Upcoming Programs
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.
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:
- 8.20 Crepe Crazy
Joyce LaBaw began her artistic journey after retiring from three decades of working as a mechanical engineer. Her work includes acrylic abstracts, landscapes, and portraiture. Often drawing inspiration from local Texas scenery, she strives to capture beauty that is compelling and resonates with the viewer. She is grateful to have the opportunity to create, explore, and exhibit her art.
Joyce’s work has been shown at the Bass Concert Hall, as well as various business venues in Austin. In addition to painting, Joyce works part-time as a CAD designer. She is also a CASA volunteer (Court Appointed Special Advocate for abused and neglected children), and maintains an aquaponic system to raise tilapia for Mobile Loaves and Fishes. Find out more about her work on her website: http://www.joycelabaw.com/.
Are you an artist interested in exhibiting your work at the library? Visit our Art at Laura’s page to find out more, see past shows, and submit your samples.
The Board of Trustees will hold a meeting at 8:30 A.M.
The Commons at Laura’s will be closed from 10:00 a.m. until 1:00 p.m.
If you’d like to inquire about using a meeting room, please see our Meeting Room Policies.
Storybook Dance Making is Dance Waterloo’s award-winning dance education program for families with children ages 5-10. Each class is inspired by a storybook. The class consists of a warm-up, structured dance jam, storybook reading, and dance making activities that are fun for both children and adults!
*Parent/guardian participation required.
Dance Waterloo is a sponsored project of Austin Creative Alliance. The mission of Dance Waterloo is to cultivate, create, and perform interdisciplinary methods of dance for the community through public space, education, and collaboration. We invite the public to act as both a dance observer and participant through free and pay-what-you-can performances and community dance programming. Through this mission and vision, Austinites can enhance their appreciation of dance, the city, and of each other.
Unlike other physical forms of yoga that use still or slow yoga postures, Laughter Yoga is like kindergarten recess for adults, with lots of eye contact, high energy, movement, and an atmosphere filled with child-like playfulness. We bring joy to the body through lots of laughter, silliness, and deep inhalation and exhalation, which increase the net supply of oxygen to our body and our brain.
Participants of all ages will leave with a few techniques they can begin using immediately to feel energetic, more relaxed, and able to transform frustrations into happy, endorphin filled meditative experiences through Laughter Yoga. Wear clothes that you can move in and that don’t restrict your abdomen. NO YOGA MATS OR PROPS NEEDED.
Family Night is fun night at Westbank! Join us Tuesday evenings, when we have activities for the whole family to enjoy. Each week we have a different event: board games, crafts, or pajama storytime. Come for fun and enjoy spending time with each other!
Join up with Linda Hardy and the rest of Westbank’s aficionados of France who watch a French Film at home and then meets at the library to discuss en français!
August film selection: The Return of Martin Guerre
Are you wondering what kinds of films this group discussed in the past? Here is the list for the past year:
- June & July 2018 – On hiatus
- May 2018 – L’Avenir (Things to Come)
- April 2018 – What’s in a Name?
- March 2018 – My Afternoons with Margueritte
- February 2018 – Inspector Bellamy
- January 2018 – No meeting due to inclement weather
- November & December 2017 – On hiatus
- October 2017 – The Wages of Fear
- September 2017 – All Together
- August 2017 – On hiatus
Come to Westbank to enjoy a demonstration of a Music Pups class, normally offered at Clavier-Werke School of Music. Music Pups is a program for parents and children to learn playful and creative ways of developing musical skills from an early age. Mixed age classes are developmentally appropriate and allow siblings to enjoy music together. Designed for children age 0 to 4 with their caregivers. Our demo class is about 30 minutes long.
Andres Vargas was born in Chile, where he began his piano studies at the age of three. He holds a bachelor’s degree in Piano Performance from the Universidad Austral de Chile where he studied with Ximena Cabello. In 2004, he became a private student of Krassimira Jordan, artist-in-residence at Baylor University. In the fall of 2008, Andres relocated to the United States in order to pursue a master’s degree in Piano Pedagogy and Performance at Baylor University. He has performed in several cities in Chile, as well as in Europe and the U.S.A.
Library News
Welcome Teens
We love the start of a new school year at the library. Our Westbank location, located across from the high school as it is, sees a stream of students flow from that campus to ours every afternoon at 4:15. [...]
Help a Neighbor – Drive a Senior
Helen Zmud, a lively and outgoing 96-year old, has been volunteering with the library for over ten years. She works upstairs, helping us to process new books and audiobooks. She loves to be busy, and we keep her that way! [...]
Bees SATs and Espanol
Beekeeping news Our beekeeper, Alex, has harvested her first few jars of honey from the hive in our community garden. After carefully calculating how much honey the bees needed for themselves, Alex encouraged the bees to move from the top [...]