Library News

The Library is celebrating Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) Heritage Month and also Jewish American History Month in May.

You can find out about things like this from the Palo Alto City Library Blogs page. Or you can subscribe to them with an RSS reader.

All Library branches will be closed on Monday May 27 for Memorial Day.

You can also find out about all this stuff and more from an infrequent e-mail from the Library. There's a signup form.

-Frank McConnell

 
FOPAL Members Get the First Pick at Members' Early Sale

A super big FUN FOPAL Members' Early Sale is scheduled for Saturday, June 8th. Twice a year, FOPAL holds a Members' Early Sale, at which members of the Friends of the Palo Alto Library are admitted early to the Main Room sale. Members enjoy a less crowded Main Room and get the first look at FOPAL's wonderful collection of materials!

Saturday, June 8th - At our Members' Early Sale, Life and Sponsor Members (and one spouse or guest) may enter at 9 AM and can purchase up to 100 books per membership from 9 AM to 10 AM. Other Members enter at 10AM and are able to purchase 25 books at a time. General admission for all including non-Members begins at 11 AM. The usual limit on purchasing 12 books at a time lasts until there is no longer a line waiting to enter. Remember, you may renew your membership, or join FOPAL, on the sale day. Renew, or join now at... www.fopal.org/join.

-Janette Herceg

 
What's special for May!

Our moms are often the first people to teach us how to read and our first "librarians". That's why FOPAL loves moms and we love celebrating all of the wonderful moms in our lives on Mother's Day. Every year, millions of us purchase a bouquet of flowers to honor the mothers in our lives. This year, why not celebrate her with a bouquet of books? FOPAL has everything you need for your personalized arrangements. Check out our May sale which is brimming with books, plenty for a unique bouquet!

In our "specials area" look for a huge selection of European Language books in Italian. European Language section manager Susan S. has been waiting for the chance to feature a special collection of European Language books in Italian. European Language book buffs or wannabe Italian readers/speakers are going to want to check this out. The Science Fiction section is bursting with terrific new donations. Look for an impressive selection of Science Fiction books in the May sale donated from a personal collection filling the shelves in the Main Room and Bargain Room/H2 as well. The Cooking section received dozens of books this month. Come check out the selection of cookbooks in the Main Room as well as in the Bargain Room/H2. The Television & Entertainment section managers received a ton of books from one of FOPAL's regular collectors, clearing shelf space. And, if that's not enough to entice you a good portion of the donation in this area can be purchased in the Bargain Room/H2. Music continues to offer amazing books in every subsection, history, composition...our Music loving donors were generous again this May bringing in books, CDs and vinyl too. Speaking of CDs and vinyl, look for FOPAL's Super PopUp Music sale Saturday outside the Main Room 10AM-3PM.

-Janette Herceg

 
Mentioning a big CHANGE for FOPAL's parking lot!

Fire Station No. 4 at 3600 Middlefield will be relocating to the southwest parking lot at Cubberley Community Center for up to a 24-month stay during the construction of the new station. The temporary station will house the station's two fire personnel, one ambulance, and essential equipment for continued operations. Construction on the temporary site will begin in May 2024. On March 4, 2024, City Council approved the lease contract with Mobile Modular Management Corporation for the temporary station at Cubberley Community Center. The approved lease is a double wide modular trailer to be used as the fire personnel's living quarters. For questions or concerns, please email Public Works Engineering at PWEcips@cityofpaloalto.org. For general project information, visit www.cityofpaloalto.org/firestation4. As a result, parking near the sales will be limited.

-Janette Herceg

 
European Languages

We have lots of books in Italian and/or about Dante, including many scholarly books, and lots of serious nonfiction. Most are in a Special bookcase, left of the archway into the Sorting Room.

We also have a boxful of Loeb classics (jacketless), and a mystery in Hebrew called No One Leaves Palo Alto.

-Susan Strain

 
Children's Room

The May sale is the weekend of Mothers' Day. Be sure to check out the many charming books appropriate for the day, on the display rack to the left of the front door.

This month our Non-fiction section has more than its usual share of really high quality books on fascinating topics from biography to history to the natural world and more.

On the World Languages shelves you'll find a trove of Dutch language comic books, along with Spanish language books for early readers (or for those just learning Spanish).

In our Activities section, look for several giftable cookbooks for kids and loads of toys such as a Fisher-Price Little People dollhouse and pirate ship! For the Barbie dolls in your home, we have several means of conveyance including a convertible, a coach, and a palanquin--all in Barbie pink, of course. And as usual, our graphic novels shelves are full; this month's offerings include many volumes of Plants and Zombies.

Hard to believe, but the school year soon comes to an end. Look in the School-age Fiction section for bargain-priced books to make sure your students maintain their reading skills over the summer. For fairy enthusiasts, check the early chapter books shelves for sets of 7 books for only $5! On the same shelves, you'll find the series Magic Tree House, Ivy and Bean, Junie B Jones, and Geronimo Stilton. If your kids are more into electronic games than reading, introduce them to books by Rick Riordan, Brandon Mull, Eoin Colfer, and J.K. Rowling (Harry Potter, of course!). Basketball season is ending, but your child can stay in the game with a full set of Kobe Bryant's "Wizenard" series: Training Camp. If you're looking for gift-quality books, we have lovely copies of The Secret Garden and a 75th anniversary edition of Big Red by Jim Kjelgaard. Finally, for the budding poet in your family, look for former Poet Laureate Amanda Gorman's book The Hill We Climb.

In the Beginning Readers section you'll find many sets of well-priced books for the earliest readers, perfect for families or classrooms. There are also lots of other books for readers at all levels, from beginners to avid readers.

The Parenting section offers great books for new parents as well as parents of teens, with advice on how to navigate both.

We have lots of DVDs of Disney favorites, Harry Potter, and many other popular titles.

Our Religion section offers a wide selection of children's bibles as well as books on a variety of world religions.

Come and browse! Our helpful volunteers can point you toward the books you want.

-Carolyn Davidson

 
Book Reviews from a Kid, for a Kid

Warriors

By Erin Hunter

A visionary story spanning 6 series and 16 special editions shows life through that of a warrior cat. Told through the perspective of a cat, young readers discover a new way of thinking through another person (in this case, animal), and reads about legends of past cats, and their wonderful stories.
(Recommended for ages 5 - 10)

The Confidence Code for GIRLS

By Katty Kay and Claire Shipman

Inspired by Mother's Day, I decided to review a book very dear to women around the world. This book is everything a maturing GIRL may need; from dealing with mistakes, learning to overcoming obstacles, this book is an EXTRAORDINARY way to help build confidence in girls, and empower them.
(Recommended for ages 10 - 17)

-Emma Chen

 
Children's Vintage

May is puzzles and games month in children's vintage. We have several framed jigsaw puzzles from the '50s and '60s, including a boxed 6-puzzle set of early airplanes. And vintage Candy Land game that looks unused may bring back some childhood memories. For the older kids, there is a model of the USS Constitution that's still wrapped in its original box waiting to be assembled.

For younger readers, we have a nice copy of O. Henry's The Ransom of Red Chief and The Sense of Wonder by Rachel Carson. Older readers have an entire section of Newbery award winners to choose from. And as always, the series book section is chock full of your old favorites to take home.

See shelf photos at https://fopalbooks.com/kids.html.

-Lisa Heitman

 
Sociology/Anthropology

All twenty-two subsections of the Sociology/Anthropology section feature many books received over the last three weeks. The entire collection includes 470 volumes. Readers who follow current events will find scholarly and popular books that would complement newspapers' reporting on them with historical perspectives and analyses. I invite those interested in deepening their knowledge of burning issues to pay close attention to such subsections as Sociology of Criminology, Social Movements and Political Sociology, Cultural Anthropology (General), Foreign Affairs and Immigration, and the U.S.: Self-Reflection. As usual, amateurs of Sociological and Anthropological theories will not be disappointed by new arrivals in the corresponding subsection.

Shelf photos are available at <https://fopalbooks.com/social.html>.

-Natalia Koulinka

 
Poetry

Tra la, it's May, the lusty month of May,
That lovely month when everyone goes blissfully astray.
Undaunted, we have Dante on display,
Part of a special for the month of May.
Stray past him as you enter the Main Room,
Amid a bevy of Italian books in bloom.
Stray onward to find verses by the yard.
This month finding a good poem isn't hard.

Find poetry pictures at https://fopalbooks.com/poetry.html

-Mandy MacCalla

 
Home & Crafts

The May Home collection is all about bridal flower arranging: Shane Connolly's Wedding Flowers and The Knot Book of Wedding Flowers by Carley Roney. You'll also find styles guides for men's and women's fashion and a terrific book of Vogue covers. Home decorating references include: The House of Veranda by Lisa Newsom, Chris Madden's The Soul of a House, Artful Decoration: Interiors by Fisher Weisman, plus two new books on color: Living in Color and New Country Color. Enjoy a warm welcome with Welcoming Home by Michaela Mahady. And don't miss the beautifully photographed Restoring a Home in Italy: Twenty-Two Home Owners Realize Their Dream by Elizabeth Helman Minchilli. Maintenance and repair titles range from Marie Kondo's The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up to The Walls Around Us by David Owen. Our home building and remodeling shelf features Scaling Down: Living Large in a Small Space, in addition to other titles.

Floral Arts are in full bloom in May on two Crafts shelves. Shop Western floral designs from the sweet and petite Bouquets: a Year of Flowers and Settings for the Table among others titles on the top shelf. In addition, there's a group of Japanese floral designers on the second shelf including Ikebana: A New Illustrated Guide to Mastery by Wafu Teshigahara. You'll also find creative resources for beading and braiding, learning to draw, nature craft, and the art of making wooden toys. There are also two titles for jewelry metalsmithing. Fabric Arts include: Power Sewing Step-by-Step by Sandra Betzina and Textiles: 5000 Years edited by Jennifer Harris. You will come across two precious titles by Debbie Bliss: Baby Knits for Beginners and Simply Baby: 20 Adorable Knits for Baby's First Two Years. We also have a few quilting titles, including Thimbleberries Quilting a Patchwork Garden by Lynette Jenson.

Shelf photos can be found at https://fopalbooks.com/crafts.html.

-Virginia Perry

 
Antiques & Collections

The month of May in Antiques will feature jewelry designers: Cartier and America by Martin Chapman, The Art of Bulgari: La Dolce Vita and Beyond 1950-1990, Artistic Luxury: Faberge, Tiffany, Lalique, and The Queen's Diamonds by Hugh Roberts. In addition you'll discover an array of coin collecting treasures from Ancient Greek Coins by G.K. Jenkins to the Encyclopedic Dictionary of Numismatics: The New Landmark Reference to the Terms and Concepts of World Coins. As well as coins, you'll find British Commemorative Medals and Their Values by Christopher Eimer. There's a host of titles on rugs and furniture, and even the Traveler Stamp Album for collecting stamps on your world tours. Peruse these and other antique guides for your collecting reference.

Shelf photo can be found at https://fopalbooks.com/crafts.html.

-Virginia Perry

 
Humor

There are four Books of the Month in Humor for May all in very good condition. Dilbert 2.0, a handsome volume in a slipcase; The Toon Treasury of Classic Children's Comic by Art Spiegelman; Schulz and Peanuts, a Biography; and The Trials of Lenny Bruce with an audio CD. As for Wodehouse, this month we have 21 titles including a very fine hardback, The World of Mr. Mulliner.

Shelf photos are available at https://fopalbooks.com/humor.html.

-Nigel Jones

 
Philosophy

Recently we have been receiving a lot of philosophy books and for May it's turned into an avalanche. There is no particular author or theme to them but an eclectic library has appeared on our doorstep. As such you will find them dispersed through both bookcases. Again I recommend you take a look at the Philosophy book section in the Bargain Room where you can find books in a more used condition that you might like to read.

Shelf photos are available at https://fopalbooks.com/philosophy.html.

-Nigel Jones

 
Judaica

Browse the Judaica section for books on the Jewish religion and culture including editions of the Torah and other basic texts, Kabbalah, Jewish history, the Holocaust, memoirs, Israel, Jewish Women, the Jewish American Experience and other related subjects.

Special interest this month - Two Roads Home: Hitler, Stalin, and the Miraculous Survival of My Family; The Dressmakers of Auschwitz; My Thirty-Minute Bar Mitzvah: A Memoir; 3 volumes of A Mediterranean Society: The Jewish Communities of the Arab World as Portrayed in the Documents of the Cairo Geniza; Shanda: A Memoir of Shame and Secrecy; Stories for the Sake of Argument; Life is Like a Glass of Tea: Studies of Classic Jewish Jokes

Judaica had two major donations this month so many extra books went over to the Bargain Room/H2. It is a good place to find a worthwhile bargain.

Most fiction with Jewish themes will be found in Modern Literature/Classics or Current Fiction. Books entirely in Hebrew are shelved in the European Languages section.

Shelf photos at https://fopalbooks.com/judaica.html

-Charlotte Epstein, Judaica Section Manager

 
Medicine

In addition to classic texts in every medical specialty, this month we offer something for everyone who loves to read about medicine.

Medical Updates:

• Clinical Cardiology Made Ridiculously Simple
• Clinical Handbook of Psychotropic Drugs
• Migraine Brains & Bodies: A Comprehensive Guide to Solving the Mysteries of Your Migraines

Cutting Edge Reads:

• The Age of Genomes
• Mitochondria and the Future of Medicine
• Immune: A Journey into the Mysterious System that Keeps You Alive (Dettmer)

History of Medicine:

• Ancient Egyptian Medicine (Nunnes)
• The Medical Mind of Shakespeare
• Jonas Salk: A Life-He devoted himself to developing a vaccine against polio. When the vaccine's success was made public in April 1955, he chose not to patent or seek any profit from it in order to maximize its global distribution. What can one say?

-Pamela Parke

 
Health

It is May, and the Health section has been privileged to receive groups of books on specific topics. For instance, books concerning the brain's longevity and care: Brainpower Game Plan, Brain Training Puzzles, Brain Boot Camp, Brain Power, Brain Maker, Complete Guide to Brain Health, and The Brain's Way of Healing: Remarkable Discoveries and Recoveries from the Frontiers of Plasticity.

In the Asian Health section, there is: Tai Chi for Beginners and the 24 Forms, Total Tai Chi, Chi Fitness, and Book of Ki: Coordinating Mind and Body in Daily Life.

To help you with dietary problems: Whole Life Nutrition Cookbook: Over 300 Delicious Whole Food Recipes, Including Gluten-Free, Dairy Free, Soy Free and Egg-Free Dishes, The Anti-Inflammatory Diet & Action Plans, The 8-Week Blood Sugar Diet, The Gourmet Prescription: High Flavor Recipes for Lower Carbohydrate Diets, The Ultimate Diabetes Cookbook, and Eat More Plants: Over 100 Anti-Inflammatory Plant-Based Recipes for Vibrant Living. And... there are many more books to discover.

-Suzanne Cholko

 
Self Help/Personal Growth

There are 3 full shelves of 'Popular on Amazon' books. Featured are: Maybe You Should Talk to Someone (2 copies and a journal!); What's Your Grief; The Grieving Brain; Becoming Supernatural; The Wild Edge of Sorrow; The Body Keeps the Score; It Didn't Start With You. There are 3 full shelves of 'New Arrivals', most priced at $2-$3. The top shelf has more valuable new arrivals, but still a bargain at less than half price! There is a section of Journals next to the section of Workbooks. And I've put together a collection of books by Don Miguel Ruiz, including duplicates of The Four Agreements, its Companion Book, and The Fifth Agreement!

May You Have a Magnificent Merry Month of May,

-Marnie

 
STEM

Our offerings this month are a bit light except for popular science. Even after the FOPAL stores at Mitchell Park Library and Rinconada Library picked what they wanted, we still have so many that all the other sections have been shifted over by one whole bay. They extend even further along the lowest shelves. All books leftover from last month have been priced down for sale. See shelf pictures at FOPAL STEM Books (fopalbooks.com). If you cannot get enough of popular science books, we always have plenty for sale at the library stores any time the library is open.

-Edwin El-Kareh

 
Sheet Music

A lot of new stuff came in this month. We now have some new groupings for Fake Books, Jazz and Praise Vocal. The Guitar, Piano, Song and Trumpet groups have expanded with the influx of new materials. See shelf pictures at FOPAL Sheet Music Books (fopalbooks.com).

-Edwin El-Kareh

 
Curious Books

Curious Books has many cheerful options to be chosen for reading this month. Or, if you prefer, write your own story in one of our many handsome blank books on offer. Many fine selections available!

-Donya W.

 
Donations

We accept donations on Monday through Saturday from 3-5 pm in the Main Room. But we close to donations in the week before the sale so that we can prepare the Main Room for the sale. Which means that we are closed for donations from Sunday May 5 through Sunday May 12. Please hold your donations until Monday May 13.

Please read our donation guidelines before you bring materials to us.

 
Suggestions?

We're always eager to hear your suggestions for ways to improve our book sale. Please email us at suggestions@friendspaloaltolib.org.