Happy 75th birthday, Golden Gate Bridge

This Sunday marks the 75th anniversary of the opening of the Golden Gate Bridge. There will be no bridge walk this time but there are lots of events happening at or around the bridge on Memorial Day weekend. Click here for a listing of official events: http://goldengatebridge75.org/

All through May and June you can celebrate this San Francisco landmark by reading the May/June On the Same Page bookclub selection Golden Gate: The Life and Times of America's Greatest Bridge by Kevin Starr.

You can also discover the often hilariously horrifying depictions of the Golden Gate Bridge in the movies at Jim Van Buskirk's clip-filled program "On Location: The Golden Gate Bridge on the Silver Screen" at the Excelsior Branch on Wednesday, June 27, 7-8:30 p.m. and at other library locations throughout May and June.

If you would like a taste of Jim Van Buskirk's talk before the program here at Excelsior, read the blog post he wrote for the San Francisco History Center Blog: http://sfhcbasc.blogspot.com/2012/05/on-location-golden-gate-bridge-in.html

And last but not least, don't forget to check out the San Francisco Historical Photograph Collection's Golden Gate Bridge photographs

Library closed Monday, May 28, 2012 for Memorial Day

All San Francisco Public Libraries will be CLOSED Monday, May 28, 2012 for Memorial Day. We will resume our regular opening hours on Tuesday, May 29, 2012, at 10 a.m.

五月二十八日(星期一)為〝陣亡將士紀念日〞全部舊金山市立圖書館休息一天。圖書館在五月二十九日（星期二）恢復正常開放時間。

Las bibliotecas públicas de San Francisco estarán cerradas el lunes 28 de mayo del 2012 Día de los Caídos en la Guerra. Vamos a continuar nuestro horario habitual el martes, 29 de mayo del 2012..

Thank you, Maurice Sendak!

It is with sadness that we say goodbye to children's author Maurice Sendak who died today at the age of 84.

Celebrate his life and revisit some of his beloved creations:

Where the Wild Things Are

Alligators All Around

Bumble-Ardy

In the Night Kitchen

Outside Over There

Read about his life and art:

The Art of Maurice Sendak

Making Mischief: A Maurice Sendak Appreciation

Or watch some short movie clips about his life, art and family

Maurice Sendak on his life, work and inspiration from the Rosenbach Museum & Library

We Are Inseparable from the Contemporary Jewish Museum

What is your favorite Maurice Sendak book? Leave us a comment to share your favorite book with other blog readers!

Chinese Papercutting with Yumei Hou on Saturday, May 19, 3:30-5pm

Artist Yumei Hou will demonstrate traditional Chinese papercutting and talk about Chinese papercuts. These colorful designs have been popular in China for centuries and are often used to decorate walls and windows. Yumei Hou's papercut designs were chosen by the San Francisco Arts Commission for a mural for the Chinatown Central Subway Station.

This event will be in Mandarin Chinese and English.

Please join us for this Asian Pacific American Heritage Month program!

Flying Angels Chinese Dance Performance on Saturday, May 12, 11:15am to 12pm

Dancers from the Flying Angels Chinese Dance Company will perform traditional and modern Chinese dances in celebration of Asian Pacific American Heritage Month.

This program is appropriate for all ages.

May is Asian Pacific American Heritage Month

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Congress On Your Corner at Excelsior Branch on May 9, 5:30-8:30pm

If you are having problems with a federal agency or obtaining your Social Security, Medicare, veterans or other federal benefits, Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi’s office may be able to help. Staff will be available to answer questions about federal agencies, programs and benefits, and to offer any possible assistance.

For more information about Congresswoman Pelosi’s constituent services, please visit www.house.gov/pelosi

Congress on Your Corner will also be at the Main Library on May 17, 4-7pm and at Visitation Valley Branch on June 13, 4-6:30pm.

First Monday Movies at Excelsior on May 7, 6:30-8:30pm

The movie for May is It Happened One Night (1934, 105mins) with Clark Gable and Claudette Colbert, directed by Frank Capra.

A romantic comedy about the adventures of a young woman who runs away from her prominent and wealthy family and the brash and cynical reporter who pursues her.

Clark Gable and Claudette Colbert won Oscars for Best Actor and Best Actress, Frank Capra for Best Director.

Excelsior Branch Library Arts and Culture Salon on Wednesday, April 18, 7-8:30pm

Join us for a slide show and lecture on Georgia O'Keeffe by art historian Marlene Aron.

From her large, sensuous flowers and her expansive, beautiful landscapes, to her soaring skyscrapers and starry nights, Georgia O'Keeffe created a uniquely personal art with a vision that was clearly her own. She captured the very essence of everything she drew and painted. During this lecture, view over 100 slides of the art of Georgia O'Keeffe, as well as photographs by her husband, noted photographer Alfred Stieglitz.

First Monday Movies at Excelsior on Monday, April 2, 6:30-8:30pm

The movie for this month is Morning Glory (1933, 74 mins) with Katharine Hepburn, Douglas Fairbanks, Jr.; directed by Lowell Sherman.

When a naively innocent, aspiring actress arrives on the Broadway scene, she is taken under the wing of several theater veterans who mentor her to ultimate success.

Katharine Hepburn won the Oscar for Best Actress in only her third movie role in 1933.