Library Happenings
EVENTS ONLINE CATALOG LIBRARIES
May Event Highlights
All Ages - pick up your free comics at any Library!
All Ages
West
Thursday, May 1
4pm
Artists Dimetria Tokunbo and Violet Alexis Bea teach how to draw shapes and textures in comic art, with cartoonish bugs as a specific point of reference. Supplies provided.
Ages 7 & Up
Tarea Hall Pittman South
Fri, May 2
3:30 pm
Pose with Snoopy, crafts & more
Central, 3rd floor
Sat, May 3
11:30 am
Button Making
All Ages
West
Sat, May 3
1-4 pm
Tarea Hall Pittman South
Sat, May 3
2-5:30 pm
Claremont
Sat, May 3
1:30 pm
Tarea Hall Pittman South
Tues, May 6
4 pm
Teens & Adults
Tarea Hall Pittman South
3rd Thursdays, April - August
5pm
In partnership with Oakland Creates founder Avy Jetter, we will be holding 5 workshops teaching how to make zine and comics that will lead up to the Tarea Hall Pittman South Zine & Comic Fest in August.
All Ages
North
Sat, May 3
12 pm
Teens & Adults
Tarea Hall Pittman South
Sat, May 3
12 pm
All Ages
North
Mon, May 5
11 am
Tarea Hall Pittman South
Tues, May 6
6 pm
All Ages
Strawberry Creek Park
Wed, May 7
4 pm
Ages 5-12
North
May 3, 15 & 22
3:30 pm
Music, Movies, Berkeley History, etc.
West
Thurs, May 8
3:30 pm
High School & College Students (plus families)
North
Tues, May 13
5 pm
Connecting Dots: A Blind Life
Central
Sat, May 10
2 pm
Dr. Miele is a prominent blind scientist, designer, and thought leader in accessible technology and disability. He is a recipient of the 2021 MacArthur Fellowship, an Amazon Design Scholar, and Distinguished Fellow at UC Berkeley’s OBI. He will be joined in conversation with disability rights lawyer, author, and international speaker, Lainey Feingold, who has worked with the blind community to make technology more accessible for over 30 years.
Red Altar
Tarea Hall Pittman South
Sat, May 10
4 pm
Red Altar is a work of historical fiction that tells the story of the Monterey Bay area’s Chinese fishing villages of the 1850's, and is based on the true story of three generations of Chinese fishermen surviving and building community despite the anti-Chinese laws and violence they experienced in California.
Author Event: Rachel Khong in conversation with Shruti Swamy
Real Americans
North
Wed, May 14
6 pm
Khong is the author of Goodbye, Vitamin, winner of the California Book Award for First Fiction. Her newest novel was a New York Times bestseller.
Swamy is the author and novelist whose work has appeared in The Paris Review, McSweeny's, AFAR Magazine, and the New York Times, and twice won the O. Henry.
Native Lands: Culture & Gender in Indigenous Territorial Claims
North
Thurs, May 15
6 pm
Red Altar is a work of historical fiction that tells the story of the Monterey Bay area’s Chinese fishing villages of the 1850's, and is based on the true story of three generations of Chinese fishermen surviving and building community despite the anti-Chinese laws and violence they experienced in California.
Mamie Tape Fights to Go to School
Central
Sat, May 17
3 pm
Huahn tells the true story of Mamie Tape, who fought for the right to go to her neighborhood school in 1885 in San Francisco. Learn behind the scenes facts and make a fun snake craft. Ages 5-9
Claremont
Sat, May 17
2 pm
Director Linda Rosen's documentary is based on oral histories with fellow participants, music, and photographs from the movement 60 years ago. Film shown with an intermission, followed by a Q&A.
Tarea Hall Pittman South
Sat, May 17
3:30 pm
This documentary follows one family's story of survival, loss, and community resilience in the wake of the 2023 Lahaina wildfire. The post-film discussion will seek to honor the lives impacted, reflect on the power of community healing, and explore how we can build resilience in the face of a changing climate.
Tarea Hall Pittman South
Sat, May 17
1 pm
Tarea Hall Pittman South
Sat, May 17
2 pm
Why do physicists want to measure small things?
Dhruva Ganapathy, Physics
Controlling Materials at the Smallest Scales
Sam Oaks-Leaf, Chemistry
Central or via Zoom
Tues, May 20
5:30 pm
Central or via Zoom
Wed, May 21
1:30 pm
Much Ado About Keanu: A Critical Reeve Theory
North
Wed, May 21
6:30 pm
Tarea Hall Pittman South
6 pm
May 22: Reclaiming Your Care: NVC in Gynecology
May 24: Empathy as the Salve for Loneliness: Using NVC with Your Local Street Neighbor
June 26: The Language of Lovers: NVC in Ethically Non- Monogamous Relationships
June 28: Alligator Bites Can Heal: Recognizing & Unlearning Harmful Communication
July 24: Being the Calm in the Chaos: NVC as an Approach to Gentle Parenting
July 26: Liberation Through Language: NVC in Reparative Justice for Survivors of State Violence
West
Fri, May 23
10:30 am
Tarea Hall Pittman South
Sat, May 24
4 pm
Teens & Adults
Tarea Hall Pittman South
Thurs, May 29
3:30 pm
Tilden Nature Center
Fri, May 30
5 pm
Library staff will tag along with East Bay Regional Park District staff to celebrate Black Birders Week 2025 to learn about birds of the East Bay, and have a safe space for guided discussions about Black experiences and the outdoors. Binoculars and snacks provided!
For the full schedule of East Bay Parks Black Birders Week celebrations visit www.ebparks.org.
Tarea Hall Pittman South
Sat, May 31
2 pm
Join us for an afternoon of emotional learning and exploring through fun activities, guest speakers, and a screening of Inside Out to help kids express themselves and build confidence.
There are many more library programs happening in May:
Event Calendar
Bay Area Book Festival & the Library
The Bay Area Book Festival’s (BABF’s) Family Day returns Saturday, May 31, offering an unforgettable experience for families of all ages!
With over 90 youth and YA authors, the event will feature beloved children’s authors, panels, discussions, literary exhibitors and fun interactive activities—all completely free at the Berkeley Public Library Central branch.
Notable authors include Brook Thompson, Nidhi Chanani, Maysa Odeh, Maya Gonzalez, Justine Villanueva, Zetta Elliott, Lisa Moore Ramée, Gene Luen Yang and many more.
Schedule
History Room... Did you know?
The Berkeley History Room was created 20+ years ago in a newly renovated Central Library in downtown Berkeley to assist you with exploring Berkeley's unique history.
One of our most popular requests today is helping residents document the history of their Berkeley homes. The City of Berkeley requires that most renovations involve a permit, and to get the permit, you must document who lived in your abode over the decades. We can help you in this process.
The room is open Wednesdays from 10-1, and by appointment.
Your history awaits!
Library Awarded Grant to Boost Digital Literacy
Berkeley Public Library has been awarded $10,000 in funding by the Public Library Association, Digitallearn.org resources, and AT&T. Last month librarians Kasey Brien and Kelsey Ockert began teaching classes funded by the grant. There are many upcoming classes open to the general public.
Learn More
Foundation Fundraiser
Get ready for a joyful celebration of stories, music, and movement featuring beloved Bay Area musicians, The Story Time Band, Asheba, & Mariela’s Music Time.
Perfect for families, this event combines music and imagination, promising a heartwarming experience for all ages—a special benefit concert for local public libraries sponsored by the Berkeley Public Library Foundation.
DATE & TIME: June 21, 2025, 10:00 am
LOCATION: The Freight, 2020 Addison, Berkeley, CA
TICKET DETAILS: $20 per person, 12 months and under free! Advance purchase required, limited availability at the door.
Buy Tickets
Working together to make a great public library extraordinary...
Thank you Foundation & Friends!
All Libraries will be closed on Monday, May 19 for Malcolm X Day and Monday, May 26 for Memorial Day.
Stream movies, read eBooks & magazines, listen to eAudiobooks and music 24/7 at berkeleypubliclibrary.org.
