Long Beach Leaders are Readers: Skip Keesal, A Legacy of Leadership and Community Impact in Long Beach
Top leaders of the world have the exceptional simple habit of reading. Whether for enjoyment or enrichment, reading stimulates the mind and fuels creativity. Long Beach Leaders are Readers features leaders in our community as they share their recommended reads.
This month, we are honored to feature Skip Keesal, the driving force behind Keesal, Young & Logan, a prominent law firm with deep roots in Long Beach. Skip’s remarkable leadership is matched by his unwavering commitment to philanthropy, impacting countless organizations, from the Boys and Girls Clubs to the Long Beach Public Library Foundation.
Skip’s contributions to the Long Beach community are immense. He has consistently risen to the occasion, supporting critical library programs through events like the annual Grape Expectations gala and offering his firm’s expertise to our Board of Directors. His dedication to giving back has been a cornerstone of his leadership, making him a vital part of the fabric that defines Long Beach as a world-class city.
Join us in celebrating Skip Keesal, a leader whose generosity and vision continue to elevate the Long Beach community.
The Education of a Poker Player
by Herbert O. Yardley
Meet Skip Keesal:
What made you choose The Education of a Poker Player as your book recommendation?
I read this book in High School which later helped me win enough money to buy my first (almost) new car using poker proceeds won during my first six months in the Army. As important as the poker wisdom was, so was the unique, interesting and fun stories used as the backdrop for the poker games which were the bases for the strategies applied.
About Skip Keesal
Skip Keesal is the founding partner of Keesal, Young & Logan, a distinguished law firm based in Long Beach. Renowned for his leadership and deep-rooted commitment to philanthropy, Skip has made a lasting impact on a wide range of organizations, including the Boys and Girls Clubs, Long Beach Cancer League, Steel Magnolias, and the Long Beach Public Library Foundation. His dedication to community service and his extensive contributions have earned him recognition as one of the “10 Most Powerful People in Long Beach.”
Skip also serves on the Board of Governors for Cal State Long Beach and the national Board of Trustees for the Boys and Girls Club. Whether through his professional work or his philanthropic efforts, Skip continues to shape and support the Long Beach community with vision, generosity, and a passion for giving back.
Learn more about Keesal, Young & Logan on their website.
Find The Education of a Poker Player at your local library branch soon!
Long Beach Leaders are Readers: Senator Lena Gonzalez, A Voice for the Community
Top leaders of the world have the exceptional simple habit of reading. Whether for enjoyment or enrichment, reading stimulates the mind and fuels creativity. Long Beach Leaders are Readers features leaders in our community as they share their recommended reads.
As we approach the beginning of Hispanic Heritage Month in September, we are honored to spotlight Senator Lena A. Gonzalez, a proud Latina leader representing California’s 33rd District, including Southeast Los Angeles, Signal Hill, South Los Angeles, Lakewood, and her hometown of Long Beach. Since her election in 2019, Senator Gonzalez has been a powerful advocate for nearly 1 million residents.
Senator Gonzalez is a strong voice for working families, tirelessly advocating for improved working conditions and elevating the voices of all workers. She prioritizes a clean environment, digital inclusion, LGBTQ+ and women’s rights, and the economic vitality of small businesses. Her dedication to these causes, combined with her deep connection to her Latina heritage, makes her an inspiring figure as we celebrate the contributions of Hispanic leaders in our community.
Join us in recognizing Senator Lena A. Gonzalez and her unwavering commitment to creating a better future for all.
The Last Fire Season: A Personal and Pyronatural History
by Manjula Martin
Meet Senator Gonzalez:
What made you choose The Last Fire Season: A Personal and Pyronatural History as your book recommendation?
When Manjula Martin moved from the city to the woods of Northern California, she wanted to be closer to the wilderness that she had loved as a child. She was also seeking refuge from a health crisis that left her with chronic pain, and found a sense of healing through tending her garden beneath the redwoods of Sonoma County. But the landscape that Martin treasured was an ecosystem already in crisis. Wildfires fueled by climate change were growing bigger and more frequent: each autumn, her garden filled with smoke and ash, and the local firehouse siren wailed deep into the night.
In 2020, when a dry lightning storm ignited hundreds of simultaneous wildfires across the West and kicked off the worst fire season on record, Martin, along with thousands of other Californians, evacuated her home in the midst of a pandemic.
This book is mesmerizing, beautifully written account of living through and trying to come to terms with the harrowing impacts of the climate crisis.
Senator Lena A. Gonzalez was first elected to the State Senate to represent the 33rd District in a special election in June of 2019 and was subsequently re-elected in the November 3, 2020 general election for her first full 4-year term. As State Senator, she represents nearly 1 million residents in Southeast Los Angeles, Signal Hill, portions of South Los Angeles, Lakewood, and her hometown of Long Beach.
In the Senate, Senator Gonzalez is a strong voice for working families, advocating to improve working conditions and lifting up the voices of all workers. She prioritizes and fights for a clean environment, digital inclusion, LGBTQ+ and women’s rights and the economic vitality of small businesses among other policy areas.
Find The Last Fire Season: A Personal and Pyronatural History at your local library branch by clicking here!
Long Beach Leaders are Readers: Jennifer Kumiyama, Singer, Actress and Accessibility Champion
Top leaders of the world have the exceptional simple habit of reading. Whether for enjoyment or enrichment, reading stimulates the mind and fuels creativity. Long Beach Leaders are Readers features leaders in our community as they share their recommended reads.
This August, in honor of Women’s Equality Month, we are delighted to spotlight Jennifer Kumiyama, the Citywide Accessibility Coordinator, actress, and singer. Jennifer’s remarkable journey and dedication to accessibility and inclusion make her a true inspiration.
Jennifer recommends WISH. This delightful story emphasizes the importance of hope, perseverance, and believing in oneself. Jennifer shares this book to highlight these themes, which resonate deeply during Women’s Equality Month. Discover how this charming tale reflects Jennifer’s advocacy and her commitment to creating a more inclusive and equitable community.
Join us in celebrating Jennifer Kumiyama and her impactful contributions to our community.
WISH
Adapted by Luna Chi (Little Golden Book)
Meet Jennifer Kumiyama:
What made you choose WISH as your book recommendation?
I chose this book, because I voiced the character, Dahlia, in the animated feature film.
What do you hope other readers get from reading your book recommendation?
That regardless of circumstance we have more power to make our own dreams a reality.
How old were you when you got your first library card?
I was ten years old.
Were there any stand-out scenes or particular passages from your recommended book that have impacted your life?
We have the power to make our own wishes come true.
Why do you think reading is important?
Reading introduces us to other ways of life, teaches us new things that we may have never learned otherwise.
Jennifer Kumiyama, Actress, Singer and Accessibility Champion
Jennifer Kumiyama was born with Arthrogryposis and uses a wheelchair daily. Kumiyama earned a spot on Warner Bros. reality TV show “Popstars 2” and earned national accolades from many publications including Variety Magazine and TV Guide – referring to her as “the girl in the wheelchair, who’s voice blew everyone out of the water”. Shortly after that in 2002 – Jennifer was cast in Disney’s “Aladdin; a Musical Spectacular” at Disney California Adventure Theme Park, where she is the first performer in a wheelchair to ever be on any Disney stage in the world. She performed 4 times a day for 8,000 guests a day, who visit from every corner of the world. It was at Disney that Jennifer took on her real role as an advocate for people living with disabilities – showing the entire world that talent sees no boundaries. This motivated her to become a speaker – sharing her story with schools, social groups, and major businesses. Her new passion, in addition to singing – is being a voice for people living with disabilities by breaking attitudinal and architectural barriers. “Aladdin; a Musical Spectacular” closed on January 10, 2016.
In 2010, Jennifer was crowned Ms. Wheelchair California and Ms. Wheelchair America 2011, 1st Runner Up. During her reign she spread the message of hope through her platform “Empowering Children with Disabilities to Make Their Own Dreams Come True”.
Jennifer was cast in a major role as ‘Carmen’ in Sundance Film Festival hit and Academy Award Nominated film “The Sessions”, MTV’s teen sensation “Awkward” and “Celebrity Undercover Boss”.
Since the closing of ‘Aladdin’ Jennifer worked for former Long Beach Councilwoman, Senator Lena Gonzalez, former Long Beach Mayor Dr. Robert Garcia and is also an elected AD 70 Delegate in the California Democratic Party.
Jennifer can be heard as the voice of Dahlia in Disney’s new hit animated feature WISH, released in theaters everywhere November 22nd, 2023.
Jennifer is currently the City of Long Beach Citywide Accessibility Coordinator. You can learn more about Jennifer on her website.
Find Wish at your local library branch by clicking here!
Long Beach Leaders are Readers: City of Long Beach 2024 Youth Poet Laureate, Helena Donato-Sapp
Top leaders of the world have the exceptional simple habit of reading. Whether for enjoyment or enrichment, reading stimulates the mind and fuels creativity. Long Beach Leaders are Readers features leaders in our community as they share their recommended reads.
In July, we spotlight Helena Donato-Sapp, the City of Long Beach’s 2024 Youth Poet Laureate. Helena is a published author, exhibited artist, and a passionate disability justice activist. Her book recommendation, Figure It Out, Henri Weldon, tells the story of a young Black girl who loves poetry and has dyscalculia. Helena, who also has dyscalculia, shares this book to highlight Disability Awareness Month, emphasizing the importance of diverse literature in reflecting our experiences and fostering understanding. Discover how this young adult novel beautifully mirrors her journey and advocacy.
Figure It Out, Henri Weldon
by Tanita S. Davis
Meet Helena Donato-Sapp:
What made you choose Figure It Out, Henri Weldon as your book recommendation?
My book recommendation is Figure It Out, Henri Weldon and it is about a young Black girl who loves poetry and has a learning disability called dyscalculia, which is a math disorder. This book is important for me to share because July is Disability Awareness Month, I am a Disability Justice activist, I am a poet, and I have dyscalculia also. Not only are diverse books important because they help so many of us who were erased from literature for centuries, but they provide a rich window into the lives of others that many might not be able to witness otherwise. As the 2024-2025 Long Beach Youth Poet Laureate, I wanted a young adult novel that highlighted poetry, of course, but also one that informed readers about learning disabilities and the struggles those of us that have them face daily. I encourage everyone to go to your local library and find a book that beautifully mirrors you as well. It makes me, for one, feel less alone. Let’s all lift up Disability Pride!
What do you hope other readers get from reading your book recommendation?
I believe that kids can tackle tough topics and this book shows a story where this happened quite beautifully. I am so impacted by this book, that I want to buy a copy of it for every math teacher I have going forward – and for any peer who becomes a good friend – so that they can have a deeper understanding of what it means to have dyscalculia.
How relevant or relatable are the themes or messages of the book to your own life, or to society today?
Good literature always has an abundance of universal themes and Figure It Out, Henri Weldon is no exception. I liked the themes of friendship, taking risks, and boldness.
What did you learn from the book or what did it teach you about yourself or others?
I was affirmed by Henri writing poetry, writing in journals and on scrap paper because I have that done that all my life too. But when I saw that she was writing about math and to math…that inspired me to want to think more deeply about how I communicate about my math disorder to others. It inspired me, actually to write a poem on dyscalculia where I used some numbers for letters to make it a bit more difficult for readers so that they might get a sense of how hard it is to decipher numbers for those of us with dyscalculia. And guess what? I read that poem at the Long Beach Youth Poet Laureate Finals and I think it won me the Poet Laureate position!
Were there any stand-out scenes or particular passages from your recommended book that have impacted your life?
I read a lot of books on disability in my partnership with the National Education Association (NEA) and my role as a social media influencer for their organization, particularly their Disability Awareness Booklist and their Read Across America initiative. But I was shocked to find a book that was about a teenage Black girl who loves poetry and has one of the same learning disabilities that I have – dyscalculia. It’s hard not to feel all alone when you have a disability that rarely comes up and this book really touched my life because the stories of Henri struggling with math are the exact same things that have happened to me in my schooling.
How did your recommended book make you think or feel about a certain topic or issue?
Like I said, since it mirrored me so much, it made me feel less alone. It also emboldens me because if Henri can push forward and be bold and brave, then I feel that I can too!
Did your recommended book challenge or change your perspective or opinion on something?
It reaffirmed my belief that it is important for diverse authors to write diverse books about diverse kids who have diverse intersectional identities! The more diverse, the better!
How old were you when you got your first library card?
I was 15 years old.
Has a book ever changed your life?
It was really a genre that changed my life more than a book. I was a struggling reader because of my four learning disabilities and the books that saved me were graphic novels! Oh! I ate them up! They were the first books that I “read” because I could cue from the pictures and I read hundreds of graphic novels throughout my childhood. They boosted my confidence and graphic novels the books that are most responsible for me being an avid reader today.
Do you prefer paperbacks or e-books?
I just got a Kindle for my birthday from my Grandma and I am loving it! But I will always be in love with paperbacks. The touch of them, the smell of them, running my fingers over the lines on the pages, being able to take pencils and highlighters and annotate them…that is heaven to me!
Did someone read to you when you were a child?
Oh yes! My two dads are avid readers and I have pictures of them holding me in their arms and reading to me since the first day I got home from the hospital. My Grandma is the most hungry reader I know and she reads day and night. She even gets my booklist from school and reads every title alongside me!
What are your favorite genres to read?
This is an easy answer – science fiction and horror! Three cheers for Stephen King!
Where is your favorite place to read? Outside? Local coffee shop? On vacation?
On our couch, in a chair, and laying in bed at night with my night light putting a warm glow on the pages.
Is there an author you’d like to meet? Can you share their name or work?
I would want to meet Stephen King! Plus, I also really like his politics. Plus-plus, I love how he thinks about writing too.
What’s the last book you read?
The last book I read for school was The Beekeeper of Aleppo by Christy Lefteri. I loved it and nearly all of our books in freshman year were about immigration and refugees. But yesterday was my first day of summer and so I started reading The Hunger Games again.
What book will you read next?
The next on my list is a book is titled Unbroken: 13 Stories Starring Disabled Teens edited by Marieke Nijkamp. It is a great YA book featuring all disabled authors. The thing I love about it is that it has so many different genres in it – from realistic fiction to romance to fantasy to science fiction and horror. Science fiction and horror are my favorite genres so that is what caught my attention about this wonderful book.
If you wrote a memoir, what would the title be?
The Evil Teacher Who Said “You can’t”
Why do you think reading is important?
I was bullied a lot in K-8 and didn’t have a lot of friends. Books were my friends. I always had a book on me because if I was going to be alone at lunch or on the playground I could find safety in the pages of books. To this day, I never leave home without a book in my hand. I have spent my entire childhood reading and reading and reading and it is informative and fun! Books are friends and there are lots of friends at your local library waiting to meet you!
Helena Donato-Sapp, 2024 Long Beach Youth Poet Laureate
Helena Donato-Sapp is the City of Long Beach’s 2024 Youth Poet Laureate, a published author, exhibited artist, working poet and sought-after keynote speaker who has been featured on the Disney Channel and in Discovery Education. Helena Donato-Sapp has also been appointed to the Long Beach Commission for Women and Girls. Her awards include the Global Youth Award for Educational Leadership, the 2023-24 Heumann-Armstrong Award and the “Yes, I Can Academic Award,” among others.
Find Figure It Out, Henri Weldon at your local library branch by clicking here!
Long Beach Leaders are Readers: Doug Haubert, Long Beach City Prosecutor, Shares His Literary Journey
Top leaders of the world have the exceptional simple habit of reading. Whether for enjoyment or enrichment, reading stimulates the mind and fuels creativity. Long Beach Leaders are Readers features leaders in our community as they share their recommended reads.
In June, we spotlight Doug Haubert, the Long Beach City Prosecutor known for his innovative gang prevention strategies and advocacy for alternative sentencing programs. As a father, Doug found a renewed love for reading through bedtime stories with his son. He shares his profound connection with literature, specifically The Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemingway. Discover how this classic novel rekindled his love for reading, offering timeless insights into human resilience, friendship, and the simple joys of life.
The Old Man and The Sea
by Ernest Hemingway
Meet Doug Haubert:
What made you choose The Old Man and the Sea as your book recommendation?
The Old Man and the Sea was the first book I read as an adult when I decided to return to reading. My mother-in-law, Kathy, gave my son Alice in Wonderland, the original version. He was too young to read it himself, so I read it to him every night and realized this is a story for grownups. The themes and constant play on words were definitely for adult readers. I started to enjoy our bedtime ritual as much as my son, wondering if I was missing out – maybe the classics we were told to read (but never wanted to) in our younger years were actually meant for us as adults.
After that experience, starting with The Old Man and Sea, I started binge reading the classics. They are considered great for a reason, Ernest Hemingway, Willa Cather, John Steinbeck, Jack London, Victor Hugo, and others, they don’t just write great stories, they capture the human condition in a way that is timeless.
The Old Man and the Sea is a tender, but sad story about a very old, very poor fisherman, Santiago, who goes through a long dry spell where he cannot catch a fish for months. Then he hooks the fish of a lifetime, a giant Marlin, and most of the book is the struggle between Santiago and the Marlin.
Santiago is the underdog, and you cannot help but cheer for him. You want him to break his dry spell with a record catch.
I also loved the book because of the relationship between Santiago and a boy, Manolin, who clearly loves and respects Santiago. They talk about baseball and the way I used to talk to my grandfather about baseball.
I had just finished The Old Man and the Sea when Kathy passed away unexpectedly. She was only 59. I took my son to the Belmont Pier and shared the news with him. We took a place on a bench and cried for a while, then we just sat, looking out at the deep, dark ocean.
What do you hope other readers get from reading your book recommendation?
I intentionally picked a book that most people have heard of, but have never read or perhaps have not read recently. One might have read it in high school, or were supposed to read it (hey, there’s a reason for CliffNotes).
As I mentioned, after reading Alice in Wonderland, I read The Old Man and the Sea, then I started binging on books considered classics. I was in my late 30’s and had not read for fun in many, many years, but now I was returning to the library each week until I had read virtually everything on TIME Magazine’s “All TIME 100 Novels.”
The Old Man and the Sea is a short, easy read. I hope people read it again, as an adult. If people like it, maybe they will start to re-read other classics, like The Pearl, by John Steinbeck, or Death Comes for the Archbishop, by Willa Cather. They are short, sweet stories that a teenager might skim through just enough to pass a literature class, but an older reader might find deeper meaning.
I would be curious if anyone discovers what I discovered. That most of the books we consider old classics are more enjoyable and more profound if we read them as adults, and are actually pretty relevant to our lives still.
How relevant or relatable are the themes or messages of the book to your own life, or to society today?
In modern times it seems that status, money, fame, influence, power, are the things by which we judge people and expect to be judged by others. Just think of what you see on social media. Our society has never had more material wealth, and yet been less happy.
Santiago may be poor, but he has friendship in Manolin. The old fisherman is not fishing for money. He is not trying to catch a great fish for fame or glory. He is fishing because that is what he is, a fisherman. He, along with the boy, Manolin, are very poor, but there is no mention of having to catch fish to survive. In fact, when the story begins Santiago has just had 84 days without a catch. He feels 85 is a lucky number so he goes out again.
The story is about struggling and persevering, not giving up, not complaining about bad things that happen to us. The story is also about friendship. The book is timeless and there are life lessons that should keep our minds off material things so we can focus on what really matters.
Were there any stand-out scenes or particular passages from your recommended book that have impacted your life?
There are two things that I will always remember about this book. First, it is the friendship between Santiago, the very old fisherman, and Manolin, the apprentice. Manolin wants to fish with Santiago, but his parents won’t let him because Santiago is “unlucky.”
Manolin takes care of the old fisherman man and brings food to his room. They talk about the Yankees and Joe DiMaggio. “I would like to take the great DiMaggio fishing,” the old many said. “They say his father was a fisherman. Maybe he was as poor as we are and would understand.”
Even if you do not recognize names like Joe DiMaggio, Dick Sisler, John McGraw and Leo Durocher, you will be touched by the relationship between Manolin and the old man.
The second part I will never forget is when Santiago is heading back to shore with the Marlin on the line. Due to its size, the Marlin can’t be brought into the boat, and this eventually attracts the attention of sharks. I don’t want to give away too much, but you can only imagine that Santiago had enough to overcome, and now he has to fight off sharks coming after his prize fish.
Hemingway is known for his dialogue, but since most of the book is about the struggle between Hemingway and the Marlin, Santiago either talking to himself, or talking to fish and birds around his boat. Here’s one example: “Fish,” he said, “I love and respect you very much. But I will kill you dead before this day ends.”
How did your recommended book make you think or feel about a certain topic or issue?
No matter how bad things get in my life, I still have it easier than the old fisherman, Santiago. Sometimes we forget how good we have it.
How old were you when you got your first library card?
Probably 9 years old
Has a book ever changed your life?
Yes, but too many to list and all for different reasons. The late-in-life binging that started in my late 30’s was a period of personal growth for me. I would not have run for City Prosecutor if that experience never happened.
Do you prefer paperbacks or e-books?
I don’t own an e-reader. Maybe someday I will get on that bandwagon because it’s more practical. I still prefer books, whether paperback or hardcover. I admit I also prefer newspaper to online, but I seem to get all my news online these days.
Is there an author you’d like to meet? Can you share their name or work?
John Grisham. His life story is fascinating to me. Everyone knows his legal thrillers, but there’s one called Playing for Pizza that is totally different.
Did someone read to you when you were a child?
I do not recall being read to as a child, but I liked books when I was a kid. I was a high energy child, always playing sports, but on Saturdays our local library had programming for kids, so I would get dropped off at the library with my brother. I was about 9 or 10 years old.
Really, though, I stopped reading when I started to be given reading assignments. If I had to read, it wasn’t as much fun. I read a lot in college and law school, but it wasn’t for pleasure. In fact, many years had passed before I started to read for fun again, in my late 30’s.
What are your favorite genres to read?
Fiction.
Where is your favorite place to read? Outside? Local coffee shop? On vacation?
I love to read on vacation, in fact, when I am going to travel somewhere I will usually find a novel set in that location. For example, I read The Descendants right before I went to Kauai.
What’s the last book you read?
I have been reading Malcom Gladwell recently. I read Outliers, then Blink, now I am finishing The Tipping Point. This is unusual for me because I love fiction, especially fiction with some history, legal and political accuracy.
What book will you read next?
I still need to read Sparring Partners, by John Grisham, so that will probably be next. But I’m always looking for recommendations!
If you wrote a memoir, what would the title be?
City Prosecutor – because the most interesting part of my life (up to this point) has happened during my time as the City Prosecutor.
Why do you think reading is important?
It’s been said that all learning is self-taught. The written word is a form of art that can take us to different time periods and places in the world, and beyond our world. The act of translating letters into words, and words into thoughts, is unique, and there are parts of the brain that are stimulated only by reading.
Doug Haubert, Long Beach City Prosecutor
Doug Haubert is a skilled attorney with 24 years of experience as a civil and criminal prosecutor. He was elected Long Beach City Prosecutor in 2010, and re-elected in 2014, 2018 and 2022.
As City Prosecutor, he started Long Beach’s Gang Prevention Strategy, a three-part approach to reducing gang activity through intervention, rehabilitation, and enforcement of gang court orders. He is also recognized as a national leader in court diversion and alternative sentencing programs for low-level, first-time offenders. One of his programs, the Long Beach Community Service Worker (CSW) program, was named “Best Neighborhood Program” in America by nonprofit organization Neighborhoods, USA.
City Prosecutor Haubert received his B.A. in Political Science from U.C. Santa Barbara, and his Juris Doctorate With Distinction from University of the Pacific, McGeorge School of Law. He has served on many local boards and commissions, including the California State Bar Public Law Executive Committee, the Long Beach Public Library Foundation, and Goodwill Industries of Southern Los Angeles Board of Directors, WomenShelter of Long Beach, and Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) of Southern California. He is currently the President of the Los Angeles County Prosecutors Association.
Learn more on the City Prosecutor website.
Find “The Old Man and the Sea” at your local library branch by clicking here!
President Lincoln Memorial Returns to Greet Library Visitors
Since the memorial was unveiled in 1915, the statue of President Abraham Lincoln has stood in front of the Main Library. As the Main Library has evolved through the years, the statue has kept its rightful location to welcome library visitors. You can visit Mr. Lincoln at the newly reopened Lincoln Park in front of the Billie Jean King Main Library.
The photos below are from the Long Beach Public Library digital archives which you can explore at https://lbpl.contentdm.oclc.org.
Remembering Bob Kilpatrick
By Margaret Durnin, Long Beach Public Library Foundation Founding Board Member
How many of us know someone who is 95 years old and still rides a bike to pick up groceries?
How many of us keep three or more books going at the same time?
And, how many of us will have colleagues and friends remember us as someone with an acute mind; as a person who was always calm and steady; one who never shouted; and someone who always made colleagues and friends feel extra special?
Bob Kilpatrick did all of that and more. In fact, Bob was one of the four people who originally founded the Long Beach Public Library Foundation 25 years ago.
We lost him late last November.
Bob was born in 1921 and would have been 100 years old this year. He was a voracious reader to the end of his life, an avid library user who embraced the idea of a library foundation as a wonderful vehicle that could help children learn to read and succeed in school.
Raised in Stillwater, Minnesota, it was the end of WWI and the Spanish Flu Epidemic, and the start of the Roaring Twenties. Women had just received the vote. Bob’s father was an accountant and his mother a homemaker. Like so many, his family suffered terrible losses when the Great Depression hit although Bob’s high academic ability enabled him to get a college scholarship at St. Thomas University. He enlisted in the Marine Corps when the United States entered WWII, and trained Navy pilots to pilot bi-planes. Afterwards, Bob used the GI Bill to attend law school at the University of Chicago. One of his classmates was George Wise who invited him to come west to California and establish a law practice with him in Long Beach. Bob traveled west but was called back into military service for the Korean War. He spent his war years litigating matters at El Toro Marine Base in California. After the war, he practiced law with George for almost 40 years, a practice that included Sterling Clayton, and later, Phil Madden, Monte Cole, and Bob Johnson. Bob Kilpatrick retired in 1989.
Those of us eager to begin a Library Foundation in 1996 were so lucky to have Bob’s expertise! He drafted our documents and then filed them in Sacramento and Washington D.C. Bob helped us negotiate our early days with intelligence and a sense of humor. Cordelia Howard, past Director of Library Services, recalls the importance of Bob Kilpatrick’s calm steadiness.
Just as Bob would study the best and safest route for his bike rides, Bob helped us find the best route to establish the Long Beach Public Library Foundation twenty-five years ago. I’m sorry he won’t be here to help celebrate with us, and to be celebrated!
Happy 125th Birthday, Long Beach Public Library!
2021 marks two important anniversaries — the Long Beach Public Library Foundation’s 25th and the Long Beach Public Library’s 125th year of service to the Long Beach community.
On January 1, 1896, the Long Beach Library Association with books donated by the Women’s Christian Temperance Union opened the City’s first library in a small structure on Ocean Boulevard. Today, we celebrate those early supporters of literacy who raised funds and advocated to make the Library possible. The Library has grown into a premier center of learning with 12 locations and an extensive collection of online resources that hundreds of thousands of families, students, job seekers, veterans, those with disabilities, and older individuals depend upon. It continues to transform lives with the support of donations to the Library Foundation.
Thank you for helping us continue a legacy of promoting free educational resources for all members of the community!
Enjoy the photos below of the downtown library through the years. The Library manages a digitized collection of directories, high school yearbooks, and photographs from the City’s history which can be enjoyed at any time — no library card required. Check it out at https://lbpl.contentdm.oclc.org/digital.
A Look Back at the Downtown Library Through the Years
Learning and Teaching at the Library – Sanghak Kan’s Story
Many of our Library Foundation donors and the Library’s volunteers provide support because a public library made a difference in their lives and they want to help others who depend on library programs. Sanghak Kan and his family are prime examples of those who have had their lives transformed by the Library and then support the Library in making a difference in the lives of others.
Sanghak Kan and his wife, Sophea Chim, immigrated to the United States in 2017 with their children after 12 years of applications. They quickly settled in Long Beach’s Cambodia Town and it wasn’t long before they visited the Mark Twain Library. Senior Librarian Jennifer Songster introduced them to resources to connect with their new community and services for their children. Their eldest daughter received homework help from the Family Learning Center and developed her reading skills through the Summer Reading program. Both of these programs are supported by the Library Foundation.
Sanghak wrote a letter of thanks to Mark Twain Library staff last year:
Congratulations to my beloved daughter who is a first-grader in the Long Beach Unified School District. She received the Character Award, “I will always be a scholar,” last month!
As a parent I am so excited about her first ever achievement in first grade. I recognize that this good result came from many factors, and one among those is the Summer Reading Program. Heartfelt thanks to the City of Long Beach and especially the Mark Twain Library for making the Summer Reading Program happen smoothly and fruitfully. This program builds a habit and love of reading for children and gets them involved with creative, innovative and joyous activities.
Hand in hand – families, schools, and libraries – we can shape our young generations for a bright and prosperous future.
Sanghak and Sophea have set out to support the Library in doing just that.
In less than two years they have become two of the Library’s most dedicated volunteers. Sanghak volunteers every weekend to teach beginning Khmer language classes at the Mark Twain Library. Last month, he started an English language class for Khmer speakers.
Sophea assists with the classes and she and Sanghak also lead the Library’s new Khmer-English Storytime every Saturday. Their daughter has followed her parent’s example and volunteers as a guest reader at the storytime events.
In addition to his volunteer work, Sanghak began working as a contractor for the Library earlier this year to complete the Khmer Cataloging Project which will make books in the collection searchable in Khmer script in the Library’s online catalog. The Long Beach Public Library has the largest collection of Khmer materials of any public library in the country. The collection has recently expanded thanks to a book buying trip to Cambodia that the Library Foundation helped fund in December 2018.
Sanghak is truly making an impact in our Long Beach community and we hope others follow in his example to help the Library transform even more lives.
Main Library Turns the Page
In 1977, the current Main Library opened to the public in the Long Beach Civic Center. As the central hub of the Long Beach Public Library system, the Main Library houses much of the Library’s collection of over 800,000 items, supports the needs of all of the branch libraries in Long Beach, serves as the piloting location for new innovative programs, and houses most of the Library’s advanced technology resources. After 42 years of serving the city, the Main Library will close its doors for good on January 18, 2019 at 5:00 p.m. to prepare for the opening of the new Main Library later this year.
In 2017, the Long Beach Public Library received the National Medal for Museum and Library Service, the nation’s highest honor for libraries, thanks in great part to the resources and services offered at the Main Library. The new Main Library will build off of this innovative and enriching environment with an upgraded makerspace Studio, 3D printing lab, Family Learning Center, Children’s Library, Teen Library, Veterans Resource Center, Center for Adaptive Technology, and many more resources for all library patrons to enjoy. Learn more about supporting these educational opportunities at LBPLfoundation.org/newmain.
While we will miss the current Main Library, we are excited for the next chapter and the amazing memories we will create in the new Main Library.
Be sure to visit the Main Library before it closes. View the Library’s hours at lbpl.org/locations/library_hours.asp.
Photos from the Long Beach Public Library:
The Main Library shortly after the building was completed in 1977.
The Main Library auditorium has held many events including weekly film screenings.
In 2015, the Main Library became the first public library in California to carry a Zine collection highlighting the voices of local writers and artists.
In 2012, with support from the Library Foundation, the Main Library opened the Studio, a makerspace learning lab where patrons of all ages can learn graphic design, 3D printing, robotics, coding, photography, and more.
A Studio Guide holds a 3D printed prosthetic hand printed and programmed in the Main Library Studio.
The Miller Special Collections Room was made possible thanks to a generous gift in 1974 from Loraine Miller Collins in memory of her late husband, Earl Burns Miller. The room is modeled after a room in the Miller home and contains rare texts dating back to the 15th century, Chinese and Japanese art and ceramics, and American and European art and photographs. The Miller Special Collections Room has hosted several author and poetry readings through the years highlighting local writers and poets.
2017 Halloween parade at the Main Library.
A 2018 Cuentos y Cantos bilingual storytime event in the Main Library Storytime Theater.
On June 9, 2018, the Main Library opened the Veterans Resource Center with support from the California State Library’s Veterans Connect @ The Library project.
The new Main Library is currently being built in the Long Beach Civic Center and is projected to open in the summer of 2019.