The Department of Cultural Affairs of the City of Los Angeles

BOO: Halloween Tunnel Books at the West Valley Regional Branch Library

October 25, 2022 By Debra Disman

The Residency is comprised of a series of bookmaking workshops presented at the Library, planned in close coordination with Library Staff.

October 20th, 2022, we had a blast learning to create “TUNNEL BOOKS” in celebration of upcoming Halloween!
See a VIDEO of an engaged mom and her creative son and their experience of the workshop.
BOO!

Teens Raise their Flags at the West Valley Regional Branch Library

September 7, 2022 By Debra Disman

In July I started a new Artist Residency in Bookmaking, “We Write the Book” at the West Valley Regional Branch Library of the Los Angeles Public Library, through the Los Angeles City Department of Cultural Affairs.
The Residency is comprised of a series of bookmaking workshops presented at the Library, planned in close coordination with Library Staff.
I was thrilled to work with the newly forming Teen Council, organized by teen Librarian Roya Rahimi.

Teens and tweens and even a parent or two joined us, and learned to make the fun and fabulous Flag Book!
They folded accordion spines, added covers, and glued in their flag pages to create a pattern as they opened their books. Once they created the structure, they had the pleasure, and “reward” of adding their own colorful content to their books, using magazines, images, text, origami paper, and more.
A self-expressive, creative time was had by all.
A great kick-off session for the Teen Council, and a pleasure for myself and Roya!

Express Yourself, Do YOU at the West Valley Regional Branch Library!

July 25, 2022 By Debra Disman

I just started a new Artist Residency in Bookmaking, “We Write the Book” at the West Valley Regional Branch Library of the Los Angeles Public Library, through the Los Angeles City Department of Cultural Affairs.

Working with families, I led a bookmaking workshop (called a “program” in Library parlance) for a group of 20 in which they created handmade accordion fold books with pockets, which fit perfectly into the LAPL Summer Reading theme of “Express Yourself”.

Makers focused on themes of identity, relationships and of course, self-expression!
The results were heart-warming and impressive, and a good time was had by all, as well as the learning of new skills, and a whole lot of self-expression!

Materials galore!