The Westchester-Loyola Village Branch of the L.A. Public Library held a festive Chinese New Year celebration this year, complete with red lanterns, yummy treats, story time, and art activities.
Beware of "The Dragon in Moo Boots."
The Camarillo Library got into the spirit of the new year with a traditional Chinese lion dance.

What holidays have you celebrated at your local public library?

With a library card, you can explore an unfamiliar language online, in a newspaper, in reference materials, in a book, on a CD, or in a DVD.

Want to take your passion for Mexican wrestling to a whole new level? Read all about Lucha Libre in Spanish and see how there can never be too mucha lucha.

Interested in the books above? They can be checked out from the Hollywood Regional Branch of the L.A. Public Library.

Books and toys!!? It just doesn't get any better than that. Ask this patron at the new La Crescenta Library. (P.S. I want a Hungry Caterpillar rug of my own!)

Take part in a literacy promotion event at your local public library. This young reader/yoga practitioner participated in the October 8, 2009, "Read for the Record" event at the Eagle Rock Branch of the Los Angeles Public Library.

In the above photo, he poses for Eric Carle's The Very Hungry Caterpillar line, "In the light of the moon a little egg lay on a leaf."

The 2010 "Read for the Record" event on October 7th will feature Ezra Jack Keats's The Snowy Day.

The most exciting libraries go beyond bringing people together with books, they bring people together with people. Here's one way libraries make that happen-- National Gaming Day @ Your Library.

This year, National Gaming Day will be held on November 13th and promises to be" the largest, simultaneous national video game tournament ever held!" Wow, now that's some build-up. You gamers better get your thumbs ready.

Interested more in board games than video games? There will be plenty of the former variety offered on National Gaming Day, as well-- like this version of "Seuss Bingo" played at the La Pintoresca Branch of the Pasadena Public Library.

Is it the first week of March, and you've got nothing to do? Search the calendars of surrounding local libraries and you're bound to find one of them celebrating the birthday of Dr. Seuss. The above super-cool party was thrown by the La Pintoresca Branch of the Pasadena Public Library.

Although the beloved "Good Doctor" was born on March 2nd, libraries celebrate his birthday throughout early March.

Can't get enough of the amazing Dr. Seuss? Try celebrating his birthday Seuss-athon style. Click here to see what I mean.

Has anyone attended a library birthday party for a different kidlit author? Drop a comment.

Bond over a book at your local library. Take your child, nephew, neighbor, tailor, barber, date, mechanic, grand-niece, cousin, or favorite juggler and check out an exciting book together. Happy adventures!

The dragon-adventure above began at the Hastings Ranch Branch of the Pasadena Public Library and continues to this day...

At the #42 position on the ALA's "52 Ways to Use Your Library Card" list is: "Check out a special collection of rare books."

I got cozy with this edition of James Joyce's The Cat and the Devil at the Los Angeles Central Library. I had to get cozy with it there because I couldn't take it home (and it had nothing to do with the $0.15 late fee on my account).

That's part of the definition of a rare book-- one you can peruse at the library but cannot check-out.

You can read more about my visit with Mr. Joyce and his contribution to kidlit by clicking here.

"Find out how to navigate the Internet," is #11 on the ALA's list, "52 Ways to Use Your Library Card." This young library patron surfs the Net at the Montrose Branch of the Glendale Public Library.

Note the "pirate flag" mouse pad. Rumor has it that it also doubles as a treasure map. Where can all the treasure be found? At your local public library, of course!

"Find a quiet spot, curl up with a book and enjoy."

Yes, this is the obvious one, #51 on the ALA's "52 Ways to Use Your Library Card" list. This photo was taken at the Pasadena Public Library's Hastings Ranch Branch.

The young lion tamer takes a reading break on a couch designed as an open book. The armrests are the spines of closed books. These cool couches can be found in libraries throughout the San Gabriel Valley of L.A. County. Give a shout-out if your library owns some, too!

"Enjoy a concert" is #40 on the ALA's list of "52 Ways to Use Your Library Card."

Appearing in the photo above is the UCLA Gluck String Quartet (yes, there should be umlauts above the "u" in "Gluck," but I'll be darned if I can make it happen).

They played at the Echo Park Branch of the Los Angeles Public Library this past March. From Mozart to Irish folk tunes, the "Music and Munchies" concert was a special treat for the ears and tummy.

Heard any great music lately at your local public library?

As part of Darcy Pattison's Random Acts of Publicity Week, I'm giving a well-deserved shout-out to friend Merrily Kutner's picture book Z Is for Zombie, illustrated by John Manders.

Selected as a "Read On Wisconsin!" book by that state's First Lady, Jessica Doyle, Z Is for Zombie will be read and discussed by elementary school students across Wisconsin during the month of October. Also, the book has recently been reissued in paperback by publisher Albert Whitman. Just in time for Halloween!

Light a spooky Halloween candle for Z Is for Zombie during the upcoming Banned Books Week. Back in 2002, the book was challenged in a library in Oregon for having "graphic illustrations inappropriate for young children." Fortunately, the book was retained and the freedom to read prevailed. (And now you're all going to have to get your hands on a copy to see what all the fuss was about!)

For more villainous verse sure to turn any reluctant reader into a bookworm, check out Merrily's The Zombie Nite Cafe, illustrated by Ethan Long. Looking for something a little less spooky? Try Merrily's "fuzzy bunny" book (as she calls it), Down on the Farm, illustrated by Will Hillenbrand.

Love picture books and want to learn how to write your own? Merrily is teaching an online course through UCLA Extension this fall. You can take it from anywhere in the world. Click here for more info.

As part of Darcy Pattison's Random Acts of Publicity week, I'm spotlighting a friend's book, Signed, Abiah Rose. You can read more about my friend, author/illustrator Diane Browning, by clicking here.

Abiah speaks to anyone who's ever had to struggle to claim part of their identity.

Despite prevailing attitudes towards women in the 18th and 19th centuries, Abiah Rose perseveres in her conviction that art exists above any category that society can impose on it. With rich, folk art-inspired illustrations, author/illustrator Diane Browning crafts a fictional account of the likely history of many anonymous female artists from early America.

Conforming to social norms of the day, members of Abiah's family dissuade her from signing her own work. "Best not, Abiah Rose," they would tell her, "Serious painting is not girl's work." Instead, Abiah signs all of her work secretly, with a hidden rose on each canvas.

Guided only by her passion for painting, Abiah does everything she can within the constraints of her society to nuture her artist's spirit and take charge of her creative life. With sheer determination, Abiah sets a course for her life's path. The destination is the day she can write the following words, "Signed, Abiah Rose," upon the work of her own hands.

Whether or not Abiah, or others like her, ever arrived at that place of acceptance remains unknown. The fact does remain, however, that they helped make it easier for the rest of us to do so.