About us
The City of Menlo Park's libraries offer a variety of programs, including art events, author talks, info sessions, craft sessions, music events, and more. To make the most of our programming efforts and this meetup page, we’d love for you to get involved. If you come to a program, say hi and let us know you saw it on meetup. If you have an idea for something you’d like to see at the library, send us a message. The library is a great space for community meetups and we’d love to play a role in making those connections!
See more events at our calendar, and check our hours and holiday closures.
Upcoming events
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Melanated Women Read: The Street
·OnlineOnlineMelanated Women Read is a book discussion group by and especially for Black women. This month we will discuss The Street, by Ann Petry.
The Street follows the spirited Lutie Johnson, a newly single mother whose efforts to claim a share of the American Dream for herself and her young son meet frustration at every turn in 1940s Harlem. Opening a fresh perspective on the realities and challenges of Black, female, working-class life, this classic American novel became the first novel by an African American woman to sell more than a million copies.
About Melanated Women Read:
Melanated Women Read is a virtual book group that is by and especially for Black women. The purpose and focus are on inspiring, uplifting reads, and providing a safe space for Black women to speak, vent and enjoy honest and open conversation.
The group chooses from books written by Black authors. The goal of this community-based group is to introduce a variety of Black writers who will help build a love of reading in a positive environment while meeting new people and gaining new perspectives.
Melanated Women Read meets virtually on the first Monday of each month.
Monday, September 14, 2026 | 06:30 PM - 08:00 PM
Zoom webinar (register for link)More free events with Menlo Park Library
Menlo Park Library on social media:
@menloparklibrary on Instagram & Facebook
@menlolibrary on Twitter/X7 attendees
Mystery Readers Group: Animal Sleuths
·OnlineOnlineMenlo Park Library’s Mystery Readers Group is a different kind of book group: rather than all reading the same book, we share our reading of different books surrounding a particular theme. This month, let’s discover how animal intuition makes for good detection skills!
Many detectives have animal companions, but have you ever wished for more of their furry friends’ perspectives? In these books, animal protagonists take center stage.
We’ve sniffed out some leads:
Dog On It, by Spencer Quinn: Chet may have flunked out of K-9 police school, but he’s a detective through and through. He and his human P.I. partner Bernie investigate the repeat disappearance of a teenage girl in the first book of this long running series.
The No. 2 Feline Detective Agency, by Mandy Morton: Morton turns the British cozy on its head with a fully feline cast. Long-haired tabby Hettie Bagshot launches a detective agency and investigates nefarious goings on at the Furcross Home for Slightly Older Cats.
Three Bags Full, by Leonie Swann: A witty philosophical murder mystery with a charming twist: the crack detectives are sheep determined to discover who killed their beloved shepherd.
Shady Hollow, by Juneau Black: Welcome to Shady Hollow, a place where woodland creatures live together in harmony—until a curmudgeonly toad turns up dead. Local reporter Vera Vixen is a fox with a nose for news, and it will take all her cunning and quickness to crack the case.
Outfoxed, by Rita Mae Brown: In the pristine world of Virginia foxhunting, hunters, horses, hounds, and foxes form a lively community of conflicting loyalties, where the thrill of the chase and the intricacies of human-animal relationships are experienced firsthand—and murder exposes a proud Southern community's unsavory secrets.
So many possibilities—and that’s just a starting point! Read any mystery with an animal detective, with or without a human element. Join us to exchange book recommendations and discover new favorites with fellow mystery lovers.
Tuesday, September 15, 2026 | 06:00 PM - 07:15 PM
Zoom webinar (register for link)More free events with Menlo Park Library
Menlo Park Library on social media:
@menloparklibrary on Instagram & Facebook
@menlolibrary on Twitter/X1 attendee
Grief and Community: Learning to Support One Another
Menlo Park Library, 800 Alma St, Menlo Park, CA, USJoin Kara for a one-hour training on the fundamentals of grief and loss.
Explore the many ways grief is experienced and discover compassionate ways to support one another and build community.
Since 1976, Kara has provided grief support, crisis intervention, and education to children, adults, families, and communities navigating grief and loss. Through its compassionate peer support model, Kara helps individuals move toward renewed hope and meaning.
Wednesday, September 16, 2026 | 06:00 PM - 07:00 PM
Menlo Park Library, 800 Alma St., Menlo Park, CAMore free events with Menlo Park Library
Menlo Park Library on social media:
@menloparklibrary on Instagram & Facebook
@menlolibrary on Twitter/X5 attendees
Global Language Storytime: Persian
Menlo Park Library, 800 Alma St, Menlo Park, CA, USJoin us for a special Persian-language storytime just for preschoolers with their grownups!
Our Global Language Storytime features a different language each month. This time, Bahar Ortakand from Baharestan Kids in Mountain View will be sharing stories and fun in Persian.
This free event received funding support from the Friends of the Menlo Park Library.
Saturday, September 19, 2026 | 12:15 PM - 12:45 PM
Menlo Park Library, 800 Alma St., Menlo Park, CAMore free events with Menlo Park Library
Menlo Park Library on social media:
@menloparklibrary on Instagram & Facebook
@menlolibrary on Twitter/X1 attendee
Past events
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