Posted on January 24, 2014 by Mana Tominaga

OpenOakland Tools for Oakland Residents

OpenOakland offers a variety of open access tools for accessing local government information. Check out the following tools for details!

OpenOakland, a civic innovation organization that is part of the Code for America Brigade program, brings together coders, designers, journalists, community members, and city staff to collaborate on solutions to improve how local government serves Oakland residents. They've developed the following tools: 

  • Oakland Answers- is a site developed by OpenOakland and 70 community members that is question-driven site that provides friendly, concise, easy-to-understand responses to your city-related questions, as though they're coming from your neighbor,
  • Adopt a Drain - a website developed by OpenOakland for the Oakland Public Works Agency that empowers

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Posted on January 22, 2014 by Ajoke Kokodoko

Introducing Mirielle Guliano: Author of French Women Don't Get Facelifts

Discover the beauty "secrets" of French women from bestselling author Mireille Guiliano.

As a book reviewer for the library world’s trade publication Library Journal (LJ),  I review a lot of lifestyle and personal grooming titles.  In the past few years, there’s been a flurry of publications on the “beauty secrets” of French women.  If current popular thought is correct, the French surpass their American counterparts in physique, confidence, style and a certain  je na so quoi.  Style mavens demanded to know exactly what was behind the French feminine mystique. How do French women indulge in decadent desserts, buttery-rich cuisine, robust wines--- and stay slim?  Mireille Guiliano provided some insightful answers in her worldwide bestseller French Women Don’t Get Fat.  Several

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Posted on January 17, 2014 by Mana Tominaga

The 2014 Model Year EPA / DOE Fuel Economy Guide is here!

Get the latest fuel economy data from the EPA and DOE, for 2014 model year cars.

Every year, the Department of Energy (DOE) and the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) publish an annual report featuring fuel economy data for new model year cars, SUVs, and light trucks. You can find printed copies of this guide at the Reference Desk. You can also check out the cooresponding fuel economy website, www.fueleconomy.gov. You can find fuel economy data for cars back to 1984, and you can even do side-by-side comparisons for different cars. The site also includes fuel-saving tips and gas price calculators. 

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Posted on January 13, 2014 by Kathleen DiGiovanni

From the Main Library

Introducing the Main Library blog

Still from The Desk Set
Welcome to the Oakland Public Library’s newest blog, “From the Main Library.”  Reference librarians will be blogging in this space about the Main Library’s resources, programs, and collections.  We’ll also be sharing tips on research so you can get the most out of what your library has to offer.  (It’ll be all “The Desk Set” meets “Party Girl” with a little “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” thrown in for fun.)

Statistics show that in public libraries the number of reference questions asked by our patrons have declined since the dawn of the internet -- though many days we wonder where this statistic comes from.   Our reference librarians have observed, though, that the questions you ask us are getting harder.  Once you’ve Googled the living daylights out of your difficult questions you

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