The Making of Between Pacific Tides
How did Edward F. Ricketts and Jack Calvin come to write Between Pacific Tides, and why is it still considered one of the most important books about marine ecology in North America?
Register in advance to join historian Tim Thomas on Zoom this Thursday, January 20 at 4:00 pm for his monthly Magical History Tour as he interviews special guests Donald Kohrs of Hopkins Marine Station and Richard Astro of Drexel University. Kohrs and Astro will discuss their book, A Tidal Odyssey: Ed Ricketts and the Making of Between Pacific Tides. Published in December 2021, it draws from the Ricketts archive of previously unpublished letters, notebooks, and photographs, and describes how Ricketts' and Calvin's revolutionary approach to marine biology lay the groundwork for our understanding of the impact of environmental change
on the well-being of our planet.
Customer Satisfaction Survey: How Are We Doing?
We want to make sure that we are meeting your needs as we gradually reintroduce Library services.
Please complete our short survey online, or pick up a paper copy at the Library or Bookmobile. How we can improve, and what you would like to see reintroduced as funding and health measures permit? Your feedback is a gift to us!
In Memoriam ~ Barbara Sovereign
It is with heavy hearts that we share the sad news that Barbara Sovereign, a faithful and active member of the Board of the Monterey Public Library Friends & Foundation, passed away at the end of 2021. We will miss her intelligence, her kindness, and her savoir-faire. Here she is preparing the famous Sovereign Chocolate Fountain, in a photo with her son, John, and husband Mike.
Cozy Winter Reading
Cool weather and rainy days are perfect for reading with kids! The Monterey Public Library makes reading together even better with our Winter Reading Program. Between January 28 and March 9, families can pick up a reading log at the Library or Bookmobile and track the time they spend reading together. Six hours of reading earns a child a free prize book of their choice.
  • Read for 15 minutes a day or more;
  • Color in an umbrella for every 15 minutes spent reading;
  • Bring your completed reading log to the Library or Bookmobile by March 9th to pick out your free book.
Friends & Foundation Author Talk
Join award-winning syndicated columnist Sharon Randall on Saturday, January 22 at 1:00 pm on the upstairs Terrace at the Library for a book signing and discussion of her novel, The World and Then Some. A superb storyteller, many of us remember when Randall's poignant weekly column ran in the Monterey Herald. Copies of her novel will be on hand to purchase. "Author Talks" are open to all. There is no fee for MPL Friends & Foundation members, and there is a $10 suggested donation for all others. Upcoming speakers in the series include Tony Drago and Peter Hiller.
The tastiest benefit of the year for Monterey Library! Order Chocolate and Wine "party bags" now before they sell out. Donation levels range from $75 to $150. Pick up on Saturday, February 26. Check here for details.
Dipping into Chocolate
National Chocolate Cake Day (January 27) and the annual Chocolate & Wine fundraiser invite us to consider the rich history and many delights of chocolate. As described in the Britannica, Cacao beans, from a tree native to Central and South America, were consumed by Olmec and Mayan peoples more than 3,000 years ago. Over millennia the bitter seeds have been roasted and mixed with various sweeteners, cream, and flavorings to produce the wealth of confections we love today. Raw cacao powder with its high antioxidant content is considered a superfood! Indulge in a cookbook from the collection, and don't forget to order your bag of "drive-thru" goodies for the library benefit.
From Brainfuse's bilingual Online Tutoring assistance for grades K - College to more than 5,000 job-relevant online courses in business and technology offered through Coursera, to fun mental fitness classes like "Laughter Yoga," that the Library offers via the 50+ adult learning platform GetSetUp, a vast array of online learning opportunities are available to you with your free library card! Why wait? Call (831) 646-3933 or visit the Library to find the best tools to accomplish your goals in 2022.
Bringing the Library to You!
After a two-month hiatus for much-needed repairs, the Bookmobile is back on the road. On Tuesdays, you can find us outside Merrill Gardens (200 Iris Canyon Road) from 11:30 am - 12:30 pm and The Park Lane (200 Glenwood Circle) from 1:00-2:00 pm. Visit us every Thursday afternoon (2:00-4:00 pm) at the La Mesa Village Community Center (1200 Fechteler Drive), or at Montecito Park (220 Montecito Avenue) from 4:45 - 6:00 pm.
Literary Birthdays
* Vanessa Diffenbaugh, American author, January 20
* Derek Walcott, St. Lucian poet, January 23
* Rosemary Wells, American author, January 29
Vanessa Diffenbaugh
Mark Your Calendar... Ongoing & Upcoming
Mindfulness Meditation: Every Wednesday at
12:45 pm, a guided mindfulness practice is led by
volunteer practitioners. All levels welcome for this
peaceful mid-week break. Pre-register for Zoom details.

Preschool Storytime: Is taking a break this month. Check the MPL website for upcoming children's programs.

Blind Date with a Book: Take a chance on book love! Need a Valentine? Starting February 1, take a wrapped library book "on a date" without knowing its title. Look for the display in the Library during February.
MPL Hours of Service:
Tuesday-Saturday, 10:00 am to 6:00 pm
Sidewalk Holds Pickup:
Tuesday-Saturday, 10:00 am to Noon (door near library driveway)
Bookmobile:
Tuesday, 11:30 am-2:00 pm. Thursday, 2:00-6:00 pm. Call (831) 646-3710 or visit Bookmobile for details.
Monterey Public Library | (831) 646-3933 | www.monterey.org/library