External Event: FOPAL Book Sale

Don't miss this month's Friends of the Palo Alto Library Book Sale! There will be three rooms with over 70,000 books, CDs, DVDs, puzzles, etc., new & gently used, all sorted, very reasonably priced! Proceeds benefit the Palo Alto libraries.  For the safety and comfort......More

Don't miss this month's Friends of the Palo Alto Library Book Sale! There will be three rooms with over 70,000 books, CDs, DVDs, puzzles, etc., new & gently used, all sorted, very reasonably priced! Proceeds benefit the Palo Alto libraries.  For the safety and comfort of all participants, masks are suggested and room occupancy will be lower than usual. Please visit fopal.org for more information. Saturday Hours: Bargain Room 9:30am – 4pm Children’s Room 10am – 4pm Main Room 11am – 4pm Sunday Hours: All Rooms 1pm – 4pm

CANCELED - Bay Area Quiz Club

Join the Bay Area Quiz Club for fun trivia and friendly competition! Bay Area Quiz Club (BAQC) is a volunteer run organization. We aim to have fun and enjoy quizzing in a friendly, inclusive environment. The focus of the club is to build a community around in-person ......More

Join the Bay Area Quiz Club for fun trivia and friendly competition! Bay Area Quiz Club (BAQC) is a volunteer run organization. We aim to have fun and enjoy quizzing in a friendly, inclusive environment. The focus of the club is to build a community around in-person quizzing in the Bay Area.Our quizzes take place from 2-6pm on the second Sunday of every month, at Mitchell Park Library, Palo Alto. It is free and open to everyone.

Neurosphere: Neuroscience and More! Grades 3-8

Come join teen-led group NeuroSphere! NeuroSphere is a community for curious 3rd-8th graders about medicine! This session will dive into the basics of brain function, featuring a guest speaker from the neuroscience field, fun activities to test your brainpower, and an......More

Come join teen-led group NeuroSphere! NeuroSphere is a community for curious 3rd-8th graders about medicine! This session will dive into the basics of brain function, featuring a guest speaker from the neuroscience field, fun activities to test your brainpower, and an introduction to future career opportunities. There will be snacks- feel free to bring a friend! We're a group of high school students driven by a passion for neuroscience and the wonders of the brain. Our mission is to inspire curiosity and spark a love for science in younger students by creating engaging, hands-on learning experiences. Through NeuroSphere, we hope to share our knowledge, connect with the community, and encourage the next generation of future scientists and innovators! Questions? Email [email protected] This program is open for 3rd-8th graders only.

YEP! @ Stanford: Day of Entrepreneurship

YEP! provides free entrepreneurship programming to high schoolers across the globe. Our mission is to create the next generation of entrepreneurs and changemakers by uniting university and high school students.  Participating students will get a crash course in entrep......More

YEP! provides free entrepreneurship programming to high schoolers across the globe. Our mission is to create the next generation of entrepreneurs and changemakers by uniting university and high school students.  Participating students will get a crash course in entrepreneurship from Stanford students with experience in the start-up realm. This workshop is open to high school students, freshman through seniors.  This is a registration only workshop. Please register for the event by filling out this form.

External Event: allcove Book Club

Join our friends at allcove for AAPI book club featuring American Born Chinese by Gene Luen Yang. Explore identity, culture, and storytelling th......More

Join our friends at allcove for AAPI book club featuring American Born Chinese by Gene Luen Yang. Explore identity, culture, and storytelling through this powerful graphic novel. This event series is for youth and young adults ages 12-25 years old. May 1, 6, & 15: Read & discuss the graphic novel. May 22 & 29: Watch the adaptation, compare, and discuss. Registration is encouraged but drop-ins are welcome.

External Event: 3rd Thursday on California Ave

Experience live music, local eats, and shopping at 3rd Thursdays on California Avenue. Musicians will perform at different spots along the avenue, offering a chance to discover and support local businesses. Enjoy additional attractions such as photo booth and community......More

Experience live music, local eats, and shopping at 3rd Thursdays on California Avenue. Musicians will perform at different spots along the avenue, offering a chance to discover and support local businesses. Enjoy additional attractions such as photo booth and community art. Sponsored by the City of Palo Alto and the Chamber of Commerce, this free monthly music series occurs every third Thursday and all are welcome. Join us on Cal Ave and be part of the festivities! Learn More February 20  –  Let's Grow Together March 20 – Youth Views  April 17  –  Greening Up Cal Ave May 15 – We are Two-gether June 19  – Local Libations July 17 – Summer Fun & Games August 21 – Taste of Cal Ave September 18 – Let's Dance October 16 – Sustainability Fun Fair November 20 – Thankscaring December 18 – Winter Lights

Learn English: Beyond the Basics

ESL: Beyond the Basics is an 8-week class with lessons on English grammar, pronunciation, and idioms. It is for adult (18 years and older) intermediate and advanced English learners who can have a conversation in English but want to improve their pronunciation and comp......More

ESL: Beyond the Basics is an 8-week class with lessons on English grammar, pronunciation, and idioms. It is for adult (18 years and older) intermediate and advanced English learners who can have a conversation in English but want to improve their pronunciation and comprehension. To register for the entire 8-week series, please include your email address and make sure it is entered correctly.

Family Storytime: Celebrate AANHPI Heritage Month!

Join Librarian Alicia on Saturdays at 11:00 AM for Family Storytime at Mitchell Park Library. Come sing, rhyme, and read stories with us! While this storytime will be geared towards those older than 2 years, all ages are welcome! Make sure to follow us on ......More

Join Librarian Alicia on Saturdays at 11:00 AM for Family Storytime at Mitchell Park Library. Come sing, rhyme, and read stories with us! While this storytime will be geared towards those older than 2 years, all ages are welcome! Make sure to follow us on YouTube for more stories, songs and rhymes, including a playlist of all of our favorite songs to sing!

External Event: Affordable Housing and Housing Resources Fair

Join the City of Palo Alto for the 2025 Affordable Housing and Housing Resources Fair. This free, family-friendly event brings together local nonprofits, housing providers, service organizations, and City and County staff to share information on affordable housing oppo......More

Join the City of Palo Alto for the 2025 Affordable Housing and Housing Resources Fair. This free, family-friendly event brings together local nonprofits, housing providers, service organizations, and City and County staff to share information on affordable housing opportunities, housing rehabilitation support, and other housing-related services. Whether you're a renter, homeowner, or someone who works in Palo Alto, this is a great opportunity to learn more about the resources available in the community. Come connect with organizations, ask questions, and learn about programs that may be available to you or someone you know.  For more details, visit: paloalto.gov/housingfair

Mindfulness Meditation

Come and improve your mental and physical health in mindfulness meditation sessions led by Phuong Pham. Each session is 45 minutes of sitting and/or walking meditation followed by 15 minutes of group sharing and Q&A. It is open to all levels of experience and no regist......More

Come and improve your mental and physical health in mindfulness meditation sessions led by Phuong Pham. Each session is 45 minutes of sitting and/or walking meditation followed by 15 minutes of group sharing and Q&A. It is open to all levels of experience and no registration is required. Participants are encouraged to bring their own yoga mats and/or meditation cushions. Chairs are available for those who do not bring them. Phuong is a Buddhist nun experienced in leading mindfulness meditation. You can learn more about Phuong here and can watch her meditation videos on the library's YouTube channel here.

Photography Meetup

Join us every 2nd Sunday of the month for a monthly meetup designed for intermediate and advanced photographers hosted by Matthew TW Huang. Whether you're into portrait, landscape, or any other type of photograph......More

Join us every 2nd Sunday of the month for a monthly meetup designed for intermediate and advanced photographers hosted by Matthew TW Huang. Whether you're into portrait, landscape, or any other type of photography, all are welcome! Each session will feature discussions on techniques, tips for improving your craft, and other aspects of photography.  Ideas for 5-10 min topics, photo stories, or presentations can be emailed to [email protected]. There will be time for a couple of ideas to be presented at each meeting. The format will evolve based on your interests and feedback, creating a supportive and dynamic space for photographers to connect, learn, and grow. Registration is optional. Register to receive an email reminder!

Chess in Library

Chess in Library Our mission is to promote Chess In the Community. Chess is a game of sport, art and science. Kids can benefit from Chess significantly for their learning, critical thinking and character development. Palo Alto High School (Paly) student Ethan Mei and ......More

Chess in Library Our mission is to promote Chess In the Community. Chess is a game of sport, art and science. Kids can benefit from Chess significantly for their learning, critical thinking and character development. Palo Alto High School (Paly) student Ethan Mei and his chess friends would like to share their passion in chess, introduce this wonderful game to kids of all ages and help them to improve. We'll meet in the Mitchell Park Library on a bi-weekly schedule. No registration is required. Please join us for fun-filled chess activities.

Mastering Your Camera for Beginners

Join photographer Matthew TW Huang for a series of photography workshops geared towards beginners using DSLR, mirrorless, or other cameras with adjustable settings. Each session will dive into a key topic like e......More

Join photographer Matthew TW Huang for a series of photography workshops geared towards beginners using DSLR, mirrorless, or other cameras with adjustable settings. Each session will dive into a key topic like exposure or focus with time to try out techniques and experiment with your camera settings. Whether you're just starting out or looking to improve your skills, this series will help you feel more confident and creative with your camera. Open to teens and adults. Don't forget to bring your camera! Topics include: Sunday, February 9: Exposure Workshop Learn how to use your digital camera on manual. If you have a DSLR or more advanced camera, find out how to expose your pictures by adjusting shutter speed, aperture, or ISO and know which settings to modify in various situations. Sunday, March 9: Focus Workshop Learn about the various focus settings, whether that be taking pictures of fast things like kids and cars or slower things like sunsets. Sunday, April 13: Editing Workshop Learn how photographers use Adobe Lightroom as an organization and editing tool. You will learn the basic editing process and simple tips. Feel free to bring your own laptop with Lightroom to follow along. Sunday, May 18: Photo Review Workshop Bring in your own photos for an informal constructive critique where you will learn tips for picking points of interest, improving your framing, and other techniques. Participants are welcome to send photos to [email protected] prior to the workshop for review.

Sojourners to Joke Sings: Tales of Chinatown and Beyond with Author Ron Lee

Join us for a captivating author reading featuring Ron Lee and his daughters, Meredith and Alison Lee, as they present Sojourners to Joke Sings: Tales of Chinatown and Beyond. This extraordinary work is based on the recently discovered memoir of LK Lennie Lee (1923-202......More

Join us for a captivating author reading featuring Ron Lee and his daughters, Meredith and Alison Lee, as they present Sojourners to Joke Sings: Tales of Chinatown and Beyond. This extraordinary work is based on the recently discovered memoir of LK Lennie Lee (1923-2021), Ron's mother, who left behind remarkable stories originally intended for her grandchildren. The book explores a unique perspective on Chinese American immigration history, from pre-Gold Rush settlement in what would become San Francisco to adventures throughout the American West. Learn about the mystery behind China Beach's name, connections to Robert Louis Stevenson, and a family's journey from hardship to success over generations. Rather than focusing solely on the undeniable challenges of racism and xenophobia, this presentation highlights the courage, resilience, and entrepreneurial spirit of early Chinese immigrants whose descendants continue to thrive in San Francisco today. This free event will take place on May 18, from 1:00 to 2:30 PM at the Mitchell Park Community Center, Adobe Room (3700 Middlefield Rd, Palo Alto).  Registration recommended (for a reminder email) but not required! 

Author Event: Anne Ylvisaker

Join us for a special event featuring children's author Anne Ylvisaker! Anne will read selected verse from her middle grade novel, One Alley Summer, and talk about her writing process. There will be a Q&A, followed by an art project and a book signing.  ......More

Join us for a special event featuring children's author Anne Ylvisaker! Anne will read selected verse from her middle grade novel, One Alley Summer, and talk about her writing process. There will be a Q&A, followed by an art project and a book signing.  Linden Tree Books will be providing copies of Anne's book to purchase. Anne Ylvisaker is the author of the picture book Iamasaurus and five previous novels, including The Luck of the Buttons, Button Down, and The Curse of the Buttons, about the comically unlucky Button family; Little Klein, for which she was awarded the McKnight Loft Award in Children’s Literature; and Dear Papa, which was named to Booklist’s Top Ten Youth First Novels. She lives in Monterey, California with her husband, Dan, and Buster the very good dog. More information about Anne's work can be found at www.anneylvisaker.com.

Paly Robotics Storybook Workshop

Stop by to write and create your own custom storybook with the award-winning Art subteam of Paly Robotics! No materials necessary, just your imagination and voice! Recommended for ages 6-11. Parents welcome!