Have you ever wondered what we do with the money that we raise here at the Bookmark Bookstore? Last year, thanks to our customers at the bookstore and our generous donors, the Friends of the Oakland Public Library was able to make $141,508 in grants to the libraries in Oakland. What follows here is a [...]

April 17th, 2013
Deadline to apply is this Friday!! From the Youth Speaks website:
Do you dream in poetry or write rhymes that move people? Do you know a young person whose talent jumps off the page? Apply to become the City of Oakland’s “Youth Poet Laureate” for 2013.
The winning poet will earn a $5,000 educational scholarship and [...]

8/26/2012
Support YOUR Library: Volunteer!
The Oakland Public Library is sponsoring two information sessions open to the public.  Library staff and volunteers will present information about the current openings for adult volunteers and will be available to answer questions.
Library-sponsored programs

Adult literacy tutors
Pre-school story readers
Computer docents at two branch locations

Friends of the [...]

Did you know that 10 of our Oakland Library branches are feeding kids free lunch this summer? If not, you can read a great article from the Oakland Tribune about here right here.  On August 8th, CBS also ran a story – you can view it here.
From OPL’s website:
Dates: June 18 – August 17, 2012
Stop [...]

From the (brand new!) Oakland Public Library website:

Youth Poet Laureate Finalists to Appear in Rare Group Performance
Release Date:
Tue, 07/31/2012

VERSE AND SPOKEN WORD AT ART & SOUL OAKLAND
Oakland, CA – The seven finalists in Oakland’s Youth Poet Laureate competition will make a live appearance at the Art & Soul Festival on Saturday, August [...]

Oakland is getting close to choosing it’s first Youth Poet Laureate! From OPL’s press release:
Youth Poet Laureate Finalists announced

Oakland, CA – Oakland’s Youth Poet Laureate competition reached a milestone this week with the announcement of seven finalists. These talented young poets made it through a highly competitive and rigorous first round juried by esteemed judges, [...]

6/30/2012
Good news.  When Governor Brown signed the Budget a few days ago, he left in place $4.7 million that library supporters fought so hard for, which is intended to save the public library literacy programs and the California Library Services Act from elimination. Additionally, the $4.7 million augmentation also ensures that the [...]

6/8/2012; Updated 6/18/2012
Volunteers needed to help serve free lunches to children at Oakland Libraries
Eleven Oakland Public Library sites will offer free lunches to children 18 years and younger this summer.  The free lunch program is operated by the City of Oakland, Department of Human Services in partnership with the Alameda County Community Food Bank.  [...]

5/17/2012
Due to the state’s $15.7 billion deficit, the Governor’s May Revision of the State Budget does not contain any proposed funding for public libraries – most specifically, there is no funding in the State Budget for the California Library Services Act, nor the Public Library Foundation, nor the state literacy services program. Because of this [...]

4/27/2012 Governor Brown’s 2012-2013 budget does not include funding for public libraries, and we are asking all library lovers to write letters in support of restoring the $15.2 million in library funds to the state budget.
From the California Library Association:
$15.2 million will not only protect the integrity of the three programs in [...]