Vol 1 no 2
October 2017
OPL Advocates fight for Oakland Public Libraries
The OPL Advocates is an informal coalition of volunteer advocacy groups that fights for the Oakland Public Library at the local, state, and national level. The groups include the Branch Friends organizations at each neighborhood library, the City of Oakland’s Library Advisory Commission, the Friends of the Oakland Public Library (FOPL), members of local unions SEIU 1021 and IFPTE 21, the Youth Leadership Council of OPL, Save Oakland Libraries (SOL), and anyone who loves OPL enough to contribute time, money, or YES votes to the library.

OPL Advocates members attend city council meetings, email, call, and tweet our city council members to increase funding, maintain current staff levels, and fight the eternal fight for long-term financial stability for OPL. Active planning has begun on a 2018 ballot measure to increase library funding.

Members also speak at city council meetings, talk with the community at outreach events, and communicate with supporters in both print publications and electronically. The OPL Advocates works with the mayor and city council to increase OPL funding to restore the sixth day of service, publicize library programs, and keep a new main library on the city's planning radar. 

The coalition meets monthly (3 rd Sunday afternoon) to discuss and coordinate ways to promote and advocate on behalf of OPL.

The next event, the Library Advisory Commission/FOPL Holiday Mixer, takes place on Sunday, Dec. 3, from 1 – 3pm at the African-American Museum and Library, 659 14th St.

The Friends of the OPL all branch meeting will take place on Wednesday, Oct. 18, from 10am – 12pm at the Temescal Branch Library, 5205 Telegraph Ave.

For more information, visit http//saveoaklandlibrary.org .
Sign up for action alerts and news via the OPL Advocates e-newsletter OPLAdvocates@gmail.com , and follow the Advocates on Facebook (OPL Advocates), Instagram (OakLibAdvocate) and Twitter (@OPLadvocate).

You too can be an OPL Advocate !

Eda and ladies
Mareme
Baby Café offers local parents and their children a menu of Saturday morning fun
" You are my sunshine, my only sunshine…” On a sunny Saturday morning, neighborhood parent Claire Moore is playing her guitar in the Skilled Nursing unit of the Piedmont Gardens retirement home, singing with a large group of babies, toddlers, and their parents. The Nursing residents shake tambourines and sing along, trying to get the babies’ attention, or they nap quietly in their wheelchairs. Parents dance their little ones around the circle, saying hello to the seniors. After about half an hour of singing and playtime, the families roll their strollers to the Memory Care unit and do it all again. Everyone goes home with a free book and the knowledge that they brightened someone’s day.

The next Saturday, families meet at the Piedmont Avenue Library. Babies nurse or crawl around, toddlers explore a brightly colored tunnel and slide, and families trade war stories about sleepless nights. The coffee is good (thanks, FOPABL and Gaylord’s!) and the scene is both lively and relaxed.

It’s all part of Baby Café, a pilot program that started last spring with a month of Saturday playtimes at the library followed by a month of Saturdays at Piedmont Gardens. Both programs were way too much fun to give up, so now we do both: most Saturdays at the library, and the second Saturday of each month at Piedmont Gardens. Baby Café starts at 10:30am. at both locations. For details, please ask anyone at the library or email Margaret, the children’s librarian, at mrodriguez@oaklandlibrary.org . We are currently looking for volunteers to help with the Piedmont Gardens programs and are especially interested in those who are a musician, a photographer, or just a friendly person.
 What's Happening at the Library? 
Ongoing:

Wednesdays: 10:15am -- Toddler Storytime
Wednesdays: 11am -- Pre-School Storytime
Fridays: 3:30pm -- Lego Mania
Saturdays: 10:30am -- Baby Cafe
Saturdays: 2:30pm -- eBook Help

  October & November:

10/19, Thursday, 10:30am - 11:30am: Author Laurin Mayeno presents One of a Kind Like Me/Unico como yo . The bilingual picture books tells a story from the life of a proud, gender nonconforming child. Laura will read the book and lead a discussion about gender diversity in kids.

10/28, Saturday, 11am - 2pm: Piedmont Avenue Halloween Parade and Celebration, the parade starts at Montell & Piedmont Ave.

10:15am: Spooky Storytime at the Iris Eye Center, 3911 Piedmont Ave

OPL Bike Library will be making an appearance in the Halloween Parade

Piedmont Avenue Elementary School Carnival, 4314 Piedmont Av - our library
will have a booth, join us for free books (while they last) and button making.


Tuesdays in November, 6pm - 7:30pm NaNoWriMo Come Write In. A fun seat of your pants approach to creative writing. Join us.
All events unless noted take place at the Piedmont Avenue Branch
80 Echo Avenue, Oakland CA 94611