San Francisco's Wild West: Early History of Lake Merced's Neighborhoods

Wednesday, January 11, 2012, at 7:00 p.m.

From the 1850s to the early 1900s, the area around Lake Merced was a destination for gamblers, duelists, sporting men, and other San Franciscans looking for excitement. Woody LaBounty, founder of the Western Neighborhoods Project (www.outsidelands.org), will present historical images and tell tales of roadhouses, squatters' wars, and famous horse races. LaBounty will also explain how the city's wild west was tamed into some of San Francisco's most desirable residential neighborhoods.

 

Learn Outrageous Magic Tricks!

Tuesday, January 3, 2012, 4:00 p.m.

Don't miss this outrageous show where you'll see amazing magic performed and learn some unbelievable tricks yourself.  Robert Strong has twice been voted San Francisco's best comedian by the SF Guardian and is known for his hilarious, high-energy magic.  This program is for children and teens age 10 and above.

Five Fabulous Women Artists of the 1800s

On Wednesday, December 14th at 7:00 p.m., local artist Marlene Aron discusses and presents slides of the beautiful and inspiring art of five fabulous women artists: Mary Cassatt, Berthe Morisot, Marie Bracquemond, Eva Gonzales, and Camille Claudel.


They exhibited in the Salon and the World Exposition in Paris, three of them exhibiting their paintings alongside Pissarro, Degas, Renoir, and Monet in the very first Impressionist exhibitions in the early 1870s.

They painted their family, children, friends, and lovers, along with scenes of gardens, forests, and landscapes. Come take a journey through the artistry and lives of some of the movers and shakers of the Impressionist movement that would herald the beginning of the Modern Art movement that was to follow.

In the Lap of the Gods: A Book Talk by Author Li Miao Lovett

For the Merced Branch Library Arts & Culture Salon, Bay Area author Li Miao Lovett will discuss and read from her novel In the Lap of the Gods, accompanied by scenic slides of China.


The book explores the dark side of modern China through the construction of the Three Gorges Dam. As the massive dam rises, a villager reduced to scavenging saves an abandoned baby girl as his world disappears beneath the waters.

This program will be in English with a question-and-answer period in English and Chinese. A book signing follows the presentation

Wednesday, November 9, 2011, at 7:00 p.m.

All programs at the Library are free.

Children's Program: Day of the Dead Altar Making

The Merced Branch of the San Francisco Public Library presents

Day of the Dead Altar Making

For Children ages 5 and up

Wednesday, November 2, 2011

4–5:30 p.m.

Come decorate a Day of the Dead community altar with tissue
paper crafts, picture frames. Bring a photo of
a loved one who has passed away. Librarians will include their
favorite dead author memorabilia. Materials provided.

Merced Branch Library

155 Winston Dr. (at 19th Ave.) (415) 355-2825 sfpl.org

For questions, call and ask for Jenny or Joseph.

All programs at the Library are free.

Supported by Friends of the San Francisco Public Library

Stories from the Road

MS. LEWIS WILL BE PRESENTING "WE CANNOT FAIL" AT THE MAIN LIBRARY IN THE KORET AUDITORIUM ON TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 1 AT 6:00 P.M., 100 LARKIN STREET

AND

AN ENCORE PERFORMANCE OF "STORIES FROM THE ROAD" AT THE EXCELSIOR BRANCH LIBRARY ON WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 16 AT 7:00 P.M, 4400 MISSION STREET AT COTTER.

Addressing a suffrage meeting, Sara Bard Field tells stories of her eighty-eight day cross-country automobile trip in 1915, carrying a petition to Congress for the immediate adoption of the Susan B. Anthony amendment, giving the right to vote to all women of the United States.  Sara and two other feminists departed from the Panama-Pacific Exposition in San Francisco with 500,000 signatures of California women, who had already won the vote in 1911, and enfranchised women from eleven other western states.  In the months prior to this journey, the National Women’s Party had maintained a booth in the Education Building to collect the signatures.  To help reach the goal of universal suffrage, the three women endured the rough drive to Washington, D.C., on the brand-new Lincoln Highway, the first transcontinental road in the United States, a road that was mostly unpaved, largely unmarked, and always without the amenities of rest stops or motels.  Please join actor Bonda Lewis for the live performance and a question-and-answer session to follow.

Wednesday, October 19, 2011
7:00 p.m.

This program is in conjunction with the Centennial of California Women's Suffrage.

All programs at the Library are free.

Supported by Friends of the San Francisco Public Library and The Institute for Historical Study

SFPL calendar listing:

http://sfpl.org/index.php?pg=1007435101

Marching with Aunt Susan

California women won the right to vote 100 years ago, in 1911, but their fight began many years before. Join author Claire Rudolf Murphy and illustrator Stacey Schuett as they present their new picture book, Marching With Aunt Susan, which tells the story of a real girl, Bessie Keith Pond, who lived in Berkeley during the 1896 woman suffrage campaign. Left at home when she wanted to go hiking with her brothers, Bessie doesn’t think she will enjoy a visit with Susan B. Anthony, but she soon finds out that she and the famous women's rights crusader see eye-to-eye on many things. Aunt Susan teaches Bessie and her friend Rita all about dealing with brothers and winning the vote.

The presentation will include a reading of the book, discussion of the art and hands-on activities that will bring the fight for suffrage alive for young readers today.

A book signing will follow the presentation.

Wednesday, October 5, 2011                                            
1:15-2:15 p.m.

For ages 5 and older.

Please call for group reservations.

All programs at the library are free.

Supported by Friends of the San Francisco Public Library