March 14, 2008

Books & Bytes: Edenvale Library

Join us at the Edenvale Branch Library this April as we celebrate Month of the Young Child. Month of the Young Child (MOYC) was created to focus public attention on the needs of children and their families, particularly the need for early childhood education. To celebrate MOYC the library will be hosting workshops and special guests to emphasize the role of music in early childhood development. Our special events include Tim Cain, a local children’s singer songwriter, and a workshop for parents and children titled “Making Music with Preschoolers.”

Along with the programs offered by the Edenvale Branch Library, the Month of the Young Child is highlighted by the San José Children's Faire, a free one day event for children ages 2-12 years and their parents or caregivers. This event is presented by the Early Care and Education Committee and this year the event will be on Saturday April 26th from 11:00 am - 4:00 pm at the Discovery Meadow (located in front of the Children’s Museum). “Growing Up Green: Healthy Children, Healthy Families, Healthy Community” is the theme for this year’s event, which features family-oriented stage entertainment, special attractions, and activity booths offering hands-on activities for children, in addition to information about education, child care, health and safety resources, creative arts and recreational programs.

The City of San Jose's Early Care and Education Commission provides oversight of the early care and education of children ages 0-5. Its mission is to increase access to quality, affordable early childhood care and education for all San Jose children and families, and a vision that all children will enter school with the foundation needed for academic and social success. It accomplishes this goal by offering such programs as Smart Start San Jose, which provides a variety of services for parents, families, childcare providers, early educators and the business community and Books 4 Little Hands, which provides professional development activities, workshops and free educational materials for child care providers.

For more information about their programs, call 408-808-2617 (Smart Start) or 408-808-2621 (Books for little Hands); or go to the Services page at www.sjlibrary.org and click on “Early Care & Education.” their Their offices are located at the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Library at 150 East San Fernando St., Lower Level San José, CA 95112 or at the following numbers: 408-808-2617 for Smart Start and 408-808-2621 for Books for little Hands.

Upcoming Events:

For Children:

- March 25th-28th
Spring Break Activities
1:00 – 3:00 pm
Crafts, games and movies for children ages 6 and up.

- Saturday
April 12th
1:00-2:00 pm
Family Program- Create a Kite

- Thursday
April 17th
10:30 am
Month of the Young Child Celebration- Children’s singer and performer Tim Cain

- Thursday
April 24th
4:00 pm
Afterschool Craft- Kite Making

- Friday
April 25th
10:30 am
Month of the Young Child Celebration- Making Music with Preschoolers

For Adults:

- Tuesdays
6:30 pm
Internet Classes – Learn about fun and useful websites.

- Fridays
4:30 pm
Conversation Club- Adults are invited to join our free ESL Conversation Club to practice their English language skills.

- Wednesday
April 2nd
12:00-3:00 pm
Free Income Tax Assistance - For families and seniors; call for an appointment.

- Saturday
April 19th
Friends of the Edenvale Branch Library Meeting

Edenvale Branch Library is located at 101 Branham Lane East at the intersection of Monterey Highway. The library’s hours are: Sunday from 1 - 5 p.m.; Monday 2 - 7 p.m.; Tuesday and Wednesday 11 a.m. - 8 p.m.; and Friday and Saturday 10 a.m. -6 p.m. For more information, including news and events at the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Library, visit the library’s website at www.sjlibrary.org, or call 408-808-3036 during business hours.