Upcoming Programs
Everyone is invited to be a part of a community-wide art exhibit at Laura’s Library this summer. Create an artistic postcard using traditional (paint, pens, etc.) or non-traditional materials (fabric, leaves, plastic, etc.) on a 4”x6” or smaller postcard and drop off or mail to either library. Postcards will be displayed in The Commons at Laura’s Library to coincide with the “Where in the World is Westbank?” summer reading program.
Create a one-of-kind art postcard with us on
June 15 from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m. at Laura’s Library.
Join us for a summer full of exploration at Westbank Libraries:
Programs run from May 27 – July 28. Click here for a printable calendar.
Read for fun all Summer: Grab a reading log passport at the Information Desk at either library & pick up your “suitcase” to decorate and hang. Record what you read or listen to in the passport and get a stamp each time you visit us. Bring your passport in for a treat at the Finale. Click here for a printable reading log.
Weekly Ways to Play: Stop by each week & participate in a fun activity for all ages, even adults!
All events are free, open to the public, and no registration is required unless noted.
Both Libraries are closed on May 29th & July 4th.
Special Events
Saturday, May 27: Kickoff @ Laura’s
Saturday, June 10: Amazing Honey Bees @ Westbank
Wednesday, June 14: Author Polly Holyoke’s World Building Workshop @ Laura’s
Friday, June 16: Anime Teen Takeover @ Laura’s *Registration Required
Friday, July 28: Finale @ Laura’s
Program Schedule
Mondays
10:00 Qi Gong (for adults) @ Westbank
10:30 Infant Storytime @ Westbank
12:30 Crafternoon @ Laura’s
1:00 Dog Storytime @ Laura’s
3:00 Watch and Read @ Laura’s
Tuesdays
10:30 Preschool Storytime @ Westbank
SPECIAL guest – May 30: Bernadette Nason
12:00 Adult Meditation @ Westbank
12:00 Educating Remarkable Children (for teens & adults) @ Laura’s (May 30, June 27)
2:00 Family Meditation @ Westbank
4:00 Hey YA’ll Book Club (for tweens & teens) @ Laura’s (June 6, June 20, July 11, July 25, Aug 8)
5:00 Tech Help @ Laura’s
5:00 Tech Help @ Westbank
6:00 Educating Remarkable Children (for teens & adults) @ Laura’s (June 13, July 18)
6:00 Family Activity Night @ Westbank (6:30 on third Tuesdays for Laughter Yoga)
SPECIAL guest – May 30: Didgeridoo Demo
SPECIAL guest – June 13: Chinese Paper Cutting with Yang Wang
Wednesdays
10:30 Toddler Storytime @ Westbank
SPECIAL guest – June 21: Heartsong Music
10:30 Wednesday Wonderment: Special Performers @ Laura’s
4:30 Discovery! @ Laura’s
SPECIAL guest – May 31: Percussionist Mark Shelton
SPECIAL guest – June 7: Shadow Factory Puppets
SPECIAL guest – June 14: Author Polly Holyoke
SPECIAL guest – June 21: Bilingual Boogie
SPECIAL guest – July 19: Critterman
SPECIAL guest – July 26: Circus ChickenDog
Thursdays
10:30 Toddler Storytime @ Laura’s
10:30 Hola, Hola! Spanish Camp @ Westbank
12:00 Business Technology (for adults) @ Westbank (June 1, June 15, June 29, & July 6)
6:00 Smart Schooling Book Group (for adults) @ Laura’s (Last Thursdays)
Fridays
12:30 SPECIAL guest – Armstrong Community Music School @ Laura’s (June 2)
Saturdays
10:00 Madrone Trail Hike @ Laura’s (First Saturdays)
11:00 Tech Help @ Laura’s (First Saturdays)
11:00 Tech Help @ Westbank (Third Saturdays)
12:30 Family Storytime @ Westbank
3:00 Chinese Learning Playground @ Westbank
Sundays
11:00 Sensory Storytime @ Laura’s *Registration Required
11:00 Meditación en Español (for adults) @ Westbank
1:00 Teen Drop In & Do Some Good @ Westbank (June 25)
3:00 Guitar Jam (for teens & adults) @ Laura’s (June 18 & Aug 20)
Come to Ms. Kristi’s weekly storytime with your preschooler (ages 3-5) and enjoy books as well as crafts or activities.
Meditation with Elizabeth Hoisington is a relaxing program that we offer weekly. Take a 20 minute breather and some time to recharge during your lunch break; the only thing you have to lose is some extra stress!
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. 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.
Lead by long-term volunteer Jane Dunham, this book club reads and discusses literary fiction (with an occasional non-fiction book thrown in). In addition, each year the group reads a classic and a book by a Texas author. Join the group on the last Tuesday of the month at 1 p.m. at Westbank Library.
2017 Selections:
- January – The Little Paris Bookshop by Nina George
- February – The Heart Goes Last by Margaret Atwood
- March – Euphoria by Lily King
- April – Ordinary Grace by William Kent Krueger
- May – Tinkers by Paul Harding
- June – Lilac Girls by Martha Hall Kelly
- July – The Sun Also Rises by Ernest Hemingway (Classic Selection of 2017)
- August – The Same Sky by Amanda Ward Eyre (Texas Author Selection of 2017)
- September – The Other Einstein by Marie Benedict
- October – The News of the World by Paulette Jiles
Join Elizabeth Hoisington as she teaches our families to practice mindfulness through a series of fun exercises. Each week a different mindfulness and meditation exercise will be introduced that you and your family can do at home.
July 25th: Cloud Meditation (Mindful Breathing) – Our thoughts are like the clouds, forming, changing, and passing by. Come learn about the power of our breath and how it can help us with distracting and unruly thoughts. We also will use cotton balls and chalk to draw our own forming and changing clouds.
We know practicing meditation is good for us. It allows us to be present in our lives, choosing a skillful response, instead of succumbing to our reactions. Meditation is also good for our children. There is an emerging body of research that indicates mindfulness can help children improve their abilities to pay attention, to calm down when they are upset and to make better decisions. In short, it helps with emotional regulation and cognitive focus.
Recommended for ages 5 and up with their caregiver.
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. Some former clients include The Graduate School of Integrative Medicine, Freescale, Central Health, and various health facilities.
Teen and Tween facilitated YA book club for fans of Young Adult literature. Please note, books contain mature content.
Summer Book Selections:
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 a.m. – 1 p.m.
@ Westbank Library on the 3rd Saturday of the month from 11 a.m. – 1 p.m.
@ Westbank and Laura’s Library every Tuesday of the month from 5 p.m.-7 p.m.
Are you a teen interested in volunteering? Check out the volunteer page for more information.
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 a.m. – 1 p.m.
@ Westbank Library on the 3rd Saturday of the month from 11 a.m. – 1 p.m.
@ Westbank and Laura’s Library every Tuesday of the month from 5 p.m.-7 p.m.
Are you a teen interested in volunteering? Check out the volunteer page for more information.
A storytime for night owls of all ages, get comfy in your favorite pajamas, grab your sleepy toy and come for the best bedtime stories ever. The milk and snacks are on us!
Join us on Tuesday evenings for Family Activity Night. We have different activities each week for the whole family to enjoy together including crafts, board games, and laughter yoga.
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