Storytimes near BRANCIFORTE BRANCH LIBRARY

Scotts Valley Branch, Fireside Community Room - AFTER HOURS

Support the Scotts Valley Library by joining the Friends group! We meet monthly to fundraise and advocate for our branch. New members are welcome! Contact scottsvalley@friendsofsantacruzlibraries.org. The Friends of the Scotts Valley Library is a chapter of the Friends of the Santa Cruz Public Libraries (FSCPL), which is a non-profit organization. We primarily support the Scotts Valley Library through fundraising, advocacy, and programming. We're an active group and would love to increase our membership to support the Library and the community better. We meet in person on the second Wednesday of each month at the Scotts Valley Library, Fireside Community Room. Consider joining us! For more information, please get in touch with us at scottsvalley@friendsofsantacruzlibraries.org

Boulder Creek Branch, June Brusa Community Room

Are you stuck with a technology question? You can make a free appointment with a tech savvy library staff member! Possible topics may include: creating an email account, creating documents, attaching files, using premium subscription library resources, downloading and streaming content like movies, books, and audiobooks, and more. Please bring any devices you use and have your necessary passwords and library card with you. Please call telephone information (831-427-7713) if you require assistance making an appointment. We look forward to helping you!

Downtown Branch, Life Literacies Center

Wings provides free birth certificates and notary services for people experiencing homelessness. Wings Homeless Advocates (in partnership with People First!) provides office hours inside the Life Literacies Center, located in the Downtown Santa Cruz Library on Thursdays, 10:30am - 12:00pm. Wings provides free birth certificates and notary services for people experiencing homelessness. For more information about this service, contact Wings at id@wingsadvocacy.org or leave a voicemail at 831-291-5096. Walk-ins welcome, everyone served on a first come, first served basis.

Downtown Branch

For ages 0-5 Join us for Storytime featuring songs, rhymes, and stories designed to help preschoolers, toddlers and babies develop early literacy skills. This program is designed for children ages zero to five and their caregivers, but all ages are welcome! After Storytime, stay for Stay & Play to reinforce early literacy skills through play and create connections with other families. Join us for Storytime at 10:30 and Stay & Play at 11:00. A craft will be provided to make at the library or take home.

La Selva Beach Branch, Zoom Adult Programs SCPL

Join our book club every second Thursday to explore great reads and share engaging conversations with fellow book lovers. The LSB Rabid Reader Book Discussion group meets on the second Thursday of the month from 10:30a to 12:00p. All adults are welcome. Call library for this month's selection 831.427.7710. Meeting will be in-person at the La Selva Beach Library, 316 Estrella Ave; and virtually via Zoom. To receive the Zoom link, please register.

Felton Branch, Community Room

Come join Librarian Jackie for stories, songs, and lots of fun for preschoolers and their caregivers in our lovely Felton Community Room every Thursday at 11am, followed by a craft!

Offsite

Lunch at the library @ Bayview

Live Oak Branch

Songs and Stories Come join Librarian Julie for stories, songs and lots of fun for preschoolers and their caregivers in our Live Oak Library Branch every Thursday at 11am.

Aptos Branch, Dorosin Family Conference Room,Zoom Adult Programs SCPL

The Aptos Library Book Discussion Group meets 2nd Thursdays, 1-2:30pm, in-person or via Zoom. Adult readers choose thought-provoking fiction & nonfiction. Email judybookdoc@collegepathfinders.com. Our current Calendar of Selected Readings: July - Entangled Life by Sheldrake August - Wild by Strayed September - Mrs Dalloway by Woolf October - A World Appears, Journey into Consciousness by Michael Pollan November - A Guardian and a Thief by Majumbar December - London Falling by Keefe

Downtown Branch, Life Literacies Center

Housing resources and other services for those experiencing homelessness. The Housing Matters Outreach Team assists families and individuals experiencing homelessness to help them access resources, navigate housing, and meet with Housing Matters representatives. This is a drop-in service - first come, first served. For more information about Housing Matters: (831) 458-6020 contact@housingmatterssc.org https://housingmatterssc.org/

Scotts Valley Branch, Study Room A

Creativity time for teens and tweens at the library! We are offering an arts and crafts program led by volunteer Grace Chicoine. Aimed at the tweens and teens coming to the library, Grace offers a variety of activities, including zentangle, collaging, jewelry making and much more!

Aptos Branch, Betty Leonard Community Room

Play Mahjong with fellow enthusiasts! Beginners welcome with weekly Hong Kong Style lessons. Other styles offered too. Tiles provided or bring your own. Mahjong at the Library All levels welcome—from seasoned players to the newly curious! Connect with fellow Mahjong enthusiasts, share tips, and enjoy the camaraderie of learning together. A weekly Beginner’s Learning Table (Hong Kong Style) introduces tiles, setup, and open-hand play for practice. Stay as long as you like, or try Chinese Mah Jongg (British rules) with our additional instructor. Tile sets provided (or bring your own). With over 40 known variants, please be respectful—agree on rules before each game, be flexible, and enjoy the shared experience.

Downtown Branch

R.E.A.D. is one-on-one reading comprehension instruction for grades 1-12. By appointment only. Please, no drop-ins! To make an appointment, call 831-427-7713 R.E.A.D. sessions are 25 minutes long. By appointment only. For more information or to register, contact SCPL Telephone Information: 831-427-7713 or elibrary@santacruzpl.org

Aptos Branch, Dorosin Family Conference Room

R.E.A.D. is one-on-one reading comprehension instruction for grades 1-12. By appointment only. Please, no drop-ins! To make an appointment, call 831-427-7713. R.E.A.D. sessions are 25 minutes long. By appointment only. For more information or to register, contact SCPL Telephone Information: 831-427-7713 or elibrary@santacruzpl.org

Felton Branch, Study Room

R.E.A.D. is one-on-one reading comprehension instruction for grades 1-12. By appointment only. Please, no drop-ins! To make an appointment, call 831-427-7713 R.E.A.D sessions are 25 minutes long. By appointment only. For more information or to register, contact SCPL Telephone Information: 831-427-7713 or elibrary@santacruzpl.org

Live Oak Library Annex (LOLA), Active Learn Room

Bring your decks and get ready to play This is an informal drop in session for children who want to play pokemon. Bring your decks and get ready to see who is the Poke Master! Trading is allowed with parents present. For more information please call 831-427-7700 ext 7649

Live Oak Library Annex (LOLA)

R.E.A.D. is one-on-one reading comprehension instruction for grades 1-12. By appointment only. Please, no drop-ins! To make an appointment, call 831-427-7713 R.E.A.D sessions are 25 minutes long. By appointment only. For more information or to register, contact SCPL Telephone Information: 831-427-7713 or elibrary@santacruzpl.org

Branciforte Branch, Community Room

Learn how to craft, build, and survive in the world of Minecraft.edu. Thursdays, 3:00pm to 5:00pm Learn how to craft, build, and survive in the world of Minecraft.edu. Space is limited to 12 on a first-come basis. No advance registration. Ages 8 to 18 *please check calendar for any cancelations and events on Thursdays that may interfere with program availibility

Felton Branch, Community Room

Make and explore STEAM possibilities at Felton Branch Library! Age 6+ Every week we will have a new project idea for you to build or explore. Projects will include Science, Arts & Crafts, including model building, and exploration of the environment around us. Best for children 6+. Children under 6 yrs old will need an adult present to help them. Expect to get messy! The program will take place in the Felton Library Community Room and / or patio.

Capitola Branch, Ow Family Community Room

Watch a fascinating film about bees and dive deeper with the Santa Cruz Bee Company's Emily Bondor. Join Local Beekeeper Emily Bondor and the Library for light refreshments and a screening and discussion of the film. We'll discuss the importance of bees, and how you can promote their growth and health in your own backyard. My Garden of a Thousand Bees follows acclaimed wildlife filmmaker Martin Dohrn, who, locked down by coronavirus, turns his lenses on the surprising and spectacular bees living in his own urban garden in Bristol, England. Bees play a crucial role in healthy ecosystems, including the pollination of most fruit, vegetables, grains, and flowers. These important pollinators are facing challenges from declines in their habitat and food supplies. Through actions as small as planting a section of yards or community spaces with native wildflowers, we can each make a big impact. Even one square foot can make a difference.

Boulder Creek Branch, June Brusa Community Room

Dedicated bat researcher Bethany Schulze will share her work on these fascinating yet often misunderstood creatures. Bats play a vital role in maintaining the health and balance of diverse ecosystems, here and in California and around the world. Bats are necessary for controlling insect pests, pollinating plants, and dispersing seeds, which helps natural habitats and agriculture thrive! Did you know as many as 17 species of bats live in Santa Cruz County? Our local bats can be found in a variety of habitats, even over the open ocean! Come learn more about these amazing creatures, the threats they face, and how you too can help protect our local bats! Bethany Schulze is the lead for bat projects at the Western Ecological Research Center for U.S. Geological Survey. Her research projects aim to answer questions about bat migration and roosting ecology of bats in the Western US. Bethany began studying bats in 2016, transforming her curiosity of bats and love of ecology into passion for a career in research. She recently completed a master’s thesis on hoary bat and western red bat foraging activity across urban-natural habitat gradients through California State University, Monterey Bay.

La Selva Beach Branch

Stop by each week for a new creative craft. Get creative with a new craft each week! From fuse beads and mosaics to fun yarn projects, there's always something new to make. Best for children 6+. Children under 6 yrs old will need an adult present to help them. Drop in, no registration needed.

Garfield Park Branch

This club is designed for intermediate-level participants, so if you're just starting out, you might find it a bit challenging at first. 1st & 3rd Thursdays 12:30-1:30pm 2nd & 4th Thursdays 4:30-5:30pm Have you taken a Spanish course in the past that has ended and find it hard to keep your skills up on your own due to lack of practice opportunities? Can you understand a bit when you read and listen, but then freeze up when trying to talk? If yes, this may be the club for you! Come once, once a week, or as often as you'd like!

Live Oak Branch

¡Una hora de cuentos en español! ¡Acompáñanos para leer, cantar y disfrutar del tiempo con nuevos amigos en español! Este programa es más adecuado para niños de 0 a 8 años y sus familias. Join us for stories, singing, and having fun with new friends in Spanish! This program is best suited for kids ages 0-8 and their families.

La Selva Beach Branch

Join our Bridge Club for friendly games and social fun, open to players of all skill levels. Come learn and play with us. Every Friday morning (except the 1st Friday of the month) starting at 10:30am. Questions? Please call the La Selva Beach Library 831.427.7710

Live Oak Branch

We are knitting at Live Oak Library on Fridays. This fun social group. Come for part of the time or stay for the whole event. Other fiber crafts are welcome and encouraged. For more information contact the librarian Julia Stover (stoverj@santacruzpl.org) or 831-427-7700 ext 7649

Boulder Creek Branch, June Brusa Community Room

A time for free play for children with a participating adult. A time for free play for children with a participating adult. Arrival and departure times are flexible. This is a drop-in early learning program, where there will be toys for developing and strengthening gross motor skills, as well as providing time for young children to learn socialization skills and for all participants to form friendships.

Scotts Valley Branch, Fireside Community Room

Come join Librarian Emily for stories, songs, and lots of fun for preschoolers and their caregivers in our beautiful, newly-renovated Scotts Valley Library Branch every Friday at 11:30am.

Aptos Branch, Betty Leonard Community Room

Join us for great stories and a fun craft. Ages 4-6 Drop-in, no registration required.

Felton Branch

Are you stuck with a technology question? You can make a free appointment with a tech savvy library staff member! Possible topics may include: creating an email account, creating documents, attaching files, using premium subscription library resources, downloading and streaming content like movies, books, and audiobooks, and more. Please bring any devices you use and have your necessary passwords and library card with you. Please call telephone information (831-427-7713) if you require assistance making an appointment. We look forward to helping you!