tax-deductible gift membership to someone who loves books.  You can sign up right now online.  More information and online signup.

Even when you don't buy at our book sales, you can still help the libraries by starting your Amazon.com shopping trips at our web site (or just click here).  When you do, approximately 5% of your purchase amount goes to support the Palo Alto libraries.  Even better, 15% of most of your book purchases goes to support the libraries if you use our experimental search page.  In both cases, you always pay the same price at Amazon as you would otherwise, but you're also helping our libraries. 

Please remember that the books you don't have room for anymore may be just what someone else wants and can provide you a tax deduction as well.  You can donate up to one bag or box of books by bringing them to any Palo Alto library branch.  Please bring larger quantities directly to our book sale room at the Terman Library or contact us by e-mail or at (650) 493-5672 to make other arrangements.  More information.

We're pleased that our centennial library poster tied for first place in the Special Programs category of the 2002 Public Relations Excellence Awards from the California Library Association Public Relations Committee.  The poster was designed by artist Paul Sinn to celebrate the Palo Alto library centennial, and then printed by the Friends of the Palo Alto Library and distributed to all of our members.  Limited copies are still available at Palo Alto libraries.  More information.