Being Green at John Burroughs High School...it is in the bag!

Students at John Burroughs High School will be going Green by creating eco-friendly T-shirt tote bags out of old or new T-shirts. I saw one of these bags at our Burbank READS Committee meeting yesterday and they are pretty cool. A great way to recycle T-shirts into something useful. See the photograph for other examples.

The eco-friendly book bag workshop will be held on Friday, March 6, 2009 in the JBHS library and students will have two opportunities to "bag it", during late start from 8:00-9:00 AM and after school from 3:00-4:00 PM. Just remember to bring a school appropriate T-shirt with you and soon you'll have a new bag for toting around books, groceries and other stuff!

Burbank READS goes Green - Kickoff event with Ed Begley Jr.

Join us on Saturday, March 7 for our big Burbank READS goes Green kickoff event featuring Ed Begley Jr., the author of this year's book, Living Like Ed.

Come and meet one of the hottest speakers on eco-living in America, Ed Begley, Jr. who has received standing ovations for his empowering and humorous message on sustainable living.

Mr. Begley will talk about and sign copies of his book [copies available for purchase].

When: Saturday, March 7, 2009 at 2:00 PM

Where: Buena Vista Branch Library - 300 N. Buena Vista St.

See you there there!

Burbank READS goes Green!

You might have noticed something just a little bit different about our Burbank READS blog today. We've gone green!

In keeping with the City of Burbank's commitment to achieve urban sustainability and protect the world's ecosystem, the Burbank Public Library decided to make our "One Book, One City" program eco-friendly in 2009. We have selected the book, Living Like Ed by long-time environmentalist Ed Begley Jr. as our book for 2009. For over 38 years, Ed Begley, Jr. has been a pioneer in eco-consciousness -- always trying to "live simply so others may simply live." Now he has put together a guidebook for those of us looking to reduce our impact on the planet and live a better, greener life.

No matter what "green" level you aspire to, Ed's practical guide will offer suggestions for making changes in your life, from quick fixes to bigger commitments. The Burbank Public Library has multiple copies of Living Like Ed waiting for you to check out. Read the book, tell your friends about it, then join us for a month-long series of exciting events such as music, guest speakers, and films.

The big Kickoff of Burbank READS is set for 2 PM on Saturday, March 7, at the Buena Vista Branch Library. Meet Ed Begley, Jr. in person. He will discuss and sign his book at this event.

Be sure to save the afternoon of Saturday, April 4, for the finale of Burbank READS. A Sustainability Showcase will be held at the Buena Vista Branch Library to provide resources, information, and contacts for All-Things-Green!

After all, your library has been in the recycling business for years -- every time you check out a book and return it, the book is recycled to another borrower! So let's all GO GREEN together. Read Living Like Ed and participate in the activities planned. Watch for the brochure with all the events listed. And, of course, check back here for future postings.

California Book Festivals

California Book Festivals

Check out the Calendar of Book Fairs & Festivals on the Burbank Reads' Blog !

in December . . .

The SCV Education Foundation and the city of Santa Clarita will host the SCV Literacy and Arts Festival from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Dec. 6 at William S. Hart Park, 24151 San Fernando Road, Newhall. Festival includes live entertainment, strolling performers, storytelling, children's craft activities, author signings, food and more.

in January . . .

California Indian Storytellers Association

A World Sympoisum and Festival: Indigenous Voices -- Following Ancient Trade RoutesA cultural exchange of Indigenous Storytellers from California, Oregon, Washington, Hawaii, and New Zealand January 15 -17, 2009 San Leandro Public Library Theater Center 300 Estudillo Avenue San Leandro, California

some others of interest . . .

Riverside Dickens Festival in February
UkiaHaiku Festival in April
John Steinbeck Festival in August

"Jack London, Photographer" - Lecture by Sara S. "Sue" Hodson.

Thursday, October 30 -- 7 PM

Please join us for “Jack London, Photographer,” a lecture by Sara S. “Sue” Hodson.

Sue Hodson, curator of literary manuscripts for The Huntington, will present an illustrated lecture. Jack London was an accomplished photographer and photojournalist who documented the Russo-Japanese War, the South Pacific during his year-long cruise of the Snark, the poverty in the east end of London, England, and the Mexican Revolution. With two co-editors, Hodson is working on the first-ever book focusing on London as a photographer, due out in 2010 from the University of Georgia Press.

Buena Vista Branch Library
300 N. Buena Vista St.
818.238.5620

Call of the Wild - 3D Adaptation

A 3D adaptation of The Big Read's 'Call of the Wild' will premiere @ 3DX in Singapore: Nov 19-23, 2008.

Independent Filmmaker Richard Gabai makes his first foray into 3D with this family friendly modern day adaptation of Jack London’s Classic “Call of the Wild” starring Christopher Lloyd, Jaleel White, Ariel Gade, Wes Studi, Aimee Teegarden, Devon

Graye, Timothy Bottoms, and Veronica Cartwright.

When nine year old city girl Ryan Hale visits her Grandpa in a small Montana town, where they still enjoy dogsledding, she doesn’t like it too much - “crazy”people, and no malls.

But all that changes when she happens upon a wounded wild dog that she nurses back to health. She wants to bring “Buck” back home to the city –but he just might hear the “Call of the Wild.”

Call of the Wild': Filming begins in Montana on modern adaptation of classic story - Missoulian: 2.13.08 by Kim Briggeman

LINCOLN - Buck is back on the trail - or at least his progeny is.

And Christopher Lloyd is back in Montana, where shooting opened Sunday in Lincoln on a 3-D family drama, “Call of the Wild."

Lloyd, of “Back to the Future” fame and once a part-time resident of the Bitterroot Valley, plays a down-to-earth grandpa in the film, which is a modern-day adaptation of Jack London's classic short novel.

It's set mostly in the Yukon in the late 1800s.

“If you're familiar with the original text, at the end of the ‘Call of the Wild' when Buck becomes leader of the pack, he had many descendants,” director Richard Gabai of California said Sunday at the starting line of the 2008 Race to the Sky sled dog race.

Documentary film screening - Great Writers: Jack London.

Saturday, October 18 -- 2 PM

Please join us for a screening of the documentary film Great Writers: Jack London.

This fascinating film presents the story of the writer’s life and examines the social and political events that influenced his works.

The program includes insightful commentary, as well as archival documents and rare interviews.

Burbank Central Library
110 N. Glenoaks Blvd.
818.238.5600