Blogs from the Oakland Public Library
10 Great Reasons to Read Fiction in September 2018
If you're wondering what to read next, here are ten excellent novels coming out in September.
LGBTQ+ Books for Oakland Pride
New and recent reads focusing on queer people of color—as authors, characters and themes.
It's not a library celebration without books! In June we posted a booklist for Pride Month. Now Oakland Pride is around the corner, so here’s another list of books for your reading enjoyment: new and recent reads focusing exclusively on queer people of color—as authors, characters and themes.
Fiction
Celebrate Labor Day with the 93rd Anniversary of the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters
The African American Museum and Library at Oakland recognizes the contributions of the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters this Labor Day Weekend.
This week marks the 93rd Anniversary of the founding of the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters. Unions have played a significant role in providing protections for American people. However, some unions, such as the American Federation of Labor refused to let African Americans be a part of their unions. As a result, African Americans found it difficult to find work in certain occupation. Without union representation, union jobs would not hire them as workers.
During the 19th century, one of the biggest corporations in America was the Pullman Company. George Pullman developed the idea of having a luxury train service where passengers could get to and from their destinations in less cramped, uncomfortable conditions. Pullman’s idea was to use the services of African Americans to serve as servants on the trains. He believed that African Americans would work as servants because they were used to
10 Things You Can Do With Your Library Card
There are so many things you can do with your library card besides checking out books. For many of them, you don't even have to come to the library!
Did you know that it's officially Library Card Sign-up Month? Yes, there is a month for everything! Hear me out, though, if you don't already have a library card (or even if you do), cause library cards do more than you know!
1. Stream a Movie, TV Show or Music
With hoopla and a library card you can not only read eBooks (without holds lists), listen to audiobooks, and read graphic novels, but you can also watch popular movies, listen to great music, and watch TV. Who needs
Kids Summer Reading Success!
What did we do this summer? Where do we start?
Oakland students are back to school, but they sure came to “Explore, Connect & Grow” with the library this summer!
Activities to Inspire Learners
From learning with real animals to playing musical instruments, from laughing with the Circus of Smiles to dancing with Turf Inc. or rocking with Alphabet Rockers, from making amazing bubbles to reading amazing stories, kids engaged in creative and fun learning every day at the library. And that means they started the school year ready to learn.
Outstanding Reading Success
This summer we had a special sign up prize for Kids Summer Reading: 4 tickets to an As game! Readers turned out: 11,161 children signed up
New Cookbooks
Do you like to cook? Are you looking for new recipes? Look no further. Oakland Public Library has a wide variety of new cookbooks for every palate.
Do you like to cook? Are you looking for new recipes? Look no further. Oakland Public Library has a wide variety of new cookbooks for every palate. On our shelves you'll find recipes for Chinese Soul Food, plant based cooking, sustainable seafood, meals for camping out, mezze and so much more .
Congratulations to KDIA on its induction to the Bay Area Radio Hall of Fame
AAMLO recognizes radio station KDIA and its induction into Bay Area Radio Hall of Fame
Congratulations to radio station KDIA for its recent induction into the Bay Area Radio Hall of Fame as the 2018 Legendary Station. KDIA has been a staple of the bay area African American music scene for over 50 years. However, there was a time when African American music was not played on Bay Area airways.
Prior to World War II, there were not radio stations featuring only African American music, and as late as 1947, and well into the early fifties, it continued with musical formats that reinforced racist stereotypes mocking Black culture. Formats began to change as a direct result of the unanticipated impact of a growing Black listening audience coupled with its significantly increased political and economic clout. Jazz, rhythm and blues and gospel music were now being played.
KDIA Lucky 13 debuted in 1959 when Egmont Sonderling,
In Memoriam Ronald Dellums 1935 - 2018
Remembering Bay Area political leader and activist Congressman Ron Dellums
In Memoriam
Ron Dellums (1935 – 2018)
This week America lost one of its staunch advocates for African American people in the United States. Ron Dellums congressional career began in 1970 when he was elected to Congress as a representative of the state of California. He would represent California for 27 years [14-terms]. As a congressman, Dellums was outspoken man who took up the causes for minorities and fought against the involvement of America in various wars. He also served as the chair of the House Services Committee.
Did you know that before former President Barack Obama introduced the idea of health care for all, Ron Dellums proposed the National Health Service Act? Dellums introduced this act in 1977 to provide universal and affordable health care that was available to everyone. Though the bill was unsuccessful in passing, the blueprint for health care for all was drawn up by none other
10 Great Reasons to Read Fiction in August 2018
Ready for some fresh fiction? Here are 10 fantastic books coming out this month.
The Oakland Public Library celebrates 50 years of Oakland A's Magic
This year marks the fiftieth anniversary of the Oakland Athletics.
Before the arrival of the Oakland A's, baseball in the town had withered to Little League and play on school yards. The Oakland Oaks franchise had outgrown its ball park in Emeryville by 1957. The team was dismantled and relocated to Vancouver, British Columbia, and rebranded the Vancouver Mounties.
Charles O. Finley, a Chicago-based businessman, who had bought the Kansas City Athletics in 1960, was eager to leave Kansas City after a few short years because he felt the community did not offer the financial support or promotion he thought the team deserved. Major League Baseball officials denied Finley's efforts to relocate the team to a better market and forced him to sign a three-year lease, then a four-year lease. He also had a contentious relationship with the Kansas City press and with fans.
In 1967 when his lease expired Finley moved the team to Oakland. He listed four reasons for choosing Oakland:
- The Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum sports complex provides the finest facilities
- The Bay Area climate is ideal for baseball
- The