Soji & the AfroBeat Band perform at the Central Library during April’s Branch Out event. Photo courtesy Berkeley Public Library Soji & the AfroBeat Band perform at the Central Library during April’s Branch Out event. Photo courtesy Berkeley Public Library This April, the Berkeley Public Library marked the completion of its Branch Library Improvement Program with a month-long celebration. […]
Donna Corbeil
Posted inCity
Berkeley Library Director Donna Corbeil to retire
Donna Corbeil gestures toward the new book sorting machine that was installed in the North Branch library in 2012. All the new branches have these machines, which has greatly improved the efficiency of returning books and getting them back on the shelves. Photo: Frances Dinkelspiel Donna Corbeil, who oversaw the renovation and reconstruction of Berkeley’s […]
Posted inArts
Berkeley Authors’ Dinner honors writers and library staff
Hundreds of people came to the 12th annual Berkeley Authors’ dinner on Sat. Feb. 8. Photo: Richard Friedman Hundreds of people came to the 12th annual Berkeley Authors’ dinner on Sat. Feb. 8. Photo: Richard Friedman Berkeley, a literary city if there ever was one, celebrated local authors, readers and the renovation of its branch […]
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Photo gallery: Berkeley’s brand new West Branch library
Photo: Richard Friedman On Saturday, Berkeley welcomed a new West Branch library at 1125 University Ave. (at San Pablo). Read all about it in our story published last week. And enjoy these superlative photographs by Richard Friedman, taken on opening day. Photo: Richard Friedman Photo: Richard Friedman Photo: Richard Friedman Photo: Richard Friedman Photo: Richard […]
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New $7.5M Berkeley West Branch library to open Saturday
Workers put finishing touches on the new West Branch Library this week, getting the building ready for the grand opening celebration on Saturday. Photo: Frances Dinkelspiel When the new West Branch of the Berkeley Public Library opens on Saturday Dec. 14, officials hope that it not only becomes a place for people to take out […]
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Berkeley’s West Branch library to re-open in December
Berkeley’s West Branch Library under construction. Photo: Eli Wolfe Berkeley’s West Branch Library under construction. Photo: Eli Wolfe By Eli Wolfe Construction continues at a brisk pace at Berkeley’s West Branch Library, which is scheduled to re-open in December, after the holidays. The completion of the West Branch, which is located at 1125 University Ave. (at San […]
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New South Branch library to open in Berkeley on Saturday
The entrance to the new South Branch library on MLK Jr. Way at Russell St. Photo: Frances Dinkelspiel It was four days to D-Day and the place was hopping. Painters rolled on a last coat of paint. IT guys fiddled with computer wire while architects strolled around looking for last minute glitches. Carpenters nailed sheets […]
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Berkeley library stays relevant with shift to digital
There were more than 680,000 visits to the Central Branch of the Berkeley Public Library in 2012. Photo: Kaia Diringer 2012 was a year of big changes for the Berkeley Public Library. Two of its branches, Claremont and North, reopened after extensive remodeling. Two other branches, South and West, closed for their own redos. As […]
Posted inNature
City will replace 70-foot destroyed redwood with oak tree
A mature Cork Oak of the type that the West Branch Library is expected to plant in lieu of a removed redwood. Photo: Wikipedia Two months after a contractor irreparably damaged the root system of a towering redwood tree that was slated to be the centerpiece of the garden at the West Branch library, the […]
Posted inCommunity
Contractor mistake damages lone redwood tree at library
The redwood tree at the West Branch of the Berkeley Library that will have to be taken down. Photo: Frances Dinkelspiel A towering redwood tree that was to be the focal point of the garden at the new West Branch of the Berkeley Public Library was so damaged by the contractor that it will have […]
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Renovated Claremont library branch opens Saturday
The refurbished Claremont Library will reopen to the public on Saturday May 5. Photo: Frances Dinkelspiel After a year of construction, the refurbished Claremont Branch of the Berkeley Public Library will reopen Saturday May 5 at 1 pm with music, food, and greetings by a host of dignitaries. “We’re so proud of it,” said Donna […]
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Gleaming new North Branch Library to open Saturday
The exterior of the newly renovated North Branch Library with new seating. Photo: Nancy Rubin Workers were busy putting the finishing touches on the renovated North Branch Library last week in anticipation of its grand reopening on Saturday, April 7 at 1:00 pm. The library has been closed for nearly a year and, when it […]