September at Alameda Free Library is Literary
All Alameda Free Library branches will be closed on Monday, September 4th in honor of Labor Day.

Letter from the Acting Director

As we approach the month of September, I am thrilled to invite you to join us in celebrating National Library Card Sign-up Month here at the Alameda Free Library. Since 1987, this annual event has held a special place in our hearts as we mark the beginning of the school year and extend an open invitation to individuals of all ages to discover the joys and benefits of library membership.
 
At the Alameda Free Library, we believe that a library card is a gateway to a world of knowledge, imagination, and exploration. Throughout September, we proudly unite with libraries across the nation, under the guidance of the American Library Association, to ensure that every person has the opportunity to obtain their very own library card.  As an added motivator, we have two new library card designs to choose from.  Featuring the artistry of the esteemed Caldecott-winning author and illustrator Jon Klassen and the “Let Freedom Read” design that draws attention to the harms of censorship.
 
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Featured Online Resource

Skillshare is for creatives and others wanting to build or grow a business and learn new skills.
Access 35,000 video courses on topics including entrepreneurship, graphic design, productivity, freelancing, marketing, illustration, and time management. Skillshare’s short online classes help users find inspiration that fits their personal routine. Subscriptions are available for 12 months and registration is provided courtesy of the California State Library. The last day to register is on September 20, 2023

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September Programs

Programs for Adults

Tuesday, September 12th, 12:00 - 5:00 PM | Main Library. Alameda Free Library Red Cross Blood Drive. To sign up please visit redcrossblood.org and enter sponsor code ALAMEDALIBRARY.

Saturday, September 23rd, 2:00 - 3:30 PM | Main Library. Author Talk with Julia Park Tracey: Join us for an author talk with Julia Park Tracey, award-winning journalist, essayist and past Alameda Poet Laureate. Learn more about The Bereaved, Julia Park Tracey's new book, out now and available to borrow from the Library!

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Programs for Teens

Tuesday, September 5th. 4:30 PM | Main. Teen Advisory Board. Calling all teens! Plan community events, get experience, and earn volunteer hours! Ages 13-18 only.

Wednesday, September 6th, 4 PM | MAIN. Teen Book Club. Teen book club members choose what we read each month. Ages 13-18 years old.  Free copies on a first-come, first-served basis. Please register to join. September Book Title: Ace of Spades by Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé

Monday, September 11th, 6 PM | MAIN. Dungeons & Dragons Looking to get into Dungeons & Dragons? No experience needed. Character sheets, dice, and rules explanations provided. Teens only!

Wednesday, September 13th, 3:30 PM | MAIN. Game Break. Don't forget to take a break...A GAME BREAK! Try out new games and/or watch others play! Teens only!

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Programs for Children

New Storytime Schedule

Bay Farm Island Branch:

Family Storytime: Every Tuesday at 7:00PM, all ages
Preschool Storytime: Every Monday at 10:30AM, ages 3-5
Toddler Storytime: Every Thursday at 10:30AM, ages 1-3

Main Library, Children's Programming Room:

Preschool Storytime: Every Tuesday at 10:30AM, ages 3-5
School-Age Storytime: Every Wednesday at 3:30PM, ages 5-8
Mother Goose on the Loose: Every Thursday at 10:30am, ages 0-2
Toddler Storytime: Every Friday at 10:30AM, ages 1-3
Toddler Storytime: Every Saturday at 10:30AM, ages 1-3

West End Branch:

Family Storytime: Every Monday at 7:00PM, all ages
Toddler Storytime: Every Tuesday at 10:30AM, ages 1-3

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Staff Picks

Nimona
by ND Stevenson

A graphic novel debut based on the author's critically acclaimed Web comic follows a nefarious plot by an impulsive young shapeshifter and a vengeful villain who want to defame their kingdom's Institution of Law Enforcement and Heroics.

Tears of the truffle-pig
by Fernando A. Flores

In a world where narcotics are legal and extinct animals have been brought back to clothe, feed and amuse the super-rich, Esteban becomes immersed in a dangerous, psychedelic journey to find the mysterious Truffelpig, said to possess strange powers


The salt grows heavy
by Cassandra Khaw

On the run, a mermaid is joined by a mysterious plague doctor with a darkness of their own and when they stumble upon a village of ageless children thirsty for blood, they must embrace the cruelest parts of their true nature to survive