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We are a 501 (c) 3 non-profit, all donations are tax deductible (Tax ID: #94-2612557).
Donate to OCR on line | Donate directly to support Our Community Reads. Donate on line | Donate to our chapter ~ Please direct your gift to Aptos Chapter of Friends of SCPL. Contact us | Participate, ask Q's, and/or volunteer at events. We want to hear from you! Our Community Reads 2019 project was made possible with support from California Humanities, a non-profit partner of the National Endowment for the Humanities. Visit www.calhum.org. |
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The Death and Life of Monterey Bay A Story of Revival by Stephen R. Palumbi and Carolyn Sotka It is the biography of a place, but also of the residents who reclaimed it … even residents on this idyllic California coast may not realize its full history. Monterey began as a natural paradise, but became the poster child for industrial devastation in John Steinbeck’s Cannery Row. When the fish ran out and the climate turned, the factories emptied and the community crumbled. Today, Monterey’s economy and wildlife are resplendent... through the extraordinary acts of ordinary people. The shores of Monterey Bay revived because of human passion – passion that enlivens every page of this hopeful book. islandpress.org/book/the-death-and-life-of-monterey-bay |
A series of events related to themes in the book took place during January, February and March 2019.
To get involved with preparations for the next season of Our Community Reads
contact us by e-mail at [email protected]
To get involved with preparations for the next season of Our Community Reads
contact us by e-mail at [email protected]
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Events of the 2019 Season of Our Community Reads:
Our last event was held on March 14, 2019. Stay tuned for news of the 2020 season of OCR! January 10 - Aptos Library Book Group Discussion of Death & Life of Monterey Bay led by Judy McNeely. ~ Aptos Library Conference Room ~ 1 p.m. – 2:30 p.m. January 16 - La Selva Beach Library Book Group Discussion of Death & Life of Monterey Bay ~ La Selva Beach Library, 314 Estrella Avenue. ~ 5:30 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. January 22 – Film Series ~ Saving Otter 501. Presented by Michelle Staedler, Otter Expert at the Monterey Bay Aquarium (MBA). The film follows the 501st otter pup to be rescued by the aquarium from the time she is found stranded on a beach through her rehabilitation and release into the wild. Learn about MBA’s otter rescue program and why otters are such an important species for Monterey Bay. Popcorn provided. Show your library card and get a free cookie! ~ Twin Lakes Church, 2701 Cabrillo College Drive, Monschke Hall, Room 7100. ~ 6:30 – 8:30 p.m. For map and directions click here. January 26 – *Speaker Series ~ Dan Haifley, Director, O’Neill Sea Odyssey and Newspaper Columnist, in collaboration with the Aptos History Museum, presents: “The Death and Life of Monterey Bay.” $10 donation requested to benefit the Aptos History Museum. ~ Rio Sands Community Room, 116 Aptos Beach Drive. ~ 2:30 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. January 30 – Panel Discussion ~ Monterey Bay: Today’s Heroes. Interested in current work to preserve Monterey Bay? Who are the present day heroes? This panel of scientists will discuss their research to promote the health of Monterey Bay. The panel includes: Dr. Richard Starr, Moss Landing Marine Labs; Ross Clark, Central Coast Wetlands Group; Dr. Melissa Miller, CA Dept. of Fish and Wildlife; Dr. Jim Barry, Research Chair, Monterey Bay Aquarium; and Dr. John Hunt, Research Toxicologist, UC Davis will moderate the discussion and questions from the audience after the presentations. For more details on this event click here. ~ La Selva Beach Clubhouse, 314 Estrella Avenue. ~ 7 p.m. FEBRUARY 2019 – Display of wonderful, award-winning, picture books about beaches, sea life, and environmental preservation. Selected by Julie Olsen Edwards, Director of Cabrillo College Peace and Anti-Bias Library. ~ Youth Services Room of the Aptos Library. For a pdf of the list of books click here. February 6 - La Selva Beach Library Film Night will feature Saving Otter 501. ~ La Selva Beach Library, 314 Estrella Avenue. ~ 5:30 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. February 7 – Speaker Series ~ Dr. Eva Salas, Cabrillo College faculty in Marine Biology, expert in coral reef ecology and the genetics of marine organisms; May Roberts, PhD candidate in Molecular Ecology at UCSC Long Marine Laboratory; and Kelsey Doyle, Producer and Journalist; together they will present the documentary: “Sustainable oceans: coral reef management in the Western Pacific.” They will discuss positive developments in the field of ocean management and their participation in One People, One Reef, a group of communities and scientists working together to maintain the health of the reefs and of the people of the Micronesian Outer Islands. ~ Cabrillo Horticulture Building, Room 5005, 6500 Soquel Drive. ~ 7 p.m. – 8:30 p.m. For map directions click here. February 9 – Save Our Shores Beach Clean-up at Rio Del Mar Beach. Come pitch in to help keep our beaches clean and safe! A fun and rewarding activity for the whole family! For more details and map click here. ~ Meet at the esplanade (next to the main bathrooms) at Rio Del Mar State Beach. ~ 10 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. February 12 – Speaker Series ~ Mark Silberstein, Executive Director, Elkhorn Slough Foundation (ESF): “The Return of the Slough: Fifty years of Conservation at the Heart of Monterey Bay- the story of Elkhorn Slough.” Following the theme of Steve Palumbi’s book The Death and Life of Monterey Bay the story of Elkhorn Slough is an optimistic tale of the rebirth of one of California’s iconic coastal wetlands. Visionary and dedicated community members changed the trajectory of Elkhorn Slough from a shrinking and degraded backwater to one of the shining examples of positive coastal conservation. Elkhorn Slough Foundation, has worked with the community for the past several decades and Mark will share stories of the restoration and stewardship of the slough, the progress and the challenges ahead for this rich environment. ~ Rio Sands Community Room, 116 Aptos Beach Drive. ~ 7 p.m. – 8:30 p.m. February 19 – Trivia Night ~ Come show off your knowledge of facts from the book, The Death & Life of Monterey Bay. County Supervisor, Zach Friend, will be our Emcee and conduct the festivities. Bring your book clubs! Food & drink available for purchase. ~ Seascape Golf Club, 610 Club House Drive. 6 – 8 p.m. ~ RSVP required: [email protected] February 21 – Authors Talk ~ Join us for a conversation with Author Stephen Palumbi, Professor, Hopkins Marine Station, Stanford University, Author Carolyn Sotka, Professor of Marine Biology, College of Charleston, and Mark Carr, Professor of Biology, Dept. of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, UC Santa Cruz, as they discuss the fascinating history of Monterey Bay and the people who have had an impact on its inhabitants, both human and marine. Co-sponsored by Save Our Shores. Introduction by Nicole Crane, Cabrillo College Marine Biology and Environmental Sciences. ~ Cabrillo College Samper Recital Hall ~ 7:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m. February 27 – Film Series ~ Of the Sea. Presented by Melissa Mahoney, Co-producer and board member of Monterey Bay Fisheries Trust. Fishermen are the stewards of the last wild food on our planet. What can we learn from fishermen about the ocean and our relationship to it? Struggling to revive a fading way of life, fishermen and entrepreneurs are creating new models for how to support sustainably produced seafood. Of the Sea tells the story of California fishing communities and presents a compelling story of the future of sustainable seafood. Popcorn provided. Show your library card and get a free cookie! ~ Aptos Library Conference Room ~ 6:30–8:30 pm. March 2 – *Docent-led walk at Elkhorn Slough. Having learned about the slough in Mark Silberstein’s talk on February 12, come see for yourself what the slough is all about, and learn more about the area. Elkhorn Slough was designated a Wetland of International Importance under the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands. This is a beautiful hiking spot, with largely flat trails that are perfect for an easy walk. Trails lead through marshes, woodlands and alongside tidal creeks where you can see pelicans, herons, egrets, sea lions, crabs, otters and… maybe sharks! 9:30 a.m. start time and a 10 a.m. to noon hike around South Marsh Loop, brings you back in time to either set up a picnic lunch or head to Moss Landing for local eats. ~ Elkhorn Slough Visitor Center ~ 9:30 a.m. to noon. The walk will happen if there’s a light rain. For more details click here. March 7 – Aptos High School “Art and Poetry” Event. Students will present original works of poetry, and personal stories relating to the book. An exhibition will be on display by AHS art students as a competition to redesign the book jacket of The Death and Life of Monterey Bay. Come see and applaud the creativity and imagination of these young people! ~ Aptos High School Library ~ 7:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m. For map and directions click here. To view photos of the art exhibition entries click here. March 10 – *Elkhorn Slough Boat Safari. Playful sea otters, curious harbor seals, boisterous sea lions, and hundreds of bird species abound as you explore one of California's most spectacular wetlands aboard a stable, 27-foot, U.S. Coast Guard-inspected pontoon boat. Fun and informative for the whole family! $30 per person, only 22 seats available. ~ Dock A, Moss Landing South Harbor, 7881 Sandholdt Road ~ 11 a.m.–1 p.m. ~ RSVP required. This event is now full. March 14 – Lunch with Steinbeck ~ Topsy Smalley, Research Librarian and Cabrillo College Librarian Emerita will lead a fun discussion of Steinbeck’s Cannery Row. Come get your literary fix and enjoy delicious barbeque, while discussing this timeless tale of Doc (based on the real Ed Ricketts) and the colorful characters who inhabit this tale of the cannery district of Monterey during Steinbeck’s time. For a taste of this Steinbeck classic click here and here. Bring your friends to this fun and yummy fundraising event: 15% of the proceeds will be donated by Aptos St. BBQ to the Friends of the Aptos Library ~ Aptos St. BBQ, 8059 Aptos St. ~ 11:30 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. *All events were open to the public and all events were free except where noted with* |
Our Community Reads is a program launched in August 2017 by the Aptos Chapter of the Friends of the Santa Cruz Public Libraries. The goal is to create a shared experience by having members of the entire Santa Cruz community - from teens to adults - all reading the same book. The 2019 selection: 
To view list of events details in printable pdf format click here. To view the list of events in 7-day calendar style click here. 
To read Dan Haifley's, Our Ocean Backyard, article in the Santa Cruz Sentinel 1-26-19 click here.
Children’s Picture Books about Bays, Beaches, Rivers and Oceans and the people who protect them.
Youth Services Room, Aptos Library. For a list of these books click here. 
Want to know more about Elkhorn Slough? Here are some books
recommended by Mark Silberstein, Elkhorn Slough Foundation. 
The California Humanities grant enabled us to purchase high-quality Spanish-language children’s books to be distributed to children by the Santa Cruz Public Library Bookmobile.
For a list of these books and more details about this Bookmobile donation click here. |
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Deluxe Foods will donate 5% of sale to Friends of Aptos Library.
All you have to do is mention the Aptos Library Friends to the cashier and they will take care of the rest. Click here ~ and ~ here for news article.
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