A Halloween Goodie Basket of Fun
The Library Can Help You With Tricks and Plenty of Treats
Resources like Kanopy, CreativeBug, Freegal, and Overdrive are Spooktastic
Whether you’re looking to stream a favorite childhood seasonal movie, make a homemade costume, or read some new tale of fright, the Library is here to help. Here are some of our most relevant resources for your Halloween delight:
Creativebug. The premiere DIY resource should be your first stop. Everything is here from Halloween jewelry to masks to fun trick-or-treat bags and pumpkin carving ideas. Each of these ideas comes with a step-by-step how-to video, a detailed supply list, and the ability to leave comments, ask questions, and interact with other students.
Freegal. You’ll need spooky music for that Monster Mash you’re planning. The Library has you covered. Just go to Freegal, the streaming music site, and you’ll see a list of Halloween music from your favorite artists featuring hits like “Witchy Woman”, the “Little Shop of Horrors”, the theme from “Jaws”, and dozens of Halloween sound collections.
Kanopy. There’s nothing like a scary movie to anchor your Halloween party, and we have hundreds available through our streaming service, Kanopy. There are many horror movie subjects to choose from: Scares from Around the World, Indie Horror, and Classic Horror choices among them. If you’re looking for tamer fare to enjoy with the family, go to Kanopy Kids, and you’ll get a list of Halloween themed movies and cartoons geared towards children.
Overdrive. The Library has hundreds of classic and new eBook and Audiobook titles for you to enjoy. Our librarians have compiled several Halloween-themed list of titles to help save you time. With titles like Teen Screams, Jack-O-Lantern Tales, Spooky Picks, Spooky Stories for Kids, and Witches: Fantasy, History, & the Everyday, there are plenty choices for those trying to catch the Halloween spirit.
If you’d like to learn more about Halloween and how it all got started, the library has a number of reference databases that can help you get the full story. These include Academic Search Complete, Gale Virtual Reference Library, Oxford Reference, and Yewno Discover.
Family Literacy Concerts all Month with MaryLee Sunseri
Educational entertainment will hit a high note with the kids!
The first five years of a child’s life are pivotal when it comes to learning. That is why many organizations, including First 5 California, encourage parents to talk, read, sing, write and play with their children. This month, we are hosting a special event at all of our libraries – The 2019 SCCLD Family Literacy Concerts.
Award winning children’s singer-songwriter Marylee Sunseri will lead a music concert for babies and their grown-ups. This fun and free activity will help build important early literacy skills for our littlest of learners. Below are the dates and times.
cUPERTINO lIBRARYOct. 16 at 10:15 am |
Morgan Hill LibraryOct. 16 at 4 pm |
Campbell LibraryOct. 18 at 11 am |
Saratoga LibraryOct. 19 at 11:15 am |
Gilroy LibraryOct. 19 at 1:30 pm |
Milpitas LibraryOct. 20 at 11 am |
Los Altos LibraryOct. 20 at 3 pm |
SCCLD Distinguished Authors Series Starts this Month
Sonia Nazario and John Carreyrou kick off new showcase program
October marks the premiere of a new intimate literary experience featuring a trio of great writers. The three-part event kicks off with author Sonia Nazario. As a journalist, she has covered difficult topics such as hunger, drug addiction and immigration. She is best known for Enrique’s Journey, a story about a Honduran boy and the struggles he faced trying to find his mother in the United States. It started out as a series in the Los Angeles Times, and won the Pulitzer Prize for feature writing in 2003. It was turned into a book, which became a bestseller.
Nazario grew up in Kansas and Argentina. A graduate of Williams College and UC Berkeley, Nazario started her career writing for The Wall Street Journal before moving to the Los Angeles Times. Hear from her firsthand on Tuesday, October 22 at 7 pm at the Morgan Hill Community and Cultural Center (17000 Monterey Road, Morgan Hill, 95037). Copies of the book can be purchased at the event. Patrons can also borrow Enrique’s Journey from our libraries.
The second part of the Distinguished Author Series features journalist John Carreyrou on Wednesday, October 30 at 7:30 pm at the De Anza Visual & Performing Arts Center (21250 Stevens Creek Blvd., Cupertino, 95014). Carreyrou is a two-time Pulitzer Prize-winning investigative reporter at The Wall Street Journal, as well as a New York Times bestselling author for Bad Blood: Secrets and Lies in a Silicon Valley Startup. For his extensive coverage of Theranos, Carreyrou was awarded the George Polk Award for Financial Reporting, the Gerald Loeb Award for Distinguished Business and Financial Journalism in the category of beat reporting, and the Barlett & Steele Silver Award for Investigative Business Journalism.
Copies of Carreyrou’s book will be sold at the event. Patrons can also borrow Bad Blood from our libraries. Both events are free. Seating is available on a first come, first served basis. Seating is limited, and participants are encouraged to arrive early. The third and final event of the Distinguished Author Series is on December 11, with Susan Orlean, the author of The Library Book.
Sonia Nazario: 7 pm Tuesday, October 22 at the Morgan Hill Community & Cultural Center, 17000 Monterey Rd., Morgan Hill, 95037.
John Carreyrou: 7:30 pm Wednesday, October 30 at the De Anza Visual & Performing Arts Center, 21250 Stevens Creek Blvd., Cupertino, 95014.
Susan Orlean: 7:30 pm Wednesday, December 11 at the Campbell Heritage Theatre, 1 W. Campbell Ave., Campbell, 95008.
All events are free and open to the public. Seating is available on a first-come, first served basis.
Books will be available for sale. Q&A and book signing will follow each of the talks.
Los Altos Passport Office now Open, New Deputy County Librarian Appointed
SCCLD continues to expand services to increase convenience, patron quality of experience
Los Altos Library has joined Cupertino and Milpitas libraries as a Passport Acceptance Facility effective October 1. Patrons can obtain first-time passports for adults and children, renewals for passports issued before the applicant was 16 years of age, renewals for expired passports issued more than 15 years ago, replacements for lost, stolen, or damaged passports, as well as passport photos. The new service is available by appointment only. Visit www.sccl.org/passport to select a time and location, find out what important documents you will need to bring, plus applicable fees.
Once submitted, passport applications typically take between six to eight weeks to be processed, with the option of paying a $60 expedite fee to cut that time down to two or three weeks. Passports will be mailed directly to the applicant by the U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Consular Affairs.
An SCCLD library account is not required for the passport service, although one is recommended to utilize all of the travel-related information available at each library and through the online library. SCCLD has many free resources on travel, cultures, international food, and languages, including digital and hard copy tour guides.
Los Altos Library Passport Hours:
Sunday, Tuesday, and Thursday 10 am – 5 pm (closed 1-2 pm)
Monday and Wednesday 1 pm – 8 pm (closed 4-5 pm)
Cupertino Library Passport Hours:
Tuesday and Thursday 1 pm – 8 pm (closed 4-5 pm)
Wednesday, Friday and Saturday 10 am – 5 pm (closed 1-2 pm)
Milpitas Library Passport Hours:
Sunday, Tuesday and Thursday 10 am – 5 pm (closed 1-2 pm)
Monday and Wednesday 1 pm – 8 pm (closed 4-5 pm)
SCCLD NEWS: The Library District recently concluded a national search for its new Deputy County Librarian. The winning candidate is Jennifer Weeks, who currently serves as Library Services Manager for Children’s Services at Santa Clara County Library District. She starts her new position, which will be responsible for enhancing staff training and working on special projects, on October 7.
Jennifer’s notable accomplishments at SCCLD include conceiving and implementing the student eAccount program, which created 90,000 eAccounts for students at 13 local school districts, providing them with access to our 24/7 Online Library. She also instituted the Lunch at the Library summer program, which served more than 16,000 meals to children and their families in Gilroy, Morgan Hill and San Martin. Weeks has also helped to expand the Bookmobile service to upward of 50 stops per month.
Silicon Valley Reads 2020: Theme and Featured Books Announced
This time the focus is on Women: Making it Happen
The next chapter in Silicon Valley’s premiere festival of literature is set to begin with a feminine focus. In recognition of the 100th anniversary of women’s suffrage in the U.S., Silicon Valley Reads 2020 will celebrate the achievements and relentless perseverance of women. Two books have been selected as the centerpiece of the program – The Tenth Muse, a novel by Catherine Chung, and Alpha Girls: The Women Upstarts Who Took on Silicon Valley’s Male Culture and Made the Deals of a Lifetime by Julian Guthrie. Both critically acclaimed books tell the stories of women who broke barriers to excel in fields traditionally dominated by men.
Silicon Valley Reads 2020 will kick off with a special event on Thursday evening, Jan. 23, at De Anza College Visual & Performing Arts Center in Cupertino. More than 100 additional free events will follow in February and March that provide information, ideas and entertainment about a wide variety of women and their accomplishments, starting with the tenacious individuals who worked so hard to get women the right to vote in the early 1900s. Programs will include an art exhibit titled “Women Pathmakers” at the De Anza College Euphrat Museum of Art, films, panel discussions, author talks, and activities for children and teens. In addition to the public events, Silicon Valley Reads will have educational programs in local schools.
This is the 18th year of Silicon Valley Reads, which is presented annually by Santa Clara County Library District, Santa Clara County Office of Education and San José Public Library.
SCCLD Teens Top Ten List of Best Youth Fiction is Out
Libraries gearing up to celebrate Teen Read Week
The second week of October is Teen Read Week, a time to focus on the specific needs and interests of juvenile readers. Our teen librarians have also compiled lists of new eBooks and Audiobooks that are about and for teens. These include Life as We Know It: Realistic YA, Narrative Nonfiction for Teens, Middle Grades Must Reads, and Music Theme YA.
The Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA) puts out an annual Teens Top Ten list of the most loved YA fiction of the year among teens. SCCLD’s Teen Librarians have conducted a poll during our recently completed Summer Reading program and determined the favorite titles locally from last year’s YALSA list.
Celebrate National Book Month with a Book Kit
The Library has hundreds of options for you to choose from, for all age groups
October is prime reading time, with the kids at school and the nights getting longer and colder. What better way to celebrate National Book Month than by gathering a group of friends together to share the experience or reading an excellent work of fiction or nonfiction? The Library has a large variety of book club kit options for you to consider.
Over 200 titles are available for adults, and book club kits are also available for teens. Nearly 20 titles are now available in Simplified Chinese. Get a group together (up to 12) and dive into a great work of fiction or nonfiction. You might want to start with one of the featured books for our upcoming Silicon Valley Reads 2020 series (coming soon).
Calendar of October Events
Major happenings this month at each SCCLD location
October is the first full month of fall and a festive time, with Diwali (27) and Halloween (31). It’s also a time to celebrate reading, with National Literacy Awareness, National Book and National Cookbook months, and Teen Read Week (6-12). Let’s also be sure to thank our Friends of the Libraries during their special celebration week (20-26). Here is a list of events happening this month at our libraries.
October 2019 EVENTS (HIGHLIGHTS)
All Libraries Closed Monday, October 14 for Columbus Day
CAMPBELL (77 Harrison Avenue, Campbell 95008)
ESL Conversation Club
Tuesdays, October 1, 8, 15, 22 & 29, 1 – 2:30 pm, Community Room – Lower Level
Improve your English listening and speaking skills in a friendly, supportive setting. For all levels. Chat topics include U.S. culture, life skills, and current events. No sign up needed.
Family Pajama Jams
Tuesdays, October 1, 8, 15, 22 & 29, 7 – 7:45 pm, Children’s Alcove – Upper Level
Lots of movement and group participation in this family-friendly activity.
Adult Monthly Gaming
Monday, October 7, 6 – 8 pm, Community Room – Lower Level
This month staff will lead a round of Coup. Other games available to play: Ticket to Ride, Munchkin, Codenames, Bananagrams, Chess, and more.
Special Effects Makeup
Tuesday, October 8, 6:30 – 8 pm, Community Room – Lower Level
Rachel Levine, Award winning face and body painter, offers a workshop on skull effects makeup. For all levels. Learn effective techniques to create your own Halloween makeup.
When Everything is a Battle - Parenting Class
Wednesdays, October 9, 16 & 23, 7 – 8:30 pm, Community Room – Upper Level
Tips on how to deal with oppositional and defiant behaviors. Avoid arguments with these tips.
Let’s Play in Spanish Sing-Along & Puppet Show
Thursday, October 10, 4 – 5 pm, Community Room – Lower Level
Join us for an amazing afternoon of music and fun with Susy Dorn and the LPIS Team.
Travel Program: Icelandic Adventure
Tuesday, October 15, 7:15 – 8:30 pm, Community Room – Lower Level
Join John Gayler and his friends as they tour Iceland’s 100-mile ring road by mountain bike.
Kids STEAM Book Club (4th to 6th Grade, Registration required at the Library)
Wednesday, October 16, 4 – 5 pm, Community Room – Lower Level
This month’s selection is Calling all Minds by Temple Grandin. We will discuss the book and do a fun activity.
Papel Picado Adult Craft
Wednesday, October 16, 6 – 8 pm, Community Room – Lower Level
Learn how to cut your own papel picado for a great Día de los Muertos, Halloween, or Autumn decoration. All supplies provided. Registration required.
Shadow Box Pumpkin Teen Craft (ages 13-17)
Thursday, October 17, 4 – 5 pm, Community Room – Lower Level
Design and create your very own Halloween decoration. All supplies provided.
MaryLee Sunseri Concert
Friday, October 18, 11 – 11:45 am, Community Room – Lower Level
Talk, sing, and play together with this award-winning children’s singer-songwriter. Fun music activities help build important early literacy skills for the littlest of learners.
Guzheng Music Concert
Saturday, October 19, 1:30 – 2:30 pm, Community Room – Lower Level
Guzheng, also known as the Chinese zither, is a plucked string instrument with thousands of years of history.
Monday Kids Craft Day
Monday, October 21, 4 – 5 pm, Community Room – Lower Level
Second graders and up. This month’s themes are stuffed sugar skulls and Alebrije masks.
Climate Change Book Club
Tuesday, October 22, 6:30 – 8 pm, Community Room – Lower Level
We will discuss The Coming Famine: The Global Food Crisis and What We Can do to Avoid it.
California Native Plant Society: Creating Native Seed Balls
Wednesday, October 23, 7 – 8:30 pm, Community Room – Lower Level
These small packets of seeds are protected by clay until the rains come and wash the coating away. Learn which wildflowers do best in our area, where and where not to place the balls.
Halloween Film Screening: Hitchcock’s Psycho
Monday, October 28, 6:30 – 8 pm, Community Room – Lower Level
Join us for a scary film that will put you right in the Halloween spirit.
CUPERTINO (10800 Torre Avenue, Cupertino 95014)
Stories for Fours and Fives
Wednesdays, October 2, 9, 16, 23 & 30, 10:15 – 10:45 am, Parents’ Corner
Stories, songs, flannel boards, and fingerplays.
Teen Poetry Writing Workshops 1 & 2
Wednesdays, October 2 & 9, 7 – 9 pm, 2nd Floor Teen Group Study Room
Led by Santa Clara County Poet Laureate “Mighty” Mike McGee and poet Kim Johnson.
ESL Conversation Club
Fridays, October 4, 11, 18 & 25, 10:30 am – 12 pm, Meeting Room
Practice your English in a friendly, informal group. Meets weekly. All language levels welcome.
Sue’s Story: Documentary Screening and Discussion
Monday, October 7, 6 – 8:30 pm, Ground Floor Story Room
Examines one of the greatest challenges of our time: the rise of dementia in a world unprepared for it. Tells the story of Lewy Body Dementia sufferer Sue Berghoff.
SCORE: Start Your Small Business
Wednesdays, October 9, 16, 23 & 30, 7 – 8:30 pm, Story Room
Learn the fundamentals to go into business by yourself.
MaryLee Sunseri Concert
Wednesday, October 16, 10:15 – 11 am, Community Hall
Talk, sing, and play together with this award-winning children’s singer-songwriter. Fun music activities help build important early literacy skills for the littlest of learners.
Adult Book Discussion
Thursday, October 17, 7 – 8:30 pm, Ground Floor Story Room
This month’s selection is E.M. Forester’s 1908 novel A Room With a View.
Bilingual Storytime (Mandarin Chinese and English)
Friday, October 18, 11 am – 12 pm, Parent’s Corner
Children’s Librarian Jean will read story books, lead children with songs, flannel board story, finger play, games, and craft projects. For babies, toddlers, preschoolers and their caretakers.
Wellness + Mindfulness Meditation
Monday, October 21, 6:30 – 7:30 pm, Story Room
Designed to benefit regular practitioners as well as beginners.
Teen Poetry Slam with Cupertino Poet Laureate Kaecey McCormick
Wednesday, October 23, 7 – 9 pm, Community Hall
All ages welcome to watch. Teens grades 7 through 12 will perform. Cash prizes.
Game Day (for grades 1-8)
Thursday, October 24, 4 – 5 pm, Story Room
Relax, play new or classic board games, meet new friends and have fun. Games provided.
Distinguished Authors Series: John Carreyrou
Wednesday, October 30, 7:30 – 9 pm, De Anza Visual & Performing Arts Center (21250 Stevens Creek Blvd., Cupertino, 95014)
The author of Bad Blood: Secrets and Lies in a Silicon Valley Startup, will share his process in researching and writing the work covering the rise and fall of the Theranos corporation. Carreyrou is a two-time Pulitzer Prize-winning investigative reporter at the Wall Street Journal. Q&A to follow.
GILROY (350 W. Sixth Street, Gilroy 95020)
Hora de cuentos en español / Spanish Storytime
Tuesdays, October 1, 8, 15, 22 & 29, 4:30 – 5:30 pm, Nest (Children’s Activity Room)
Join us for stories, songs, and rhymes for families with children. Plus, a simple craft, play time.
Disaster Preparedness Workshop
Wednesday, October 2, 7 – 8 pm, Meeting Room
Join us and learn how to help yourself and your family in the event of an emergency.
ESL Conversation Club/Club de Conversación de ESL
Fridays, October 4, 11, 18 & 25, 11 am – 12 pm, Meeting Room
Practice your English in a friendly, informal group. Meets weekly. All language levels welcome.
Adult Book Discussion: Forty Autumns by Nina Willner
Friday, October 4, 10:15 – 11:15 am, Quiet Study Room
Adults and teens welcome. Check out a copy at the Info Desk upstairs.
Adult & Teen Craft: Decorate a Halloween LED Box
Monday, October 7, 6:30 – 8:30 pm, Program Room
Join us in decorating a box to add to your spooky decor for the holidays. Supplies provided.
Pajama Story Time / Cuentos en Pijama
Mondays, October 7, 14, 21 & 28, 7 – 8 pm, Nest (Children’s Activity Room)
Bring your favorite stuffed animal, pillow, or blanket and your PJs. For the whole family.
Teen Movie: Yesterday
Tuesday, October 8, 6:45 – 8:45 pm, Community Room
Join us for this fun musical romp that imagines a world in which no one has heard of the Beatles and a singer rises to fame by pretending to write all of their biggest hits.
SAT Practice Test
Saturday, October 12, 1 – 5 pm, Community Room
Real exams from a previous year. Will be graded and scored by a trained professional.
Open Poetry Readings with the Garlicky Group of Poets
Saturday, October 12, 3:30 – 4:30 pm, Meeting Room
Everyone is welcome to read their own poetry or listen to new work by others.
MaryLee Sunseri Family Literacy Concert
Saturday, October 19, 1:30 – 2:15 pm, Community Room
Talk, sing, and play together with this award-winning children’s singer-songwriter. Fun music activities help build important early literacy skills for the littlest of learners.
Learn to Home-Brew Your Own Kombucha
Sunday, October 20, 2 – 3:30 pm, Community Room
Basic information on brewing process, how to use fruit for flavor, which yeast to use, and more.
LOS ALTOS (13 S. San Antonio Road, Los Altos 94022)
Mandarin-English Storytime
Thursdays, October 3, 10, 17, 24, & 31, 11 – 11:30 am, Orchard Room
Join us for a bilingual storytime featuring books, songs, finger plays, and activities in Mandarin and English. Speakers of all languages welcome.
How I Scored a Perfect SAT and ACT and How you Can Too
Thursday, October 3, 7:30 – 8:30 pm, Orchard Room
Angela Sun will share the methods that helped get her a 2400 on the SAT and 36 on the ACT.
English Conversation Club (no registration required)
Fridays, October 4, 11, 19, & 26, 1:30 – 3 pm, Orchard Room
Practice English in an informal setting, with a supportive group of adult learners.
Read Together, Play Together (presented in Mandarin Chinese)
Saturday, October 5, 2 – 3:30 pm, Orchard Room
Dr. Chou Wanhsiang, Children’s Literature, Penn State University, will present the second of three events around “How to Read Picture Books.”
Grand Tour of the Universe with Astronomer Andrew Fraknoi
Tuesday, October 8, 7:30 – 9 pm, Orchard Room
Fraknoi will take participants through the Milky Way Galaxy and beyond using colorful images from the Hubble Space Telescope.
Cool Kids Read Book Club
Thursday, October 17, 4 – 5 pm, Orchard Room
Our selection of this month is The City of Ember by Jeanne DuPrau. Please read beforehand.
Guided Meditation
Thursdays, October 17, 24 & 31, 7 – 7:30 pm, Orchard Room
Based on easy to practice techniques that will inspire you to meditate regularly.
Bay Area Games Day
Saturday, October 19, 10 am – 11 pm, Orchard Room
A full day of convention-style open gaming now in its 21th year. Recent hobbyist and classic strategy games. All levels.
MaryLee Sunseri Family Literacy Concert
Sunday, October 20, 3 – 3:45 pm, Community Room
Talk, sing, and play together with this award-winning children’s singer-songwriter. Fun music activities help build important early literacy skills for the littlest of learners.
Eat for the Planet: How the Food we Eat is Connected to Everything
Monday, October 21, 7 – 8:30 pm, Orchard Room
Author Nil Zacharias, host of the popular podcast “Eat for the Planet” will lead the discussion.
Happy Bright Kids Halloween Puppet Show
Wednesday, October 30, 4 – 4:45 pm, Orchard Room
Children and families are invited to this puppet show full of twists and turns, tricks and treats.
Master Gardeners: Spice it Up: Microgreens
Wednesday, October 30, 7 – 8:30 pm, Orchard Room
Join us to learn about microgreens, which can be grown in even the smallest spaces.
MILPITAS (160 N. Main Street, Milpitas 95035)
Heartfulness Relaxation and Meditation
Thursdays, October 3, 10, 17, 24 & 31, 11 am – 12 pm, Auditorium
Paves the way for overall well-being be balancing one’s existence and improving relationships. 5-minute guided relaxation technique followed by a personal meditation.
Employee to Entrepreneur
Thursday, October 3, 7 – 8 pm, Auditorium
Running your own business can be the next step in your career or provide an extra source of income. Learn how to get started and how to reduce risks.
Family Craft Night: Relaxing with Calming Jars
Friday, October 4, 4:30- 6 pm, Children’s Activity Room
Learn to build a calming jar and other relaxing crafts. Snacks and materials provided. Register at soh@sccl.org or by calling (408)262-1349.
Dash Robot Coding for Grades 1-3 (children must register in person at the Children’s Desk)
Tuesdays, October 8 & 22, 3:30 – 5 pm, Children’s Activity Room
Use the Blockly app to compete a maze challenge while learning coding basics.
Board Game Bonanza (for ages 8-12)
Wednesday, October 9, 6:30 – 8 pm, Children’s Activity Room
Come and discover a new and exciting game or play an old favorite.
Sue’s Story: documentary screening with a discussion by the director
Saturday, October 12, 2 – 4 pm, Auditorium
Examines one of the greatest challenges of our time: the rise of dementia in a world unprepared for it. Tells the story of Lewy Body Dementia sufferer Sue Berghoff.
Red Cross Blood Drive
Saturday, October 19, 10 am – 4 pm, Auditorium
Give the gift of life.
MaryLee Sunseri Family Literacy Concert
Sunday, October 20, 11 – 11:45 am, Community Room
Talk, sing, and play together with this award-winning children’s singer-songwriter. Fun music activities help build important early literacy skills for the littlest of learners.
4th and 5th Grade Book Club
Monday, October 21, 3:30 – 5 pm, Children’s Activity Room
This month’s book is The Jumpies by Tracey Baptiste. Please read book beforehand. Children can register themselves at the Children’s Reference Desk until October 14. Get a free book!
ESL Conversation Club
Fridays, October 4, 11, 18, & 25, 1 – 2 pm, Group Study Room A
Come and improve your English listening and speaking skills in a fun, respectful, and supportive environment. For all levels of learners. Topics will include U.S. culture, life skills, current events.
Teen Craft Hour (ages 12-18, registration required)
Thursday, October 24, 4 – 5 pm, Auditorium
Banana Pumpkin is this month’s theme. Supplies provided.
ESL Book Club (4th Friday of each month)
Friday, October 25, 3 – 4 pm, Group Study Room A
Practice reading and speaking English while reading good books, having fun, and making new friends. Ask the Adult Reference Desk librarian about this month’s book. Copies available.
Reading Buddies
Saturday, October 26, 2 – 3 pm, Children’s Activity Room
For children grades K-5. Buddy up with a furry friend and practice reading aloud to a patient therapy animal. 20-minute sessions. Drop-in program.
MORGAN HILL (660 W. Main Avenue, Morgan Hill 95037)
Snack Break for Children 18 and Under
Tuesdays & Thursdays, October 1-31, 3 – 4 pm, Program Room
Local YMCA provides free snacks and activities to youth.
After Dinner Book Group
Tuesday, October 1, 7:30 – 9 pm, Program Room
Join us for a discussion of Enrique’s Journey by Sonia Nazario (see Distinguished Author Series).
Round Table Discussion Group
Wednesday, October 2, 6:30 – 8 pm, Program Room
This month’s topic is “Criminal Justice Reform & Restoring Citizen’s Voting Rights.”
ESL Conversation Club/Club de Conversación de ESL
Thursdays, October 3, 10, 17, 24 & 31, 4 – 5 pm, Program Room
Come and improve your English listening and speaking skills in a fun, respectful, and supportive environment. For all levels of learners. Topics will include U.S. culture, life skills, current events.
Bilingual Family Storytime
Saturdays, October 5, 12, 19 & 26, 10:15 – 11 am, Program Room
Families- join us for book reading, songs, rhymes and plenty of fun. In English and Spanish.
Dungeons & Dragons/Tabletop Gaming Club for Teens
Sundays, October 6 & 13, 2 – 4 pm, Teen Area
Free, no registration needed.
Fill out the FAFSA
Monday, October 7, 7 – 8 pm, Program Room
Workshop will provide an overview of how financial aid works. If you are a senior in high school you will be able to fill out of the application on the spot. Bring a laptop and get your FSA IDs before the event. Taught be Marisela Gomez, Inspired Education Founder, admissions expert.
Family Lotería Night
Wednesday, October 9, 7 – 8 pm, Program Room
Bingo with pictures. Game is played in Spanish, but you don’t need to be fluent to play.
Grupo Folklórico de San Martin
Saturday, October 12, 11 am – 12 pm, Program Room
Enjoy a special musical and dance performance.
An Introduction to Beekeeping
Saturday, October 12, 1 – 3 pm, Program Room
Come learn about getting started in this fun and rewarding hobby.
Repujado – Mexican Tin Art (ages 12+)
Sunday, October 13, 2 – 3 pm, Program Room
Learn about this art form and create beautiful pieces to take home featuring Aztec day signs, hummingbirds, butterflies or skeletons.
MaryLee Sunseri Concert
Wednesday, October 16, 4 – 5 pm, Program Room
Talk, sing, and play together with this award-winning children’s singer-songwriter. Fun music activities help build important early literacy skills for the littlest of learners.
Paint Night for Adults & Teens
Wednesday, October 16, 6:30 – 8:30 pm, Program Room
Learn how to paint something fun. For ages 12 and up. All supplies provided. Must register.
SAT I/ACT Practice Exam
Saturday, October 19, 1 – 5 pm, Program Room
From previous years’ tests. Graded by trained professionals and reported to you. Graded tests can be picked up on Tuesday, October 29 at 4pm.
Make it Monday- Candy Corn Button Pumpkins
Monday, October 21, 7 – 8 pm, Program Room
All supplies provided. Registration required. For adults. Children welcome if supervised.
SCCLD Distinguished Authors Series: Sonia Nazario, Author of Enrique’s Journey
Tuesday, October 22, 7 – 9 pm, Morgan Hill Community and Cultural Center (17000 Monterey Road, Morgan Hill)
A rare chance to hear up close from a nationally renowned author about her process for researching and writing her work. Nazario, a Pulitzer Prize winner, has over twenty years’ experience working as a reporter for the L.A. Times and Wall Street Journal.
Beginning Art Instruction Drawing in Pastel and Charcoal
Wednesday, October 23, 6:30 – 8:30 pm, Program Room
For ages 13 and up. All levels of experience welcome.
Halloween Fun Fest
Saturday, October 26, 3 – 4 pm, Program Room
Spooky activities, creepy crafts, games and lots of fun. Come in costume!
Teal Pumpkin Painting Party
Sunday, October 27, 1 – 2 pm, Program Room
Paint a mini pumpkin to let Trick-or-Treaters know you are serving allergy-free treats.
Steve Lin Live in Concert
Monday, October 28, 7 – 8 pm, Program Room
Celebrating the 45th anniversary of the Friends of the Morgan Hill Library. Lin is an accomplished classical guitarist and recording artist who teaches guitar at San Jose State University.
Hocus Pocus Party
Wednesday, October 30, 3:30 – 5:30 pm, Program Room
Join us for a screening of the Halloween classic and lots of fun Sanderson Sister themed activities. We will have snacks, crafts, and nail art while we watch the film.
SARATOGA (13650 Saratoga Avenue, Saratoga 95070)
Level Up ESL Class
Wednesday, October 2, 10:15 am – 12:15 pm, Community Room
For intermediate and advanced English learners who are comfortable with basic grammar and reading and want to improve their conversational skills. Interactive setting including role-play, games and group work. Placement test required to attend. Sign up at Adult Reference Desk.
ESL Conversation Club
Thursdays, October 3, 10, 17, 24 & 31, 11 am – 12:15 pm, Community Room
Drop-in to improve your English listening and speaking skills and learn about other cultures, in a supportive environment. All levels and language backgrounds welcome.
Saturday Family Storytime
Saturdays, October 5, 12, 19 & 26, 10:30 – 11 am, Orchard Room
Join us for fun stories, fingerplays, and songs for the whole family.
Cinderella around the World (for ages 4-6)
Saturday, October 5, 3 – 4:30 pm, Orchard Room
Celebrate the various stories of Cinderella as told by many cultures throughout the world. Half an hour of storytime followed by a fun craft afterward.
The Valley of the Heart’s Delight
Sunday, October 6, 1:30 – 2:30 pm, Community Room
Los Altos author and historian Robin Chapman will interview orchardist Charles Olson.
Library Book Club
Monday, October 7, 7:30 – 8:30 pm, Orchard Room
This month’s selection is There, There by Tommy Orange.
Paws to Read
Tuesday, October 8, 7 – 8 pm, Orchard Room
Tuesday, October 22, 4 – 5 pm, Orchard Room
For grades K-5. Kids can work on their pronunciation skills while gaining self-confidence. Read to a patient and quiet therapy animal from Growing Guides. First-come, first-served basis.
Can Health Care Costs be Lowered?
Saturday, October 19, 10:30 – 11:30 am, Orchard Room
Dr. Henry Abrons will discuss how to lower costs for individuals and families.
MaryLee Sunseri Concert
Saturday, October 19, 11:15 am – 12 pm, Community Hall
Talk, sing, and play together with this award-winning children’s singer-songwriter. Fun music activities help build important early literacy skills for the littlest of learners.
CoderDojo Coding Club
Sunday, October 20, 1:30 to 3:30 pm, Community Room
Open to students 11-17. Bring your own laptop or borrow one. Different coding language at each table. Collaborate with others or seek help. Bring a project or start something new.
Mandarin/English Storytime
Tuesday, October 22, 11:30 am – 12 pm, Orchard Room
Children’s Librarian Jean will read story books, lead children in songs, flannel board story, finger play, games and craft projects. Babies, toddlers, preschoolers and parents/caretakers welcome.
Halloween Slime
Wednesday, October 23, 4 to 5 pm, Orchard Room
Make and customize slime to take home. For 4th grade and up. Registration required.
Trick or Treat for Comics
Saturday, October 26, 10 am to 6 pm, Orchard Room
Celebrate Halloween ComicFest 2019 at the library. For ages 6 and up. Three comics per patron.
Being Smart About Giving
Tuesday, October 29, 7 to 8:30 pm, Community Room
A presenter from the Financial Planning Association-Silicon Valley Chapter will review smart charitable giving strategies including tax tips and vehicles to give highly appreciated assets.
WOODLAND (1975 Grant Avenue, Los Altos 94024)
Northern California Bat Society
Saturday, October 5, 2 – 3 pm, Community Room
View and learn about bats and their importance in our environment.
Adult Book Club
Tuesday, October 8, 2 – 3:30 pm, Community Room
Check with librarians to register and find out what this month’s book is. Copies available.
SCCLD BOOKMOBILE
Spookmobile Stops (free and open to the public)
Friday, October 18, 5-6:30 pm, Park Place (16480 Del Monte Avenue, Morgan Hill)
Saturday, October 26, 6-8 pm, Friendly Village (120 Dixon Landing Road, Milpitas)
Monday, October 28, 5:30-6:30 pm, Sobrato Apartments (9355 Monterey Road, Gilroy)
Tuesday, October 29, 5-6:30 pm, Cochrane Apartments (18555 Butterfield Boulevard, Morgan Hill)
Wednesday, October 30, 5:30-7 pm Jasmine Square (16530 Monterey Road, Morgan Hill)
Our Spookmobile staff will bring the Library to you! Spend some time browsing our selection of books and make a spooky Halloween craft! We also will continue our regular route and stops.
