High Street Neighborhood News

by Adelle Foley

D?a de los Ni?os/D?a de los Libros With funds extra tight, Librarian Jane Gonzalez was delighted to receive a minigrant from Philanthropic Ventures, an Oakland foundation that helps libraries and schools promote reading. The grant will support a celebration of bilingual books and stories at the Melrose Branch on Wednesday, April 30, from 3 to 5 p.m. Similar festivities will mark D?a de los Ni?os/D?a de los Libros from Los Angeles to Oregon the last week in April. Jane expects to use the garden for stories and face painting. The target audience is elementary school-age children, but the whole family is welcome. Make a Wish Come True Although we don't run foundations, the Friends of Melrose Branch are sure that we can all help the library survive its budget crunch. At their suggestion, Jane has given a picture-book wish list to Luan Stauss, owner of The Laurel Bookstore, who will display the list for anyone who would like to purchase one of the books and donate it to Melrose Branch. For tax purposes, receipts for the books will be stamped, "Thanks for your donation to Melrose Branch Library." So stop by and buy your books at a community-minded merchant. And thanks to the Dimond Branch, which came up with the idea and already has a list at Laurel Books. And Check out the Bookmark Sale If you can get downtown to hunt for bargains, drop by the Bookmark Bookstore (721 Washington Street) on April 2 through 5, from 10:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. You'll get 40 percent off the price of all items in the store, and your purchases benefit the Friends of the Oakland Public Library. Springtime at the Creek The High Street Neighborhood Alliance invites you to celebrate Earth Day on Saturday, April 19, with the annual spring cleaning party at Courtland Creek. Bring your gloves, hat, and enthusiasm, and meet your neighbors at Brookdale and Courtland (just above High Street) at 9 a.m. We'll be concentrating on the Brookdale end of the creek park. Time for Softball at Brookdale Rec Center Softball is definitely coming to the Brookdale Rec center. Youngsters in the third, fourth, and fifth grades are welcome to sign up for the after-school program. Drop by to check on specific days and times for practices and games, or call 535-5632. A new session of the preschool Early Birds program will be starting on Tuesday and Wednesday, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Adelle Foley can be reached via e-mail at jasfoley\@aol.com.