Shut Up & Write!

Looking for a place for a weekly silent writing session? Join us in Rinconada Library's spacious Embarcadero Room every Wednesday morning right after the library opens. Feel free to find a table in the library to continue writing until closing at 6 p.m.  It's not nece......More

Looking for a place for a weekly silent writing session? Join us in Rinconada Library's spacious Embarcadero Room every Wednesday morning right after the library opens. Feel free to find a table in the library to continue writing until closing at 6 p.m.  It's not necessary to register but you will receive email reminders if you do.

Documentary: UNAFF presents Porcelain War

Amidst the chaos and destruction of the brutal Russian invasion of Ukraine, three artists defiantly find inspiration and beauty as they defend their culture and their country. In a war waged by professional soldiers against ordinary civilians, Slava Leontyev, Anya Stas......More

Amidst the chaos and destruction of the brutal Russian invasion of Ukraine, three artists defiantly find inspiration and beauty as they defend their culture and their country. In a war waged by professional soldiers against ordinary civilians, Slava Leontyev, Anya Stasenko and Andrey Stefanov choose to stay behind, armed with their art, their cameras and, for the first time in their lives, their weapons. See the trailer for this Oscar-nominated 87-minute documentary from Ukraine here. Brendan Bellomo was the recipient of a Student Academy Award for Live Action Narrative. Beginning his career in visual effects, he supervised the Sundance Grand Jury Prize and Oscar-nominated Beasts of the Southern Wild. Most recently, Bellomo was the executive producer on the Netflix original, Chupa. He worked closely with Annie Leibovitz on the global exhibit Women: New Portraits. Slava Leontyev is a first-time director. Merging his love of nature and art, Leontyev has spent his life studying painting, photography, graphic design and art theory. He is also a former soldier of the Ukrainian Special Forces and a highly-regarded weapons instructor for civilians who are currently defending their country against Russian aggression. Aniela Sidorska is a filmmaker and visual effects composer for Captain America: The First Avenger. She also worked as a compositing supervisor on the Oscar-nominated Beasts of the Southern Wild and as a visual effects producer on Lee Daniels’ The Butler and The Expendables 3. Most recently, she was involved in creature development for the Netflix original Chupa. Paula DuPré Pesmen is an Emmy and Grammy Award–winning producer who produced the Oscar–winning feature documentary The Cove. Pesmen launched her film career on the producing teams of such as Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, Rent, Mrs. Doubtfire, Home Alone 2 and Stepmom. She produced the renowned documentaries Chasing Ice, Keep On Keepin’ On, and Quincy. Olivia Ahnemann has been producing award-winning documentary films for over twenty years. She produced Youth v Gov, which was released globally on Netflix; The Human Element, featuring photographer James Balog, Stephanie Soechtig’s Under the Gun and Louie Psihoyos’ Racing Extinction. She was nominated for an Emmy Award for Exceptional Merit in Documentary Filmmaking. She co-produced the Oscar–winning feature documentary The Cove. As one of the oldest solely documentary film festivals in the US, UNAFF has grown and earned the respect of audiences and filmmakers alike for its fearless independence and integrity. It was founded in 1998 by Stanford educator and film critic Jasmina Bojic in conjunction with the 50th anniversary of the signing of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

CANCELED 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

Meditation with Sara

Join us for a guided meditation experience with Sara.  Welcome to all experience levels.  This will be a seated meditation session that lasts about 30 minutes. 

Tai Chi with Nelson Ng

Join us for a weekly Tai Chi session with Nelson Ng! In this weekly class, participants will learn the basic principles and the philosophy behind Tai Chi, gaining flexibility and a better sense of balance, through slow and gentle movement.  Nelson started learning Che......More

Join us for a weekly Tai Chi session with Nelson Ng! In this weekly class, participants will learn the basic principles and the philosophy behind Tai Chi, gaining flexibility and a better sense of balance, through slow and gentle movement.  Nelson started learning Chen's Tai Chi in 1989 from Master Gene Chen, who was a disciple of Grandmaster of Feng ZhiQiang. Nelson has been teaching since 2014. This class is free and open to beginners as well as those who have previous Tai Chi experience. People of all ages are welcome. You must sign in upon arrival.

Performance: Nathan's Fearless Five returns!

The men in black are back! From New York, Oberlin, Stanford and points in between, patron favorite Nathan's Fearless Five returns for a special two-hour winter concert in the Embarcadero Room. Come hear:  Nathan Tokunaga – reeds Will Knox – guitar Grant Kitchen – keybo......More

The men in black are back! From New York, Oberlin, Stanford and points in between, patron favorite Nathan's Fearless Five returns for a special two-hour winter concert in the Embarcadero Room. Come hear:  Nathan Tokunaga – reeds Will Knox – guitar Grant Kitchen – keyboard Nicholas Oey – bass Josh Lin – drums Here are links to a few videos from Nathan's YouTube channel to put you in the mood: The Vision by Rob Reich, May 2025 Comes Love, October 2022 House of the Rising Sun, December 2024 No need to register, but registering means you will receive a reminder email the day before.

Early Closure: Christmas Eve

Mitchell Park and Rinconada libraries will be closing early at 5 p.m. on Wednesday, December 24. Please note: Downtown, College Terrace & Children's Library will remain closed December 24 through January 1. Our e......More

Mitchell Park and Rinconada libraries will be closing early at 5 p.m. on Wednesday, December 24. Please note: Downtown, College Terrace & Children's Library will remain closed December 24 through January 1. Our eLibrary is open 24/7!

CLOSED: Christmas

All Palo Alto City libraries will be closed Thursday, December 25 for Christmas. Mitchell Park and Rinconada libraries will reopen on Friday, December 26 at 10 a.m. Please note: Downtown, College Terrace & Children's Library will remain closed December 24 through Janu......More

All Palo Alto City libraries will be closed Thursday, December 25 for Christmas. Mitchell Park and Rinconada libraries will reopen on Friday, December 26 at 10 a.m. Please note: Downtown, College Terrace & Children's Library will remain closed December 24 through January 1. Our eLibrary is open 24/7!

Meditation with Sara

Join us for a guided meditation experience with Sara.  Welcome to all experience levels.  This will be a seated meditation session that lasts about 30 minutes. 

Tai Chi with Nelson Ng

Join us for a weekly Tai Chi session with Nelson Ng! In this weekly class, participants will learn the basic principles and the philosophy behind Tai Chi, gaining flexibility and a better sense of balance, through slow and gentle movement.  Nelson started learning Che......More

Join us for a weekly Tai Chi session with Nelson Ng! In this weekly class, participants will learn the basic principles and the philosophy behind Tai Chi, gaining flexibility and a better sense of balance, through slow and gentle movement.  Nelson started learning Chen's Tai Chi in 1989 from Master Gene Chen, who was a disciple of Grandmaster of Feng ZhiQiang. Nelson has been teaching since 2014. This class is free and open to beginners as well as those who have previous Tai Chi experience. People of all ages are welcome. You must sign in upon arrival.

ICYMI Movie Double Feature

In case you missed it in theaters, you can see it at the library! Close out 2025 with a double feature of The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad! and ......More

In case you missed it in theaters, you can see it at the library! Close out 2025 with a double feature of The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad! and The Naked Gun. Feel free to bring along an extra comfy chair and settle in for a cozy afternoon at the Rinconada Library. 1:30pm The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad! (1988) 3:00pm The Naked Gun (2025) Light snacks will be provided.

Early Closure: New Year's Eve

Mitchell Park and Rinconada libraries will be closing early at 5 p.m. on Wednesday, December 31. Please note: Downtown, College Terrace & Children's Library will remain closed December 24 through January 1. Our e......More

Mitchell Park and Rinconada libraries will be closing early at 5 p.m. on Wednesday, December 31. Please note: Downtown, College Terrace & Children's Library will remain closed December 24 through January 1. Our eLibrary is open 24/7!

CLOSED: New Year's

All Palo Alto City libraries will be closed on Thursday, January 1 for New Year's Day. Our eLibrary is open 24/7!

Meditation with Sara

Join us for a guided meditation experience with Sara.  Welcome to all experience levels.  This will be a seated meditation session that lasts about 30 minutes. 

Acting for Stage & Camera Workshop

Whether you’re new to acting or already have experience, in this fun, no-pressure class, you’ll learn how to make any scene feel more real and more you. We will explore simple tools that help you get out of your head, connect with a partner, and bring truth and spontan......More

Whether you’re new to acting or already have experience, in this fun, no-pressure class, you’ll learn how to make any scene feel more real and more you. We will explore simple tools that help you get out of your head, connect with a partner, and bring truth and spontaneity to the moment. Come ready to play, explore, and surprise yourself. No prepared material required. Instructor: Sarah Gaboury. On-set acting coach Sarah Gaboury recently wrapped work on Season 3 of the Netflix hit XO, Kitty and will next be heading to Canada to coach all the young members of the cast on a feature film with J.K. Simmons. Her recent on-set credits include NBC’s This Is Us, Hulu’s Paradise, and Ryan Murphy’s Doctor Odyssey on ABC. Sarah also works privately with professional actors preparing for major TV, film, and theatre roles — including coaching a main cast member of Ozark for their Season 3 scenes. Based in Los Angeles, Sarah has led her on-camera and online acting studio for over 20 years, supporting both emerging talent and established performers in bringing their most authentic work to the screen. Instructor: Matt Pittenger. Recent acting credits include 9-1-1 on FX, Community and Mr. Robinson on NBC and the film Thief Collector. Matt continues to work professionally in commercials, television, film, and audiobook narration, bringing the same creativity and joy he inspires in his students to every project he takes on.