Long Beach Public Library Foundation

Long Beach Leaders are Readers: Diane Jacobus, Long Beach Community Leader

Long Beach Leaders are Readers: Carmen O. Perez, Long Beach Community Leader

Long Beach Leaders are Readers: Ellie Perez, LGBTQ Community Leader and Activist

Long Beach Leaders are Readers: Long Beach’s First Ever Youth Poet Laureate, Claire Beeli

Long Beach Leaders are Readers features leaders in our community as they share their recommended reads. This month, we have a very special featured leader: Long Beach’s very first Youth Poet Laureate, Claire Beeli. Ms. Beeli has shared the following reading recommendation. Enjoy!

The Dispossessed

by Ursula K. Le Guin

The Dispossessed taught me much of what I know about writing, by virtue of the quality of Le Guin’s work. More than that, though, this book unifies love, science, family, and revolutionary political commentary in a way that is both personal and Earth-spanning. It is a master class in storytelling—I wish I could give every young writer a copy!

-Claire Beeli

Long Beach 2023 Youth Poet Laureate

Claire Beeli is a local high school student, published poet, community volunteer, and an advocate for literacy, the library and the arts! You can view her winning submission for the Youth Poet Laureate competition here.

Learn more about the Youth Poet Laureate program on the Long Beach Public Library website.

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Part of our Long Beach Leaders are Readers program includes inviting the featured leader to sign the inside of their book recommendation so that future patrons who check the book out will be able to learn about the significance of the book to our local leaders. Keep an eye out for the signed recommendations at your local branch!

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Find “The Dispossessed” at your local neighborhood branch here.

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April is National Library Month – Here’s How You Can Help

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April is Library Month! 

Library Giving Day, April 4 
National Library Week, April 23 – 29 

We need your help to raise support for the 12 Long Beach Public Libraries! The Library’s dynamic literacy programs, STEM workshops, and one-on-one homework help are needed now more than ever to help kids succeed and thrive. Recently released student test scores show the pandemic’s continuing impact on student achievement. More than half of LBUSD students failed to meet state standards last school year, with about 52% failing to meet the standard for English and about 67% failing to meet the standard for math. Your support helps get them back on track! 

Help us reach our $10,000 fundraising goal for National Library Month, which includes Library Giving Day on April 4 and National Library Week April 23-29. You can help by hosting your own fundraiser on Facebook or through email. We recommend setting a personal goal of $250 or more. You may inspire your friends to give if you kick things off with a donation of your own.  

Please note that Facebook does not charge any fees for donations and, in fact, covers the credit card fees so the total amount donated directly supports the Library Foundation. 

Facebook Fundraiser Toolkit 

This toolkit includes:  

• Step-by-step instructions to create a Facebook fundraiser 

• Suggested copy for posts when sharing your fundraiser 
• An email template if you choose to fundraise by email instead 

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Creating a Facebook Fundraiser 

If you choose to create a Facebook fundraiser, we recommend that you set it up by April 1 so that you can fundraise for Library Giving Day. This will give your friends and family time to see your fundraiser and help you reach your goal. 

Sign into Facebook and click the link below to get started. 

https://www.facebook.com/fund/LBPLFoundation/

1. The window below will appear with “Long Beach Public Library Foundation” automatically set as the organization you are raising money for.  

2. Scroll through the “Details” section on the left and: 

• Enter $250 or more for “How much money do you want to raise?” 
• Enter April 30 for “When should your fundraiser end?” 
• Add a message for “Why are you raising money?” such as:  

April is Library Month! As a Long Beach Public Library cardholder and patron, I call on you to join me in supporting free educational resources for the Long Beach students and families who need help getting back on track.  

The Library’s dynamic literacy programs, STEM workshops, and one-on-one homework help are needed now more than ever to help kids succeed and thrive. Recently released student test scores show the pandemic’s continuing impact on student achievement. More than half of LBUSD students failed to meet state standards last school year, with about 52% failing to meet the standard for English and about 67% failing to meet the standard for math. 

At the 12 public libraries, the Library Foundation funds many early literacy programs in English and Spanish including Dive into Learning and the annual Summer Reading program. The Library Foundation also funds the Family Learning Center program which provides one-on-one tutoring for students of all ages and job search support for their families. 

I hope you will join me in celebrating Library Month with a gift that will make a difference for Long Beach families! Visit LBPLfoundation.org to learn more about the programs your donation will support. 

3. Click “Create.” The fundraiser will automatically be shared on your Timeline.  

4. Invite your friends! This is the best way to tell all your friends about your fundraiser. Facebook gives you the option to invite either all of your friends or to select individual friends to donate to the fundraiser. Those who have been invited will receive a notification.  

5. Share your fundraiser and re-share throughout April to get more support. 

Suggested copy for posts when sharing your fundraiser: 

• Post on April 4: Today is #LibraryGivingDay and I am proud to support the 12 Long Beach public libraries as a library lover and patron. Help me reach my fundraising goal!  

• Post on April 23: Today is the start of #NationalLibraryWeek and I am proud to support the 12 Long Beach public libraries. Help me reach my fundraising goal to support our libraries!  
• Happy #NationalLibraryWeek! I’m fundraising to support the Long Beach Public Library Foundation’s work to provide resources to students, job seekers, families, and everyone who depends on the Library.  
• Celebrate #NationalLibraryWeek by supporting the Long Beach Public Library Foundation! Our public libraries and their free programs are needed now more than ever. 

Suggested Email 

If you prefer not to use Facebook for your fundraiser, we encourage you to email potential supporters asking them to donate on our website or to send a donation through the mail. You might say: 

Hi _____, 

Happy National Library Month! As you may know, I proudly support the 12 public libraries in Long Beach. This week, I call on you to support free educational resources at the libraries by helping me reach my $250 (or more) fundraiser goal.  

The Library’s dynamic literacy programs, STEM workshops, and one-on-one homework help are needed now more than ever to help kids succeed and thrive. Recently released student test scores show the pandemic’s continuing impact on student achievement. More than half of LBUSD students failed to meet state standards last school year, with about 52% failing to meet the standard for English and about 67% failing to meet the standard for math. 

At the 12 public libraries, the Library Foundation funds many early literacy programs in English and Spanish including Dive into Learning and the annual Summer Reading program. The Library Foundation also funds the Family Learning Center program which provides one-on-one tutoring for students of all ages and job search support for their families. 

I hope you will join me in celebrating National Library Month with a gift that will make a difference for Long Beach families! Visit LBPLfoundation.org to learn more about the programs your donation will support. 

I hope you will join me in celebrating Library Month with a gift that will make a difference for Long Beach families! Visit lbplfoundation.org/donate to make a donation of any size. To support my fundraiser, please enter my name in the Comment section of the form. You may also mail your donation to Long Beach Public Library Foundation, 200 W. Broadway, Long Beach, CA 90802. Please include a note with your donation to have it applied to my fundraiser.  

Thank you for making a difference for our Libraries and the people they serve! 

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This is just one way you can help support our public libraries this April during National Library Month! Our Foundation has a goal of $10,000 and we hope you can help continue to ensure library programs like the Family Learning Centers, The Studio Maker Spaces, the Adaptive Center for Technology and the Dive into Learning programs continue to serve the Long Beach community.

To donate directly to our Foundation and these programs, please click here.

What’s happening in The Studio in March

The Studios are community workspaces where people can meet, socialize, innovate, and collaborate using technology and resources. There are currently two permanent spaces – The Studio inside the Billie Jean King Main Library and The Learning Lab at the Michelle Obama library, plus a mobile Studio available at all 12 LBPL branch locations on a rotating monthly schedule.

Your generous donations help make these programs possible. Learn how you can become a donor.

Check out this month’s Studio events and workshops:

A design thinking workshop series specifically for 7th and 8th graders! Do you know of a middle schooler interested in creative thinking and problem-solving? Do they love collaborating and working with others to come up with a unique solution to a challenge? This series is for them! In 10 weeks they will learn new strategies to designing a life that inspires them.

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The Studio is made possible by the Long Beach Public Library Foundation through grants from the Rudolph J. and Daphne A. Munzer Foundation, the Josephine S. Gumbiner Foundation, the Earl B. and Loraine H. Miller Foundation, Edison International, and more.

The Mobile Studio is made possible by the Long Beach Public Library Foundation through grants from Marathon Petroleum Corporation, the LGA Family Foundation, and the California Resources Corporation.

Library Event: Virtual Author Talks

March has an exciting line-up that you won’t want to miss! Join the conversations about the life benefits of being a generalist, some delicious Southern cooking, and travel back in time to the Nazi resistance in Brussels. Don’t forget about the live Q&A after each talk where you can join the conversation with the authors. The events are held on the dates listed below and will be recorded, so sign up and submit your questions even if you can’t attend the live session! 

David Epstein, Range: Why Generalists Triumph in a Specialized World 
Monday, March 13 @ 10 AM PDT

Join the Library for the conversation with New York Times bestselling author David Epstein as he chats about his most recent book, Range: Why Generalists Triumph in a Specialized World.  

Generalists are those who often find their path late and juggle many interests rather than focusing on one. They are usually the successful ones, not the specialists who tend to have an early start and unwavering focus. Generalists arealso more creative, agile, and able to make connections their more specialized peers can’t see.  

David Epstein examined the world’s most successful athletes, artists, musicians, inventors, forecasters, and scientists. He discovered that in most fields—especially those that are complex and unpredictable—generalists, not specialists, are primed to excel.  

Send your questions in for David Epstein and check out Range: Why Generalists Triumph in a Specialized World and his other books. 

Jernard Wells, Southern Inspired: More Than 100 Delicious Dishes from My American Table to Yours 
Tuesday, March 21 @ 1 PM PDT 

Yum! Join the Library for this delicious conversation with Celebrity Chef Jernard Wells about his newest cookbook Southern Inspired: More Than 100 Delicious Dishes from My American Table to Yours.  

Delicious and inventive recipes that remix the traditional flavors and classic dishes of Southern food and celebrate African-American culinary contributions to tables worldwide—from the host of CLEO TV’s New Soul Kitchen. After growing up in Mississippi, Jernard Wells brought the familiar dishes and bold flavors of the South along his culinary journey to become a chef, restaurateur, and TV host. With Southern Inspired, Jernard continues his journey—retracing the steps of generations of African American cooks whose creations have contributed to global kitchen tables since slavery. Southern food defines American food at large, and Chef Jernard takes it to a whole new level while still honoring its roots. Chef Jernard also brings in flavors from the Caribbean, Latin America, Asia, and Europe, always with his signature Southern flair. This cookbook shares 100 recipes that are approachable for both beginners and more experienced cooks. 

Send your questions in for celebrity chef Jernard Wells and check out Southern Inspired: More Than 100 Delicious Dishes from My American Table to Yours. 

Pam Jenoff, Code Name Sapphire 
Tuesday, March 28 @ 4 PDT

Join the Library for an exciting trip through time as we chat with New York Times bestselling historical fiction author Pam Jenoff about her newest book Code Name Sapphire. 

In Code Name Sapphire, a woman must rescue her cousin’s family from a train bound for Auschwitz in this riveting tale of bravery and resistance.

It’s 1942 and Hannah Martel has narrowly escaped Nazi Germany after her fiancé was killed in a pogrom. When her ship bound for America is turned away at port, she has nowhere to go but to her cousin Lily, who lives with her family in Brussels. Fearful for her life, Hannah is desperate to escape occupied Europe. But with no safe way to leave, she must return to the dangerous underground work she thought she had left behind. 

Send your questions in for Pam Jenoff and check out Code Name Sapphire and her other books.  

Ryan Ballard, 2022 Board President

Ryan Ballard has served on the Long Beach Public Library Foundation Board since late 2017. He has contributed to the growth and success of our organization and led efforts for the Board of Directors to better reflect our diverse city as VP of Board Development in 2019. Ballard is also an Advisory Board member of the African American Firefighter Museum, a former Den Leader for Boy Scouts of America, and a former board member for the Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. as its Western Region Assistant Vice President. He has served on the pastoral staff of First Church of God-Center of Hope in Inglewood, CA as the Youth Director. In addition to his work with nonprofit organizations, Ballard is a Resource Specialist Teacher for the Los Angeles Unified School District.

A Letter from Our Board President

Dearest Library Supporters,

“We aren’t your grandmother’s library.” That’s a quote I heard around the time of the opening of the Michelle Obama Neighborhood Library in North Long Beach in 2016. It’s a nod to the fact that libraries are no longer a quiet place to simply check out and read books or a place to do homework. Libraries represent so much more, and the vast amounts of free resources available to patrons make them centers of information, community, learning, and growth. (See Palaces for the People: Library as Community Builder)

Gone are the days of scrolling through library card catalogs, or being “hushed” for breathing too loudly. Our libraries have become one-stop interactive hubs for providing services to their visitors. From free access to computers with internet access to our Family Learning Centers which provide one-on-one homework, job support, and computer use assistance, Long Beach’s public libraries are becoming institutions we can’t live without. I’ve often said that libraries are the great equalizers; housed within them are the keys to a brighter future with the resources that provide a direct pathway to success. For instance, the Library’s Career Online High School gives a second chance to adults seeking to obtain an accredited diploma.

To be fair, I have pondered the pros and cons of our library system and what public libraries, in general, provide to communities. I was stumped, as I could not think of anything negative to say about libraries. Although the word most associated with libraries is “books,” I continue to be amazed that this age-old institution has evolved into a safe space that addresses the unique and myriad needs of our community. I guess that’s the beauty of a library…it sparks creativity which has no bounds.

In keeping with the mission, the Long Beach Public Library Foundation provides support to enhance our libraries. At our core is the promotion of literacy and education for all members of the community. We do this good work thanks to your large and small contributions to support this worthy cause. We cannot do this alone. Please join us in our relentless pursuit to expand the reach of a library system that is improving the world one book and one service at a time.

Together we can; together we must,

Ryan Ballard
2022 Board President

Educational Resources Funded in 2021 Thanks to Your Donations

Thanks to your support, the Library Foundation made the following resources possible in 2021 to help many in Long Beach get their lives and livelihoods back on track. You can give those who depend on the Library even more reason to celebrate in 2022 with a tax-deductible donation to help us support library programs, technology, and resources. Every dollar makes a difference!

Family Learning Center Program

This program provides one-on-one homework help, job search support, and computer training. It continued in 2021 with the reopening of in-person centers and through its online component, Brainfuse, that all library cardholders can access 24/7. The Library Foundation has funded this program since its inception in 1999.

Dive into School Launches

This new program made possible by donations to the Library Foundation includes virtual and in-person workshops designed to teach age-appropriate language, literacy, math, and social-emotional skills that children should acquire before entering kindergarten. Workshops are available in both English and Spanish.

Celebrating Our Heritage

The Library has a long history of promoting inclusivity and diversity by highlighting the many cultures represented in Long Beach. This year, the Library Foundation was proud to fund educational events to celebrate Black History Month and Latino Heritage Month with support from F&M Bank, and to start our Fund for Asian American & Pacific Islander Voices.

Tech To-Go

In April, the Library launched its new Tech To-Go Chromebook and pre-paid wifi hotspot lending program to help local families bridge the digital divide. One in four Long Beach households lacks a reliable internet connection. The Library Foundation is proud to be a part of the community benefit partnership with Verizon that launched this program. 

Makerspace Studio

The Library’s most innovative resources made a comeback this year. The Library Foundation-funded makerspace studios at the Billie Jean King Main Library and the Michelle Obama Neighborhood Library reopened this summer and resumed offering in-person instruction in 3D printing, graphic design, robotics, and more.

Early Literacy

Promoting literacy in Long Beach starts with raising the next generation of dedicated readers who are prepared to succeed in school and beyond. This year, the Library Foundation funded several virtual literacy programs for families including Dive into Reading, Circle of Stories, the Young Readers Club, and the Summer Reading Program.

We also partnered with Léeme un Libro (Read Me a Book) and, with funding from the Long Beach Community Foundation, made it possible for more than 1,200 new Spanish-language books and 2,700 craft packs to be delivered to migrant children sheltered at the Long Beach HHS (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services) site this summer.

The Library Foundation Stands in Solidarity with the Asian and Pacific Islander Communities of Long Beach

The Long Beach Public Library Foundation stands in solidarity with the American Library Association (ALA), Asian/Pacific American Librarians Association (APALA), and the Asian, Asian American, and Pacific Islander communities of Long Beach in condemning anti-Asian hate crimes.  

As the ALA Executive Board recently stated, “Such bias and bigotry are not new, but they have found fertile terrain in a country beset by disinformation, discrimination, xenophobia, Sinophobia, and white supremacy.” We couldn’t agree more. That is why we remain firmly committed to promoting literacy and education in Long Beach. Education is a powerful tool in fighting these social ills.

We are now proud to launch our Fund for Asian American and Pacific Islander Voices and encourage you to donate any amount to support library materials that promote the voices, narratives, and histories of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders. This fund will also support resources and programs that educate the public on the origins of white privilege, white supremacy, and other forms of institutional racism and human rights issues that plague our society. Support this fund at https://www.lbplfoundation.org/aapi. Whether you donate $5 or $500, your gift will support educational tools in the fight against racism and injustice.

The Library Foundation remains committed to fighting for greater equitable access to the Library by advocating for significant increases to the Library’s structural budget. The City should provide the Library with sustainable funding that would allow it to be open more hours and provide more resources in Khmer, Tagalog, Chinese, Vietnamese, Korean, Spanish, and other languages spoken in Long Beach homes. If you agree, please contact your Councilperson and ask for greater structural funding for the Library. 

The Library Foundation will also continue our efforts to diversify our Board of Directors, so our leadership adequately reflects Long Beach’s diverse community. In the past three years, we have transformed the makeup of our Board to include more people of color. We have seen how inviting a diverse set of voices—those from various racial, cultural, geographic, age, and economic backgrounds—has strengthened our organization and boosted our community impact and exposure, allowing us to promote literacy at every economic level.

Libraries play an instrumental role in educating the public, and they are often the only place left in society where the public can access truly free educational resources. They are often called the great equalizer. That is why it is important to strengthen this institution.

Learn about all the Long Beach Public Library has to offer at https://www.longbeach.gov/library.

Thank you, stay safe, and keep learning.
Long Beach Public Library Foundation Board of Directors and Staff