Kiwanis Club Book Donation Ceremony at the Library

In honor of Asian Pacific American Heritage Month and in celebration of Children’s Book Week, May 13-19, with its theme “Books Can Take You Anywhere,” on May 15 at 11:00 a.m. the Kiwanis Club of Monterey Park and Kiwanis Club of Taichung, Taiwan donated 116 Chinese language books, books with CDs, and DVDs to the Monterey Park Bruggemeyer Library in a ceremony in the library’s Friends Room.

These donated Chinese language titles are about Chinese culture, holidays, religions, Taiwanese folk literature, historical buildings, travels in Taiwan and a documentary film on Taiwanese achievements and struggles in western world. The donation also includes Chinese/English bilingual books of well-known classics from different countries and selected works by Shakespeare, biographies, Greek and Roman myths, and children’s classic books.

The Monterey Park Bruggemeyer Library is the city’s public library located at 318 S. Ramona Avenue, Monterey Park, CA 91754. Library hours are Sunday 1-5 p.m.; Monday and Tuesday 12-9 p.m.; Wednesday and Thursday 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.; Friday and Saturday closed. For more City of Monterey Park news and information visit the city website at www.ci.monterey-park.ca.us.

Monterey Park Bruggemeyer Library Awarded National Honor for Youth Literacy Program

May 16, 2013 — Monterey Park Bruggemeyer Library has been awarded the

Public Library Association’s (PLA) Innovations in Literacy Award for its “Reading Rockets” youth literacy program. The library is one of only eight public libraries in the nation to receive this honor, which recognizes unique and inventive literacy programs that have a significant and measurable impact on the community the library serves.

Reading Rockets was formed by creatively combining the library’s LAMP Literacy and Project NEO (a nonprofit organization) resources to provide free one-on-one tutoring to children in 2nd through 6th grades to strengthen vital literacy skills and build confident readers.

“Libraries are essential for promoting literacy to all members of our communities. Innovative and dynamic literacy programs such as Reading Rockets equip children with the critical skills that they need for lifelong learning,” said Norma Arvizu, Monterey Park City Librarian. “This national award exemplifies the positive and lasting impact our library makes in the City of Monterey Park.”

As part of the Innovations in Literacy Award, Reading Rockets coordinator and Senior Library Clerk, Diana Garcia, was awarded $1,000 for registration and travel to the Public Library Association’s 2014 Conference in Indianapolis, March 11–15, 2014, where she will represent the Monterey Park Bruggemeyer Library. Garcia was instrumental in the planning and execution of the Reading Rockets program and was the author of the article submitted to the Public Library Association contest on behalf of the library.

For more information on the PLA Award please visit http://www.ala.org/pla/awards/literacy.