Want an easy way to support the Library? The Sonoma County Public Library Foundation has set up a new secure PayPal account to process donations right over the web! Click the Donate button on the Foundation’s web page to make a contribution.

Several library branches are holding art show receptions over the coming month. Stop by your library and meet the artists!

Sponsored by Friends of the Cloverdale Library, Healdsburg Library, and Sebastopol Library

Read the latest editions of these newsletters, now posted on our website:

• Sonoma County Library Newsletter 
• Friends of Santa Rosa Libraries newsletter 

The Library Director and the Library Commission presented a response to the Sonoma County Grand Jury Final Report. Please see the Library Governance page for more on the Director and the Commission.

Now, when you search the library catalog for books, movies, or music, a new button appears after each title in your results:
Add to My Wishlist

You can use this button to save titles into a wishlist — perhaps a list of what you’ve already read, or a list of what you’d like to read. In fact, you can do both, because you can keep up to ten different lists, with up to 30 titles on each list.

To see your lists once you’ve started them, click the link at the top right of the catalog:
My Wishlist

Saved titles always go into a list named My List. To put them in a different list, click the box to the left of a title, click the Move To menu, and select [New Wishlist]. You’ll get a chance to name the new list.

We suggest you log in (My Account) when saving titles into lists. Why? Your wishlist will only be saved for later if you log in. Otherwise it will be cleared out when you leave the catalog or close your web browser. Saved lists remain for six months.

Books We’re Reading – Check out this list of past, present, and future book discussion group titles. Fiction and non-fiction from contemporary and historical authors.

Titles in bold type are new for the upcoming 2008-2009 book discussion groups.

Also available: Our Picks – Dozens of book lists gathered by our very own librarians. Find your next favorite author, in the topic or genre that interests you!

This year, join us in reading To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee. Events at the Library during September and October will include book discussions and film screenings.

More about The Big Read

The Central, Rincon Valley, Rohnert Park-Cotati, Healdsburg, Northwest Santa Rosa (Coddingtown) and Petaluma Libraries now sport full-service wireless Internet access for public use. In the following weeks other branches will follow suit.

Our original wi-fi service only allowed web browsing. E-mail programs such as Outlook did not work with this service. Our new upgraded public wireless Internet service now allows you to use e-mail programs, chat, and other Internet services that have not been available using our original service. Please be patient if your branch does not yet have this service: it should be available soon!

Added Sept. 29: Sebastopol

Still in the middle of reading that last batch of books you checked out? Now, get a reminder in time to renew them.

If we have an e-mail address for you, we now send you an e-mail before your items are due, rather than waiting until after they’re overdue. We have had numerous requests for this feature over the years.

You can have your library account changed from phone to e-mail notification by asking at the desk next time you check out items, or by using this form.

Come enjoy a full day of fun at the Sonoma County Book Festival in downtown Santa Rosa on Saturday, September 20 from 10 a.m – 5 p.m.

Author events take place at Courthouse Square, the Central Library, and other off-site locations within walking distance. For program information and more, go to the Book Festival website.