It’s March 2022 and it’s time to “check out” these many free programs, events and activities at the San Diego Public Library. There’s so much to do and experience at our public libraries.
Submit Your Story to the Library’s 5th Annual Short Story Contest: Calling all local writers. Don’t miss this opportunity to share your writing with the community and win a prize. Sponsored by the Friends of the San Diego Central Library, the 5th Annual Short Story contest shines a spotlight on local authors who craft short stories. Up to 50 short stories will be accepted during the March 1 – April 1 submission period. The top three winners will receive a cash prize, publication of their story on the Library website, and a public performance of their work by Write Out Loud on May 24. Information on the City website at sandiego.gov/public-library/short-story-contest
UC Library on Governor, 4155 Governor Drive, San Diego, CA 92122; Phone: 858-552-1655; https://www.sandiego.gov/public-library/locations/university-community-library. In-person programs may be cancelled or modified on short notice, due to current events, so we highly encourage registration for one-time programs. Most craft programs may have a take-away kit option, while supplies last. At press time, masks are required indoors; for the most current policies, check the City/Library websites or call the library for more information. University Community Library is planning to host the following in-person activities in March:
- Toddler Storytime on Wednesdays @ 10:30 a.m.
- Qi Gong on Thursdays @ 9:30 a.m. (may be held outside, depending upon multiple factors; call for more info)
- Pajama Storytime on the 2nd Monday 6:30 p.m.
- Book Club on the 4th Wednesday @ 2pm (in-person or virtual TBD)
- UC Dance Pants (Saturday, March 12 @ 10:30 – 11:00 am). Saturday morning dancing, recommended for toddlers, preschoolers and kindergartners. Kids will twist, shout and make their own dance moves to musical favorites like “Baby Shark” and more!
- Book Buzz (Saturday, March 26 @ 12 Noon – 1:00 pm). Get together with fellow teens and talk about what you’re reading! There is no assigned book; you can read any book, old or new, in any genre, but prepared to talk about it.
- Steam Box & Games (Wednesdays @ 12:30 – 1:30 pm). Get together with your friends after school in the community room with a big box of different STEAM projects and games. Play, learn, hang out!
- Teens, Talks, and Things (Thursday @ 3:30 – 4:30 pm). A place for teens to get together to talk about current events such as movies, tv series, books, etc. There will also be a random project for the teens to do while talking.
A Very Special Storytime: Meet a Miniature Therapy Horse on Thursday, March 24 @ 11:00 a.m. Join us for a special storytime focusing on inclusion and belonging. We’ll start inside for stories with Mr. Larry and afterwards we’ll head out to the West lawn to meet Hershey Kiss, a miniature therapy horse who helps people in the San Diego region. You’ll have a chance to take pictures with him and meet him up close. Call the UC Library at 858-552-1655 to register; or visit: sandiego.librarymarket.com/events/very-special-storytime-meet-miniature-therapy-horse
This program is part of One Book One San Diego, our region’s premier literary program. This year’s selection for children is All the Way to the Top: How One Girl’s Fight for Americans With Disabilities Changed Everything by Annette Bay Pimentel. This program is made possible with support from the Friends of the University Community Library.- Children’s Craft: Leprechaun Trap, on Wednesday, March 9 @ 1:30 p.m. Make a trap to capture a leprechaun and find a pot of gold! You also have the option of taking home the supplies and completing the craft at home (while supplies last). Call 858-552-1655 or check the online calendar to register.
- Flag Disposal/Prescription Eyeglass donation: UC Library is an official flag disposal location. If you have a flag of any size you can bring it to the library, place it in the disposal bin near the front entrance and library staff contact the Boy Scouts who will retire the flags appropriately. If you have prescription eyeglasses, sunglasses or readers that you no longer use, you can drop them off at the UC Library in the donation box near the Circulation Desk. The Lions Club will send a representative to pick up your donations when the box is full. We appreciate the Boy Scouts and the Lions Club for performing these important services.
North University Community Library, 8820 Judicial Dr, San Diego, CA 92122; Phone: 858-581-9637; https://www.sandiego.gov/public-library/locations/north-university-community-library. In-person programs may be cancelled or modified on short notice, due to current events, so we highly encourage registration for one-time programs. At press time, masks are required indoors; for the most current policies, check the City/Library websites or call the library for more information. The North University Library is planning to host the following in-person activities in March:
- Fiction Fanatics Book Club meets on March 12 at 10:00 a.m. Title to be discussed: Cry No More by Linda Howard
- Cookbook Book Club meets on March 12 at 2:00 p.m. Title to be sampled and discussed: Everyday Dorie: the Way I Cook by Dorie Greenspan
- Page Turners Book Club meets on March 19 at 1:00 p.m. Title to be discussed: The Lost City of the Monkey God by Preston Douglass
- Spanish language Book Club Amantes de la Literatura meets on March 26 at 10:00 a.m. Title to be discussed: Tiempos Recios by Mario Vargas Llosa
Spring into STEAM: Branch Out Academy on Saturday, March 19 at 12:00. The Branch Out Academy program introduces youth tree stewards to the benefits of trees. These one-hour trainings teach students how to plant and care for trees in our urban environment. Finish a training and take home a tree sapling of your own! Presented by Tree San Diego. To register, visit: sandiego.librarymarket.com/events/spring-steam-branch-out-academy- AARP Tax Preparation Help: AARP Tax Prep Help continues every Thursday through April 14. Appointments only, no walk-ins. Appointments can be made in person on Thursdays only.
Available through all City of San Diego Public Libraries: https://www.sandiego.gov/public-library
- 1,000 Books Before Kindergarten; A Literacy Program for Pre-readers: The San Diego Public Library is pleased to offer an easy, fun and free program that puts children on the path to success. And yes, you can read 1,000 books. If you read just three books a day, you’ll reach your goal within one year. But even if you read just one book per day, you’ll reach the goal of 1,000 books in three years. For more information, visit sandiego.gov/1000books
- A Librarian’s Tips for Sharing Books with Pre-Schoolers: Keep books throughout the home, the car or the diaper bag. By creating a book-rich environment, children will have easy access and more opportunities to read or listen to books. Talk about the pictures in the book. When you’re done reading the text, you can also talk about the colors, shapes and action in the pictures or photos. Attend a storytime at your library. Check out the story time schedule at your local library. For more information, visit sandiego.gov/1000books
- My First Library Card: New this year, children ages 5 and under can receive their very own library card featuring “Odi the Coyote” San Diego Public Library’s new mascot. Sign your child up for their first library card and take the first step in supporting their early literacy development and lifelong love of reading. Visit your neighborhood library to enroll your child and they will receive “My First Library Card”, the opportunity to take their picture in an Odi Selfie Frame to share with family and friends, and while supplies last, a copy of Odi’s Library Day and an Odi plush doll (for ages 3+). Visit the Library’s website for more information on how to obtain a library card at sandiego.gov/public-library/services/lending/librarycard
- Mobile Hotspots Now Available at the University City Libraries: Patrons can now borrow a mobile hotspot to take the internet with you wherever you go. Stop by the University Community Library borrow a hotspot for up to 90 days at a time with a valid library card. The hotspots are made available through the SD Access 4 All initiative, which provides internet access to families and households that need connectivity support. The mobile hotspots are portable, easy to use and allow users to connect their laptop, tablet and other Wi-Fi enabled devices to the internet. For more information on borrowing a mobile hotspot, visit sandiego.gov/public-library/san-diego-access-4-all
- Cloud Library: With just your library card, you have free access to lots of digital content. We offer Cloud Library for reading ebooks and eaudiobooks. Download the free Cloud Library app and you can read on your phone or tablet, including the Kindle Fire (sorry, no Paperwhite). Information available at sandiego.gov/public-library
- Kanopy, a digital video streaming service: You can view up to three movies per month for free – and children’s content and The Great Courses do not count toward your monthly allotment. You can see movies such as Moonlight, Parasite and Rashomon and genres include documentaries, world cinema, noir, popular films and more – over 30,000 to choose from. Teachers: viewing films in a group forum is permitted for all Kanopy films for classroom viewings. Information available at sandiego.gov/public-library
