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A fire more destructive to Berkeley than 1991 Firestorm

Tracey Taylor — Thu, 20 Oct 2011 23:00:52 +0000

On the day we remember a catastrophic fire that affected many people’s lives locally, it may also pay to recall another fire which happened 68 years before the 1991 Oakland-Berkeley Firestorm and which was far more destructive to Berkeley.

The 1991 fire razed 63 Berkeley homes out of a total of more than 3,300. On September 17, 1923, however, a raging fire consumed some 640 structures, including 584 homes in the densely built neighborhoods north of the campus. Although the exact cause was never determined, the fire began in the undeveloped chaparral and grasslands of Wildcat Canyon, and was pushed towards the south west by a strong, gusty, and intensely dry northeasterly wind.

The Berkeley Fire Department, aided by a number of UC Berkeley students, was unable to stop the fire as it approached the north edge of the campus at Hearst Avenue.(...)

Read the rest of A fire more destructive to Berkeley than 1991 Firestorm (154 words)

By Tracey Taylor. | Permalink | 2 comments |
Post tags: 1923, 1923 Berkeley fire, Berkeley Public Library, The Story of the Berkeley Fire of September 17

A peek at the renovations at Berkeley’s branch libraries

Frances Dinkelspiel — Tue, 16 Aug 2011 16:00:03 +0000

Back side of North Branch. There used to be a tiny staff room and steps from the Children's room here. Photos: BPL

The Berkeley Public Library has been writing a blog to keep patrons updated on the renovations to the North and Claremont branches of the library. These are photos from that site. The two branches were closed in April 2011. Claremont branch renovations should be done by end of year, according to library director Donna Corbeil, and the North branch will be completed by spring 2012. The library is also posting weekly updates on the construction on its website.

The opening where the teen room used to be. It will be converted into a processing room, staff work room, and stairs to the lower floor community meeting space.

Claremont Branch

In the historic wing, the corners of the room have been exposed in order to strengthen them. The retrofitting of the branch is well under way.

By Frances Dinkelspiel. | Permalink | 3 comments |
Post tags: Berkeley Public Library, Berkeley Public Library Branch Improvement Program, branch library renovations

In Berkeley: Thousands of free songs just a click away

Frances Dinkelspiel — Mon, 18 Jul 2011 22:30:13 +0000

With a Berkeley Public Library card you can enjoy listening to a huge selection of free music. Photo: Frances Dinkelspiel

It may be one of Berkeley’s best-kept secrets: Residents can access 500,000 classical, blues, rockabilly, rock, world beat, opera and jazz songs through their computers or smart phones.

All anyone needs is a Berkeley Public Library card.

The library subscribes to the Music Online database, which has uploaded thousands of songs from a wide canon.

“It’s one that a lot of people don’t know about,” said Shani Leonards, a supervising librarian at the Central Library. “It’s really nifty and you can access a lot of great music.”

The library is trying to get the word out about its resources in a workshop series called “Be an expert @ Berkeley Public Library.” Library staff will hold a workshop to teach people about the online music database on Saturday August 6 at 2 pm. The class will be held in Central’s electronic classroom, a room outfitted with about a dozen computers set up for teaching. The class will present an overview of the data base and teach people how to search for songs, and create and save a playlist, said Leonards.

Other classes in the series include one using the library’s databases to research family history at 2 pm on August 31, how to use the databases to look for a job on September 13, and a class on how to find articles on line on September 3.

Music Online is a curated collection of licensed music that can be streamed from any computer by logging in using a BPL card. Patrons can create and save private playlists, listen to songs or whole albums without time limits, and explore music by artist, label, country of origin, genre. The music cannot be downloaded or copied, but only streamed through a computer or phone. It works on iPhones and Androids.

The library also has a strong collection of CDs and vinyl records that patrons can check out.

By Frances Dinkelspiel. | Permalink | 4 comments |
Post tags: Be an expert @ Berkeley Public Library, Berkeley Public Library, Music online, Shani Leonards

Berkeleyans rally to move forward on library renovations

Tracey Taylor — Wed, 27 Apr 2011 15:30:28 +0000

Rachel Anderson joined the rally Tuesday evening outside City Hall. Photos: Tracey Taylor

Around 100 people turned out to a rally outside city hall Tuesday evening to express their support of continuing planned renovations to two Berkeley libraries, despite a lawsuit which argues that the city does not have the right to tear down and rebuild the west and south branches.

The rally, which took place at 6:00pm before the regular City Council meeting, was organized by a group calling itself New Libraries Now.

“The West and South branch libraries are incredibly important,” said Rachel Anderson who was holding a placard at the rally. “They are the last remaining community centers in the city.” Referring to the Concerned Library Users lawsuit, she said: “I am deeply worried that such a small number of people can have a large amount of power.”(...)

Read the rest of Berkeleyans rally to move forward on library renovations (229 words)

By Tracey Taylor. | Permalink | 122 comments |
Post tags: Berkeley Public Library, Concerned Library Users, New Libraries Now

Hidden Gems of the Berkeley Public Library: La Perla

John Seal — Tue, 12 Apr 2011 13:00:10 +0000

A stunning Gabriel Figueroa-composed shot from "La Perla"

Berkeleyside recently received an email from reader Bruce Love: “John Seal’s pieces are, at least for me, pretty consistently great,” he wrote. “The Berkeley Public Library DVD collection is pretty darn decent,” he continued. “And, if you use it in combination with the ability to reserve stuff online, it’s downright terrific. A Seal guide to the BPL collection would be nifty.” Berkeleyside’s film writer John Seal didn’t need much prompting. For review this week he has picked “La Perla”, available at the Berkeley Public Library.

The child of an Indian mother and a white father, Mexican director Emilio Fernandez was one of the least likely filmmakers of all time. Born in 1904, the man known as ‘El Indio’ dropped out of college in 1923, joined the revolutionary army of General Adolfo de la Huerta, and was sentenced to a 20-years prison term after the Huertista uprising was crushed by the government of Alvaro Obregon. Fernandez escaped and followed Huerta into exile in Hollywood, where he found work as an extra in the booming movie business.

After the declaration of a general amnesty in 1934, he returned to his homeland and immediately began using his Tinseltown experience in the fledgling Mexican film industry, first as an actor and later as a writer and director. Fernandez’ directorial career peaked in the mid ‘40s with Maria Candelaria (1944), Enamorada (1946), and La Perla (1947), his big screen adaptation of John Steinbeck’s novella “The Pearl”, a story of indigenous Mexican life that was surely close to his heart.

Quino (Pedro Armendariz), Juana (Maria Elena Marques), and baby Juanito live in a village somewhere on the Mexican coast. Quino is a clam-diver by trade, but with diving rendered impossible because of bad weather, times are tough and money and food scarce. When a scorpion bites Juanito in his crib, Quino and Juana rush the child to town for help from the local doctor (Charles Rooner), but he’s disinclined to work pro bono and rejects the religious medallion Quino offers in lieu of payment. Though willing to arrange illegal abortions for the well-to-do, the doctor would rather stay in bed than help penniless Indians, and the door is slammed in their faces.

Next day Juanito is still alive, the seas are calm, and Quino is finally able to dive. Swimming to a particularly deep part of the seabed, he spies a pearl glinting within a clamshell and risks his life to extract it. Returning to the surface, he discovers he has found a pearl of enormous size, and it immediately becomes the talk of the village. The doctor takes a renewed interest in the baby’s welfare and Quino begins to imagine a bright future in which Juana has clothes and shoes and Juanito an education.

Things turn ugly, however, when the local pearl merchant (Alfonso Bedoya)—who also happens to be the doctor’s brother—offers Quino an insultingly low price for the pearl and then dispatches two heavies to steal it. The plot fails, one of the goons ends up dead, and Quino, Juana, and Juanita flee the village in the dead of night. Doggedly pursued by the merchant—as eager to get his hands on the pearl as he is to avenge the death of his henchman—the family head for the hills, where a tragic, final reel date with destiny awaits them.

Mexican-American actor Pedro Armendariz worked with Emilio Fernandez on more than a dozen occasions, but he’s best known for his performances in John Ford’s Fort Apache (1948) and Dick Powell’s The Conqueror (1956). Like many Conqueror alumni irradiated during production by atomic fallout from the Nevada Test Site, Armendariz was prematurely stricken with cancer, and committed suicide in 1963 shortly after appearing in Terence Young’s From Russia With Love.

Maria Elena Marques rarely worked in Hollywood, but she did go on to essay the title role in the horror classic Curse of the Crying Woman (La Llorona), and Austrian immigrant Charles Rooner carved out a short but sweet career in Mexican cinema, including roles in significant films such as Dona Barbara and Las Abandonadas.

Strangest of all, gringo Richard Anderson made his film debut in La Perla, after which he embarked on an impressive film and television career, including five seasons as Oscar Goodman in The Six Million Dollar Man. Even after three viewings, I haven’t spotted him in La Perla, but he’s in there somewhere!

Director Fernandez co-wrote the screenplay with Jack Wagner, a Steinbeck chum who shared a best screenplay Oscar nomination with the author for 1945’s A Medal for Benny. Cinematographer Gabriel Figueroa was another legendary figure of Mexican cinema, working with everyone from Luis Bunuel (El, Simon of the Desert) to Don Siegel (Two Mules for Sister Sara), whilst editor Gloria Schoemann ultimately cut over 200 films.

Beautifully shot in black and white, this forgotten classic of Mexican cinema is available on DVD from the main branch of the Berkeley Public Library.

Berkeleyside’s film writer John Seal writes a weekly movie recommendation column at Box Office Prophets, as well as a column in The Phantom of the Movies’ Videoscope, an old-fashioned paper magazine, published quarterly.

By John Seal. | Permalink | 8 comments |
Post tags: Berkeley Public Library, Emilio Fernandez, John Steinbeck, La Perla

Say “adieu” to the North and Claremont branch libraries

Frances Dinkelspiel — Mon, 28 Feb 2011 22:08:24 +0000

North Branch Library

Even though no firm date has been set for the closure of the Claremont and North Branch libraries, Berkeley is throwing a bon voyage party for the two buildings.

Library patrons and residents are invited to say goodbye (albeit temporarily) to the structures as they are shuttered and extensively remodeled. The party for North Branch is Saturday March 5 from 2 to 5 pm and the party for the Claremont Branch is Saturday March 19 at the same time.

“We are doing a small closing event just to celebrate the next step,” said Suzanne Olawski, the library’s neighborhood services manger.

She has invited the mayor and city council members to the celebrations, she said. There will music and some activities geared for children.(...)

Read the rest of Say “adieu” to the North and Claremont branch libraries (622 words)

By Frances Dinkelspiel. | Permalink | 13 comments |
Post tags: Berkeley Public Library, BranchVan, Concerned Library Users, Library Users Group, Peter Warfield, Suzanne Olawski

Meet Berkeley’s newest “branch” library

Frances Dinkelspiel — Thu, 13 Jan 2011 20:43:39 +0000

Berkeley is preparing to close the Claremont and North branch libraries for a year in order to remodel them and improve their seismic safety and disabled access. So what are library junkies expected to do?

Take a look at the new mobile branch library, known in another era as a bookmobile. Now it’s called a BranchVan. It’s idle now, but starting in the spring it will be shifting back and forth to the neighborhoods around the Claremont and North branches. Library patrons will be able to go online, put books on hold, and visit the van to pick them up; return books, and take out books displayed in the van.

By Frances Dinkelspiel. | Permalink | 2 comments |
Post tags: Berkeley Public Library, bookmobile, branch library improvement program, Claremont Branch library, North Branch library

Berkeley library select artists for two new commissions

Tracey Taylor — Tue, 11 Jan 2011 19:00:25 +0000

Eric Powell's design for a steel rail-guard at the Claremont library which will look like bookshelves.

The Berkeley library has chosen two artists to create new public works for their North Berkeley and Claremont branches, both of which are to undergo major renovations, after holding a competition for the projects.

On Friday last week six local artists presented possible projects to the library’s Visual Arts Selection Panel as part of the competition which, according to Berkeley Civic Arts Coordinator Mary Ann Merker, attracted 16 initial entrants. The winning entries were those submitted by Berkeley metal artist Eric Powell for the Claremont library, and Castro Valley artist Marion Coleman for the north Berkeley library.

The brief to the artists included the fact that the art elements had to be designed to be a functional component of the buildings, as well having a decorative role.

Eric Powell, whose studio is on Camelia Street in Berkeley, will create a steel plate guard rail for a new ramp leading to the Claremont library’s front doors. Titled “Bookshelves”, the rail will feature stacks of books as well as the ocasional object one might find on bookshelves, such as a globe or a bust.

“It will be an integral part of the building both visually and functionally,” says Powell who is particularly pleased he won the commission as this branch library is one he lived close to and frequented regularly when he was a student at the California College of the Arts and lived on College Avenue.

Powell, who has been involved in many public art projects, including for new libraries in San Francisco and Castro Valley, has a budget of $29,000 for the railings which, he says, will have “tremendous longevity”. He says railings are often seen as a mundane part of a building, but he views them as being full of potential. “Gates and railings can be used as canvasses and have endless possibilities,” he says.

Marion Coleman's presentation of her winning project: a copper and steel patchwork of trees.

Marion Coleman, who specializes in quilts, both traditional textile ones and those made in mixed media, will create two appliqué metal quilts using tree motifs.

Coleman says she was inspired to use nature as a theme because of the library’s location – she points to the “abundance of trees and greenery in north Berkeley” — and as a reference to the California Arts & Crafts movement whose influence can be seen in munch of the area’s architecture.

It also turns out there is a natural synergy between Coleman’s work and the library as the library has a special collection of books on quilts. Coleman has created numerous public work commissions and has been artist in residence at the deYoung Museum, among others.

The piece, called “A Patchwork of Trees”, is to be made of copper and stainless steel and will be part of information boards located in a new section of the library being built as part of the renovations.

The budget for the North Branch Library artwork, based on 1% of the estimated construction costs, was $38,000 and was $29,000 for the Claremont Branch, calculated on the same basis.

The eleven members of the selection panel included representatives of the Board of Library Trustees, the Civic Arts Commission, the Landmarks Preservation Commission, local community representatives of library users, and the Branch Library manager for each library.

By Tracey Taylor. | Permalink | No comment |
Post tags: Berkeley Public Library, Eric Powell, Marion Coleman

How to keep toddlers (and you) happy over the holidays

Guest contributor — Fri, 24 Dec 2010 17:30:21 +0000

By Belinda Lyons-Newman

This time of year presents the opportunity and challenge of finding fun creative things to do with little ones who may be home from preschool or other childcare during the holidays. What better place to be for the holidays than right here in our wonderful city? If you are looking for some fun Berkeley activities with your toddler between now and the end of the year read on for my top picks:

Lawrence Hall of Science

Bring your toddler to explore the various exhibits at LHS. The pin wall in the entrance is a fun interactive exhibit for toddlers. Throughout the museum there are buttons to push, balls to roll, crawl areas, a tunnel to walk through, blocks and shapes to stack and more. If weather permits, your toddler will love to play on the giant whale in front of the building. Tip: On weekdays bring cash for parking machines.

Lawrence Hall of Science, 1 Centennial Drive, Berkeley, CA 94720. Tel: 642-5132. Open Daily 10:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m. Closing at 3:00 p.m. on Friday, December 24. Closed on Saturday, December 25.

Tilden Park

Every time I visit Tilden Park I reflect in wonder and appreciation at this spectacular park we Berkeleyans have right in our backyard. Toddler friendly activities in the coming week at Tilden include:

Merry-Go-Round: Tilden’s antique merry-go-round with painted wooden carousel animals to ride is open Price: Under $10 ($2 a ride or 7 rides for $10.) Open 11:00 am – 05:00 pm. Closed December 24,25,31 and January 1. Tel#: 524-6773

Little Farm: Bring your lettuce or celery for your little one to feed the goats. This adorable farm never fails to bring joy and wonder as well as space for running around outdoors. Open daily from 8:30-4 p.m. Little Farm Tel: 544-2233

Steam Train: Toddlers never tire of riding the delightful Tilden Steam Train.

Tilden Park. Wildcat Canyon Road and Grizzly Peak Boulevard, Berkeley, CA 94708. Tel: 544-2747 Hours: Open weekends 11:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. or dusk, weather permitting. Open Christmas Eve day, day after Christmas, New Year’s Day. Closed Christmas Day. $2.00 per ride , $8.00 for 5 rides. Free: Under 2 years.

Berkeley Public Library

The Berkeley Public Library branches are holding a variety of events for kids on weekdays. Events include the weekly delightful Story Time including music and puppets on Tuesday December 28, 2010, 11 – 11:30am at for kids ages 12-36 months. The program is followed by open playtime in the same room. Libraries are closed December 24 & 25 and December 31 & January 1. Here is a calendar of all the library events.

Berkeley Public Library, 2090 Kittredge at Shattuck, Berkeley, CA 94704 and other Berkeley locations. Tel: 981-6100.

Habitot Children’s Museum

Visit Habitot during its regular open hours to play in the water area, art room, wiggle wall and other activities. My two year old, Ella, especially loves the rocketship exhibit now showing including a myriad of computer buttons to push and beautiful astronaut costumes. Regular hours are Monday 9:30-12:30pm Tuesday 9:30-12:30pm Wednesday 9:30-12:30pm Thursday 9:30-12:30pm Friday 9:30-4:30pm Saturday 9:30-4:30pm Sunday 9:30-4:30pm. Habitot will be closed December 24 & 25 and January 1.

In addition, for the holidays Habitot has a winter camp for kids 3-5 years old December 27-31 from 9:15 am- 1p.m for $30 per day (call ahead to confirm spaces are still available).

Habitot Children’s Museum, 2065 Kittredge Street, Berkeley, CA 94704. Tel: 647-1111.

Quiet Day at Home

What better opportunity than the holidays to slow down and spend some quiet time at home with family? Work on a craft project, make cookies, or go for a walk or stroller-ride in your favorite Berkeley neighborhood.

Last, if you find that holiday stress is taking its toll, consider these tips from Berkeley-based Greater Good Science Center’s Raising Happiness blog on dealing with holiday stress (click through to the center’s website for the full advice):

- Remember that it is not about you.
- Remember it is probably all about you.
- Take steps not to be a stress ball.
- Practice forgiveness, of yourself and others.
- Make New Year’s Resolutions.

Belinda Lyons-Newman lives in the Berkeley Gourmet Ghetto with her husband and 2 year old daughter, Ella. She is a nonprofit consultant and a student in the Evening and Weekend MBA program at the Haas School of Business.

By guest. | Permalink | No comment |
Post tags: Berkeley Public Library, Greater Good Science Center, Habitot Children's Museum, Lawrence Hall of Science, Tilden Park

Berkeley reaches partial settlement with library critics

Frances Dinkelspiel — Wed, 15 Dec 2010 23:30:54 +0000

Interior of the Claremont branch library.

Berkeley and a group called Concerned Library Users have reached a partial settlement of a lawsuit that threatened to delay the reconstruction of the city’s branch libraries.

The City Council voted Monday evening to accept a legal settlement that requires it to repeal an ordinance passed in July. That measure permitted the city’s branch libraries to obtain a use permit, rather than a variance, when remodeling or reconstructing one of the four branch libraries.

Concerned Library Users had argued that the city should have done an environmental impact report before passing the ordinance since it had the effect of allowing Berkeley to tear down and rebuild the south and west branches.

The city agreed to the settlement since it is already planning to do an EIR.

“Environmental review … will be beneficial because it will analyze the potential environmental effects and alternatives to an ordinance that would allow demolition of a city library on the basis of a use permit rather than a variance,” reads a section of the settlement agreement.

The city council on Tuesday had the first reading of a new measure that will repeal the July ordinance. City officials plan to reintroduce the measure only requiring a use permit after Berkeley does the EIR on the branch demolitions.

The settlement also requires Berkeley to pay $9,000 in attorney’s fees to Concerned Library Users.

Concerned Library Users have agreed not to challenge the use permit for the remodeling of the Claremont and North branches, which is expected to begin in the spring of 2011. The group is still suing Berkeley to prevent it from using Measure FF Library bond funds to tear down the South and West branches.

By Frances Dinkelspiel. | Permalink | No comment |
Post tags: Berkeley Public Library, Concerned Library Users