Your Library Card + Discover and Go = Family Fun!

Got family coming to town? Need something fun to do with your kids during winter break? We can help! Use your Hayward library card to check out free and low-cost tickets to museums, science centers, zoos, theatres, and more.

Places you can go with Discover & Go include the Bay Area Discovery Museum, the California Academy of Sciences, the Chabot Space & Science Center, CuriOdyssey, the Exploratorium, the Oakland Museum of California, and so many more.

It's super easy. Just click the link and search to see which venues are available when you are, enter your library card number, and download the pass to your phone!

Learn More & Get Started

Just for Kids

Planet Holiday Crafternoon with Yueming Arts Studio
Friday, December 8, 3:30 p.m., Weekes Branch Library

Join us for a FREE hands-on crafting experience! In collaboration with Yueming Arts Studio and Hayward Arts Council, we invite you to unleash your creativity using foam clay to craft imaginative planets in celebration of our winter holiday. Registration required.

Register Here

Make Your Own Mulled Cider Spices
Saturday, December 9, 2:00 p.m., Weekes Branch Library

Celebrate winter by making your own spice bag for mulled apple cider! Filled with spices likes cinnamon and cloves, you can use your spice bag to make mulled cider in a slow cooker or on the stove. A perfect winter drink!

Families and teens are invited to stop by the Weekes Branch any time between 2:00 and 2:45 p.m. You'll get to try some mulled cider while you're here.

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Friday Crafternoon for Kids Age 6-12
Friday, December 15, 3:30 p.m., Downtown Library

Bring your kids age 6-12 for a free craft program. It will be held at the Downtown Library in the Homework Support Center at the back of the Children's Room. Kids will be creating their own snowman wreath. Registration for this program will open on Friday, December 1.

Register Here

Winter Storytime Schedule

We're in our winter schedule now! We have  standard storytimes in English, Mandarin, and Spanish/English bilingual, as well as movement-based ones. There will be storytimes either downtown or at the Weekes Branch every day, including Saturdays; we'll be taking a break in mid-to-late December. Check out the schedule:

Storytime Schedule

Homework Support Centers
Various days and locations

Kids in grades K-12 can get FREE homework help in a safe, welcoming environment! Volunteer tutors assist students with all homework needs in small groups. There are Homework Support Centers at the Downtown Library and Weekes Branch as well as some HUSD campuses.

Learn More

Recommended Reading for Kids

HPL Recommends: All Kinds of Families: Board Book Edition

Families come in all shapes, sizes, and configurations! It's never too early for babies to celebrate families like their own, and learn about families unlike theirs.

Reading List

Just for Teens

Let's Talk World Building with YA Fantasy Fiction Superstar Author Victoria Aveyard: An Online Event
Tuesday, December 5, 4:00 p.m., Online

Have you read the Red Queen or the Realm Breaker series by Victoria Aveyard? Join us as #1 New York Times bestselling author chats with us about YA fantasy fiction, world-building, and her incredible body of work! Readers and aspiring writers will love hearing about Ms. Aveyard's creative process.

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Teen Advisory Group (TAG) Meeting
Wednesday, December 6, 4:30 p.m., Downtown Library

What's TAG? A group of teens that meets once a month to give feedback about the library and plan library events! TAG participants get to have a say in what the library offers for teens and gain leadership experience that looks great on college & job applications.

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Teen Craft Workshop
Wednesday, December 13, 4:30 p.m., Downtown Library

Join us to decorate a custom travel mug to keep! Supplies are provided, but feel free to bring pictures, magazine cutouts, or drawings to use for your mug. And later this week, you can bring your finished mug to our hot chocolate & movie event on Saturday, December 16th!

Supplies are limited; first come, first served.

All teens ages 13 to 17 welcome; no registration required.

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Teen Movie & Hot Cocoa
Saturday, December 16, 2:00-4:15 p.m., Downtown Library

Join us in the Teen Room for a movie & free hot chocolate! We'll be watching Beauty and the Beast (2017). This movie is rated PG and is 129 minutes long. Teens ages 13 to 17 only; no registration required.

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Teen Poetry Workshop
Wednesday, December 20, 4:30 p.m., Downtown Library

Are you a poetry writer, or do you want to get started with poetry? Meet up with other teen poets to get inspired & workshop your poetry--all levels welcome! This event is presented in partnership by the Hayward Library, Hayward Arts Council, and Hayward Youth Poet Laureate.

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Teen Volunteers Wanted

Apply to become a Student Friend of Hayward Library! We're accepting applications for Children's Room Helpers and Volunteer Book Reviewers.

Learn More & Apply

Homework Resources
Various days and locations, in person and online

Got homework? We can help! If you can get to the library after school, you can get free in-person help at the Homework Support Center. If you can't make it to the library, never fear! We have tons of free online resources, including databases for research and live help at tutor.com. All you need is a Hayward library card.

Learn More

Recommended Reading for Teens

HPL Recommends: International Migrants Day for Teens

Every year on December 18th, the world marks International Migrants Day, a day set aside to recognize the important contribution of migrants while highlighting the challenges they face. So many Hayward teens are immigrants or children of immigrants, or friends of teens who are; check out our reading list showcasing dreamers, migrants, and refugees:

Reading List

Announcements

The library will be closed from Saturday, December 23 through Monday, January 1 for the winter holidays

But you can use our online resources 24/7/365! Download an ebook or audiobook; stream a movie; learn a new language or how to repair your car; get help with homework or research. All you need is a Hayward library card!

Learn More & Get Started

We're taking a break!

There will be no storytimes or children's library programs from December 18 through January 6. Meanwhile, check out our just-for-kids offerings online: Lote4Kids, Tumblebook Library, ABCMouse, and Dial-A-Story.

Learn More & Get Started

Curbie is Coming
Lots of times and places! Check our schedule.

Our bookmobile, affectionately known as Curbie, is coming to a neighborhood near you. When Curbie is there, you can check out books and movies, play games, get a new library card, and more!

Schedule

What else is going on at the library?

Don't just sit there wondering; visit our online event calendar! Special events, weekly and monthly programs, holiday closures, bookmobile stops... it's all in there. Check it out:

Event Calendar