Photographing Children

Saturday, November 1
4 p.m.

Local photographer Fima Gelman, will offer advice on photographing children. He will present a slide show with examples of his own work, including photos he took of children on a recent winter vacation in Siberia.

Altoid Tin Crafts for Teens

Thursday, October 30
4 p.m.

Make an Altoid tin altar (mini shrine) in honor of Day of the Dead. Or make up your own theme. Bring a few miniature items or pictures to the workshop. All other materials provided. For ages 11-18. Space limited. To register, contact Marla at mbergman@sfpl.org or (415) 355-2858.

New Citizenship Resources at the Library

In October 2008, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services began administering a new set of questions for the naturalization exam.

To help library users prepare for the new USCIS naturalization interview, the San Francisco Public Library developed a set of online resources including the following tools to assist our patrons with the recent exam changes:

  • A video transcript introduction
  • A guide to naturalization
  • Detailed practice materials for the new citizenship exam
  • Information about local organizations that can help with the citizenship process
  • A list of English as a Second Language (ESL) providers

The resources are now available on the SFPL website at http://sfpl.org/citizenship.

Resources are currently available in 5 languages: English, Spanish, Cantonese, Mandarin, and Russian, with more languages to come in Phase 2 of the project.

The Climate Project

Wednesday, October 22

6:30 p.m.

Volunteers trained by Al Gore will present a new slideshow based on the Academy Award-winning film, "An Inconvenient Truth" to increase public awareness of the climate crisis throughout the United States and abroad.

The Climate Project began as non-profit organization with the mission of increasing public awareness of the climate crisis at a grassroots level throughout the United States and abroad. A diverse group of thousands of volunteers from every corner of the United States have been trained to present a version of the slide show. For more information, visit theclimateproject.org. In English. Cosponsored by the Stegner Environmental Center.

Tillie Olsen: A Heart in Action

Saturday, October 11
3:00 pm Glen Park Program Room

This documentary presents a touching portrait of a fascinating woman who lived and worked in San Francisco for much of her life. Tillie Olsen was an activist, a labor leader, a renowned author -- and a former Glen Park neighborhood resident.

Her O’Henry award-winning story, I Stand Here Ironing, was influential for its fresh and honest portrayal of a working class woman's concerns. Olsen’s writing remains as relevant today as it was when it was first published over 40 years ago.

Included in the film are interviews with Alice Walker, Gloria Steinem and Tillie Olsen’s activist daughters. Filmmaker Ann Hershey will present the film and answer questions.