The Friends bookstore is stocked with donations from the community. Some are re-donated. Most are sold for under $3 to support the Berkeley Library. A few are exciting discoveries.
Friends of the Berkeley Public Library
Berkeley library director Jeff Scott was not a ‘good fit’
Berkeley Library Director Jeff Scott was not forced out of his job but decided to resign after a conversation with Abigail Franklin, the chair of the Board of Library Directors, in which they both agreed he was not a “good fit” for the position, according to Franklin. Franklin went to see Scott, 38, on the morning […]
The It List: Five things to do in Berkeley this weekend
Want to know what a world-famous chef peruses in the comfort of her own home? If so, rush down to the Friends of the Berkeley Public Library’s store on Channing for its annual cookbook sale. Mollie Katzen, who shot to fame with her “Moosewood Cookbook,” and who has since written almost a dozen others, including […]
The It List: Five things to do in Berkeley this weekend
AN ENDURING VOICE The singer Janis Ian definitely has staying power. She had her first hit in 1965 when she was 14 – “Society’s Child” (“I learned the truth at 17 / that love was meant for beauty queens), and this year won her third Emmy for Best Spoken Word Album. The London Times, in describing a recent […]
The It List: Five things to do in Berkeley this weekend
NOW IS THE WINTER OF OUR DISCONTENT It seems appropriate that during after such a contested and divisive election The Actor’s Ensemble of Berkeley is performing Richard III, the classic Shakespeare tale of “the lust for power gone berserk.” The king won’t let anyone stand in the way of his desire for the crown of England. […]
Were you a winner in our Caltopia raffle?
The two days of Caltopia were quite a whirl for students, faculty and staff, as well as for exhibitors like Berkeleyside. From the tens of thousands who passed through the self-proclaimed “greatest days on planet Earth”, we were able to have conversations about local news with hundreds of people, we launched OneNews/Berkeleyside, our exciting new citizen journalism […]
Thousands of Cal students, staff flock to Caltopia
UC Berkeley freshmen, some looking dazed, others excited, as well as more blasé seniors, turned out in their thousands on Sunday for Day One of Caltopia, the self-described “two greatest days on the planet”. The event, held at the UC Berkeley Recreational Sports Facility at 2301 Bancroft Way, sees more than 100 exhibitors showcasing their […]
UC Berkeley’s Caltopia: The ultimate Town & Gown affair
This weekend, when around 30,000 students and faculty stroll through Caltopia, browsing the booths of more than 100 exhibitors, Berkeley’s two driving forces, the city and its university, will be pitched in perfect harmony. And Berkeleyside will be there to sing along too. Caltopia was launched nine years ago as a way for Berkeley businesses […]
Friends of Berkeley library resurrect beloved book sale
The last time the Friends of the Berkeley Public Library held a huge used book sale, hundreds of people lined up early in the morning to get first crack at rare and unusual books. That was back in 1999. In the ensuing 12 years, the Friends have sold used books at their two bookstores, […]
$1 million for branch libraries; lawsuit pending
Just months before renovations begin on two of Berkeley’s branch libraries, the Neighborhood Library Campaign announced that it has raised more than $1 million — almost a third of its $3.5 million goal — for the restoration work. The funds will be used to repair the oak furniture in the Claremont and North branch libraries, […]
Least known, best used book store in town
Jim Rosenau writes: Parking garage or book store? Certainly our least visible used book store with the best deals is operated by the Friends of Berkeley Public Library. The volunteer-run store has a sweetheart lease from the city, which owns the parking garage just west of Telegraph between Channing and Durant. Enter from either street via […]