Volunteering is a key way to support your community! The Monterey Park Bruggemeyer Library has various ways to help people become involved and help the community.

• LAMP Literacy Program:  Become a one-on-one volunteer tutor in the program and experience the personal satisfaction of helping someone to improve his or her reading abilities. LAMP will provide all needed materials.
• Citizenship Program:  Coach and prepare individuals for their interview to receive United States Citizenship.
• Homework Help Assistance Program:  Become a homework helper in the Children’s Department by helping students with their daily homework.
• Community Service Volunteers:  Perform a variety of tasks throughout the library—from shelving books to dusting the bookshelves. Assignments are made on an as-needed basis. No matter what the assignment, each volunteer is considered a valuable member of our staff.

To become a volunteer, a person must be 14 years of age and older.  Those younger than 16, must have parental or guardian authorization. All training will be provided. 

Anyone who is interested in volunteering needs to complete a volunteer application which can be picked up from any of the library’s information desks. Call the Administration Office at (626) 307-1269 or the LAMP Office at (626) 307-1251 for additional information. 

The Friends of the Library helps the library with the book sale, runs the Bookstore, raises funds for Children's programs, presents library programs, etc. They have also spoken at City Council meetings about library services and to other elected officials. Ask at the Reference Desk for an application. Dues are $5.00 for a single person, $10 for a family, $3 for Seniors, $25 for Patron, $50 for Sustaining and $100 for Benefactor. The application form also allows one to volunteer to help with Friends' activities. The Friends Board usually meets in the library on the second Tuesday of each month at 7:00pm

Dave Elliott - President
Harriet Nagata - Secretary
Lilian Kawaratani
Cici Lau - Program Chair
Michelle Li - Junior Friends' President

Around the Writer’s Block Meets

Meeting Room Policy
Library Board of Trustees

Purpose:

The Library Board of Trustees has established this policy to provide fair and equitable access and to regulate the use of the meeting rooms in the library.

Provisions:
The Library Board of Trustees supports the American Library Association's Library Bill of Rights provision on the availability of meeting rooms: “Libraries which make . . . meeting rooms available to the public they serve should make such facilities available on an equitable basis, regardless of the beliefs or affiliations of individuals or groups requesting their use.”It is of the utmost importance that thegroups and individuals who use the meeting rooms understand and acknowledge that they are the guests of the library, that they are able to use the facilities at the discretion of the management of the library and their use of the facilities reflects that understanding. Library's activities and programs have first preference on the use of the library's meeting rooms. The library's meeting rooms are available for public use of a civic, cultural or educational character. The facilities are not available for commercial purposes. Any money collected in the room belongs to the library. Meeting rooms are available only during library hours. Parking is limited.

Please note: The Library requires all users of the meeting rooms to leave a refundable $100.00 deposit with the Library administrative office a minimum of 48 hours before use of the meeting room. We accept either cash, or checks/ money orders made out to the "Monterey Park Bruggemeyer Library." If the room is in decent, clean, and undamaged condition after use, the Library will return the $100.00.

Rooms available:
The Friends Room is 1,600 sq. ft. and seats a maximum of 100 people and is on the second floor with inside stair and elevator access. There are 100 chairs and 16 tables available. A write on/wipe off white board is available along with a large projection screen. The room has a small kitchenette which has a sink and space to plug in coffee or tea makers. Refreshments and/or catered meals may be served although there is limited space in the kitchenette. Restrooms are adjacent to the Friends Room. Booking of this room is via the Reference Desk (626) 307-1368.

There are two LAMP Classrooms on the second floor with inside stair and elevator access. These can also be booked via the Reference Desk (626) 307-1368. The larger classroom is 950 sq. ft and seats a maximum of 49 people. There are 49 chairs and 21 tables available. A write on/wipe off white board is available along with a projection screen. The smaller classroom is 450 sq. ft. and seats a maximum of 30 people. There are 30 chairs and 14 tables. No food or drink (except water) is allowed in the classrooms. Booking of this room is via Reference Desk (626) 307-1368.

Permission to use:
Application forms are available from the Reference Desk, the Administration Office or the LAMP Office in the library or the attachment below. Permission is subject to approval of the City Librarian or designated representative, who reserves the right to cancel any scheduled meetings. The library reserves the right to preempt any use for a library or City-sponsored event; in such rare instances, the library will put forth every reasonable effort to give ample advance notice of such preemption and to assist the group in reserving another date or meeting room. Infopeople is also authorized to use the rooms for training purposes, but if there is a charge to attend, they must supply two free registrations to the staff of the Monterey Park Bruggemeyer Library.

Frequency of use:
The use of the meeting rooms will be limited to once a month per organization. Exceptions to this rule may be based upon special circumstances and upon availability of the room to be determined by the City Librarian. Meetings may be scheduled no more than three months in advance. Tentative reservations may be made by calling the Reference Desk at (626) 307-1368 to reserve the Friends Room or the LAMP Office at (626) 307-1251 to reserve the classrooms, but reservations cannot be confirmed until the application has been received and approved. The meeting room application must be signed at least one week prior to the meeting or the reservation will be subject to cancellation.

Rules and Regulations:
Each organization wishing to use a library meeting room must agree to abide by the following rules and regulations:

1. The meeting rooms may not be used for purposes prohibited by the City or County ordinances, or by State or Federal law. The fact that a group is permitted to meet in the library does not in any way constitute an endorsement of the groups' policies or beliefs.

2. Groups desiring to serve refreshments in the Friends Room may do so if the premises are left in good order. Food service will be restricted to the confines of the room. No alcoholic beverages may be served. If additional maintenance or damage repair is required, the organization will be billed at a minimum of $50 or the cost to clean or repair the room whichever is greater.

3. In accordance with general library rules, no smoking is allowed, and all disruptive noise is prohibited.

4. All meetings are to be open to the public and free of charge.

5. Library insurance does not cover exhibits or materials brought into the library. Neither the library nor the City assumes responsibility for materials, equipment or other articlesleft by any organization, group or individual in the library and will not be liable for loss, theft or damage thereto. The library assumes no responsibility, provides no supervision for groups using the meeting rooms, accepts no deliveries and takes no messages.

6. Organizations need to bring any needed equipment. The only chairs and tables available are those in the room. The library supplies no storage space.

7. The Reference Desk must be notified of all cancellations of the Friends Room and the LAMP Office of the Library of all cancellations to the classrooms as early as possible. The appropriate Desk or Office must be notified of a change in program chairperson or person responsible for the meeting room and any change in purpose of the meeting. Permission to use the meeting rooms is not transferable. Failure to notify the appropriate office of the cancellation or change in the program will affect the organization’s ability to use library’s meeting rooms.

8. Persons using the facilities must conform to all fire and safety regulations, including maintaining open aisle space and abiding by occupancy limits.

9. Organizations must have vacated the meeting rooms by 15 minutes to library closing.

10. Authorization for library facilities and meeting room use does not include the use of staff time other than to provide access to the facility or meeting.

11. Each organization is responsible for its own publicity. Signs and directions cannot be posted anywhere in the library advertising the program except signs approved to be placed on the community bulletin board.

12. In the case of any problems regarding the room and its use, the Librarian in charge has the right to make a decision regarding appropriate use of the room.

13. In the event that an organization fails to comply with any of these terms, use of library meeting rooms will be denied for one year.

14. The Library Board of Trustees is the final authority for the implementation of the provisions of this policy and the related administrative procedures. Any requests for exceptions or waivers to these policies and procedures must be written and submitted at least one month in advance to the Library Board of Trustees for its consideration at its regular meeting.

Around the Writer’s Block Meets

The “Around the Writer’s Block” group usually meets on the second Saturday of each month from 10:00 a.m. until noon in Group Study Room #2 at the library.

Thursdays from 2:00–4:00 p.m. the Prize Discussion Group meets in Group Study Room #2 at the library for discussions of books written by prize-winning authors. The group has been meeting since 1991 with Norm Jaffe as the group coordinator and Bob Bergeron as the group discussion leader.

Free Computer Classes @ the Library

The Monterey Park Bruggemeyer Library provides a three-part computer class designed for teens and adults on Monday evenings (except for holidays) from 7:00-8:00 p.m. in the Computer Lab. Each class is a 90-minute, hands-on class for people with little or no experience with computers. Signups are on a first-come, first-serve basis.

Open Computer Lab

There is an open computer lab Tuesday evenings from 7:00-8:30 p.m. The lab is designed to offer reinforcement and practice time for students in the library’s computer classes and is also open to all those who need personalized help with computer programs such as E-mail, Microsoft Word, Excel and the Internet. A library staff member will be present to answer questions. There is no registration required, but seating is limited to a first-come, first-serve basis.

Classes are free, but seating is limited. To register and for more information, call the Reference Desk at (626) 307-1368 or e-mail us at library@montereypark.ca.gov.

Monterey Park Bruggemeyer Library
318 South Ramona Avenue
Monterey Park CA 91754
ci.monterey-park.ca.us/Library

Monterey Park Library Foundation raises funds to supplement the library's budget. This computer system is due in part to the funds that the Foundation raised over the years. The Foundation accepts donations of any size. Organizations, businesses and individuals who make large donations can have their name listed on the donor board in the library. For more information contact Gwen in the Library Administration Office or call (626) 307-1269.