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New! Sunday Hours at Two Branches

Beginning on September 8th, two branches now will be open on Sundays from 10am-6pm.

• Tarea Hall Pittman South - 1901 Russell Street (on MLK, near the Ashby Bart station)
• North - 1170 The Alameda

We look forward to serving you all weekend long!

 

Hours

Upcoming Event Highlights

Bands, a beat workshop + vendors on a Tuesday! 

Central
Tues, Aug 27

4-7pm

 

Come enjoy loud and live music in the library at our first In the Stax Music Fest!

 

This music fest will have vendors selling zines, records and vintage posters with two live music performances from Bay Area bands Burning Curtains and our feature band, Skip the Needle. We will also have a Build a Beat Workshop where you can learn to make music using Ableton Live software. 

Line Up

Claremont Turns 100! Centennial Party

Claremont 
Sat, Aug 31

2pm

Join us for artistry, cake, and the big sound of a Cal Alumnae Big Band as we mark a milestone in the community.

Workshop: How to Apply to be the 2025 Youth Poet Laureate

Central Teen Room
Mon, Sept 9 -or- Tues, Sept 24

4pm

We are looking for our 2025 Berkeley Youth Poet Laureate! If you are interested in applying, come check out our application workshop where we will help you with your resume and selecting poems to submit. Open to Berkeley residents and students ages 13-18.

Grammy Award winning musicians Cathy Fink and Marcy Marxer Children's Concert

MLK Jr Civic Center Park - outside
Sat, Sept 21

10:15am

* This event is sponsored by the Library and the Berkeley Old Time Music Convention

Author Panel: On Being Latine

Tarea Hall Pittman South
Tues, Sept 24

6pm

* Moderated by Tomas Moniz, author of All Friends Are Necessary

Author Talk with Margaret Wilkerson Sexton + Live Jazz

Hillside Club - 2286 Cedar Street

Wed, Sept 25

6pm

 

Join us for an evening of live music and conversation at the Hillside Club where author Margaret Wilkerson Sexton will discuss her book, On the Rooftop with host Lewis Watts, author of Harlem of the West.

Listen to live jazz music by the legendary all women big band Melba's Kitchen. 

 

The library will also be hosting book club discussions of the novel on August 27 (virtual), September 24 (virtual) and September 28 (onsite). 

More September Events

Tweens: (Make) Beads for Every Body

West
1st Tuesdays

3:30-5pm

Bingo - all ages

North
Thursdays

5pm

Teens: Learn DnD, Monstehears, and the Coyote & Crow RPG

North
Fridays
4pm

"So Make the Friendship Bracelets..."

Tarea Hall Pittman South
Sat, Sept 7

2pm

Workshop: Advance Directives

Claremont
Mon, Sept 9

12pm

Learn How to Mend with Muzhik, the traveling tailor and artful mender

Central
Mon, Sept 9
5pm

Collage Club

Central
1st & 3rd Fridays

1pm

All About Birding Lecture 

North
Tues, Sept 10

10am

Birding Field Trip

Albany Bulb
Sat, Sept 21
10am

LGBTQ+ Game Nite

West
Tues, Sept 24

5:30pm

Learn about & try historical European Sword Fighting

Tarea Hall Pittman South
Tues, Sept 28

10am

Infant & Child CPR & Choking Class

Claremont
Sat, Sept 28

10am

Homeschool Play Group

Wed
Mon, Sept 16

2pm

* If families express interest in this new program, it may be offered weekly. Show up and let us know or mention it to staff the next time you are at West branch.

There is so much more happening at the Library!

Calendar

Thank you to the Friends of the Berkeley Public Library for all you do to provide funding for Library programs & events!

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Reminder:

All Library locations will be open late at 11am on Friday, August 30 for an all staff meeting.

All Library locations will be closed on Monday, September 2 for Labor Day.
 

August Event Highlights

Claremont Branch turns 100! 

There are several events at Claremont happening this month in celebration of the Centennial.

In 1924, the Claremont Branch Library opened in its current home at 2940 Benvenue Avenue. It was designed by James W. Placheck, who also designed both the North and Central Berkeley Library locations. The Claremont Branch was expanded in 1976 to add room for the children's reading area, and again in 2012, with improvements that led to a Silver LEED-certification, creation of a separate Teen room, more computers and an improved layout for patrons.

Thank you to the Berkeley Public Library Foundation for their support of the Claremont Centennial.

Gel Printing with ArtEsteem

Claremont
Tues, Aug 6

5pm

Halau O'Keikiali'i Hawaiian Dance and Culture

Claremont
Sat, Aug 17

3pm

Berkeley Walks Authors Visit

Claremont
Sat, Aug 24

2pm - leave branch for neighborhood walk

3:30pm - reception & book signing

Centennial Party

Claremont - outside
Sat, Aug 31

2pm

Join us for artistry, cake, and the big sound of a Cal Alumnae Big Band as we mark a milestone in the community.

Library Afro Revolution Day

Tarea Hall Pittman South - outside
Sat, Aug 10

1pm

This event is uplifting the kinky, curly coils, but however you wear your hair; short, long, covered or none at all, we want you to join us in a celebration of self-love and community. The afternoon will include:

• Book Giveaways.
• Free Back-to-School haircuts for kids on a first come, first serve basis. 
• Vogue lessons and dance performances.
• A hair parade. 
• Crafts, music, sweet treats and special guests!

Award-winning Author Caro De Robertis in Conversation with Author Cristina Garcia

North
Wed, Aug 14

6pm

New York Times and Indie bestselling YA author Abigail Hing Wen in conversation with LA Times Journalist Jenny Gold

Central Teen Room

Thurs, Aug 15

4pm

Art & Graphic Novel Talk with painter and comic Guy Colwell

Central

Sat, Aug 24

3:30pm

Berkeley Public Library Book Club: On the Rooftop by Margaret Wilkerson Sextet

Zoom

Tues, Aug 27

2pm

*This book has been chosen by the Library's Staff Racial Justice group's all staff read as well. The author will be visiting the library this Fall.

Charles M Schulz Museum: Peanuts On the Go

West
Sat, Aug 10

2pm

 

Let's celebrate Snoopy's 56th Birthday! Explore Schulz's world famous Peanuts comic strip with hands-on crafts led by a Schulz Museum educator. Program is designed for children in Pre-K through 2nd Grade.

End of Summer Celebration for Teens & Kids

North - outside
Tues, Aug 13

2pm

Lawn games, music & bubbles, crafts for kids and teens, and frozen treats for the whole family.

Comics Workshop for Kids with Illustrators Minnie Phan & Sophie Diao

Central
Sat, Aug 17

11:30am

 

Learn about their journeys as artists, get a free copy of their books (while supplies last), and make comics in an exciting and collaborative environment. 

International Peace Day

Central
Tues, Aug 6

3:30pm

Listen to beautiful koto music, fold origami cranes, and hear a short reading in honor of Sadako Sasaki, a young girl who lived through the bombing of Hiroshima.

Library Kids Olympics

Central
Fri, Aug 9

3:30pm

 

Listen to French music, and compete in fun and active events where everyone wins! We may even have a (paper) torch relay! 

StoryWalk

North - Surrounding Sidewalk
August 1-15

Take a stroll outside the Library and enjoy reading the Big Dance by Aoife Greenham.

More Library Events in August

eLibrary Help Hour: eBooks, eAudiobooks, streaming movies

North
Mondays
11am

Drop-in Chess - All Ages

Central
Thursdays
1-3pm

Teen Crafts & Snacks

West
Thursdays

4pm

Soul4Kidz: Sing & Dance

West
Sat, Aug 3

10:30am

Robotics Workshop for 4th-8th graders

Tarea Hall Pittman South
Sat, Aug 3

12:30pm

Insect Discovery Lab

Tarea Hall Pittman South

Sat, Aug 3

4pm

Urban Cycling 101

North
Sat, Aug 3

1pm

The Healing Properties of Magic Mushrooms

Central
Mon, Aug 5

6pm

National Night Out: Learn How to Prepare for Fires & Other Emergencies

Central - out front
Tues, Aug 6

5pm

Watercolor for Kids

Tarea Hall Pittman South
Wed, Aug 7

10:30am

Cat Café

North
Thurs, Aug 8

3pm

Teen Plant Workshop

Tarea Hall Pittman South
Thurs, Aug 8

4pm

Petting Zoo

North
Sat, Aug 10

10am

StoryTime at Edible School Yard

King Middle School - garden entrance gate is near 1811 Berryman Street
Mon, Aug 12

10am

Resume Workshops

via Zoom
2nd & 4th Tuesdays
5pm

Internet Browser Basics

Central
Fri, Aug 16
2pm

Make an Herbal Salad

Tarea Hall Pittman South
Sat, Aug 17

11am

Mixed Media Koi Pond Teen Craft with Hella Artsy

Tarea Hall Pittman South
Sat, Aug 17

1pm

Tarot for Teens

North
Tues, Aug 27

4pm

Collage to Comedy

Tarea Hall Pittman South
Thurs, Aug 29

5pm

Silent Book Club

Tarea Hall Pittman South
Sat, Aug 31
2pm

There is so much more happening at the Library in August!

Thank you to the Friends of the Berkeley Public Library for all you do to provide funding for Library programs & events!

Reminder:

All Library locations will be open late on Friday, August 30 for an all staff meeting.