Storytimes near LAKELAND PUBLIC LIBRARY

Branch Library Meeting Room, Larry R. Jackson Branch Library

Join us for a lively interactive storytime featuring books, songs, rhymes, crafts and more! Storytime promotes the development of preliteracy, verbal and listening skills, and socio-emotional skills, and is recommended for children ages 2-5 and their grown-ups. Questions? Contact Cassie Walters-Shantal (863) 834-4294 or email cassandra.walters-shantal@lakelandgov.net

Main Library Meeting Room, Lakeland Public Library

Baby Storytime is designed for ages birth to 2 years old. Learn songs, rhymes, and fingerplays. This interactive lapsit program requires that a parent or caregiver remain with the child. No registration required.

Main Library Meeting Room, Lakeland Public Library

We’re following up our June Summer Movie Club pick Jurassic Park with the 1997 sequel The Lost World: Jurassic Park. Return to a world of prehistoric landscapes and thrilling encounters as the story unfolds with even more action and excitement. No registration required. Ages 13 and younger need to be accompanied by an adult.

Branch Library Meeting Room, Larry R. Jackson Branch Library

Join us for an evening of mocktails and books, and let the library introduce you to your next favorite title. From beach reads to cool classics, we'll match drinks with genres and highlight hidden gems from the stacks to keep you reading all summer. Whether you're looking for that must-read to take on vacation, or inspiration to break you out of your reading slump, we have suggestions. This program is for adults 18 and over. No registration is required. Mocktails available while supplies last.

Main Library Meeting Room, Lakeland Public Library

This summer, get ready for a prehistoric adventure! Travel back in time to the age of dinosaurs, where stories stomp and imaginations ROAR! Join us on Dino Fridays from 10AM-12PM for dino-mite crafts and activities. Don’t miss out! It’s going to be roar-some! No registration required. Week 6: Orbiting Asteroids *Due to limited space and the nature of the events, summer camps, daycares, and groups cannot be accommodated.*

Larry R. Jackson Branch Library

Join us from 2-3 PM at the Larry R. Jackson Branch Library for an hour of sensory playtime with dinosaur themed activities. Dino playtime offers a space for toddlers to engage in social-emotional learning and develop fine and gross motor functions. This event is recommended for children ages 0-5 and their grown-ups. No registration required! Questions? Contact Marine Acosta Ponce (863) 834-1828 or email Marine.acostaponce@lakelandgov.net

Larry R. Jackson Branch Library

Are you looking for a roaring good time? Join us at the Larry R. Jackson Branch Library Saturday the 11th from 10 AM-12 PM for a dinosaur-themed tea party. Come dressed in your tea time best and enjoy a dinosaur themed story and craft. Snacks and drinks will be provided! This event is recommended for children ages 3-8 and their grown-ups, no registration required. Questions? Contact Marine Acosta Ponce (863) 834-1828 or email Marine.acostaponce@lakelandgov.net

Main Library Meeting Room, Lakeland Public Library

This is an interactive storytime that lets kids become the stars! Suggest themes, perform on stage, or just sit back and watch the show. Designed for children ages 4 and up. This month we’re traveling to Hogwarts for a magical Harry Potter-themed adventure. After Children’s Theater stick around for a special Potions Class at 3pm where you’ll mix, experiments and create magical concoctions. Things are sure to get messy! Space for Potions Class is limited and available while supplies last. No registration required.

Branch Library Meeting Room, Larry R. Jackson Branch Library

Ready to roar? Join us at the Larry R. Jackson Branch Library on select Mondays from June 1st through July 13th as we will enjoy dino-mite crafts and activities themed around dinosaurs, fossils, volcanoes, and more! July 13th 10 am-12 pm: Fossils & Paleontology - Learn about what dinosaurs have left behind while enjoying prehistoric crafts and activities. Crafts may get messy, so please wear appropriate clothing! Monday Fun Day is recommended for children ages 5-13 and their grown-ups. Children under the age of 10 must remain with their grown-up in the library and throughout the program. Any leftover crafts from the event will be made available as take-homes to be distributed throughout the week, first come first served and while supplies last. Due to limited space and the nature of the events, summer camps, daycares, and groups cannot be accommodated. Questions? Contact Cassie Walters-Shantal (863) 834-4294 or email cassandra.walters-shantal@lakelandgov.net

Main Library Meeting Room, Lakeland Public Library

Meet a swan and learn what makes Lakeland the ‘Swan City’ from the incredible team in the Parks, Recreation, and Cultural Arts Department, the team dedicated to caring for our city’s swans. A swan expert will be there to answer questions and talk about our feathered friends that thrive around Lake Morton. Feathers and fun guaranteed! No registration required. All ages welcome.

The Commons, Lakeland Public Library

Sewing is a wonderful creative outlet that develops dexterity, fine motor skills, patience, and self-confidence. Plus, it’s fun! Children and teens ages 9-17 are invited to join us for a free four-class hands-on learn to sew summer sewing camp at the Lakeland Public Library! Learn how to use a sewing machine, basic stitches, and hand-sewing skills as you make fun projects to take home. Registration is required and will open one week before classes begin. Registration is for all four (4) classes in the camp, but seating is limited to ten (10) participants. If you are registering more than one child for the series, you will need to register each child separately to reserve a seat for each. **NOTE: If you have attended any Spools Out for Summer kids or teens sewing camp or Learn to Sew for Kids previously, you are not eligible to register for this learn-to-sew series. Any repeat registrants will be removed from the list.**

The Commons, Lakeland Public Library

Are you ready to take your Spanish skills to the next level? Join our Intermediate Spanish Classes! The Lakeland Public Library will be offering classes starting July 6th and continuing through August 5th. Designed for learners with a basic foundation in Spanish, this course explores more advance language concepts, including present indicative, reflexive verbs, preterite tense, among other topics. Worksheets will be provided, but feel free to bring a notebook, pencils, a Spanish-English dictionary, and any other materials that will help support your language learning experience. These 10 courses are designed to be immersive, and consistent attendance and commitment are essential for participation. Due to limited space, please make sure that the dates can all be attended. Once you register, you are registered for all 10 courses, since they are a continuation of the class before. Registration required. This event is for ages 18 .

The Commons, Lakeland Public Library

Sewing is a wonderful creative outlet that develops dexterity, fine motor skills, patience, and self-confidence. Plus, it’s fun! Children and teens ages 9-17 are invited to join us for a free four-class hands-on learn to sew summer sewing camp at the Lakeland Public Library! Learn how to use a sewing machine, basic stitches, and hand-sewing skills as you make fun projects to take home. Registration is required and will open one week before classes begin. Registration is for all four (4) classes in the camp, but seating is limited to ten (10) participants. If you are registering more than one child for the series, you will need to register each child separately to reserve a seat for each. **NOTE: If you have attended any Spools Out for Summer kids or teens sewing camp or Learn to Sew for Kids previously, you are not eligible to register for this learn-to-sew series. Any repeat registrants will be removed from the list.**

Main Library Training Room, Lakeland Public Library

Learn how to conduct simple internet searches using Google, as well as how to navigate an internet browser, bookmark favorite websites, and change the start and home pages. *This class will be held in the Training Room* Registration is not required. The first 6 participants will have access to a library-provided laptop for the class.

Larry R. Jackson Branch Library

Love to talk about books? Join us for Books Sandwiched In, now at the Larry R. Jackson Branch Library. The group meets in the Jackson Branch Library Meeting Room on the second Tuesday of each month at 12:15 p.m. In June, we will discuss Three Days in June by Anne Tyler. Gail Baines is having a bad day. To start, she loses her job—or quits, depending on whom you ask. Tomorrow her daughter, Debbie, is getting married, and she hasn’t even been invited to the spa day organized by the mother of the groom. Then, Gail’s ex-husband, Max, arrives unannounced on her doorstep, carrying a cat, without a place to stay, and without even a suit. But the true crisis lands when Debbie shares with her parents a secret she has just learned about her husband to be. It will not only throw the wedding into question but also stir up Gail and Max’s past. Reserve a copy on the Lakeland Public Library’s Online Catalog. Reserve a copy on Libby. Reserve a copy on Hoopla. A valid Polk County library card and PIN are required to reserve items through the Online Catalog and for access to digital resources. Questions? Contact Danielle at Danielle.Daniels@lakelandgov.net or at 863-834-4285.

The Commons, Lakeland Public Library

La Biblioteca Viva: Un club de lectura donde las historias cobran vida a través de la conversación y la interacción. Aquí, cada libro es una puerta abierta a nuevas ideas, culturas y emociones, transformando la experiencia de leer en un viaje compartido. ¡Ven y sé parte de una biblioteca que respira, escucha y conecta! Registración no es necesaria. Programa solo para adultos. Tierra Americana por Jeanine Cummins

Branch Library Meeting Room, Larry R. Jackson Branch Library

Calling all young builders, makers, architects, and engineers! The Larry R. Jackson Branch Library invites you to our weekly summer edition of LEGO club. Beginners and experts ages 5-17 and their grown-ups are welcome to come work on their own LEGO creations or take our themed challenge from 5:30-6:30 pm, every Tuesday throughout the summer. No registration required. Children under the age of 10 must remain with their grown-up in the library and throughout the program. Playing with LEGO bricks promotes hand/eye coordination, enhances fine motor skills, develops problem solving skills, increases attention/concentration span, and unleashes creativity. The library will provide the LEGO bricks, while the kids and teens provide the imagination! LEGO bricks will be sanitized after each use. All materials must stay in the library, so bring a camera to capture your creation. Questions? Contact Cassie Walters-Shantal (863) 834-4294 or email cassandra.walters-shantal@lakelandgov.net

Join us for a thrilling evening with acclaimed author Karin Slaughter as we chat about her North Falls series, consisting of We Are All Guilty Here, in which two teenage girls vanish in rural Georgia, and her upcoming sequel, The Secrets We Hide. In The Secrets We Hide, Slaughter welcomes readers back to North Falls. A small town with big secrets… 1601 Iris Drive looks like any other house on the quiet, residential street. But rumors are rampant about the Vickery family, and what goes on behind closed doors. When gunshots ring out, Sheriff Emmy Clifton and her sister, ex-federal agent Jude Archer, discover a devastating crime scene. Allison Vickery has been murdered in her own kitchen, and her teenage daughter is bleeding upstairs, left for dead. Everyone thinks they know what happened. But secrets are buried everywhere in this small town. And it’s up to Emmy Clifton to uncover the truth… Register now to take part in the discussion, and for an exclusive sneak peek of The Secrets We Hide, coming out August 11, 2026! About the Author Karin Slaughter is one of the world’s most popular storytellers. She is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of more than twenty-five novels, including the Edgar nominated Cop Town and standalone novels Pretty Girls and False Witness. An international bestseller, Slaughter is published in 120 countries with more than 40 million copies sold across the globe. Pieces of Her, based on her novel, debuted at #1 worldwide on Netflix as an original series in 2022. Her bestselling thriller series, Will Trent, is now a television and streaming sensation in its 4th season. The Good Daughter has been adapted into a limited series starring Rose Byrne and Meghann Fahy, and further projects are currently in development for film/TV. Karin Slaughter is the founder of the Save the Libraries project—a nonprofit organization established to support libraries and library programming. A native of Georgia, she lives in Atlanta. Author Talks are presented by Library Speakers Consortium. To register for the live event or view event recordings, visit: https://libraryc.org/lakelandlibrary/176669 The views expressed by presenters are their own and their appearance in a program does not imply an endorsement of them or any entity they represent. Reference to any specific product or entity does not constitute an endorsement or recommendation by Lakeland Public Library.

The Commons, Lakeland Public Library

Sewing is a wonderful creative outlet that develops dexterity, fine motor skills, patience, and self-confidence. Plus, it’s fun! Children and teens ages 9-17 are invited to join us for a free four-class hands-on learn to sew summer sewing camp at the Lakeland Public Library! Learn how to use a sewing machine, basic stitches, and hand-sewing skills as you make fun projects to take home. Registration is required and will open one week before classes begin. Registration is for all four (4) classes in the camp, but seating is limited to ten (10) participants. If you are registering more than one child for the series, you will need to register each child separately to reserve a seat for each. **NOTE: If you have attended any Spools Out for Summer kids or teens sewing camp or Learn to Sew for Kids previously, you are not eligible to register for this learn-to-sew series. Any repeat registrants will be removed from the list.**

Main Library Meeting Room, Lakeland Public Library

Stories and activities featuring books, songs and rhymes that promote the development of verbal and listening skills. Storytime is recommended for ages 2-5. *Due to limited space and the nature of the events, we cannot accommodate schools, camps, daycares, or groups.*

Main Library Meeting Room, Lakeland Public Library

Join us as we create, learn, and explore the world around us through hands-on science, technology, engineering, art, and math: STEAM! Each week, come enjoy Beakers & Books, Kids' Corner Art, Tech-Know Time, or Wonder Robotics! STEAM Explorers meets on select Wednesdays at 3:30 PM and is designed for children ages 6-12. Registration required. STEAM activities increase innovative thinking, encourage curiosity, inspire creativity, foster collaboration, and prepare young learners for high-demand careers. **Please note: If you are registering more than one child for STEAM Explorers, you will need to register each child separately to reserve a seat for everyone.

The Commons, Lakeland Public Library

Are you ready to take your Spanish skills to the next level? Join our Intermediate Spanish Classes! The Lakeland Public Library will be offering classes starting July 6th and continuing through August 5th. Designed for learners with a basic foundation in Spanish, this course explores more advance language concepts, including present indicative, reflexive verbs, preterite tense, among other topics. Worksheets will be provided, but feel free to bring a notebook, pencils, a Spanish-English dictionary, and any other materials that will help support your language learning experience. These 10 courses are designed to be immersive, and consistent attendance and commitment are essential for participation. Due to limited space, please make sure that the dates can all be attended. Once you register, you are registered for all 10 courses, since they are a continuation of the class before. Registration required. This event is for ages 18 .

Branch Library Meeting Room, Larry R. Jackson Branch Library

Our knitting/crochet club meets on Wednesday evenings at the Larry R. Jackson Branch Library. Bring your current yarn project in and chat with other yarn fanatics. Other fiber arts such as yarn spinning also welcome! Some knowledge of either knitting or crocheting is recommended. No registration is required. This program is for ages 18 and up.

Branch Library Meeting Room, Larry R. Jackson Branch Library

Join us for a lively interactive storytime featuring books, songs, rhymes, crafts and more! Storytime promotes the development of preliteracy, verbal and listening skills, and socio-emotional skills, and is recommended for children ages 2-5 and their grown-ups. Questions? Contact Cassie Walters-Shantal (863) 834-4294 or email cassandra.walters-shantal@lakelandgov.net

The Commons, Lakeland Public Library

Sewing is a wonderful creative outlet that develops dexterity, fine motor skills, patience, and self-confidence. Plus, it’s fun! Children and teens ages 9-17 are invited to join us for a free four-class hands-on learn to sew summer sewing camp at the Lakeland Public Library! Learn how to use a sewing machine, basic stitches, and hand-sewing skills as you make fun projects to take home. Registration is required and will open one week before classes begin. Registration is for all four (4) classes in the camp, but seating is limited to ten (10) participants. If you are registering more than one child for the series, you will need to register each child separately to reserve a seat for each. **NOTE: If you have attended any Spools Out for Summer kids or teens sewing camp or Learn to Sew for Kids previously, you are not eligible to register for this learn-to-sew series. Any repeat registrants will be removed from the list.**

Main Library Meeting Room, Lakeland Public Library

Baby Storytime is designed for ages birth to 2 years old. Learn songs, rhymes, and fingerplays. This interactive lapsit program requires that a parent or caregiver remain with the child. No registration required.

In her ambitious new memoir, Migrant Heart: Essays About Things I Can’t Forget, beloved bestselling author Reyna Grande illuminates the hidden cost of the American Dream and the complex journey of healing that follows survival. What is the true power of stories? Can they heal the jagged edges of a traumatic childhood? Is the cost of telling the story worth the price of the cure? With her signature blend of sophistication and raw honesty, Grande interrogates how living between two nations, two languages, and two identities has shaped the woman, mother, and writer she has become. Moving from the legacy of violence in her hometown of Iguala, Mexico, to a bittersweet family vacation in Europe spent reconciling her own impoverished past with her children’s world of abundance, she uncovers startling truths about the nature of survival. Whether being racially profiled in the Arizona borderlands or finding unexpected wisdom from the slugs in her garden, Grande unflinchingly asks: How do we bridge the gap between who we were and who we have become? How do we turn pain into power? When memory threatens to define us, how can we use story to heal while still honoring our boundaries? Register today for this virtual talk if you identify as a seeker, a dreamer, or “anyone who believes in the enduring, transformative power of finding one’s voice.” About the Author Reyna Grande is an award-winning author, motivational speaker, and writing teacher. As a young girl, she crossed the US–Mexico border to join her family in Los Angeles, a harrowing journey chronicled in The Distance Between Us, a National Book Critics Circle Award finalist. Her other books include the novels A Ballad of Love and Glory, Across a Hundred Mountains, and Dancing with Butterflies, the memoirs Migrant Heart, The Distance Between Us: Young Readers Edition, and A Dream Called Home, and the anthology Somewhere We Are Human: Authentic Voices on Migration, Survival, and New Beginnings. She lives in Woodland, California, with her husband and two children. Visit ReynaGrande.com for more information. Author Talks are presented by Library Speakers Consortium. To register for the live event or view event recordings, visit: https://libraryc.org/lakelandlibrary/177316 The views expressed by presenters are their own and their appearance in a program does not imply an endorsement of them or any entity they represent. Reference to any specific product or entity does not constitute an endorsement or recommendation by Lakeland Public Library.

Branch Library Meeting Room, Larry R. Jackson Branch Library

Join us for a fun, in-person, adult craft program. Made @ the Library will feature a new project every month. In July we will be making conch shell shaped wind spinners. All supplies will be provided, all you need to do is register. This program is free for adults 18 and over. Cancelation Policy: If you are unable to attend this event, please cancel your registration online at least 2 days before the event. This provides the time for the next person on the waiting list to be notified make plans to attend. Please keep in mind that if you do not show for the event and have not canceled ahead of time (the two-day minimum), you will be placed on the waitlist for future Made @ the Librarys. We appreciate your understanding and cooperation.

Main Library Meeting Room, Lakeland Public Library

This summer, get ready for a prehistoric adventure! Travel back in time to the age of dinosaurs, where stories stomp and imaginations ROAR! Join us on Dino Fridays from 10AM-12PM for dino-mite crafts and activities. Don’t miss out! It’s going to be roar-some! No registration required. Week 7: Amazing Fossils *Due to limited space and the nature of the events, summer camps, daycares, and groups cannot be accommodated.*

Branch Library Meeting Room, Larry R. Jackson Branch Library

Join us from 2-3 PM at the Larry R. Jackson Branch Library for an hour of sensory playtime with dinosaur themed activities. Dino playtime offers a space for toddlers to engage in social-emotional learning and develop fine and gross motor functions. This event is recommended for children ages 0-5 and their grown-ups. No registration required! Questions? Contact Marine Acosta Ponce (863) 834-1828 or email Marine.acostaponce@lakelandgov.net