Baby Storytime

Fun for you and your baby with songs, rhymes, stories and movement. For babies and their caregivers. Recommended for ages birth – 18 months. Want to continue the fun at home? View these fun Storytime song and book recommendations ......More

Fun for you and your baby with songs, rhymes, stories and movement. For babies and their caregivers. Recommended for ages birth – 18 months. Want to continue the fun at home? View these fun Storytime song and book recommendations here.

Teen Time

Welcome all teens! Middle School and High School students are invited to join us at the Swasey branch Teen Time.  Meet new friends, relax, play games, work on homework, or make a craft.  We'll do something different each time! Activities will be provided for free a......More

Welcome all teens! Middle School and High School students are invited to join us at the Swasey branch Teen Time.  Meet new friends, relax, play games, work on homework, or make a craft.  We'll do something different each time! Activities will be provided for free and the fun you create will be priceless!

Community Compass

Offered as an extension of our Social Work program, drop-in to connect with University of Washington Tacoma's Master of Social Work Practicum Students. They will be happy to listen and assist patrons with general support and resource navigation.

Crafting with Remakery--Letter Applique Greeting Cards

Join us as we welcome Remakery Tacoma for this instructor-led session where we will make letter applique greeting cards! We will take fabric letters, cut from old t-shirts, and sew them onto a fun & funky greeting card. The process includes appliqueing the letters to ......More

Join us as we welcome Remakery Tacoma for this instructor-led session where we will make letter applique greeting cards! We will take fabric letters, cut from old t-shirts, and sew them onto a fun & funky greeting card. The process includes appliqueing the letters to cardstock with a sewing machine. We'll use textile scraps to make something personal and unique! This sewing project is good for those familiar with a sewing machine and who have sewn before. Some sewing machines will be on-hand for the project. (Feel free to bring your own sewing machine if you wish but there will be limited space and outlets available.) All materials and tools are provided. Materials are 100% post-consumer meaning we use only reclaimed, recycled or donated items. This is a drop-in event. No registration is required. Supplies and table space are limited and available on a first-come, first-served basis.

Play to Learn

Play to Learn is a FREE program for children and adults to play TOGETHER! Play to Learn is for parents, grandparents, neighbors, family, and friends who nurture children ages six and under. Thematic curriculum invites individual play, fun group activities, songs, and a......More

Play to Learn is a FREE program for children and adults to play TOGETHER! Play to Learn is for parents, grandparents, neighbors, family, and friends who nurture children ages six and under. Thematic curriculum invites individual play, fun group activities, songs, and a whole group circle time for children and adults to enjoy together. Presented by Greentrike, funded by the City of Tacoma/Tacoma Creates, hosted by Tacoma Public Library.

Play to Learn

Play to Learn is a FREE program for children and adults to play TOGETHER! Play to Learn is for parents, grandparents, neighbors, family, and friends who nurture children ages six and under. Thematic curriculum invites individual play, fun group activities, songs, and a......More

Play to Learn is a FREE program for children and adults to play TOGETHER! Play to Learn is for parents, grandparents, neighbors, family, and friends who nurture children ages six and under. Thematic curriculum invites individual play, fun group activities, songs, and a whole group circle time for children and adults to enjoy together. Presented by Greentrike, funded by the City of Tacoma/Tacoma Creates, hosted by Tacoma Public Library.

Drop-in Tech Help at Swasey Branch

Swasey Branch staff will assist with learning basic computer skills like email, web searching and MS Office programs, navigating apps and using your iOS or Android devices, getting started on resumes and cover letters, and more. No registration required, but capacity ......More

Swasey Branch staff will assist with learning basic computer skills like email, web searching and MS Office programs, navigating apps and using your iOS or Android devices, getting started on resumes and cover letters, and more. No registration required, but capacity is limited. Ask for assistance at the Information Desk. People will be assisted in the order they arrive. Please note: It is easiest to assist people with more specific tasks, technical issues, or focused subjects for study (for example, "Learning how to print photos off my phone?"). That said, staff will work to help learners with more general issues (for example, "Learning about computers?"). If you need help right now, be sure to check out Tacoma Public Library's always available online computer learning and assistance resources as well as the free DigitalLearn online courses available from the Public Library Association.

Brick by Brick LEGO Club

Join us on the first and third Friday of month for Brick by Brick LEGO Club! Build a LEGO creation around the theme, or free build to your heart's content! All ages welcome. No registration required. Please leave your personal LEGOs at home.

How to Library--Find Your Next Read

Join us for How to Library, where you can learn all about your Tacoma Public Library card, how to use it, and all of the cool things it can do for you. This session will focus on how to find your next read. Whether you're stumped for ideas or just looking to expand the......More

Join us for How to Library, where you can learn all about your Tacoma Public Library card, how to use it, and all of the cool things it can do for you. This session will focus on how to find your next read. Whether you're stumped for ideas or just looking to expand the scope of your reading, we'll explore resources together and help you learn tips & tricks to help you find your next read!

Up and Atom: K'Nex Bridges

Join us for Up and Atom STEAM Days where we try out different STEAM and craft activities. This week engineer bridges with K'nex! No registration required. Materials and curriculum generously provided by the WSU 4-H program of Pierce County.

Español/English Chat Group

Want to practice your Spanish? Join us at the Swasey branch to exchange English and Spanish. Any level of knowledge is welcome to participate in this language exchange. ¿Quieres practicar tu ingles? Acompaña a nuestro grupo de charla para intercambiar inglés y espa......More

Want to practice your Spanish? Join us at the Swasey branch to exchange English and Spanish. Any level of knowledge is welcome to participate in this language exchange. ¿Quieres practicar tu ingles? Acompaña a nuestro grupo de charla para intercambiar inglés y español en la Biblioteca Swasey. Cualquier nivel de conocimiento es bienvenido a participar en este intercambio de idiomas.

Baby Storytime

Fun for you and your baby with songs, rhymes, stories and movement. For babies and their caregivers. Recommended for ages birth – 18 months. Want to continue the fun at home? View these fun Storytime song and book recommendations ......More

Fun for you and your baby with songs, rhymes, stories and movement. For babies and their caregivers. Recommended for ages birth – 18 months. Want to continue the fun at home? View these fun Storytime song and book recommendations here.

Teen Time

Welcome all teens! Middle School and High School students are invited to join us at the Swasey branch Teen Time.  Meet new friends, relax, play games, work on homework, or make a craft.  We'll do something different each time! Activities will be provided for free a......More

Welcome all teens! Middle School and High School students are invited to join us at the Swasey branch Teen Time.  Meet new friends, relax, play games, work on homework, or make a craft.  We'll do something different each time! Activities will be provided for free and the fun you create will be priceless!

Tacoma Creates - Spaceworks

In this workshop, we’ll get close and personal with the mental barriers our perfectionism has built by making intentionally ugly art. We’ll explore perfectionism’s origins, how this affects our current life goals, and how making intentionally ugly art can help us b......More

In this workshop, we’ll get close and personal with the mental barriers our perfectionism has built by making intentionally ugly art. We’ll explore perfectionism’s origins, how this affects our current life goals, and how making intentionally ugly art can help us bridge the gap between the two by practicing joyful imperfection and teaching our bodies that it’s safe to move toward our goals through imperfection. The goal is for you to leave this workshop with a better understanding of your own creative fear and a new, fun tool to help you bring more joy, play, and freedom into your life. Presented by Spaceworks, funded by the City of Tacoma/Tacoma Creates, and hosted by Tacoma Public library.

Play to Learn

Play to Learn is a FREE program for children and adults to play TOGETHER! Play to Learn is for parents, grandparents, neighbors, family, and friends who nurture children ages six and under. Thematic curriculum invites individual play, fun group activities, songs, and a......More

Play to Learn is a FREE program for children and adults to play TOGETHER! Play to Learn is for parents, grandparents, neighbors, family, and friends who nurture children ages six and under. Thematic curriculum invites individual play, fun group activities, songs, and a whole group circle time for children and adults to enjoy together. Presented by Greentrike, funded by the City of Tacoma/Tacoma Creates, hosted by Tacoma Public Library.

Play to Learn

Play to Learn is a FREE program for children and adults to play TOGETHER! Play to Learn is for parents, grandparents, neighbors, family, and friends who nurture children ages six and under. Thematic curriculum invites individual play, fun group activities, songs, and a......More

Play to Learn is a FREE program for children and adults to play TOGETHER! Play to Learn is for parents, grandparents, neighbors, family, and friends who nurture children ages six and under. Thematic curriculum invites individual play, fun group activities, songs, and a whole group circle time for children and adults to enjoy together. Presented by Greentrike, funded by the City of Tacoma/Tacoma Creates, hosted by Tacoma Public Library.

Wisdom Café

Seniors - join us for conversation and camaraderie as we discuss universal topics about life, fulfillment, and aging at this monthly program. All are welcome!

Drop-in Tech Help at Swasey Branch

Swasey Branch staff will assist with learning basic computer skills like email, web searching and MS Office programs, navigating apps and using your iOS or Android devices, getting started on resumes and cover letters, and more. No registration required, but capacity ......More

Swasey Branch staff will assist with learning basic computer skills like email, web searching and MS Office programs, navigating apps and using your iOS or Android devices, getting started on resumes and cover letters, and more. No registration required, but capacity is limited. Ask for assistance at the Information Desk. People will be assisted in the order they arrive. Please note: It is easiest to assist people with more specific tasks, technical issues, or focused subjects for study (for example, "Learning how to print photos off my phone?"). That said, staff will work to help learners with more general issues (for example, "Learning about computers?"). If you need help right now, be sure to check out Tacoma Public Library's always available online computer learning and assistance resources as well as the free DigitalLearn online courses available from the Public Library Association.