East Bay Children's Book Project

from East Bay Children's Book Project

"The East Bay Children’s Book Project was founded to help build literacy by putting books into the hands of children who have little or no access to them. Working through individuals and organizations who help children in need, the East Bay Children’s Book Project has given out over 475,000 free books since opening its doors in May 2005."

"Our books are picked up and given directly to children in need by teachers, social workers, health care professionals, community outreach groups, housing authority employees, and police officers. Some are used by schools, daycare and community centers, homeless shelters, and hospitals to create libraries at their sites. Our clients determine how best to meet the needs of the children with whom they work."

Our Oakland : Eastside Stories, art project by artist Rene Yung

from Our Oakland : Eastside Stories

Our Oakland : Eastside Stories is an integrated public art project by artist Rene Yung that will beautify the new East Oakland Community Library and create a new platform for community storytelling about East Oakland.  The overall theme of the project is Mutuality + Transformation, meaning that as members of a community, each of us is interconnected and we have the power to individually and collectively take action to make positive changes in our communities.

This project consists of three parts:

• Public Art in the Library with art glass in a 64-foot clerestory window and an Interactive Pod
• A Digital Archive of Community Stories about East Oakland
• Community building activities including forming new partnerships and hosting storytelling events to build a new community online that will help build community on the ground.