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Eastside Library is closed due to construction work.

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summer reading kickoff
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The Santa Barbara Public Library Kicks Off the Summer Season with Special Programs

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Santa Barbara Public Library invites the community to celebrate the beginning of summer! SBPL will be hosting fun and educational events for all ages throughout June, July, and August. 

Festivities begin with the Summer Reading Kick-off at Alameda Park on Saturday, June 10th. Families can stop by between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. for free activities, including a scavenger hunt, STEAM and maker activities, a meeting with the Wild Thing book character from Maurice Sendak’s Where the Wild Things Are, a free snow cone from Kona Ice, and to sign up for the summer reading challenge. 

Adults are invited to celebrate the beginning of summer reading on Friday, June 16, at 6 pm with Elaine Castillo, author of How to Read Now. Her conversation will inspire readers to develop a more engaged relationship not just with our fiction and our art, but with our buried and entangled histories. Complimentary copies of her collection of essays will be available for attendees while supplies last.

There’s so much to do at the Library this summer!

School-age children will have many opportunities to learn with the Library this summer, including STEM activities at Library Lab, cooking classes, dance classes, free lunches, maker challenges, and special family events like Diary of Wimpy Kid Day and Pokémon at the Library. 

Teens can join us for tons of fun activities like Gamer Night, a Murder Mystery Event, a music production class series, and a DIY Spa Day. Teens looking to earn volunteer hours can review books for us and help other teens find great books to read! Teens can also get volunteer hours every Wednesday at Central Library at our aptly named Teen Volunteer Time Program!

SBPL is also hosting several events for adults to celebrate reading and learning, including a launch party for the Santa Barbara Literary Journal, an opportunity for local history enthusiasts to collaborate and document the biographies of prominent historical figures in a Wikipedia edit-a-thon, as well as fun events like a MakeSB concert and DIY extravaganza. 

All ages are invited to a performance of Ring Shout to commemorate and learn about Juneteenth and a special game of Bingo hosted by Drag Queen Miss Angel. 

The Library on the Go van will be out and about at local parks, on State Street, and at festivals and events. Catch us to sign up for a Library card, borrow books, or attend an outdoor program. Check the Library Calendar for details!

Readers of all ages are invited to sign up for the Summer Reading Challenges! Learn how to join on the Library’s website. 

Keep up to date with news about Summer Reading and Library on the Go by visiting www.SBPLibrary.org to sign up for SBPL’s newsletter or check the Library calendar.