Previous Actions Bay Area Code Pink

Emergency 24 hr. READ-IN: Save Salinas Libraries Saturday, April 2nd 1:00 pm to Sunday April 3rd 1:00 pm

The READ-IN to save the Salinas Libraries was AWESOME - check out Medea's Message for more details & inspiration! Actors, authors, poets, musicians, regular folks all came together to read for 24 (actually 23 with the clocks springing forward!) hours non-stop! There was a main stage on the side of the library with a sound system and a beautiful backdrop of two children sitting back-to-back reading; then there was the reading throne called the "Seat of Wisdom" by the library's front door where lines of folks all thru the day & nite and into the next afternoon lined up to read their favorite book or poem or essay; and there were over 35 tents pitched on the wide lawn adjacent to the library's playground & parking lot. In addition, information & educational tables were arranged around the parking lots along with activity areas for children to get their faces painted, play with huge bubbles, and engage in a variety of activities & games from coloring to reading to doing puzzles & making books.

We made it into the New York Times, and two AP articles were picked up by the SF Chronicle, SJ Mercury News, Fresno Bee, Marin IJ, Chicago Tribune, and several other papers. We'll be on Free Speech Radio News today. Click Here for the press articles.

The next step - and we need your help of course - will happen on April 12th in Sacramento at the state capital when we take our READ-IN to the governor's mansion. We will be present our state officials with a petition signed by hundreds of thousands of concerned Californians who are passionate about libraries & who refuse to allow our libraries to start closing, one at a time.

WHAT CAN I DO?

We MUST save our libraries. Click here for a copy of the petition to down-load & commit at least one hour a day from now until the 12th to get signatures - or sign up on-line at www.codepinkalert.org/National_Actions_petition.shtml
COME to Sacramento on April 12th, 12:00p.m. noon where we will continue the READ-IN, & help support Salinas children & families in our effort to stop the closure of all the Salinas libraries. To volunteer, carpool, for more info call 415-575-5555 or email mzsam@bayareacodepink.org
ORGANIZE CodePink in your town, neighborhood, block.
Write letters to the editor of the Monterey County Herald, NY Times, and SF Chronicle saying that if we weren't spending so much money on the war in Iraq, we'd have enough left over for the libraries. We had a hard time getting the war funding message out in the articles. Also, there's a chance for op-eds during national libraries week, which is coming right up.
(let's us know you're writing - AND when you make it into print!) Click here for sample letter.

For more information, cal 415-575-5555 or email mzsam@bayareacodepink.org
• For awesome pictures of the READ-IN event go to: www.indybay.org/news/2005/04/1731305.php
• Pictures of the Main stage, go to: www.indybay.org/news/2005/04/1731286.php
• For more detailed information about the actual READ-IN, check out www.codepinkjournals.blogspot.com.

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