SANTA CLARA COUNTY, Calif. – What started as a one-book, one-community program in 2003, has grown to a multifaceted program centered around a specific theme, with selections
that include three book options for adults, and four selections for children. In celebration of its 20th anniversary, Silicon Valley Reads will offer more than 150 free events throughout Santa Clara County, both in-person and online.
Every year Silicon Valley Reads works to select a theme and books that resonate with the community.
After two years of bringing the community together in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic with “Connecting” (2021) and “The Power of Kindness, Resilience and Hope” (2022), this year
Silicon Valley Reads is helping our community embark on a Journey to New Beginnings.
Programs will be offered in late January through March in partnership with schools, libraries and community organizations. Each of the programs relate to the theme, or specifically to the chosen books: There There by Oakland native Tommy Orange; The Second Life of Mirielle West by Amanda Skenandore and What the Fireflies Knew by local author Kai Harris.
The season will kick off on Thursday, January 26 at 7 p.m. with a free in-person and live-streamed event featuring all three selected authors, live at the De Anza Visual & Performing
Arts Center in Cupertino. The evening will offer a related art exhibit at the Euphrat Museum of Art (connected to the theater), book sales and a book signing opportunity after the event.
Registration is available at siliconvalleyreads.org/events.
Other programs include author visits, book discussions, classes and workshops around many topics including yoga, meditation, dance, finances, photography, tidying-up and resources to help people begin their own journey to new beginnings. There will be discussions around people’s personal journeys and an opportunity for sharing stories. Other resources include opioid/drug information, suicide prevention and teen mental health that relate to the selected books.
People will have the opportunity to learn about local indigenous tribes with an in-person and live-streamed visit from Chairman Val Lopez of the Amah Mutsun Tribal Band. A guided hiking tour of the Chitactac-Adams Heritage County Park is another opportunity to learn more about our indigenous history along with the 2020 documentary, “Daughter of a Lost Bird,” hosted by multiple libraries.
There is a wide variety of options for kids of all ages from the youngest readers to teens; including events such as reading to cats at The Dancing Cat, arts & crafts, read-alouds in multiple languages, and virtual visits from all four of the featured children’s authors.
All events through Silicon Valley Reads are free to the public. Please note that some events may require advanced registration. See a listing of all events and register online at
www.siliconvalleyreads.org/events.
Silicon Valley Reads is presented by the Santa Clara County Library District, the Santa Clara County Office of Education and the San Jose Public Library.
Media Contact:
Reid Myers, Silicon Valley Reads
siliconvalleyreads@gmail.com
