Upcoming Programs
The Cuernavaca Arts Cooperative is a group for visual artists that live in or near the Lake Hills neighborhood in Austin, TX. “Our purpose is to create a community of artists to network, share ideas, support and inspire, and find spaces suitable for art creation and classes. We are here to promote the arts in general, and within our local community.”
For more information about this group of artists, visit their website at www.cuernyarts.com.
A Reception will be held March 8th.
Qi Gong (pronounced chee gung) is an ancient Chinese health care practice that integrates physical postures and gentle movements, breathing and focused mind. “Qi” means vital energy or life force, and “gong” means accomplishment, or skill that is cultivated through steady practice. Together, Qi Gong means cultivating energy and is practiced for health maintenance, healing, and increasing vitality.
In this one hour class, we will learn the different qi gong movements that help reduce stress, increase vitality, and build stamina.
Sandra Medina Bocangel is a physician from Mexico with a specialty in physical medicine and rehabilitation, and a Master in Oriental Medicine and Acupuncture. Her offices are in Austin and San Antonio. She has been practicing meditation for 15 years, and is a Zen Buddhism student in Austin.
You’re never too young for storytime! Our littlest book lovers stroll in to Infant Storytime to hear fun songs, stories, and fingerplays, followed by open free-play with other wee ones. Designed for children from 0 to 12 months old.
The Gathering Room at Westbank will be in use from 12:00 until 1:00 p.m. for a community group meeting.
If you’d like to inquire about using a meeting room, please see our Meeting Room Policies.
Join Ms. Leah for Storytime every Monday. This program develops early literacy skills through story sharing, music, games, and activities. All ages welcome!
Handler Holly with Dog Chula will be at Laura’s Library to read with kiddos or visit with them. Pre-readers and readers are welcome. No registration is required.
Be sure to call the library to confirm if Chula is in and to ask for any last minute cancelations.
About the Program:
The Bow Wow Reading Dogs program is designed to help below grade level readers improve their skills. Our program is based on the Intermountain Therapy Reading Education Assistance Dogs (R.E.A.D.) ® program. The program improves children’s reading and communication skills by employing a powerful method: reading to a dog. Teams are currently working with children in Round Rock ISD, Eanes ISD, Georgetown ISD, Jarrell ISD, Austin ISD, and Leander ISD and at the Pflugerville, Round Rock, Wells Branch and Leander Libraries on a regular basis. Our teams have provided many, many special onetime programs throughout the Greater Austin area. You can see more at austindogalliance.org.
Make Mondays fun days! Meet up with your friends at the world’s best play date. Your kids can play with each other and make new friends, and food trucks will be on site with delicious local food. Fun for all, and no cooking or clean-up for you – a great way to start your week!
Upcoming Food Trucks:
- 4/23 Texas Chili Queens
- 4/30 Fancy Fluff
Westbank Libraries is partnering with Austin Senior Resource Alliance to present a year-long series of candid conversations with local experts focused on the unique and complex issues facing Austin’s mature homeowners and families. Join us on the fourth Tuesday of each month at 10:30am at Laura’s Library to be part of the conversation. Check out each month’s topic below:
- January: The Truth About Living to be 100
- February: The Truth About Probate for Property Owners
- March: The Truth About Decluttering Your Home
- April: The Truth About “Advance Care Planning”
- May: The Truth About Avoiding Homeowner Scams
- June: The Truth About Communicating with Adult Children
- July: The Truth About 55+ Senior Living Options
- August: The Truth About Liquidating the Extra “Stuff”
- September: The Truth About Building, Buying, or Remodeling Your “Last” Home
- October: The Truth About Selling As-Is
- November: The Truth About Living, Dying, and Leaving a Legacy
- December: No Seminar
April Presentation:
Planning for your future? Attend today’s seminar to learn how to “Decide, Discuss, and Document” what matters most to you at the end of life. Garrick Colwell will share personal stories of empowering Central Texan seniors, and answer these questions:
- How do you decide what you want and who will speak for you if you are unable?
- How do you discuss end of life wishes?
- How do you document end of life wishes?
Join Ms. Cristen for Storytime every Tuesday. This program develops early literacy skills through story sharing, music, and crafts or activities. All ages welcome!
Our 20-minute lunchtime meditation is an opportunity to relax, breathe, and de-stress. Meditation can sometimes bring up emotions, and participants are invited to stay and share those experiences with the group following the meditation if they choose.
Elizabeth is a meditation facilitator, dedicated to assisting people in the journey of mindfulness. She has practiced meditation for the past 17 years, facilitates a weekly mindfulness meditation at the Westbank Library, Mindful Eating Workshops at the YMCA, in addition to yearly Children’s Mindfulness Programs in local Austin.
Elizabeth brings mindfulness meditation into the workplace as well as having a private practice in Austin, where she works with clients on an individual basis. Elizabeth attended the University of Santa Monica, receiving a Masters in Spiritual Psychology. Prior she attended the University of Colorado receiving a Bachelors of Fine Arts. Additionally Elizabeth has been through the 8-week University of Massachusetts/MBSR (Mind-Based Stress Reduction) Course, and Certified through the Mindful Schools for K-12.
Library News
Peter Gray speaks on the importance of play
We are delighted to be hosting author Peter Gray (April 26, 7pm, Laura’s Library) for the second of a three-part talk he is giving in Austin, based on his book Free to Learn: Why Unleashing the Instinct to Play [...]
Learning from Home with your Library Card
Your library card is your passport to learning all sorts of things from the comfort of your sofa, office, or car. You can connect to electronic resources through our catalog page with your library card number and password (usually your [...]
Free Play & Food Trucks
Remember summer play as a kid? You would wander outside and see who was around. You’d start a game of some kind, other kids would join in, and you would adjust the rules as you went along. If it [...]