Friends of the Library: Cash in on overdue book amnesty

Three days remain to take advantage of an amnesty for overdue books offered by the Orange County Public Libraries, including the three branches in Costa Mesa. Through Sunday, OCPL branches will offer borrowers a chance to clear their accounts by waiving fines for all late books and materials.

With the start of the new school year, students will need to use library materials for reading and homework assignments. Returning overdue books on Friday, Saturday and Sunday will ensure that they are able to check out more library materials. All 34 OCPL branches are participating in this program.

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Upcoming programs

The Friends of the Library Book Club will discuss "Major Pettigrew's Last Stand" by Helen Simonson at 6:30 p.m. Monday, at the Mesa Verde Library, 2969 Mesa Verde Drive. In addition, Preschool Storytime will be at 11 a.m. Sept. 27, and Pajama Storytime will meet at 7 p.m. Sept. 28.

A book sale will take place at the Mesa Verde branch on Oct. 8.

At the Costa Mesa Donald Dungan Library, Bilingual Storytime is at 2 p.m. on Thursdays, Toddler Storytime is at 11 a.m. on Mondays, and Family Storytime will be at 2 p.m. Tuesday.

The movie "Charlie Brown: Happiness is a Warm Blanket" will be shown at 2 p.m. Sept. 27. Two movies are scheduled for Family Movie Nights at 6:30 p.m. Wednesdays. "The Swiss Family Robinson" will be shown on Wednesday followed by "Tarzan" on Sept. 28. The Donald Dungan branch is at 1855 Park Ave.

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Boosting reading skills

READ/Orange County's Families for Literacy (FFL) works with parents and children to promote literacy skills in the parents and reading readiness in children younger than five. FFL tutors are specifically trained in methods of incorporating children's material into the tutoring sessions, as well as assisting parents in choosing appropriate reading materials for their children.

Family Reading Times are held regularly with parents and children to promote an atmosphere of fun and learning and to demonstrate that these can be synonymous. In Costa Mesa, these workshops are held once a month at both the Mesa Verde and Costa Mesa Donald Dungan libraries. Watch for them.

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More library history …

In 1925, after only five months in its second building, it was necessary to move the library again. This time it was moved into a corrugated metal building, which had been a small factory in Apple Blossom Court, across an alley behind Newport Boulevard.