So sorry to have to inform you that our Program has been cancelled do to the probable power outage. We are very disappointed and will reschedule this at another date. “How Eminent Domain Changed Lamorinda” – Stuart Swiedler This Program is of interest to everyone in Lamorinda Imagine being told that the land your home […]
Oral History: Lucille “Lue” Jones — April 27th, 2007
Lucille “Lue” Jones moved to Lafayette at age 6 in 1927. Her father came here to work on building the Lafayette Reservoir. In this interview she shares memories of growing up in Lafayette at that time and of Carrie Van Meter, the town librarian, who would always tell you what book you were going to […]
Oral History: Mike Gilson — October 7th, 2009
From the time he arrived in Lafayette in 1990, Mike Gilson became an active supporter of local non-profit organizations: the Town Hall Theater, the War Veterans Memorial Hall, and, starting in 1994, the committee formed by a group of citizens to develop what would become the Lafayette Library and Learning Center. Like several other members […]
Oral History: Jon Frank — October 31st, 2008
Jon Frank was Superintendent of the Lafayette School District for a 10-year period ending in 2003. He was interviewed by Nancie Sherman on October 31st, 2008. Jon was part of the original ad-hoc committee that began meeting in the mid 1990’s to lay the groundwork for a new library–“one which would make it possible to […]
Oral History: Tom & Karen Mulvaney — April 6th, 2009
Karen and Tom were interviewed by Nancie Sherman on March 16, 2009. From the time they moved to Lafayette in 1987 both of them had been actively involved in the local schools. Feeling that the 1952 library was no longer meeting the city’s needs, they soon joined and helped to lead the effort to plan, […]
Oral History: Gayle Uilkema — July 15th, 2009
Gayle Uilkema was interviewed by Mary McCosker on July 15, 2009. At the time she had served on the Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors for 13 years, following 18 years of service on the Lafayette City Council. Supervisor Uilkema describes the library project as being the result of a whole lot of very committed, […]
Oral History: Judy Carney — June 30th, 2009
Judy Carney was interviewed on June 30th, 2009. A member of the Vision Task Force that started meeting in 1996 to plan the new Lafayette Library and Learning Center, she was named Lafayette Citizen of the Year in 2009, the year the library opened. Prior to this she served two terms on the Lafayette School […]
Oral History: Angela Broadhead — October 11th, 2007
Angela was interviewed by Mary McCosker on October 11th, 2007. She grew up in Rutherford and graduated from UC Berkeley. When she came to Lafayette in 1956 the library consisted of two rooms in a small house. The room that was dedicated to books for children could hold no more than 100 titles. A newer […]
Oral History: Bob Fisher — June 19th, 2009
In this interview for the Lafayette Library and Learning Center project, Bob Fisher describes in detail the pivotal role he played from 2005-on in the planning, funding, and building of the city’s new library, which quickly became its center of activity. He also played the central role in conceiving and creating the unique Glenn Seaborg […]
Oral History: Alice Barnham — May 30th, 2007
Alice Barnham was interviewed by Brenda Hepler on May 30th, 2007. Alice came to Lafayette in 1974 after living for a brief period in Berkeley. She grew up in South Orange, NJ and was a very active library patron from an early age. Alice became active in Lafayette community affairs first through volunteering with the […]
