Summer Learning Is Around the Corner!

The 2024 Summer Learning Challenge is just around the corner! Beginning Saturday, June 1st, pick up a reading log and a free book at our libraries, and come visit our table at South City Pride!

Youth ages 17 and younger can complete reviews of the books they read or listen to this summer to receive free books and earn a chance to win one of four $1000 scholarship!

The Summer Learning Challenge is open to all ages.

Seasonal Snaps

South City's Dragon Boat team, Oyster Point Dragons at SSFPL.

Throwback to Pokémon Club

Teen Author Taina Saenz smiling next to a book display at Grand Avenue Library.

Full house at the Drawing Workshop with The Joy of Drawing.

Check out more photos and videos on our social media!

Upcoming Highlights

Immortality, Martial Arts, and AI:

Conversation with author PJ Caldas

Join us for a conversation with PJ Caldas, where he'll talk about his latest book,

The Girl from Wudang.

Followed by book signings and refreshments. Free copy of The Girl from Wudang being offered to the first 30 attendees!

Thursday, May 30

6:00 PM - 7:00 PM

Main Library

901 Civic Campus Way

City Council Chambers

Learn Photoshop

In this in-depth three-week Adobe Photoshop class, patrons will dive deep into the world of digital image editing and design. Through hands-on projects and expert guidance, students develop a strong foundation in Photoshop that empowers them to unleash their creativity and produce professional-grade artwork.

Registration required

(almost full!)

Recommended for patrons age 9 and up.

Saturday, June 1, 8 & 15

11:00 AM - 12:30 PM

Main Library

901 Civic Campus Way

2nd Floor Digital Media Lab

Here to be Heard! Black Freighter Press

Join us for a reading by Black Freighter Press. Based in San Francisco, Black Freighter Press committed to the exploration of liberation, using art to transform consciousness. A platform for Black and Brown writers to honor ancestry and propel radical imagination. The reading features Black Freighter's co-director Alie Jones, and poets Meilani Clay and Landon Smith.

Saturday, June 1

1:00 PM - 2:30 PM

Main Library

901 Civic Campus Way

2nd Floor Community Room

Upcoming Programs for Adults

Tech Tuesday:

Introduction to PowerPoint

Tuesday, May 28, 12:00 PM

Main Library, 901 Civic Campus Way

2nd Floor Digital Media Lab

Learn the basics of PowerPoint, making slideshows for fun, work, or school.

English Conversation Club

Tuesday May 28, 4:00 PM (Every Tuesday)

Grand Ave Library, 306 Walnut Ave

Are you an English Learner? Drop into the Grand Avenue Library on Tuesday Mornings to practice your English conversational skills. All levels are welcome. No registration is necessary!

¿Eres un estudiante de inglés? Ven a practicar tus habilidades de conversación en inglés con nosotros. Todos los niveles son bienvenidos. ¡No es necesario registrarse!  Los martes a las 4:00 PM.

您在學習英文嗎？每 週二早上來到 Grand Avenue 圖書館練習英語會話技巧。歡迎所有程度的人。無需註冊！每週二下午 4 點。

Mending Hour

Thursday, May 30, 1:00 PM (Every Thursday)

Main Library, 901 Civic Campus Way

2nd Floor Discovery Center Makerspace



Join us in the Discovery Center for a mini-mending workshop. There will be sewing machines, thread and needles to put your torn stuff back in good repair. Staff will be available for assistance.

French Conversation Group

Thursday, May 30, 6:00 PM (Every Thursday)

Main Library, 901 Civic Campus Way

2nd Floor Community Room

Join us to practice speaking and listening to French and meet new friends! Some knowledge of French is recommended.

Joignez-nous pour pratiquer votre français et faire de nouveaux amis! Cet évènement est recommandé aux personnes qui parlent déjà un peu de français.

Saturday Morning Yarn

Saturday, June 1, 10:30 AM

Main Library, 901 Civic Campus Way

2nd Floor Lobby

Come craft with us every other Saturday! Experienced staff will be on hand for instruction and assistance. Please note that we will be outside the Community room at the round table in the second floor lobby today, 06/01. See you there!

Healthy Brain Aging

Tuesday, June 4, 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM

Main Library, 901 Civic Campus Way

2nd Floor Community Room

Discover practical strategies and tips to maintain cognitive health and improve your quality of life as you age. Presented by Diana Carbajal, Clinical Research Coordinator at the Stanford Alzheimer's Research Center.

Creative Cafe: Coloring for Adults

Wednesday, June 5, 11:00 AM - 1:00 PM (Every Wednesday)

Main Library, 901 Civic Campus Way

2nd Floor Community Room

Take a break from your day and color at the library. Meet up with your friends and make some new ones.

Limited supplies will be available but feel free to bring your own project.

French Movie Night: Close (2022)

Thursday, June 6, 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM

Main Library, 901 Civic Campus Way

2nd Floor Community Room

Join us for a French movie night! We'll be watching the Belgian film Close (2022, PG-13), about the close friendship between two young boys and the tragic results of peer pressure and homophobia, in the original French with English subtitles. This film was nominated for the Academy Award for Best International Film and won the Grand Prix at Cannes. 

Joignez-nous pour une soirée de film! Dans le film belge Close (2022), deux garçons sont meilleurs amis. Mais à l'école, ils font face à la pression sociale et à l'homophobie. Le film sera présenté en français avec sous-titres anglais. Ce film a remporté le grand prix à Cannes et a été nominé pour l'Oscar du meilleur film international.

Financial Fitness:

Preparing with Proper Protection with Brad Hamada

Saturday, June 8, 2:00 PM

Main Library, 901 Civic Campus Way

2nd Floor Community Room

In workshop 3 of this workshop series, you will learn about the most effective and efficient way to build a strong financial future using a few very simple rules of thumb and a little bit of common sense. Understand how to prioritize your financial obligations to maximize your peace of mind. What is the best way to protect your assets, your hard-earned possessions, and most importantly, your family’s financial future? Understand how insurance works, how it plays into your financial life, and understand what is the most suitable program for your situation. 

Laser Cutting Drop-in Clinic

Saturday, June 8, 3:00 PM - 4:30 PM

Grand Ave Library, 306 Walnut Ave

Learn to engrave and cut acrylic with a laser cutter. Design your own file in Vectr, or choose from our available patterns. At this drop-in clinic, you can receive individual help as you unleash your imagination!

Children + Youth Programs

Bilingual Family Literacy Workshop (Spanish/English)

Wednesday, May 29, 11:00 AM (Every Wednesday)

Community Learning Center, 520 Tamarack Lane

Join our family literacy workshops every Wednesday from 11:00am to 12:00pm, at the Gene Mullin Community Learning Center. Tailored for children aged 0-5 and their caregivers, the program offers engaging storytimes, activities fostering early literacy, songs, book giveaways, and chances to win prizes! Enhance your child's love for learning and reading together!

For more information, email projectread@ssf.net

Outdoor Storytime with Mindfulness Yoga

Tuesday, June 4 (Every Tuesday), 10:30 AM - 11:30 AM

Main Library, 901 Civic Campus Way

Library Parks and Recreation Lawn Area

Do you have an extra wiggly little one? Come by for songs, yoga poses, and relaxation!

This program runs for every Tuesday during the summer through the end of August.

Make Your Own Sistrum

Tuesday, June 4, 3:30 PM

Main Library, 901 Civic Campus Way

Discovery Center Makerspace

Experience the distant past by crafting your own sistrum- a musical instrument in the form of a rattle used by the ancient Egyptians and Minoans. Recommended for patrons age 8 and up.

Intermediate Scratch Coding

Wednesday, June 5, 2:30 - 4:00 PM (Every Wednesday)

Main Library, 901 Civic Campus Way

2nd Floor Digital Media Lab

Curious about coding? This intermediate Scratch program is a great event to learn coding in a fun and interactive way! You'll learn more advanced stuff like how to make games and animations. Perfect for families and kids.

Digital Art Club

Wednesday, June 5, 3:00 PM (Every Wednesday)

Main Library, 901 Civic Campus Way

2nd Floor Discovery Center Makerspace

Learn and master how to create and style digital art using iPads, Apple Pencils and the Procreate app. Recommended for all ages.

Pajama Storytime

Wednesday, June 5, 6:00 PM

Grand Ave Library, 306 Walnut Ave

Kick-off this year's Summer Learning Challenge with stories, songs, and a simple craft!

Resources

Brainfuse HelpNow

HelpNow: Academic skills are like other skills: use them or lose them. Keep your brain sharp by visiting the Online Summer Skills Camp. Visit Brainfuse to discover what you want to learn more about. 

Las habilidades académicas son como cualquier otra habilidad: si no se utilizan, se pierden. Mantenga su mente aguda participando en el Campamento de Verano de Habilidades En Línea. Visite Brainfuse para explorar los temas de su interes. 

Brainfuse HelpNow

HelpNow: Academic skills are like other skills: use them or lose them. Keep your brain sharp by visiting the Online Summer Skills Camp. Visit Brainfuse to discover what you want to learn more about. 

Las habilidades académicas son como cualquier otra habilidad: si no se utilizan, se pierden. Mantenga su mente aguda participando en el Campamento de Verano de Habilidades En Línea. Visite Brainfuse para explorar los temas de su interes. 

South City Explorer Pack

Spring is here, and it’s time to go outdoors! Before your next adventure, stop by the Main Library to check out a South City Explorer Pack—oh and don’t forget to check out a CA State Parks Pass too. South City Explorer Packs include binoculars, hiking poles, animal and plant guides, and more.  

Check out a South City Explorer Pack at the 3rd floor Info Desk of the Library | Parks & Recreation Center, 901 Civic Campus Way. Please email lein@plsinfo.org with any questions.  

Backpacks can only be checked out at the Main Library and must be returned to the 3rd floor Info Desk of the Library.  

This Parks Pass Backpack Program was supported in whole or in part by funding provided by the State of California, administered by the California State Library.  

SSFPL Hours

For accommodations: Call 650-829-3860 at least 10 days prior to request sign language or other accommodations. Please refrain from wearing scented products to programs. Masks are strongly recommended to protect the elderly, immunocompromised, or people who are not vaccinated.