E-CONNECT | APRIL UPDATE FROM THE ALTADENA LIBRARIES
A Message from the Assistant Director:
National Library Week:
A Celebration of Connection & Innovation
Of the many opportunities for reflection that emerged with COVID-19, the question I found most intriguing was what role the library plays in communities while temporarily unable to use its physical spaces. Traditional models establish libraries as institutions responsible for storing books and quiet spaces for scholarly study; community members would go to the library and their library experience would end when they walk out of its doors. Throughout 2020, as our nation grappled with a period of social distancing, our staff had the opportunity to expand what the library looks like beyond the confines of its physical walls and to explore more meaningful models of community engagement.

What does it mean for an institution like a library to actively engage with its community? How can we innovate beyond traditional models and definitions to deepen what it means in our mission to bring people and ideas together? I believe it is in that togetherness that the answers to these questions exist.

Throughout National Library Week, the Altadena Library District’s social media channels (Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter) will highlight the important work our staff has been doing across Altadena throughout the pandemic to connect with organizations across a variety of fields through intentional outreach and relationship building, bolstering our ability to connect the community with the many resources that help Altadena thrive.

The future of the modern library is dependent on its human connections in the community. Books go in and out of print, technology evolves, and we all continue to access information in new ways… The one constant in our work in libraries is our connection to community, and we are committed to learning in conversation with our community and developing innovative ways for our libraries to meet their ever-evolving needs. We hope you will join us on this journey to develop a library that breaks the mold, just like our wonderfully unique community of Altadena does!
If you have ideas of ways you would like to connect more deeply with the Altadena Libraries, I welcome the chance to talk with you. In the meantime, I invite you to join us in our National Library Week celebration by signing up for a library card and enjoying all of the benefits it can provide!

Viktor Sjöberg
Assistant Director, Altadena Library District
As of the week of April 5, the Bob Lucas Memorial Library and Main Library's Community Room will reopen to the public for access to browsing, computers, and printing!
MAIN LIBRARY
Community Room Only
Tuesday – Saturday: 12:00pm – 5:00pm
Sunday & Monday: Closed

Outdoor Seating & Power Access
Monday – Saturday: 9:00am – 5:30pm
BOB LUCAS
MEMORIAL LIBRARY
Monday – Friday: 2:00pm – 5:00pm
Weekends: Closed

Outdoor Seating & Power Access
Monday – Friday: 10:00am – 5:00pm
Introducing Read Local, Shop Local!
National Library Week marks the launch of Read Local, Shop Local, a program that provides exclusive offers and discounts to customers that present their Altadena Library cards at checkout at participating area businesses, which currently include:
A Noise Within Theatre
Altadena Ale House
Café de Leche
El Patron Mexican Restaurant
Fair Oaks Burger
Highlight Coffee
Hoopla! An Emporium of Good Things
Photography by Walt
Sweeter Than Honey
Tacos Casa
The Little Red Hen Coffee Shop
Unincorporated Coffee
Shoppers can explore a full list of discounts and businesses can sign up to participate at www.altadenalibrary.org/shoplocal.
PoetryWalk and a Cento
April is National Poetry Month, and at the Main Library, readers of all ages and experience levels with poetry are invited to take our latest StoryWalk® along our pathways surrounding the Main Library building and gardens. Each stop along the way features a poem and a link/QR code to that poet's work in the Altadena Library collection.

Are YOU a local poet?
Our Altadena Poets Laureate are seeking submissions for their 2021 Cento for Altadena! What's a cento? It's a type of poem composed of lines from multiple authors, sometimes called a "collage poem." The theme of the 2021 Cento is Resilience. Visit www.altadenapoetryreview.com to learn how to submit your very own lines for the Cento and to enjoy the featured poems of other local poets!
Did you know that Altadena has a weekly Farmers Market that offers access to affordable, healthy ingredients from local farmers? In April's This is Altadena podcast, meet Stacey Whitney, current owner and operator of the Altadena Farmers Market! The episode also highlights the work of a related group and partners of the Altadena Libraries, Jessica Yarger and Su Falcon of the Seed Library of Los Angeles Altadena branch.

Listen today on your favorite podcast platform (Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts) or visit thisisaltadena.podomatic.com.
Neighbor to Neighbor Scavenger Hunt
We're giving you the perfect excuse to go for a walk and explore your neighborhood... and win prizes while doing it! Starting the week of April 5, pick up your Scavenger Hunt guidebook at your local Altadena Library and start your search in the neighborhood around the Bob Lucas Branch or the Main Library! The guidebook is packed with helpful clues, and the first 25 participants will win a gift card to one of our Read Local, Shop Local partners!
Looking for even more ways to explore and connect?
Check out our online calendar of virtual and in-person events at www.altadenalibrary.org/programs!
An Opportunity to Invest in Your Local Libraries
The Altadena Library Foundation is a nonprofit dedicated to supporting and enriching the facilities, resources, and services of our Altadena Libraries. In the coming weeks, keep an eye out for an email from the Foundation about opportunities this Spring to support the new Curiosity Connection mobile library van, art conservation and programs, and the expansion of our literacy network. Learn more about the Foundation's 2021 goals >>