Pasadena Public Library

Today the Pasadena Public Library kicks off its 100th year of Summer Reading! Started in 1921 as the Vacation Reading Club, this program has brought the joy of reading to many boys and girls during the summer months. We’re proud to continue this long and rich tradition that has made summertime so much fun and exciting for children and teensand more recently for adults! This week we throw back to August 1952 with this photo published in the Pasadena Star News showing young re...aders telling librarian Mary Birchby something about the books they’ve read in the Peter Pan Room at the Central Library. (The article states that the VRC started in 1920, but most sources say 1921.) An early aspect of Summer Reading was to give a brief oral report to the librarian. Children who had read ten books from a reading list and reported on each one received a certificate, which was presented to them at school in the fall. We’re not sure when this activity ended, but we do know it continued well into the 1950s. The second photo is undated but could be from the 1950s or 1960s based on the type of photographic paper used. Behind the bulletin board is the huge fireplace with its Peter Pan frieze designed by local sculptor Maud Daggett. Ready to start your summer with books? Go herehttps://pasadena.beanstack.com/reader365to sign up for Summer Reading or stop by the Lamanda Park, Hastings, Santa Catalina, San Rafael, Linda Vista, or La Pintoresca Branch and sign up in person! (Image source: Library Archives; Pasadena Star News, 8/7/1952) #throwbackthursday #tbt #summerreading @cityofpasadena See more

Today is National Egg Day. A good day to look toward the future. Celebrate the beginning of something.

Leeme un Cuento with Ms. Lupita Leer con permiso de Editorial Norma

Join us in Zoom on Thursday, 6/3 at 5 pm for a program with author Charles Fleming, who will present his 3 Secret Stairs books. Sign up now at https://pasadena.evanced.info/signup/EventDetails

One City, One Story Summer Edition begins June 3rd! Registration for author Conor Knighton begins June 1st. Join us for all our One City One Story events! https://cityofpasadena.libguides.com/onecityonestory

This week we throwback to Halloween 1922 at the La Vina Sanatorium where a masquerade ball was held for its patients both young and old. La Vina (the vineyard in Spanish) was a medical facility for tuberculosis (TB) patients to recuperate and heal. It was founded in 1909 by Dr. Henry B. Stehman who believed the temperate climate of Pasadena could help improve the conditions of TB sufferers. Over the years the sanatorium expanded and became a renown respiratory disease hospita...l that provided health education and taught life skills to children and treated WWI veterans whose lungs were damaged by toxic gases. However, 26 years of growth and progress literally went up in flames when La Vina was destroyed by the Las Flores Canyon fire in 1935. Committed to helping those suffering from TB, Dr. Stehman and La Vina quickly drew plans to rebuild a new facility with the help of noted architect Myron Hunt. The new La Vina opened in 1937 and continued its TB patient care and research until the early 1980s when it merged with the Huntington Memorial Hospital. A building named after the sanatorium still stands on the hospital grounds, a reminder of Dr. Stehman’s work and La Vina’s legacy. In the spirit of the spooky season, we wish everyone a fun and safe Halloween. For information about how you can celebrate this weekend, please see the City’s safety guidelineshttps://tinyurl.com/yy8ldy7l. (Image source: PPL collection @pdhc2019) #tbt #throwbackthursday #halloween @cityofpasadena See more

The 2020 General Election is Tuesday, November 3rd, 2020--less than a week away! Not sure where to drop your ballot? Get Voter Info for Pasadena here: https://www.cityofpasadena.net//up/sites/11/Voter-info.pdf

Visit with Linda Vista Branch Library staff, for a colorful Mola Craft, celebrating National Hispanic Heritage Month!

ArtNight is Friday, October 23rd, and it's all virtual! Stay safer at home and attend events for everyone, of all ages! Visit our scheduled of events and register for Zoom programs here: https://www.cityofpasadena.net//s/11/ArtNight-20201023.pdf

What’s that machine? It’s a teletype machine. This is a Teletype Model 28, which had its own send-receive printer. It was state-of-the-art when it was introduced in the 1950s and was considered the Cadillac of teletypewriters. The M28 was a rugged machine that had a long run in many industries, including libraries, as this photo from 1981 shows. Many libraries used teletypewriters for processing inter-library loans because they did the job quickly, which meant people got their books fasterand that makes everyone happy. They were eventually replaced by the computerized OCLC network that came out in the late 1970s. Need a book that’s in another library system? Give us a call and we’ll be happy to get that book for you via inter-library loan! (Image source:@pdhc2019) #tbt #throwbackthursday @cityofpasadena.net

California risks losing TWO seats in Congress if we’re not all counted in the #2020census. Every single person must be countedregardless of immigration status.... Protect your voice and your future: complete the census now at my2020census.gov or call (844) 330-2020. Need help completing your census form? Contact the local census office at (626) 314-8635 Monday-Friday, 10 a.m. - 5:30 p.m. Help is available in multiple languages. **The census deadline is THURSDAY, OCT. 15!**

National Coming Out Day was Sunday, October 11--and we're celebrating! Join us on Instagram Live (@pasadenalibrary) for a storytime full of sparkle!

Ever wonder how Pasadena pays for the services residents need and expect? Find out how Measure Pwhich is on your election ballotcan affect this funding: PasadenaMeasureP.com

Our public works crews are hard at work keeping our city running smoothly and looking good. Take a look at last month's highlights

The music world lost an amazing musician this week. Eddie Van Halen, a founding member of rock band Van Halen, passed away October 6. He was 65. His death is a loss for Pasadena, which became his home when his family moved here from the Netherlands in 1962. It was while attending Pasadena High School, he and his brother, Alex, formed a band that would become one of the biggest bands in rock history. They originally called it Mammoth but later changed it to Van Halen after mee...ting David Lee Roth, another Pasadenan from rival school John Muir High. Roth became their new singer, and the rest, as they say, is history. Here is the senior picture of Eddie Van Halen looking very dapper in the 1971 Pasadena High School yearbook. Check out our Van Halen blog to see what Van Halen materials we have at the Pasadena Public Library.http://pasadena-library.net/adult_servic//eddie-van-halen/(Image source: Pasadena collection; news article from the Pasadena Star News, 10/7/2015) #tbt #throwbackthursday #vanhalen @cityofpasadena See more

Rest well, Eddie. Then maybe shred a little for the angels. http://pasadena-library.net/adult_servic//eddie-van-halen/

The City of Pasadena is celebrating National Hispanic Heritage Month by honoring the cultures and contributions of Hispanic and Latin Americans with free exhibits, demonstrations, book discussions, films, events, lectures, workshops, and activities for all ages. The Pasadena Public Library is proud to be a part of this celebration, which started in 1968 as Hispanic Heritage Week. This week we go way back to 1973 at the Central Library where Hispanic culture and heritage was c...elebrated with activities that included a cooking demonstration of traditional Latin American dishes and dancers performing a Mexican folkorico to the music of a mariachi band. The last photo of four dancers goes way back to the late 1960s. Today we have two special programs, A Taste of Fiesta La Pintoresca and Lucha Libros. Both offer a craft activity for young library patrons. Go to this link to learn more about them and other programs we have celebrating National Hispanic Heritage Month!https://www.cityofpasadena.net//LIB_Hispanic-Heritage-2020Following safety guidelines and in an effort to decrease the spread of COVID-19, all programs will be online. (Image source: Library Archives) #waybackwednesday #nationalhispanicheritagemonth @cityofpasadena See more