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California State Library @castatelibrary.bsky.social · 13h

October is National Arts & Humanities Month! This year, California Humanities, California for the Arts, the California State Library, and the California Arts Council are celebrating COMMON GROUND and the connections we create See this online collection artsandculture.google.com/story/LAVRol...

artsandculture.google.com

Shikishi Haiku - Google Arts & Culture

Part of the American Haiku Archives official collection, located at the California State Library; Originally translated by Hiroaki Sato in 1978.

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California State Library @castatelibrary.bsky.social · 08/10/2026

CSL’s social media staff is always on the lookout for thrilling material!

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California State Library @castatelibrary.bsky.social · 05/10/2026

You can stop to smell the roses on your way to check out the State Library! There is a small rose garden on the east side of the Library & Courts building in downtown Sacramento.

Rose garden with yellow roses and pink ones in the back, with tall green trees in the background and the corner of the gray granite building.

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California State Library @castatelibrary.bsky.social · 05/10/2026

Shelf life! Now available for research, the complete print run of Maximum Rocknroll, a Bay Area-based fanzine dedicated to local, domestic, and international underground punk rock scenes. View our collection at csl.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/discovery/fu...

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California State Library @castatelibrary.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

Shelf Life is here! Take DIY to a whole new level with oak galls. To make iron gall ink, the type of ink used to sign the Declaration of Independence, you would need to find some oak galls in trees. The galls are rich in tannins that are a color source for dyes and inks.

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California State Library @castatelibrary.bsky.social · 24/09/2026

Shelf Life this week looks at our historic building at 914 Capitol Mall in Sacramento

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California State Library @castatelibrary.bsky.social · 24/09/2026

Greg on the Go: Greg was onsite to celebrate the 10 year anniversary of the Michelle Obama Branch Library in Long Beach, CA on September 12, 2026.

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California State Library @castatelibrary.bsky.social · 23/09/2026

The 16th annual crawl is happening Saturday, October 17, from 10am to 4pm. Tour the four host archives, gather stamps in your passport, view treasures from dozens of archives and special collection libraries, visit with archivists, win prizes and go on special behind-the-scenes tours!

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Reposted by California State Library

UC Agriculture & Natural Resources @ucanr.edu · 16/09/2026

#UCANR's Daniel Swain @weatherwest.bsky.social joined the @castatelibrary.bsky.social for a virtual talk on climate change & extreme weather in #California, and the rapidly developing 2026 #ElNiño event. www.youtube.com/watch?v=lUE6...

youtube.com

Weather Extremes in California: From El Niño, Climate Change and Beyond

YouTube video by California State Library Multimedia

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Reposted by California State Library

UCLA Center for Health Policy Research @uclachpr.bsky.social · 16/09/2026

Join AJ Scheitler, @uclachpr.bsky.social Data Equity Center Director, who will lead a workshop on how health and population data can inform policy hosted by @castatelibrary.bsky.social's #CRBNexus on Friday, September 25 at 1:30 p.m.: bit.ly/3Tvb4Kh. #DataToPolicy #ResearchToPolicy

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California State Library @castatelibrary.bsky.social · 16/09/2026

In case you missed it! The recording for the September 2 program: Weather Extremes in California: From El Niño, Climate Change, and Beyond with Daniel Swain, Ph.D. is up on the Library’s YouTube account! youtu.be/lUE6DZiFy1o?...

youtu.be

Weather Extremes in California: From El Niño, Climate Change and Beyond

YouTube video by California State Library Multimedia

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California State Library @castatelibrary.bsky.social · 16/09/2026

California celebrates #LatinoHeritageMonth Sept. 15-Oct. 15. This month recognizes the contributions of Latinos/Latinx to our state and nation throughout our history, and their central role in our continued growth and prosperity.

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California State Library @castatelibrary.bsky.social · 16/09/2026

It’s 9/16, repping the Sacramento area code! But before area codes, we had telegraph codes, as found in this 1871 copy of Bolton’s Telegraph code held at our Sutro Library.

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California State Library @castatelibrary.bsky.social · 14/09/2026

This episode of Shelf Life takes us to México in the 1600s with a manuscript in the Nahuatl language on āmatl paper. From our Sutro Collection.

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Reposted by California State Library

UCLA Center for Health Policy Research @uclachpr.bsky.social · 11/09/2026

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California State Library @castatelibrary.bsky.social · 09/09/2026

California became a state 176 years ago today! This poster from our CA History collection commemorates the semi-centennial anniversary in 1900 that took place in San Francisco.

Poster showing symbols of the golden state including a miner holding a shovel and an American flag, standing on the base of a statue of winged female holding a book; inscription on the base reads Native Sons of the Golden West; other images include poppies, a bear, the California Republic Bear Flag, flag with an eagle sitting in flames, palm trees, the bay and a red sunset. Text reads "Semi-Centennial admission Day celebration 1850-1900 San Francisco Sept. 8-9-10-11

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California State Library @castatelibrary.bsky.social · 09/09/2026

The CA Center for the Book’s “Great Reads from Great Places” 2026 Adult Selection is The Forgetters: Stories by Greg Sarris The 2026 Youth Selection is A Sea of Lemon Trees: The Corrido of Roberto Alvarez by María Dolores Águila The Library of Congress releases this list yearly

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California State Library @castatelibrary.bsky.social · 02/09/2026

More than 18 million Californians have a library card. Join the party at your local library. #librarycardsignupmonth Más de 18 millones de californianos tienen una tarjeta de la biblioteca. Únete a la fiesta. #MesDeInscripciónALaTarjetaDeBiblioteca

Ilustración de un niño descalzo leyendo; detrás de él hay una representación del mundo, juguetes, ecuaciones, monumentos históricos y el sistema solar. A su derecha, se observa una mano que sostiene una tarjeta dorada de la biblioteca

Illustration of a barefoot child reading with the world, toys, equations, landmarks, and the solar system behind him, and a hand holding a golden library card on the right

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California State Library @castatelibrary.bsky.social · 31/08/2026

This Shelf Life episode shares some eclectic items from our CA history section. The Nixon showerhead is a sight to behold.

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California State Library @castatelibrary.bsky.social · 27/08/2026

Continuing a conversation begun in our Spring 2026 talk, De Colores: California’s Migrant Farm Workers Please note this panel will not be recorded. Registration link: libraryca.libcal.com/event/17330121

De Colores Nuevas Voces: California's Migrant Farm Workers Thursday, September 24 4:00-5:30PM via Zoom. Continuing a conversation begun in our Spring 2026 talk, De Colores: California’s Migrant Farm Workers, this panel will focus on the history of Yemeni farm workers, the significance of the transnational Indian anticolonial Ghadar Party in California and globally, and the ways in which farm workers challenged injustices through the help of the California Rural Legal Assistance. Please note the panel will not be recorded. Register at events.library.ca.gov.

Left side shows four headshots of men and women running vertically with text about each of their talks next to their images. From top to bottom, the text reads: "Recovering Hidden Histories: Yemeni Farm Workers, Labor, and Empire in the Farm Worker Movement" with Dr. Neama Alamri, Lecturer with the Women's, Gender, and Sexuality Studies Department at the California State University, Fresno. "Mutiny on the Move: A History of Ghadar Publications across the Globe in the Early Twentieth Century" with Dr. Amrit Deol, Assistant Professor of Asian American Studies and Anthropology at California State University, Fresno. "Attorneys in the Field: The Role of California Rural Legal Assistance in the Farm Worker Movement" with Dr. Taylor Cozzens, Historian of modern U.S. and Latin American history and Instructor at Arkansas Tech University. Moderated by Dr. Oliver Rosales, Professor of History and Ethnic Studies at Bakersfield College and author of "Civil Rights in Bakersfield: Segregation and Multiracial Activism in the Central Valley".

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California State Library @castatelibrary.bsky.social · 26/08/2026

Since 1973, August 26 has been designated Women's Equality Day and this registration book from the woman suffrage headquarters in New York is the perfect item to celebrate this day. While being an important historical item, it's also a treasure trove for genealogists. It spans from 1909 to 1917.

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California State Library @castatelibrary.bsky.social · 25/08/2026

The world and book lovers everywhere lost one of the greats today: the fantastically talented and beloved Dolly Parton, whose dedication in inspiring kids to love to read is unmatched. RIP Dolly 😥

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California State Library @castatelibrary.bsky.social · 25/08/2026

Greg on the Go! Earlier Greg visited Monterey County and went to Colton Hall, where California’s first constitution was drafted in October 1849.

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California State Library @castatelibrary.bsky.social · 25/08/2026

Visit our 900 N Street location in downtown Sacramento to see a special exhibit for America 250 up from now until the end of the year.

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California State Library @castatelibrary.bsky.social · 24/08/2026

Shelf Life strikes while the iron is hot with this episode of cattle brands ans marks held by our CA History collection. You can view more photos in our catalog at csl.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/discovery/fu...

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California State Library @castatelibrary.bsky.social · 24/08/2026

Join Daniel Swain, Ph.D. and the State Library September 2 at 5:30 pm for a fascinating virtual talk on climate change and extreme weather in California, including the rapidly developing 2026 El Niño. Register at libraryca.libcal.com/event/17421226

Graphic with illustration of a landscape scene with a desert with cactus on the left, river in the middle and green hills with trees on the right. the sky shows lightning and rain over the desert and transitioning into clear skies over the green hills. program title is in the center: Weather Extremes in California: from el Nino, climate change and beyond with Daniel Swain, PhD. date of program listed as Wednesday September 2 5:30-6:45pm via Zoom. Program description with photo of Daniel seated holding a microphone: Join Daniel Swain, Ph.D., and the California State Library for a fascinating virtual talk on climate change and extreme weather in California, and the rapidly developing 2026 El Niño event.

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California State Library @castatelibrary.bsky.social · 20/08/2026

Join Daniel Swain, Ph.D. and the State Library for a fascinating virtual talk on climate change and extreme weather in California, including the rapidly developing 2026 El Niño. September 2 at 5:30 pm Register at libraryca.libcal.com/event/17421226

static.klipy.com

Animated Sun and Storm Weather Icons

ALT: Animated Sun and Storm Weather Icons

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California State Library @castatelibrary.bsky.social · 19/08/2026

Aug. 19 is the 42nd US President’s birthday! Join Greg to learn what books made Clinton’s list, and what genre of books he likes to read.

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California State Library @castatelibrary.bsky.social · 18/08/2026

Saxophones get louder when you’re looking for some cute baby items in our CA history collection and find progressively unhinged babies in clothing ads

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California State Library @castatelibrary.bsky.social · 17/08/2026

This one's for the birds! A little bird told us that Sutro Library had a spectacular book about pigeons that we just HAD to feature in a Shelf Life episode. Do you have a favorite?

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California State Library @castatelibrary.bsky.social · 17/08/2026

It's 1904/Santa Cruz Island, Channel Islands, Santa Barbara Co. In September 1904, a party of friends and relatives went for a cruise of the Santa Barbara Islands on the two-masted power steamer, Avalon and camped on Santa Cruz Island.

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California State Library @castatelibrary.bsky.social · 13/08/2026

Think you know your California places? Here's another photo from our collection where you can guess the decade and and location in CA. Let us know your answer in the comments!🐟

black and white photo of Fish strung on a paddle balanced between two other paddles to create a holder. 5 adults posed next o it, on the right, one female in a dress seated with a man in suit and hat holding a fishing pole next to her. on the left, seated man in pants, suspenders, shirt and beret with a woman standing holding a fishing pole and a man in pants, jacket and hat leaned over with 2 more fish. they're on the rocky shore with the water visible in the background.

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California State Library @castatelibrary.bsky.social · 12/08/2026

Get ready for today’s eclipse with this 1873 book on the moon from our Sutro Library collection.

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California State Library @castatelibrary.bsky.social · 11/08/2026

Greg visited #Steinbeck Territory awhile back and got a cool tour of Doc Ricketts’ lab on Cannery Row with Monterey Public Library Director Brian Edwards. Thank you for hosting Greg while he’s on the go!

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California State Library @castatelibrary.bsky.social · 10/08/2026

This week’s shelf life shares some recent donations! Morris Roberts Wilkinson, born on April 17, 1825 in Pennsylvania, sailed on the ship Levant from Philadelphia around Cape Horn to Ca in 1849 to seek gold. The nine letters in this collection confirm that he was in Ca between at least 1849 to 1851

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California State Library @castatelibrary.bsky.social · 10/08/2026

Ever wonder what the inspiration was for Batman? Greg shares some great trivia tidbits from our 31st President’s reading habits and his personal author friend.

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California State Library @castatelibrary.bsky.social · 05/08/2026

On July 11 Greg attended the ribbon cutting for Santa Ana Public Library's New Hope Branch, featuring a brand new Innovation Lab designed to provide hands-on STEM learning for all ages. Congrats on the new library and we wish many happy visit from your community members and beyond!

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California State Library @castatelibrary.bsky.social · 05/08/2026

Go fish! We love hanging out in the library, but some of our materials encourage you to enjoy the great outdoors too. Track your catches of 150 species with the CaliforniaDFW Fishing Passport. nrm.dfg.ca.gov/FileHandler....

Cover of “California Fishing Passport: Your Guide to a Lifetime of Fishing Adventures.” An outline of the state of California is surrounded by and filled with a collage of children and adults fishing and displaying caught fish.

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California State Library @castatelibrary.bsky.social · 03/08/2026

This episode of Shelf Life puts the spotlight on a CA Poet. In 1995, CA poet Ruth de Menezes gifted the State Library a small collection of her poems and papers. Her 2003 obituary noted “In the last decade she was honored by having her books chosen to be in the archives of California State Library.”

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California State Library @castatelibrary.bsky.social · 31/07/2026

Greg on the Go! On May 15, 2026 Greg attended the ribbon cutting ceremony for the Imperial County Library Calipatria Branch. We are so glad Greg was on hand to celebrate this brand new library with the Calipatria community! Congrats and continued happy reading

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California State Library @castatelibrary.bsky.social · 30/07/2026

The sirens’ call for librarians will always be more books.

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California State Library @castatelibrary.bsky.social · 30/07/2026

Need a change from dumpster fires to literal train wrecks? 110 years ago, you could have witnessed the locomotive collision spectacle, a @castatefair event where people lined up to watch two trains collide. These images from the 1916 event show the railroad cars 🚂

black and white photo of a train with a banner hung on the engine reading "Head on Collison State Fair Sept. 12-19." three men stand by the banner next to the train, 2 in coveralls and one in a suit.

Black and white photo of 5 men, three in suits and 2 in coveralls, posing in front of the engine of a train. Three stand perched on the train and two stand on the ground beside the train. one man perched is holding an American flag.

landscape black and white photo of two trains from opposite directions, waiting on the tracks.

black and white photo showing the two trains crashed, with front engines smashed and two men looking on

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California State Library @castatelibrary.bsky.social · 30/07/2026

Greg’s TBR pile is pretty eclectic! He shares here about reading a classic horror novel Hell House by Richard Matheson.

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California State Library @castatelibrary.bsky.social · 29/07/2026

Come with us and you’ll be in a world of history and imagination! Teaming up with the CA State Capitol Museum for a short history of the State Library

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California State Library @castatelibrary.bsky.social · 28/07/2026

Anne Hadden was a significant figure in the county library movement in CA. In 1913 Hadden became the first county librarian of Monterey County. During her time there she established 126 county library branches. The Anne Hadden Papers 1908-1953 collection is housed in the CA History Section.

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California State Library @castatelibrary.bsky.social · 27/07/2026

Picture this- Shelf Life captures on camera this large Rochester Optical Premo B box folding camera from the late 1890s being processed in our preservation department.

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California State Library @castatelibrary.bsky.social · 24/07/2026

Are you in your feels — World Cup over, autumn still so far away? Add this 1954 doo-wop single 'I Cried' by the Velvets to your playlist. This red record from Red Robin Records is part of our Sutro Library collection.

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