Library News Archive From December 2025

January Event Highlights

Author Visit: Claire Kahane

Nine Lives: My Risky Road from Fifties Rebel to Feminist Critic

North
Wednesday, January 7
6 pm

Film Screening with Director Linda Rosen: Inside the Berkeley Free Speech Movement

Central
Saturday, January 17
2 pm

Intro to Game Design

with Randy O'Connor
for teens and adults

Claremont
Saturday, January 24
2 pm

Metal in the Dead of Winter

Central
Tuesday, January 27
6 pm

This extreme music listening session is focused on the heaviest, bleakest sounds from the fringes of noise and beyond. Feel welcome to bring a copy of your favorite tune on a slab of wax, tape, or CD.

Youth Poet Laureate Kickoff Party

Celebrating and announcing our newest Poet Laureates!

Central
Tuesday, January 13
6 pm

BUSD Partner Series

Author Visit: Steph Cherrywell

Unboxing Libby

Virtual
Thursday, January 15
12:30 pm

In partnership with the Berkeley Unified School District (BUSD) Book Club.

Author Visit: Shifa Saltagi Safadi

Kareem Between

Virtual
Tuesday, January 27
10 am

In partnership with the Berkeley Unified School District (BUSD) Book Club.

New Year's Resolutions

Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS): Hiring Examined

For active job seekers

Virtual
Tuesday, January 13
5 pm

Overcome “job-itis” and “title-itis” to land your next job

For active job seekers

Virtual
Tuesday, January 27
5 pm

New Year Vision Boards

with artist Cristina Edwards

Tarea Hall Pittman South
Wednesday, January 14
6 pm

Cozy Crafts: Vision Boards

Claremont
Saturday, January 17
11 am

Healthy Living for Your Brain & Body

Tarea Hall Pittman South
Saturday, January 17
2 pm

Decluttering for the New Year

Tarea Hall Pittman South
Saturday, January 24
3 pm

Unfinished Craft Projects

West
Wednesday, January 21
4 - 5 pm

Document Family History through Narrative Writing

with the Historical Society & Museum

West
Saturday, January 24
1 - 3 pm

In this workshop also learn about the Museum's current exhibit: Berkeley's Latino Community: A Story of Pride and Resilience.

Music at the Library

Tamales Karaoke

Tamales plus tunes for a happy, healthy 2026.

West
Thursday, January 8
5 - 7 pm

Do tamales and singing go together? Does Bad Bunny have a hearty appetite? Does Lalo Guerrero have the best lyrics about Mexican food?

Music for Everyone!

A neurodiversity-affirming music series focused on ages 8 and under.

Central
Fridays: January 9, 16, 23 and 30
4:30 - 5:30 pm

Jazz Lounge

Tarea Hall Pittman South
12 - 2 pm

• Saturday, January 10 — Michael Mitchell Quartet
• Saturday, January 24 — Sylvia Cuenca

Chorus Song Circle

Intergenerational folk song circle

Tarea Hall Pittman South
Saturday, January 10
2 - 5 pm

Electronic Music-Making Studio

Drop-in, open studio to play with Ableton music software and instruments.

Central
Monday, January 12 and Tuesday, January 27
4 - 6 pm

K-Pop Party

North
Saturday, January 17
1 pm

Join us downstairs at North for an afternoon of K-Pop:

• Play your favorite music videos
• Decorate a photocard frame
• Make a picket or bracelet
• Meet and trade with other fans

Registration is not required.

SF Chamber Orchestra Very First Concerts

For young listeners

Central
Saturday, January 31
11:30 am and 12:30 pm

More January Events

Social Services Drop-In

Support on healthcare, housing, employment, and more.

• North — Friday, January 2 — 10 am - 2 pm
• Tarea Hall Pittman South — Monday, January 5 and 19 — 10 am - 2 pm
• Claremont — Tuesday, January 6 — 10 am - 2 pm
• West — Friday, January 16 and 23 — 1 - 3 pm

Games Galore - Retro Edition

For ages 5-12: play video, board, and card games.

Central
Friday, January 2
3 - 5 pm

Community Craft Circle

Knitting, embroidery, or any craft you like.

Tarea Hall Pittman South
Friday, January 2
1 - 4 pm

Family Photo Fun Crafternoon

Create a lasting memory with family and friends.

Central
Saturday, January 3
3 - 5 pm

Flower Painting Workshop

Claremont
Saturday, January 10
2 pm

Puzzle Swap

Claremont
Saturday, January 10
2 pm

Japanese Stab Bookbinding Workshop

Central
Monday, January 12
5 - 7 pm

Berkeley City Council Agenda

Learn to understand how to read it and become involved in local government.

Central
Monday, January 12
6:30 pm

Responding to Dementia-Related Behaviors

Tarea Hall Pittman South
Thursday, January 29
4 pm

Astrology Salon Series

Claremont
Saturdays
2 - 4 pm

• Class One: The Anatomy of a Chart — January 31
• Class Two: Symbols in Practice — February 28
• Class Three: Bringing It All Together — March 28

There are many more library programs happening in January:

View the event calendar

Winter Bingo (with prizes!)

Teens & Kids — Keep learning over the winter break!

The Library's Winter Reading Bingo Game is on! Bingo cards are available at any library location or online.

Now - January 20, 2026

To earn the prize, participants must complete all the squares on the game card and turn in completed Bingo cards while supplies last.

K-8 students receive a prize voucher for two tickets to the Cal Women’s Gymnastics match on March 7, 2026.

Grades 9 and up receive a pop-up keychain and squishy toy.

Pardon Our Dust

Part of the 4th floor of the Central Library is under construction.

A beautiful new Story Time Room is in the works!

Holiday Reminders

All Libraries are closed on January 1 and January 19.

All Libraries will close early at 6 pm on December 31.

eBooks, eAudiobooks, newspapers, music, movies & more are available 24/7 at berkeleypubliclibrary.org.

Thank you!

Working together to make a great public library extraordinary...

Thank you, Foundation & Friends!

December Event Highlights

Author Visit: Love Rebels: How I Learned to Burn it Down without Burning Out by Kitty Stryker

North
Wed, Dec 3
6:30 pm

Author Visit: An Independent Man: Ed Roberts and the Fight for Disability Rights by Scot Danforth

Central
Sat, Dec 6
2 pm

Jazz Lounge Concert Series

Sticklerphonics featuring Scott Amendola on drums

Tarea Hall Pittman South
Sat, Dec 13
12:30 pm

All Ages Paddington Party

Crafts, marmalade sandwiches, costumes, and movie

North
Mon, Dec 29
11 am

More December Events

Cantonese Bilingual Story Time

with Beatrice Tebbe of Meh Yun Educators

Tarea Hall Pittman South
Tues, Dec 2
10:30 am

North
Sat, Dec 3
10:30 am

Concert: Opera+

with Gabriell Lochard

Tarea Hall Pittman South
Tues, Dec 2
6 pm

Tech Exchange

Attend beginning tech class series and earn a free laptop!

Central @ 3 pm
Tuesdays: Dec 2, 4, 9, & 11

Registration required.

Zine Readings with Artists

Artist preview night at the Library for Oakland Creates Zine Fest 2025.

Tarea Hall Pittman South
Thurs, Dec 4
6 pm

Snacks, Crafts and Classic Movies

Tarea Hall Pittman South

• Wed, Dec 3, 4 pm — The Nightmare Before Christmas
• Wed, Dec 17, 4 pm — Gremlins

Crafting Nostalgia: A Tribute to PBS

Tarea Hall Pittman South
Sat, Dec 6
2 pm

Launching Your 2026 Job Search for Better Results

Virtual
Tues, Dec 9
5 pm

Winter Wonderland Crafts, Music & Treats

Claremont
Thurs, Dec 11
4 pm

Winter Karaoke Party

Designed for adults who have intellectual and developmental disabilities (#idd).

Central
Fri, Dec 12
4:30 pm

Robotics Build for Grades 3-5

North
Sat, Dec 13
12 pm

Registration required.

South Berkeley Sewing Circle

Tarea Hall Pittman South
Wed, Dec 17
10:15 am

Poetry Circle

Claremont
Thurs, Dec 18
6 pm

Reading Rainbow Watch Party

Tarea Hall Pittman South
Sat, Dec 20
10:30 am

Join us for a morning of butterflies in the sky as we watch the new reboot of Reading Rainbow featuring Mychal Threets, plus crafts and snacks in community.

Did you know that our West Branch Library was chosen as the first location to shoot the Reading Rainbow reboot?

Nutcracker Puppet Show

North
Sat, Dec 20
11 am

Registration required.

Clay Ornaments

To decorate any festivity.

Central
Sat, Dec 20
1 pm

Bright Ideas: Ways to Spark New Writing

with award-winning poet Maw Shein Win

Claremont
Sat, Dec 20
2 pm

Kwanzaa Story Time

North
Fri, Dec 26
11 am

Indoor Bubble Show with Bubble Sam

Central
Sat, Dec 27
3 pm

Let's Cook Karamu!

Cooking demonstration, history talk, and sharing of a Kwanzaa meal.

North
Tues, Dec 20
11 am

Noon Year's Eve for Kids

Central
Wed, Dec 30
11:30 am

Lego Club for Kids

Central
Tuesdays
4:30 - 6 pm

Fall Series with Teaching Artists from MOCHA (Museum of Children's Art)

Central
Fridays, 3:30 - 5 pm

Tarea Hall Pittman South
Thursdays, 3:30 - 5 pm

There are many more library programs happening in December:

View the event calendar

Know Your Rights / Conozca Sus Derechos

Know your rights! There are protections and rights that everyone in the United States shares, regardless of immigration status. There are also organizations and programs that can help with the citizenship process. Visit the Library's website for more information.

Siéntase libre de imprimir este folleto: Conozca sus derechos si aparece ICE (PDF). Se puede doblar al tamaño de 2.75 x 4.25 pulgadas, con un resultado final de un minilibro de 8 páginas. Si desea algunos ya impresos y doblados, pase por la Biblioteca Central o llame al 510-981-6100.

View additional resources

From the Berkeley History Room @ Central

Who was James W. Plachek?

Most current Berkeleyans may not know the name, but almost everyone in Berkeley is familiar with his work.

Plachek was born in 1885 in Chicago to Czech parents, began working with architects by age 15, and attended the Chicago Art Institute. In 1906 he was sent by the Chicago mayor to San Francisco to study the effects of fire on building materials after the 1906 earthquake and fire. In 1912 he opened his own architecture office in Berkeley and worked here until his death in 1948.

During those decades, he transformed Berkeley as the “unofficial official” architect of the city.

Some Plachek buildings you may recognize include:

• Central, North & Claremont Branches of the Berkeley Public Library
• Berkeley City Hall and surrounding civic buildings
• The old U.C. Theater on University Ave.
• Many landmarked downtown buildings along Shattuck Ave.

What would Berkeley be like without him?

The answer: Different, very different.

The Berkeley History Room at Central is open Wednesdays from 10 am - 1 pm and by appointment: libraryhistoryroom@berkeleyca.gov.

Your history awaits.

From our City of Berkeley partners: Rent Board

Help Guide Rent Board Services

The Berkeley Rent Board is seeking feedback about tenant, landlord, and property manager experiences with the Rent Registry.

Respond to the 2025 Berkeley Tenant & Landlord Rent Registry Survey by December 14 to help guide Rent Board services.

No experience with the Rent Registry is needed. If you have not used the Rent Registry, they would like to hear why. If you have, they would like to learn what is or is not working for you.

From our City of Berkeley partners: Parks, Rec & Waterfront

Scholarships are available for kids and families for the City of Berkeley's recreation programs, including sports programs and overnight camps.

Apply online or attend a workshop on Dec 9 to get help applying for scholarships covering 50-100% of program fees.

Learn more about recreation scholarships

Pardon Our Dust

Part of the 4th floor of the Central Library is under construction.

A beautiful new Story Time Room will open next year!

Holiday Reminders

All Libraries are closed on December 24 & 25.

All Libraries will close early at 6 pm on December 31.

eBooks, eAudiobooks, newspapers, music, movies & more are available 24/7 at berkeleypubliclibrary.org.

Thank you!

Working together to make a great public library extraordinary...

Thank you, Foundation & Friends!