Alameda Free Library Event Alert - February 2023

Event Descriptions – Ongoing Adult and Teen Events: 

- Teen Book Club: Teen book club members choose what we read from a variety of titles and genres each month and every book club member receives a free copy of the book to keep. The title we will be discussing in February is Required Reading for the Disenfranchised Freshman by Kristen R. Lee. All teens, ages 13 to 18, are invited to join the book group. Registration link is on the calendar. We will be meeting in person in the Stafford Room at the Main Library. Masks are strongly encouraged. 

- Girls Who Code: Intended for girls in grades 6-8, participants learn from fun and simple online coding tutorials, build community through interactive activities, and learn about inspiring role models. Teams work together to design and build a Girls Who Code project that solves real world problems through code. Please see the online calendar for the registration link.

- Lawyers in the Library: The Lawyers in the Library program provides free 15-minute consultations by phone with a volunteer attorney who will provide guidance on legal matters. Examples of areas covered include landlord/tenant disputes, probate matters, employment problems and other general consumer issues. Please see the online calendar for registration form and instructions.

- Award Winner Book Club: Join us for an engaging literary discussion! Our featured book in February is Luster by Raven Leilani. Print and e-book copies are available in our Alameda Free Library collection and print copies through our LINK+ library partners. A limited number of free copies provided by the Friends of the Alameda Library are available at the reference desk of the Main Library.

- Teen Advisory Board: Do you wish the library would do more events and programs that you’re interested in? Have you been anxiously awaiting a new book and you want the library to buy it? Do you need an impressive membership to put on your applications and resumes? Join the Teen Advisory Board (TAB) to let the library know what you’re interested in. The Teen Advisory Board is your chance to make a difference in the library for yourself and other teens in Alameda. Members of the Teen Advisory Board will help plan teen programs and choose teen events. Teen Advisory Board members will earn community service hours for every meeting and event that they participate in.

- Women Returners Workgroup: Are you seeking to return to the workforce after a break? Offered in partnership with Women Back to Work and SJPL Works, the Women Returners Workgroup features job search experts to teach and guide you during each session. Join the Women Returners Workgroup to jumpstart your job search, build your confidence, strengthen your existing skills for meaningful employment, and create momentum by collaborating with other women returners. The February topic is Resume. This is the final session of a seven session workshop series. Each session explores a different topic and has exercises that will help you in your resume and job search. You don't have to have attended any previous sessions in order to participate. Please see the online calendar for registration link.

- Game Break: Don’t forget to take a break…A GAME BREAK! Try out our new games and/or watch others play. No registration needed, masks strongly encouraged. Teens only!

- Alameda Library Writers’ Group: This group is open to all adult writers looking for an opportunity to connect and share with other writers. At the meeting you are welcome to share your writing and everyone will be given a writing prompt. Whatever your genre, you are welcome to join the group!

- Dungeons & Dragons: Want to try Dungeons & Dragons but can’t find a group? Looking for a new party? Come to our Dungeons & Dragons Teen Meetup! We will be playing a stand-alone adventure in 5th edition. No previous experience required. Character sheets will be provided as well as rules explanations and dice. Registration is encouraged; please see the online calendar for the registration link.

- Alameda Great Books Discussion Group: Join us for the 2022-2023 discussion series. Alameda Great Books is free and open to the public. February’s selection is Eugenie Grandet  by Honore de Balzac.

- A Cup of Coffee and a Good Book Club: Wondering what to read next?  Instead of a monthly book everyone reads, A Cup of Coffee and a Good Book Club will discuss what everyone is currently reading or has read recently that they enjoyed. This is a fun and informal way to get some recommendations and give some too. The February theme is Friendship. Please email the facilitator, Lynda, at [email protected] for more information.

- Movie Night - Loving: Join us for a screening of Loving, a biopic about Virginian interracial couple Richard and Mildred Loving, whose arrest in 1958 for violating the state's miscegenation laws eventually led to a landmark Supreme Court decision. Snacks provided!

- Mystery Book Club: Join the Alameda Free Library’s Mystery Book Clubfor a fun and engaging literary discussion!  We are offering this popular book club in two different locations, the West End Library and the Bay Farm Island Library. The February mystery is Clark and  Division by Naomi Hirahara. Copies are available in our Alameda Free Library collection and through our LINK+ library partners. A limited number of free copies provided by the Friends of the Alameda Free Library will also be available soon at the Main Library.  

Special Events:

- Computer Lab Workshop - Google Apps 2023: This class will cover apps that help keep you organized and teach you how to create documents giving a brief overview of Gmail, Calendar, Keep, Chat/Hangouts, Docs, Sheets, Slides, and Google Drive. We will also cover the basics of syncing to the cloud with an overview of Google Photos. All ages are welcome to attend this workshop. Prerequisites: a Google Account (and password) to work on the stations in the computer lab. Feel free to bring your personal laptop or device to follow along as well. Limited slots are available. Please see the online calendar for registration link.

- A History of Black Resistance in Alameda: The 2023 Black History Month theme is “Black Resistance” and Alamedan Rasheed Shabazz will discuss a history of Black Resistance in Alameda. Shabazz is a journalist, historian, and urban planner. He grew up in Alameda and is currently working on a book about race and housing in Alameda. This FREE event is being organized by the Alameda Society of African American History and Culture and is sponsored by the Alameda Free Library and Friends of the Alameda Library. Doors open at 5:45 PM. Presentation begins at 6 PM followed by Q & A and conversation.

Download and share the press release here.