Berkeley Public Library

09/05/2026

Meet a variety of friendly animals!
***Registration Required***

Meet a variety of friendly animals in this amazing hands-on experience! You can meet any combination of animals, possibly including an alpaca, a potbelly pig, a tortoise, goats, sheep, chickens, ducks, or bunnies, accompanied by trained animal carers. Fun for the whole family! Please be prepared to wait for a turn as people will be allowed in to meet the animals in small groupings.

In order to give participants the opportunity to fully enjoy the experience, this event has timed entry. During each time slot, groups of 10 participants will enter the enclosure and have 5 minutes to pet the animals. Please select the number of tickets needed. .

09/05/2026

09/04/2026

Now that it's September, we're gearing up for the annual Berkeley Old Time Music Convention, including a full day of music and festivities at the Central Library! Join us on Saturday, September 19 for this musical celebration for all ages!

• 10:15 - 11:00 am (4th Floor Children's Nonfiction Room): Family Concert with the Canote Brothers
• 10:30 - 11:30 am (2nd Floor Mystery Room): Panel Discussion "Black Old-Time Musicians: Perspective" moderated by Darcy Ford-James
• 12:00 - 3:00 pm (2nd Floor Mystery Room): String Band Contest | Manning Music Fiddlers (students at Manning Music, some as young as 4!) will open the contest
• 1:00 - 2:00 pm (5th Floor Art & Music): BOOK TALK "Custom Made Woman: A Life in Traditional Music" with the author Alice Gerrard
• 1:00 - 2:00 pm (1st Floor Teen Room): Youth Jam, led by members of the Manning Mud Stompers
• 2:00 - 3:00 pm (5th Floor Art & Music): Old-Time Tune Jam with Justin Robinson

bit.ly/4zKsHGe

09/03/2026

Punks who love the library, this one is for you!

We are hosting Anna Brown - author of Hail Murray, Judith Peraino and Tom McEnaney - authors of We Are Having Much More Fun at North Branch.

Join us September 10, 6:00 - 7:00 pm at North Branch for a conversation about archiving and uncovering punk history in the East Bay and beyond. Books will be available for sale courtesy of Mrs. Dalloway's Bookstore. See you there!

09/02/2026

Back by popular demand!

Music for Everyone, complete with live music, singing, and play, is back for more at the Central Library. Everyone and all abilities are welcome!

Join us Fridays in September from 4:30 - 5:30 pm at the Central Library, fourth floor.

09/01/2026

Read to a Dog gives kids a patient, judgment free listener to practice reading out loud. Every session is 20 minutes with a gentle, certified therapy dog from the Alliance of Therapy Dogs. No pressure, no correcting, just a kid, a book, and a very good dog.

• September 17, September 24, and October 1
• 3:30 PM to 4:30 PM
• North Branch, Meeting Room, 1170 The Alameda, Berkeley

This program is for children ages 5 to 12. To sign up, please call (510) 981-6250 or visit North Branch.

Alliance of Therapy Dogs (ATD) is an international registry of certified therapy dog teams. ATD provides testing, certification, registration, support, and insurance for members who volunteer with their dogs in animal-assisted activities. ATD’s objective is to form a network of caring individuals and their special dogs are willing to share smiles and joy with people, young and old alike.

08/29/2026

Thank you, Dolly!

Berkeley Public Library children's librarians (and Storytime Band celebrity Mr. Tim) honored literacy champion Dolly Parton with a special song during storytime.

(Adapted from Sesame Street “Polly Darton Sings 1 to 5” (from Dolly Parton’s 9 to 5))

Visit your local library to learn more about literacy resources!

08/28/2026

Puppets that sing, dance, and dazzle, live at Berkeley Public Library.

Bob Baker Marionettes is bringing a full variety show to the library, and it is for kids, adults, and everyone who loves puppets.

• Monday, August 31
• 11:00 am - 12:00 pm
• North Branch lawn, 1170 The Alameda,

Bring a blanket or mat to sit on. After the show, stick around to ask questions about puppetry and meet a few of the marionettes in person.

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About Bob Baker Marionette Theater

Established in 1963, Bob Baker Marionette Theater has served over one million children with original shows ranging from Tchaikovsky’s The Nutcracker to a musical journey through the history of Los Angeles. Named an official Los Angeles Historic-Cultural Monument in 2009, it is one of the longest-running puppetry theaters in the United States.

08/27/2026

We're excited to host a conversation with chef and mixologist Nelson German , and culinary anthropologist and chef Andréa Lawson Gray to celebrate their new book Caribbean Cocktails: Drinks and Bites from the Afro-Latino Diaspora.

There will be a sampling of small-bites and a non-alcoholic beverage. Book sales and signings available at the event via Omnivore Books.

• Saturday, August 29
• 4:00 - 5:00 pm
• Central, 2nd Floor, Mystery Room

About the Book:

For Afro-Dominican chef Nelson German, drinks and food are about connection—whether it's sharing stories over cocktails on a stoop in Washington Heights or gathering with friends under the warm, buzzy lights of his restaurants. In Caribbean Cocktails, he brings the rich culinary history of the Afro-Latino diaspora straight to your home bar and kitchen, blending tradition, personal storytelling, and modern mixology.

About the Authors:

Nelson German is the Dominican American chef-owner behind Oakland's alaMar Kitchen & Bar, the Afro-Latin cocktail lounge Sobre Mesa, and Meski, a soulful Afro-Latin brunch and dinner destination in San Francisco. A Top Chef Season 18 contestant and one of Plate's “2020 Chefs to Watch,” Nelson's unorthodox culinary style blends his Dominican heritage, African roots, and Mediterranean and Asian influences with a deep love of local, sustainable California ingredients. His work has been featured in the New York Times, SF Chronicle, Ebony, Forbes, KQED, KRON, and more.

Andréa Lawson Gray is a James Beard Award-winning cookbook author who has shared the richness of Latino culture, history, and cuisine through her cookbooks, Convivir and Celebraciones Mexicanas.

08/26/2026

Do you have good quality craft supplies you know you won't use? And also want to try out a new craft?

Then you should come to our Craft Supplies Swap on Saturday, August 29, from 11:00 am - 1:00 pm at West Branch, 1125 University Ave.

You can drop off your craft supply donations this week or the day of the event at West Branch. Crafting supplies includes paper crafts, scrapbooking materials, fabric, yarn, painting and drawing Items, etc. For more information, visit the link in our bio or bit.ly/4qEcCOi