Kid Program Kits: Craftopia Shake Paintings

Craftopia is partnering with Tacoma Public Library to provide fun and free crafts for kids! Visit any of our branches starting Friday, February 6 to pick up a kit while supplies last. Ages 3 and up. Program kits are a fun ......More

Craftopia is partnering with Tacoma Public Library to provide fun and free crafts for kids! Visit any of our branches starting Friday, February 6 to pick up a kit while supplies last. Ages 3 and up. Program kits are a fun way to bring our arts and crafts activities home with you. There is no live program element to program kits —take one home and let it spark your creativity!

Social Work Support with Samie

Drop-in to connect with Tacoma Public Library's Social Worker. Samie is happy to listen and assist patrons with resource navigation for a variety of needs related to housing, shelter, domestic violence, VA, employment, behavioral health, McKinney Vento or student supp......More

Drop-in to connect with Tacoma Public Library's Social Worker. Samie is happy to listen and assist patrons with resource navigation for a variety of needs related to housing, shelter, domestic violence, VA, employment, behavioral health, McKinney Vento or student support, and more!

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. Baby storytime is approximately 20 minutes long, followed by play time and an opportunity for grownups to connect and chat. 

Board Game Meetup at Main

Join library staff for an afternoon of games. Adults of all ages are welcome to gather to play favorite board and card games, and to socialize.  We'll have an array of classic board games, cards, Cribbage, Backgammon, and Mancala available. A puzzle will also be on ha......More

Join library staff for an afternoon of games. Adults of all ages are welcome to gather to play favorite board and card games, and to socialize.  We'll have an array of classic board games, cards, Cribbage, Backgammon, and Mancala available. A puzzle will also be on hand to work on.

Up and Atom: Beaded creations

Join us in the Olympic room for Up and Atom STEAM Days where we try out a different STEAM activity each week. Beading is an ancient art form that is over 100,000 years old and is found in cultures across the globe. This week we'll be dipping our toes into the art of b......More

Join us in the Olympic room for Up and Atom STEAM Days where we try out a different STEAM activity each week. Beading is an ancient art form that is over 100,000 years old and is found in cultures across the globe. This week we'll be dipping our toes into the art of beading with beads provided by the library. Create beaded accessories, animal companions, or let your imagination run wild and create something totally unique. With some beads and a bit of string or wire, the possibilities are endless.

Drop-in Tech Help at Main

We can help with technology! Let Main Branch staff assist you with learning about and troubleshooting your computers and digital devices. Together, we’ll improve basic computer skills in these areas:  computers, tablets, e-readers, or smartphones setting up and usin......More

We can help with technology! Let Main Branch staff assist you with learning about and troubleshooting your computers and digital devices. Together, we’ll improve basic computer skills in these areas:  computers, tablets, e-readers, or smartphones setting up and using email or other similar accounts web searching word processing or related work using Microsoft or Google products finding books or other materials with the library catalog and online resources like Libby and Hoopla printing, photocopying, and scanning at the library No registration required, but time will be limited to 20–30-minute sessions. Patrons are helped in the order of arrival.  Depending on particular technical needs and goals, consider attending multiple Saturday sessions. If you need help right away, explore 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.

Read Across Tacoma with Vision253

Join us in the Olympic Room for Read Across Tacoma! This special event features free giveaway books by Black authors and interactive literacy experiences. Activities include sing-a-longs, storytelling, and stepping lessons from Vision Step Team to make reading fun and ......More

Join us in the Olympic Room for Read Across Tacoma! This special event features free giveaway books by Black authors and interactive literacy experiences. Activities include sing-a-longs, storytelling, and stepping lessons from Vision Step Team to make reading fun and culturally relevant. Through Read Across Tacoma, Vision235 aims to increase literacy access, inspire a love of reading, and create affirming educational experiences for marginalized youth. Read Across Tacoma is free and open to all youth. This program is presented by Vision253, funded by Tacoma Creates, and hosted by Tacoma Public Library.

Audacity Deep Dive in the Digital Media Lab

Audacity is the gold standard in open-source audio production. Learn to record and edit your voice, add a music treatment, and export your file into a podcast-ready format. Explore the many signal processing tools available to spoken word artists in this easy-to-use so......More

Audacity is the gold standard in open-source audio production. Learn to record and edit your voice, add a music treatment, and export your file into a podcast-ready format. Explore the many signal processing tools available to spoken word artists in this easy-to-use software.

Studio and Storytime with Tacoma Art Museum

Join TPL and TAM for Studio + Storytime held at Tacoma Art Museum! Studio + Storytime begins with a reading of a storybook, exploring some art in TAM's galleries, and then a hands-on art project in TAM's studio classroom! Geared towards kids ages 2-8. Celebrate the ......More

Join TPL and TAM for Studio + Storytime held at Tacoma Art Museum! Studio + Storytime begins with a reading of a storybook, exploring some art in TAM's galleries, and then a hands-on art project in TAM's studio classroom! Geared towards kids ages 2-8. Celebrate the Lunar New Year and learn about the Chinese zodiac as we read Dragon Noodle Party. Please note: Classroom space is limited, if the space is full the activity and book of the month will be available at TAM Studio on the first floor. **REGISTRATION IS NOT REQUIRED - REGISTER IF YOU'D LIKE TO RECEIVE A REMINDER EMAIL** Presented by Tacoma Art Museum, funded by the City of Tacoma/Tacoma Creates, and hosted by Tacoma Public Library.

Adult Story Time

Join us in the Cascade Room as we tune in to historian Tom Holland on an episode of The Ancients podcast. Come along as he recounts the story of Jason and the Golden Fleece, an extraordinary tale filled with honor, adventure, peril, and a golden fleece! Hot tea & colo......More

Join us in the Cascade Room as we tune in to historian Tom Holland on an episode of The Ancients podcast. Come along as he recounts the story of Jason and the Golden Fleece, an extraordinary tale filled with honor, adventure, peril, and a golden fleece! Hot tea & coloring pages will be available to enjoy while you listen!

Wonder Lab Basics: Sewing Machine

Learn how to use the sewing machine in our beautiful Maker Lab. Participants will get an overview of the different parts and pieces of the sewing machine and learn how to get set up for creating their first project. Ages 17 and younger are welcome with caregiver partic......More

Learn how to use the sewing machine in our beautiful Maker Lab. Participants will get an overview of the different parts and pieces of the sewing machine and learn how to get set up for creating their first project. Ages 17 and younger are welcome with caregiver participation. No experience necessary.

Genealogy Help Desk

Volunteers from the Tacoma-Pierce County Genealogical Society (TPCGS) will offer individual help to those who have questions about their genealogy research. All levels of experience are welcome. Just drop-in!

Teen Time

Check out the new and improved teen area at Main! This is a space reserved for teen patrons. In this area you'll find a Nintendo switch gaming station, computers, board games, craft supplies and more. Come to create, study, play or just hang out with friends. Every We......More

Check out the new and improved teen area at Main! This is a space reserved for teen patrons. In this area you'll find a Nintendo switch gaming station, computers, board games, craft supplies and more. Come to create, study, play or just hang out with friends. Every Wednesday night from 5:00-7:00 teens can also enjoy a free treat from our snack cart in the teen area!

Social Work Support with Samie

Drop-in to connect with Tacoma Public Library's Social Worker. Samie is happy to listen and assist patrons with resource navigation for a variety of needs related to housing, shelter, domestic violence, VA, employment, behavioral health, McKinney Vento or student supp......More

Drop-in to connect with Tacoma Public Library's Social Worker. Samie is happy to listen and assist patrons with resource navigation for a variety of needs related to housing, shelter, domestic violence, VA, employment, behavioral health, McKinney Vento or student support, and more!

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. Baby storytime is approximately 20 minutes long, followed by play time and an opportunity for grownups to connect and chat. 

Up and Atom: Cardboard Construction

Join us in the Olympic room for Up and Atom STEAM Days where we try out a different STEAM activity each week. Cardboard is one of our most versatile and readily available construction materials, but we often don't think to use it for much more than building boxes. Thi......More

Join us in the Olympic room for Up and Atom STEAM Days where we try out a different STEAM activity each week. Cardboard is one of our most versatile and readily available construction materials, but we often don't think to use it for much more than building boxes. This week we're thinking outside of the box and challenging ourselves to create upcycled cardboard constructions. These constructions can be buildings, sculptures, or something else entirely. With some cardboard and a bit of creativity, the possibilities are endless.

All Branches Closed

All Tacoma Public Library branches will be closed on Saturday, Feb. 14 in observance of Presidents' Day.