Call for Books

Call for Books

Do your spring cleaning early! Donate books now to the Friends of the Brentwood Library to help us have a great variety of choices at our next book sales, one in April and a back-to-school sale in July. Do you have children’s books you no longer use? How about education games and other materials your children have outgrown? Bring them all down to us at the Second Story Book Shop at the Brentwood Library, 104 Oak St. PLEASE NOTE– DO NOT place books in the book return slot or leave them at the library’s front desk– take the elevator upstairs and turn left to find us. We welcome your donations, which are tax deductable.

The Friends support Insiders

The Friends support Insiders

The Friends support Insiders, a program for adults with learning disabilities. 

The Friends of the Brentwood Library provide funds to support Insiders, a program that provides weekly crafts, hobbies, and DIY activities for adults with disabilities.  The programs offer people with intellectual and developmental disabilities the opportunity to build confidence while navigating the library and accessing library services and resources.

Don’t miss our upcoming Pop Up Holiday Book Sale on November 9, 2024, from 10:00 am to 1:00 pm.

Cascada de Flores Event

Cascada de Flores Event

The Brentwood Library invites you to celebrate Latinx Hispanic Heritage Month
Monday, September 9 from 6:30 p.m. to 7:15 p.m. by singing and dancing along to
original folk songs by Cascada de Flores at the Brentwood Community Center, 35
Oak Street. The event is brought to the community with money raised by the
Friends of the Brentwood Library through book sales, donations, and
memberships. Thanks, Brentwood, for your support of the library.

Brentwood Author Discusses Latest Book

Brentwood Author Discusses Latest Book

The Friends of the Brentwood Library has canceled a luncheon planned for February 7 due to low ticket sales. We thank people who have purchased tickets and will provide refunds. If you have any questions, email Kathy Mount at km481927@yahoo.com.

Brentwood author Dan Hanel will discuss his latest book, Beneath the Tangled Vines, at a luncheon on February 7 beginning at 11:30 a.m. at the Bentwood Community Center. The book weaves a modern-day mystery story with the history of winemaking in Contra Costa County.

Wine will be served at the luncheon, which is a fundraiser for the Friends of the Brentwood Library. Tickets are $40 and are available at www.friendsofthebrentwoodlibrary.org.

Hanel will speak about the early wine industry in the county, including the story of Winehaven, which was the largest winery in the world. The book is the most recent novel in his In the Shadow of Diablo series.

“Winehaven was located in Richmond and processed wine from grapes grown throughout Contra Costa County and elsewhere in the state,” Hanel said. The winery was established after the 1906 San Francisco earthquake, which destroyed most of the city’s 27 wine warehouses.

“I grew up in Richmond and never knew about the winery,” Hanel said. The winery closed after Prohibition, and county farmers found other crops to grow. The building was used during World War II as a U.S. Navy fueling depot and hasn’t been used since as city leaders try to determine the best use of the site.

Many of the workers in the fields were Chinese immigrants. The book’s modern-day mystery hunters are high school teachers who help an Asian-American student uncover the story of his immigrant ancestors.

Beneath the Tangled Vines is the fourth book in the series, which Hanel began with a book about the John Marsh House, The Mystery of the Great Stone House. “My wife and I attended a fundraiser in 2010 for the John Marsh House, and I became fascinated with its story. At the time, I had been thinking about writing a novel but didn’t know what to write about. I decided to write one based on John Marsh’s story.

Hanel, an award-winning high school biology teacher, decided to have the modern mystery hero also have that career. He matched the character with a high school foreign language teacher. The two develop a romantic relationship.

Hanel did his own detective work for the books by searching through the historical records of the East Contra Costa County Historical Society and other historical collections.

“Dan is a great storyteller, whose insights help us understand our county’s history,” said Friends board member Diane Alexander, who helped organize the event. “The funds we raise will support children’s programs and other activities at the library.

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