By Sue Hotz

Membership meeting

The annual San Carlos Friends of the Library (SCFOL) membership meeting will be held in the Winer Family Community Room and Art Gallery on Wednesday, Nov. 15, 4–5:30 p.m. All SCFOL members are invited to attend. Refreshments will be served.

Ann McDonald, a current Friends of the San Diego Public Library Foundation (FSDPL) member and past-president of SCFOL and FSDPL, will be our guest speaker.

SCFOL’s 2017 Life-members will be introduced. Life-memberships are $250 per person. Join as a Life-member before Oct. 28, and have your name added to the 2017 Community Room’s Life-member Honor Wall. We currently have 105 Life-members (seven new this year) and 200 annual members. All members may take advantage of the pre-book-sales held in the Community Room from 1:30–3:30 p.m. on the day before the monthly first Saturday Used Book Sales. Also, membership numbers do count toward assuring our city administrators that our community supports its branch library and its expansion.

Growing Connections Festival of Fun

Join us as we participate in the San Carlos Community Garden’s family-oriented, healthy, nutritious, and fun event on Saturday, Nov. 11, 1–3 p.m. SCFOL will have a kids’ activity booth with prizes, and an opportunity to join the Friends.

Mimi Labrucherie retires

Mimi Labrucherie was born in France, grew up in Spokane, and earned a bachelor’s in Studio Art from Western Washington University and a master’s in Linguistics from SDSU (just for fun). She worked at USD for over nine years before joining the San Diego Public Library staff 20 years ago as a library aide at the San Carlos branch. She worked her way up to library assistant, working in at least three-quarters of the branches around the library system and also for the Bellingham Public Library, University of Redlands and National City Public Library.

Labrucherie has had her artist’s book and other artwork in numerous exhibits in several states; one piece is owned by the Athenaeum and one by UCSD Geisel Library, and Special Collections. She has enjoyed interacting with the vast variety of patrons, acquiring a lot of esoteric knowledge along the way. She’ll miss the library but it’s time to discover her next chapter in the four corners of the globe, in her garden and in her art studio. Mimi provided great support to us and great customer service to our patrons. We appreciated her enthusiasm and dedication to the San Carlos Branch Library. She will be missed.

— David Ege, managing librarian

Artists

Mary Conly’s colorful art exhibit continues through Nov. 2. The public is invited to Conly’s art reception on Saturday, Oct. 21, noon–2 p.m. in our Art Gallery. Refreshments will be served.

Nov. 8–30, the Foothills Art Association will be presenting “The Masters” in the San Carlos Branch’s Winer Family Community Room & Art Gallery. A group of the association’s artists, including organizer Hazel Waters, and artists Marty Armstrong, Bill Barr, Sunny Borkat, Elsiemay Cleeton, Joy Farrar, Roberta Labastida, Toby Scriba and Stephanie Smith, will display their copies of works of art by Rembrandt, Monet, and other masters, next to photos of the originals.

Don’t miss this fabulous display. Meet the artists at their art reception, Nov. 18, noon–2 p.m. in the branch’s Art Gallery. Refreshments will be served.

Books and authors

Oct. 27, 2–3 p.m., author Lou Pechi will discuss his book, “I Am Lubo.” This is Pechi’s true story of growing up before, during, and after the Holocaust. Narrated through the eyes of a young boy, he tells of his struggle to survive while maintaining his true identity.

Nov. 9, 12:30–2 p.m., the Library Book Club is discussing “Light Between Oceans” by M.L. Stedman. The story tells of a young couple, Tom and Isabel, who lived on an isolated Australian island as lighthouse keepers. Following multiple miscarriages and a stillbirth, the answer to Isabel’s prayers comes in the form of a washed-up boat with a dead man and a live infant on board. The couple keeps the baby as their own, but moral decisions must be made when two years later the child’s birth mother confronts them.

Free speaker and OASIS programs

OASIS: Oct. 20, 2–4 pm: “Keeping Your Wits: Why Brain Function Declines and Ten Ways to Prevent it,” presented by Dr. Goscienski.

Nov. 17, 2–3 p.m., Cindy Stankowski from the San Diego Archaeological Center reviews “10,000 years of San Diego History.”

Fun weekly events for youth

Ages 3–8 on Tuesdays at 4 p.m. will enjoy yoga and storytime. Youth under age 18 can enhance their chess skills on the second and fourth Tuesdays of the month from 5–7 p.m. On Wednesdays, our “After School Special” hour for ages 4–9 starts at 2:30 p.m. Thursdays, ages 3–8 paint and glue to their own whims at Process Art at 4 p.m. Friday is pre-school storytime and art from 10–10:45 a.m. Homework help at the library is available on Mondays and Thursdays, 3–6 p.m., and Tuesdays and Wednesdays, 3–7 p.m.

Youth special events

“Trash Day at the Library” is Friday, Oct. 20 from 10–11:30 a.m., for ages 1–5 (but fun for the whole family). Meet Diego, our community sanitation driver, who will show us a trash truck up close and how it works. Storytime is at 10 a.m., followed by Diego’s demonstration, crafts, and other activities.

Oct. 28, 11–11:30 a.m., ages 0–8 sing and dance in Spanish with Canta y Baila Conmigo.

Challenge Island

“Great White Bridges” for kids ages 8–12 will be held on Oct.25, 4–5:15 p.m. Kids will learn how triangles are powerful not only in man-made buildings like bridges, but also in nature — such as in a shark’s mouth! They will then build a truss bridge out of gumdrops and toothpicks, and test the strength of their bridge. Pre-registration required. Call 619-527-3430.

Dates to remember

Oct. 31: Halloween

Nov. 3, 1:30–3:30 p.m.: Friends of the Library only, Used-Book Pre-sale

Nov. 4, 9:30 a.m.–3 p.m.: SCFOL Monthly Used Book Sale

Nov. 7, all day: Election Day, Community Room is closed to library activities. Library is OPEN

Nov. 10, 11, all day: CLOSED for Veterans Day

Nov. 15, 4 5:30 p.m.: Annual SCFOL General Membership meeting. 2017 Life-Members introduced.

Nov. 18: In-N-Out reading program for ages 4–12 ends

All Libraries are COOL ZONES.

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