Rialto library hosts Black Film Festival

On Saturday February 24, 2008 the Rialto Branch Library at 251 West 1^st Street presented the film Selma Loves Selma as part of their Black History Month celebration.

Connie Bottini, a Library Assistant and the Youth Services Lead, said that each year during the Black Film Festival she shows a history-based film to teach about the civil rights movement of the 50’s and 60’s.

“The students that came to our Friday afternoon presentation watched the movie and got to see some old-time projectors that were lent to us by Milton Goodwin.  They were amazed to see how it worked and I was surprised at how loud they were!” said Bottini.

Bottini had started coming to the library as a student in the 1970s and spent many a day there reading books after school waiting for her brother’s karate class to end.

“I remember my dance class ended at the Women’s Club, and I would run over to the Parks and Recreation Center where my brother taught karate.  I would come to the library, read my books and head back to the center when I knew he would be done.  I was always in love with this library,” she said.

In 1990, her brother called her to let her know there was a job opening at the library and Bottini was thrilled to land it.  “Every day I tell my daughter, ‘I’m going to the library today!’  I love my job!”

She tells the young people that cross her path that “reading is your super power.  It changes your life!”

Bottini would like to invite the Rialto community to Dr. Seuss’ birthday party coming up on Saturday, March 10 at 11:00 a.m.  “We’re doing party games and having cake,” Bottini shared, “and some of the game winners will get Cat in the Hat red and white hats as prizes.  It’s going to be a lot of fun!”

For further information on the Dr. Seuss birthday party or to see other planned events and classes available at the Rialto Branch Library, please call 909-875-0144 or check out their website calendar at http://www.sbclib.org/CoursesandEvents.aspx