The Lafayette Library and Learning Center (LLLC) has been in full operation for over 18 months, and what a marvelous period of programs, special events, fundraisers, and community collaborations it has been.  Our recently launched Annual Fund is titled LibraryALIVE, and we have most certainly become that!

With an average of 1,200 visitors a day, the LLLC finds its outreach has stretched from Antioch and Clayton in the north to our western neighbors in Berkeley and Oakland and as far south as Milpitas and Fremont.

On any given week the LLLC will host:

• Over 500 toddlers at twice-weekly Story Times
• 100-150 middle school students who visit the cafe, socialize in the Teen Center or settle down in the Homework Center, where tutoring support is available 
• Dozens of age 50+ eager learners at sold-out afternoon programs, thanks in part to our recent alliance with UC Berkeley's Osher Lifelong Learning Institute
• Evening lectures and science cafes attracting audiences of 100+

Glenn Seaborg Learning Consortium
Programming

A catalyst to this breadth of participation and activity has been the creation of our innovative Glenn Seaborg Learning Consortium.  Highlights include:

• Chabot Space & Science Center, Lindsay Wildlife Museum, and Lawrence Hall of Science children's programs on Saturdays and Sundays, which have been a huge success.  Children can participate in hands-on, experiential learning that has included activities from petting tarantulas to exploring space. Often attendance at one of these programs has become an entry point for parents to be introduced to the myriad of other LLLC Foundation programs.
  
  
• Commonwealth Club has been unique in its ability to tap a more expansive community than just Lafayette.  Through the LLLCF they provide the East Bay with compelling lectures covering a range of topics, including politics, culture, society and the economy.
  
  
• Greenbelt Alliance has provided beautiful slide shows and lectures, such as "Wildflowers of the Bay Area." They offer educational events that advocate for communities to maintain open spaces and vibrant places for the Bay Area.  We also promoted a program where Greenbelt joined with another Consortium partner, the Oakland Zoo for a unique collaboration.
  
  
• Through the Consortium, we have engaged John Muir Health in a new program series, the first of which, "Simple Pleasures: Wine, Women and Chocolate," sold out instantly with a long wait list. 
  
  
• Saint Mary's College has been our first Consortium partner to participate in a new initiative called a Science Cafe where, in collaboration with the American Chemical Society, we turn the Community Hall into a cafe for the evening. The cafes offer incredible programs that link science to such topics as art conservation (featuring the Asian Art Museum) and the technologies and medicines of the Civil War.  For the latter, we brought in the Hearst Art Gallery at Saint Mary's as the featured presenter.  Linking of our Consortium partners with other arts, educational, and science institutions exemplifies our efforts to serve as a catalyst for this kind of broad organizational collaboration.
  
  
• California Shakespeare Theater continues its popular Literary Society, where participants gather around a table, enjoy wine and cheese, view film excerpts, and discuss great theatrical works. Cal Shakes has also attracted a small group of youth for its interactive "Stage Combat," which features duels and a floor strewn with happy corpses. 
  
  Based on this experience, we initiated a collaboration with the Lafayette Community Center to use our Arts & Science Discovery Center from 3-5 pm as an after school Teen Activity Room accessible to the many dozens of middle school students who flock to the library.

• John F. Kennedy University's Museum Studies masters degree students selected the Consortium as a model for community collaboration and attended a two-hour interactive workshop at LLLC to study the fundamentals behind the Consortium's launch..  The Consortium concept not only greatly enhanced the excitement of a new library and stimulated the generosity of our community and private funders, but it was the key factor that led to a multi-million dollar state grant award.

The Lafayette Library and Learning Center is most certainly ALIVE! with more great programs coming your way. For more information, see the Calendar of upcoming Consortium events. Space is limited so reserve your spot today.

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The LLLC Foundation is actively seeking Sponsorships from corporations and individuals to further Consortium programming and community outreach.