Upcoming Programs
Join us at Laura’s Library for a special exhibit of art created during the Free Play & Food Trucks program. These collaborative works feature different mediums, including tempera, oil pastel and charcoal. This is an art show as fun as the summer.
Mondays at Laura’s the art creation continues!
—Drop in between noon and 2:00, June 4 –July 23, for Art Exploration to make creations you can take home.
—Come to Free Play & Food Trucks at 4:30, and help to create more masterpieces to hang on the walls!
Click here to check out the calendar for the upcoming creative and crafty programs.
Join us this summer for fun and discovery!
We have a summer full of events and programs, click here for a printable version of the calendar. Pick up a log to track your reading or discoveries, and stamp it each time you visit the library. Click here for the printable version of the log. Stop by both locations each week for guessing jar games and scavenger hunts.
Special Events
The games begin on May 26th for Kickoff at Laura’s from 10 am – 1 pm. Music, magic, balloon art, and more!
Join us for Movie Matinees on select Fridays at 2 pm at Laura’s:
June 22 we will screen Toy Story
July 20 we will screen Toy Story 2
Celebrate your summer of discovery on July 27 at Laura’s from 5 – 7 pm, where we’ll have Amy’s Ice Cream!
Weekly Events
Events are all ages, unless otherwise specified.
MONDAYS
10:30 – Infant Storytime @ Westbank (ages 0-12 mos.)
Noon – Art Exploration @ Laura’s
1:00 – Reading Dog Storytime @ Laura’s
4:30 – Free Play & Food Trucks @ Laura’s
TUESDAYS
10:30 – Music & Movement @ Westbank
1:00 – Fun & Games @ Laura’s
2:00 – Inspiration! @ Westbank (ages 5 & up)
6:00/6:30 on 3rd Tuesdays – Family Night @ Westbank
WEDNESDAYS
10:30 – Performers @ Laura’s (ages 3 & up)
10:30 – Storytime @ Westbank
4:30 – Discovery @ Laura’s (ages 5 & up)
THURSDAYS
10:30 – Storytime @ Laura’s
10:30 – Spanish Storytime @ Westbank (ages 0-5)
3:00 – Watch & Read Book Club (ages 7 & up)
SATURDAYS
12:30 – Storytime @ Westbank
3:00 – Chinese Learning Playground (ages 5 & up)
Teens & Tweens
Young Adult Book Club: Superhero Edition @ Laura’s, 4 pm on 1st and 3rd Thursdays
Calling gamers! Video Game Night is June 15, 4:30-7 pm at Laura’s (ages 13-17)
Programs for Adults
Mondays – 10 am – Qi Gong @ Laura’s
Tuesdays – noon – Meditation @ Westbank
Tuesdays – 5-7 pm – Tech Help @ both locations
4th Tuesdays – 10:30 am – Senior Living Series @ Laura’s
Last Tuesdays – 1 pm – BookTalk Book Club @ Westbank
Wednesdays – 6:30 pm – Yoga @ Laura’s
3rd Wednesdays – 1 pm – Mysteries & More Book Club @ Westbank
2nd & 4th Thursdays – 12:30 pm – Quilters @ Laura’s
Last Thursdays – 6 pm – Smart Schooling Book Group @ Laura’s
Fridays – 11 am – Book Study: Changing Our Perspective @ Westbank
Fridays – noon – Knit Wits @ Westbank
1st Fridays – 10 am – Genealogy @ Laura’s
1st Saturdays – 10 am – Madrone Trail Hike @ Laura’s
1st Saturdays – 11 am – Tech Help @ Laura’s
3rd Saturdays – 11 am – Tech Help @ Westbank
1st Sundays – 4 pm – Daytime Book Group @ Laura’s
2nd Sundays – 4 pm – Shakespeare Out Loud @ Laura’s
As life brings its inevitable ups and downs, whether they be large or small, learn how to bring new awareness and perspective to these changes in this weekly book group facilitated by Elizabeth Hoisington.
This group will be discussing The Diamond In Your Pocket by Gangaji. Chapters listed weekly:
- 6/8: Chapters 31-33
- 6/15: Chapters 34-36
- 6/22: Chapters 37-39
- 6/29: Chapters 40-42
- 7/6: Chapters 43-45
- 7/13: Chapters 46-48
- 7/20: Chapters 49-51
- 7/27: Chapters 52-55
Elizabeth Hoisington 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. Some former clients include The Graduate School of Integrative Medicine, Freescale, Central Health, and various health facilities.
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.
Our Knit Wits meet for fun and fiber every week. Flash your best needles, break out the good yarn, and come teach, be taught, or simply enjoy the glorious art of knitting! Join the group every Friday at noon at the Westbank Library.
Crocheters and embroiderers welcome.
Bring your favorite toy and join us for a matinee screening of Toy Story 2, 2:00 p.m. at Laura’s Library. Lemonade and popcorn will be served.
While Andy is away at summer camp, Woody is toynapped by Al, a greedy collector. Buzz Lightyear, Mr. Potato Head and others spring into action to rescue Woody. Rated G.
Get help with all of your technology from a tech-savvy teen. Bring cameras, laptops, questions about social media, apps, or anything else that comes to mind! Our tech-savvy teens will provide one-on-one help with all your technology questions.
@ Laura’s Library on the 1st Saturday of the month from 11:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
@ Westbank Library on the 3rd Saturday of the month from 11:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
@ Westbank and Laura’s Library every Tuesday of the month from 5:00-7:00 p.m.
Want to learn more about technology? Look for classes on the third Saturdays of the month presented by our iTeens on popular subjects such as Microsoft Word, Twitter, WordPress, and more. Check our monthly calendar to see what they are teaching this month.
Are you a teen interested in volunteering? Check out the volunteer page for more information.
Join Ms. Cristen for Storytime every Saturday. This program develops early literacy skills through story sharing, music, games, and activities. All ages welcome!
Join us on the first Saturday of the month for a Sensory-focused Storytime!
- Xiaoqing Zhu, a PhD from Stanford and currently a tech lead in a Fortune 500 company, whose favorite side job is to teach and learn from her kindergartner.
- Wendy You, a college finance professor, who finds it more challenging to teach her five-year-old than to teach a college class.
- Celine Wright, an MBA and finance executive who worked for many large companies and had managed many difficult mergers and acquisitions projects, realized that her three young kids are the most difficult, but fun, projects of all.
- Lan Luan, a research professor of biomedical engineering at UT, who finds it extremely fun to guide and observe young children including her own 4-year-old son to grow physically and intellectually.
The Westbank Library has supporting materials for this program. Ask a staff member if you are interested.
Sandra es medico en Mexico con especialidad en medicina fisica & rehabilitacion, con maestria en Medicina Oriental y Acupunctura. Tiene su oficina en Austin y San Antonio. Tiene cerca de 15 años practicando meditación, actualmente es estudiante en el Zen Budismo en Austin.
Meditación nos da la oportunidad de hacer una pausa en nuestra vida tan acelerada que llevamos y nos permite conectarnos con nosotros mismos atraves de estar mas conscientes de lo que sucede dentro y fuera de nosotros.
En que consiste esta clase:
Es una hora de meditación donde los primeros 10-15 minutos explico que es meditación y los puntos básicos de meditación.
30-minuto de meditación sentados en la silla o cojines en donde los primeros 15 minutos es dirigida y los otros 15 minutos meditamos en silencio.
15 minutos para preguntas y comentarios.
Meditation gives us the opportunity to take a stop in our busy lives and allow us to connect with ourselves through awareness of what is happening inside and outside ourselves.
What do you expect in this class:
This is an hour meditation where the first 10-15 minutes explain meditation and its basics.
30-minute meditation sitting on chair or cushions where first 15 minutes are guided, next 15 minutes are in silence and stillness.
15 minutes for questions or comments.
Sandra 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.
The Westbank Community Library District offers a Sensory Storytime at the Laura Bush Library, Sundays at 11:00 a.m. These storytimes are for children ages 3 – 8 who are on the autism spectrum or are prone to sensory overload. A parent or caregiver is required to attend with their child. Participants will enjoy stories, songs, and a variety of sensory activities. Because this is a specialized storytime, participation is limited to 12 children. We have two groups that meet on alternate weeks.
Interested in joining us? Please fill out and submit the registration form. If you have questions please email pat@westbanklibrary.com.
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