The CCSF--Public Library Connection

Connections and disconnections.

I wasn't feeling great on Saturday morning, when I must have taken an overdose of Robittussen and slammed against the wall and fell to the floor, where I discovered a pool of blood only after coming out of the bathroom a few minutes later.  I realized the back of my head was bleeding.  I called the Kaiser advice nurse, and she made an appointment for me at 9:00.  When I asked whether I could go the Y before the appointment, she suggested that I check it out first, so I did, stopping along the way only to get some xanthan gum for a cake for a friend who thinks he's gluten-intolerant and would be at our SuperBowl gathering the following day.  

The doctor and nurses stapled the gash and, because I'm over 60, sent me up the hill for  a CT in Radiology and, after reading it, let me go.

I'd asked that my brilliant tech help Efren, who had planned to come at 9:00 for another session, come at 10:00, and then that hour had to be moved forward a little.

We had a good session, but I wanted to get material for late-start classes at CCSF so I could take it around this week.

I caught Susan Lopez just after 1:00, the hour she'd be leaving the Mission Campus, and since she was on her way to the Ocean Campus to leave material, we met there.  Among the fliers was this one listing some of the more than 300 CCSF classes starting in Feb., March, or later.  

I told her my dramatic blood-on-the-floor-stapled gash story, but she was more concerned about my bad cough and told me to check it out. So on Monday I did.

My doctor prescribed two medicines--one for a cough suppressant, another in case of allergies--and in the early afternoon I  went to the following libraries:

West Portal

Parkside

Sunset

Richmond

Anza

Ortega

Merced

East---West--North East, North East, West, South West,  East.

I liked weaving east and west on a particularly sunny (and hot) February day.

As always, people were very welcoming.  One librarian expressed the wish that her nephew in Kansas could find something like the GED program at John Adams so he could get his high school degree and not feel self-conscious about not already having it.  She also asked, looking at the list of 300+ courses starting in Feb., March, or later,  "What's heterosexism?" I told her and got the impression that she was more enthusiastic about the GED program.  (We're not in Kansas anymore.)

Some librarians said they'd make copies and put them out.  Others said they had binders that people went through regularly. 

I asked about picking up out-dated flyers so they wouldn't distract from the new but was told either that they regularly go through the material to be sure it's up-to-date or that all they had was the Spring Schedule of Classes.

The only negative was that I had trouble speaking as I was going through the different flyers with the librarians.   The cough-suppressant didn't suppress enough!

As always, everyone (including me) was  impressed by the variety of courses being offered.

Moving the CCSF Diego Rivera Mural

For the second time in two weeks, Ryan Kost's article "The art of moving a mural" appeared--this time in the Bay Area of the SF Chronicle Yesterday,  Sunday, January 10.  

It's always good for a CCSF's treasure, Rivera's mural of Pan-American Unity, to get press--and I like to read about the lingering hope that CCSF's Performing Arts Education Center will become a reality and provide a permanent home for the mural. So I was happy to see this article repeated. 

Knowing Will Maynez, who's both charismatic and a team player, I'm sure he mentioned Julia Bergman in the interview leading up to this article, but it's written up as if Will were alone in this venture.

The caption under his photo says "Historian William Maynez spearheaded City College's efforts to restore and maintain the mural."  His contributions have been major, but I think the reporter should also have mentioned Julia Bergman, who's been his partner in this, and the Diego Rivera Mural Steering Committee.

I also hope he mentioned the student docent program, which I think deserves much more press and much more support. Even The Guardsman, the student newspaper at CCSF, neglects the docents when it does write-ups on the mural.

Of course, a lot of things about this article are misleading. The caption under a picture of the Cultural Heritage Imaginng directors Carla Schroer and Marlin Lum photographing "the mural, which is being moved across tshe street at City College of San Francisco." I wish that were fact!

Will is quoted as saying, "What I'm trying to do is move it across the street." The reporter writes that Will said this "as though- the building he wants to move it to--a new performing arts center...hadn't been put on hold..." According to the article structural engineers and conservators have all come to examine the mural "at Maynez's request" and "they've assured him a move is possible."

Finally there's a we: "But we don't want any more intervention than is necessary."

Then it's back to a single champion: "He's become its 'self-appointed, self-anointed' historian." Surely he said, "along with Julia Bergman."

"He has been piecing together the mural's history and the stories within ever since. He's managed to track down a few of the subjects in the piece,..."

"This is my watch. I'm trying to do as best I can by the mural."

I wish he would put the student docents on his watch! I hope someone IS doing that!

http://www.sfchronicle.com/art/article/Push-to-move-a-Rivera-mural-but-first-a-6728370.php

2015 Techie and Me Contact on the Enrollment Campaign Trail

Yesterday I went back to the CBO (community-based organization) New Door Ventures:  Ally/Switch Program, which was listed as being  at 3075 21st (between So. Van Ness and Shotwell) because when I'd gone the day before, it was closed.  The hours posted online did not correspond with the hours painted on the wall!

When I rang the doorbell, a techie-looking tenant (very good looking and very young) opened the door and said that New Door Ventures had moved down the street to 20th. 

"So this is your place now?"  I asked him.

  He said, yes, and I asked whether he would be interested in a class at City College--taking or teaching one.  

He said, "I'm pretty well set."   

 "Are you one of the geniuses that is totally changing the face of San Francisco?" I asked, and he said, "I guess.  I'm in software." 

I told him, "I don't blame you personally.  I can't remember whom I do blame, but I don't think it's you." 

He thanked me, and I moved on.  Then I remembered we're supposed to blame the "leaders" who gave the Invaders from Silicon Valley a tax incentive to take over.

  I forgot to add, "I don't blame you unless you're one of those who won't let the kids play at Dolores Park when you want to play there." 

     New Door Ventures is now  at 3221 20th St, San Francisco, CA 94110 and is open from 9:00 am to 5:30 pm on weekdays.  Phone:(415) 920-9200

It's near Harrison.  (Cafe Gratitude used to be on the corner of 20th and Harrison, where The American is now--and right across the street from Water and Flour, a good Italian restaurant.) I think Central Kitchen at 3000th 20th Street  was the place I passed by and asked directions, which looks like another good place to eat--at least the techies think so.