Donate and support a local literacy nonprofit
The East Bay offers bountiful opportunities to include a donation to nonprofit organizations supporting literacy. Top on the holiday gift list might be the Oakland Literacy Council, which seeks to ensure every child has access to strong reading materials and partners with schools and communities. Public events, online archives, an Oakland Reads initiative, and other resources invite people to tap into more. The Oakland Public Library’s terrific Second Start program offers free and private reading assistance for older youth no longer enrolled in school and adults not attending college.
Tutors are able to assist with reading for English as a second language learners, classes to complete earning a high school diploma, help needed with writing or math skills and more. Check out the Friends groups and foundations at a branch or at the main library to discover how they use donations to underwrite their literacy
programs and the best ways to participate.
Shop at a local bookstore
Piedmonters are familiar with the area’s amazing independent bookstores, but as the year draws to a close, a reminder of their preciousness is always helpful. To keep their doors open, drop in and make a purchase. Shoppers will find well-informed staff, engaged owners who are often onsite, and a wide selection of books and lit gifts for every reader and recipient imaginable. Among the best are A Great Good Place for Books, Marcus Books, Mrs. Dalloway’s Bookstore, Spectator Books, East Bay Booksellers, Black Swan Books, Walden Pond Books, and new-kid-on-the-block, Tally Ho.
Explore books from local publishers and publishing partners
It is no surprise that in addition to resource-rich public libraries and terrific indie bookstores there are notable publishers headquartered in the Bay Area. High recommendations go to Berkeley-based Creston Books, founded by award-winning author Marissa Moss; Chronicle Books and City Lights Publishing in San Francisco, Publishers Group West, a Berkeley-based Ingram Content Group partner, and author/chef/artist/publisher Bryant Terry’s 4 Color, an imprint of Bryant Terry, Ten Speed Press, and Penguin Random House.
Remember museum gift shops
The Berkeley Art Museum and Pacific Film Archives gift shop has books, notebooks, pocket card guides, games, and other lit-related items with local relevance. The store is open Wednesday through Sunday, 11 a.m to 7 p.m.
The gift shop and online selections at the Oakland Museum of California include book bags, exhibition catalogues, books including cookbooks and children’s picture books, notecards, playing cards, and more. Most of the items connect closely to California and Bay Area history and culture. The shop is open during regular museum hours.
The Chabot Space & Science Center angles sharply to hands-on items such as sticker books, coloring and drawing journals, and non-fiction books on topics like simple stargazing, the complex galaxies in space, and general and new discoveries and facts about astronomy and space exploration.
The less-known Magnes Collection of Jewish Art and Life in Berkeley is a superb museum with an amazing archive in addition to exhibits that emphasize writing, reading, and the rich repository of history found in documents and other written materials. Events such as the PJ Library’s Story Hours introduce young readers to books centered on selected themes; the annual Jewish Arts & Bookfest celebrates Jewish American Heritage Month with authors and artists participating in panel discussions, workshops, readings, storytelling sessions, and teen programs.
Attend an event east of the Caldecott
Journey through the tunnel and find good fortune by attending an event hosted by Orinda Books. The venerable shop has an offsite gathering at the Lafayette Library in December; The Sweet Thursdays Author Series holiday gift presentation during which visitors hear quick summaries of the newest books for all ages. Store owner Pat Rudebusch and Catherine Davis lead the discussion and books are available for purchase. The program is free, but registration is required. While visiting the website for more information, peruse upcoming events later in December and add their newsletter to your inbox.
Farther down the road is one of the Bay Area’s absolute best independent bookstores, Rakestraw Books. Owner Michael Barnard is a master guru of literature backed by a solid crew of knowledgable, book-addicted staff. Upcoming in-store visits from top tier authors include bestselling novelists Meg Donohue and Simon Winchester. Keep an eye on the website for last-minute additions and again, consider adding their weekly newsletter to your incoming email.