Summer Programs
June 3 - July 27
Join the Salinas Public Library Summer Learning Program for fun, engaging, and FREE in-person activities all summer long. A variety of drop-in and registration-based programs will be offered through the summer to promote learning and exploration.
All youth programs will be drop-in unless otherwise specified. Adult programs are registration-based, with some virtual and some in-person.
Our Summer Learning Program includes:
- Summer Reading Challenge
- Book prizes
- In-person programs
- Live Performances
- Take-home kits
Activity booklets will be available at all our branches in the coming weeks. Click here to view a digital version. 
library_summer_booklet_2024_.pdf
Summer Reading Challenge
Youth participants can track their progress online (click the button below), download a copy of the log, or pickup one at your nearby library. Reading logs available for pickup at the library starting June 3. summer_reading_log_2024.pdf
Adults can track their progress with a quick weekly survey, sent to the email address you registered with. Paper copies are available at any branch.
Claim Your Prize(s)
Youth - read for 14 days and receive a free book prize. When they read for an additional 14 days, they receive a second book prize. Come to any of the libraries during open hours to claim your prize! Claim prizes through August 10, 2024.
Adults - are eligible for a free book prize by completing one weekly survey. Book prizes will be available starting June 10th (while supplies last). Each weekly survey you complete also counts as an entry for the Adult Grand Prize drawing (up to 8 entries per person). All surveys must be submitted by 12pm on Wednesday, July 31st to be eligible for the Grand Prize drawing.
The drawing features two prizes: an annual Family Membership at the Monterey Bay Aquarium, and an annual Cinemark Movie Club Membership. The drawing will be held during the week of July 29, 2024.
Youth Programs
Live Performances
Science Heroes, Adventure of the Lost Treasure: An exciting interactive STEM learning adventure!
Wednesday, June 12 | El Gabilan Library - 12pm, Cesar Chavez Library - 2pm, John Steinbeck Library - 4pm
East Bay Vivarium: Traveling reptile show that will display the wild and wonderful world of creepies, crawlies and critters.
Friday, June 28 | El Gabilan Library - 10am, John Steinbeck Library - 12pm, Cesar Chavez Library - 2pm
Asheba, Caribbean Children's Music: Get ready to dance and sing along to delightful children's music with a Caribbean twist.
Saturday, July 13 | Cesar Chavez Library - 12pm, El Gabilan Library - 2pm
Comic Book Making Contest
We love the combination of art and writing. Create your best original graphic novel or comic book! Submissions are due by June 29, 2024. Minimum length of 2 pages and maximum length of 20 pages, including cover page. Visit the Comic Book Making Contest page to get all the details.
- Prizes for winners in three categories: grades 1-4, 5-8, and 9-12.
- Submit online using the submission form and upload your comic.
- Print an entry form and submit to any Salinas Public Library or email to Luis.Manzo [at] ci.salinas.ca.us comic_book_making_contest_form_2024.pdf
Youth In-Person Programs
**All programs will be drop-in unless otherwise specified.**
Storytime Adventure: During the summer, storytimes at the libraries will have activities for the little ones to enjoy. Recommended ages 0-5.
Learn & Play Storytime | El Gabilan - Tuesdays @ 12pm-1pm
Storytime Jamboree | John Steinbeck - Thursdays @ 4pm - 5pm
Toddler Tales | Cesar Chavez - Fridays @ 10am - 11am
Storytime at the Park: What’s better than storytime? Storytime in the park! Gather your family and come listen to stories and sing some songs in the great outdoors. Please bring your own blankets or mats for seating. Recommended for ages 3-8.
Thursdays at 10:30am - 11am | Closter Park - June 12, 26; El Dorado Park - July 3, 10; Central Park - July 17, 24
Bluey Party: Calling all Bluey fans! Join us for a special Bluey-themed party complete with games, crafts, and a guest appearance from Bluey herself. Recommended for ages 2-8.
John Steinbeck Library - Friday, July 12 @ 2pm - 3:30pm
Stuffed Animal Sleepover: Drop off your toy friends at the library for an overnight stay. We'll take photos of all the mischief they get into! Recommended for ages 3-8.
El Gabilan Library - Drop off June 10 - 14; Pick up starting June 20
John Steinbeck Library - Drop off June 24 - 28; Pick up starting July 3
Cesar Chavez Library - Drop off July 9 - 12; Pick up starting July 17
Family Game Fest: All family members are welcome for this after hours event. There will be games, snacks and a special activity at each location. Regular library services will not be available during these events. Recommended for ages 4 and up.
Cesar Chavez Library - Candy Land | June 14 @ 5pm - 6:30pm
John Steinbeck Library - Olympics | June 29 @ 11am - 1pm
El Gabilan Library - Floor is Lava | July 27 @ 5pm - 6:30pm
Funtivity: Join us every Tuesday for an afternoon of activities or crafts. Recommended for ages 5 and up.
Cesar Chavez Library - Tuesdays | Starting June 11 @ 2pm - 3pm
Creation Station: Practice your building skills with different activities and engineering challenges each week. Recommended for ages 5 and up.
John Steinbeck Library - Wednesdays | Starting June 12 @ 3pm - 4pm
Make & Explore: Family event featuring a fun activity or hands on experiment. Recommended for ages 5 and up.
John Steinbeck Library - Third Tuesday of the month | June 18, July 16 @ 3pm - 4:30pm
Level Up: Summer Game Club: Weekly program for kids and teens who love video games and crafts. Recommended for ages 7 and up.
El Gabilan Library - Thursdays | Starting June 13 @ 12pm - 2:30pm
Reading Group*: A fun opportunity for kids to practice their English reading and listening skills. Reading levels will be Lexile Level GN360L – GN420L (2nd – 3rd grade reading level). Limited space. Registration required and registration begins June 1, 2024. For ages 7-11.
El Gabilan Library - June 11, 18, 25 @ 2pm - 3pm
Craftivity for Teens: Teens explore different types of crafting each month. June will be Sip and Paint, and in July make a book nook! For ages 12-18.
El Gabilan Library - June 15 & July 13 @ 2pm - 3:30pm
John Steinbeck Library - June 26 & July 24 @ 3:30pm - 5pm
Ma-TEEN-ee Movie Mayhem: Catch a free movie at the library this summer. Snacks will be provided. Since this is a teen program, all movies shown will be rated PG-13. For ages 13-18.
El Gabilan Library - Fridays | June 21 & July 5, 19 @ 1pm (June 21 - Lisa Frankenstein; July 5 - Five Nights at Freddy's; July 19 - Blue Beetle)
Meet the Author*: Virtual author presentations for kids and teens. All events will occur online at 11am. Registration is required.
Kate DiCamillo - A Visit to Deckawoo Drive with Mercy Watson (PreK - 2nd Grade) | July 9 @ 11am See More and Register
Max Brallier - Surviving the Summer with The Last Kids on Earth (3rd - 6th Grade) | July 16 @ 11am See More and Register
Elizabeth Acevedo - Poet X and Learning the Power of Poetry (9th - 12th Grade) | July 23 @ 11am See More and Register
Dan Santat - A First Time for Everything and Graphic Novels are Life! (5th - 8th Grade) | July 30 @ 11am See More and Register
Programs with our Local Partners
Wee Ones in the Woods*: Explore the natural world with Ventana Wildlife Society. Through storytelling, campers will learn about natural habitats and create different projects to take home. Kids can attend morning or afternoon session, and do not have attend each day. Program occurs at the library. Space is limited. For ages 4-7. Registration required. Register at library location.
El Gabilan Library - June 17 - 21 (Registration starts June 3 at El Gabilan Library) | Morning session 9:30am - 12pm; Afternoon session 1pm-3:30pm
Cesar Chavez Library - July 23 - July 26 (Registration starts July 9 at Cesar Chavez Library) | Morning session 9:30am - 12pm; Afternoon session 1pm-3:30pm
Single Day Adventure*: Go on a daytrip with Ventana Wildlife Society. Enjoy a day of tide pooling, or spend a day observing wildlife. Each day will have some arts and crafts and games. Transportation is provided. For ages 8-12. Must be a Salinas resident. Registration required. Register at library location.
El Gabilan Library - July 2 (Registration starts July 17 at El Gabilan Library) | Tide Pool Adventure @ 9:30am - 4:30pm
El Gabilan Library - July 3 (Registration starts July 17 at El Gabilan Library) | Habitat Hunt @ 9:30am - 4:30pm
Natural Science Discovery Camp*: Join Ventana Wildlife Society for a week and learn all about the local habitats. Spend sometime this summer out in nature and experience everything from the shorelines to the woodlands. Daytrips wil occur Monday through Wednesday, with a campout on Thursday night. Kids do not have to attend the campout. Transportation is provided. Signup at the library. For ages 8-12. Must be a Salinas resident. Registration required. Register at library location.
Cesar Chavez Library - July 22 - July 26 (Registration starts July 9 at Cesar Chavez Library) | Monday - Wednesday, 9:30am - 4pm; Thursday-Friday, campout
Pacific Grove Museum of Natural History: The Pacific Grove Museum of Natural History visits Salinas Public Library in the summer! The museum brings special exhibits from the museum to the library to get a glimpse into the marvels and mysteries of the natural world. Recommended for ages 5 and up.
Cesar Chavez Library - June 12 @ 2:30pm - 4:30pm
John Steinbeck Library - July 3 @ 2:30pm - 4:30pm
Health in Action Family Workshop*: Learn how to make healthy choices, participate in a fun activity, and get resources to help the family live healthy. Registration is required. Date for registration to be announced. For ages 5 and up.
El Gabilan Library - July 20 @ 12pm - 1pm
Salinas Community Science Workshop: Kids and families use imagination and tools to explores the world of science with hands-on experience and create a different science build each week. Tools will be involved. Recommended for ages 7 and up.
Cesar Chavez Library - June 6, 27 & July 11 @ 2pm - 5pm | June 13 & 20 @ 2pm - 4:30pm
DIY Take-Home Kits
Assemble your own project creation. We will supply the materials and instructions. You provide the imagination.
Take Home kits will be distributed at 2pm at all three libraries. While supplies last.
June 13: Binoculars
Get ready for some discoveries with our DIY Binocular Kit. Recommended for ages 5 and up.
July 18: Summer Scrapbook
Create a summer scrapbook to keep your fun memories. Recommended for ages 5 and up.
Free Summer Lunch Program | June 11 - July 26, 2024
Salinas Public Library is partnering with Alisal Union School District to provide Salinas children and teens free lunch throughout the summer. This program allows anyone under 18 to get a nutritious meal at no cost. Children must eat the lunches and snacks in-person at the library. Meals will be distributed at the following site:
Cesar Chavez Library
615 Williams Rd.
Tuesdays - Fridays
Lunch @ 12pm – 1pm; Snack @ 3pm - 4pm
Adult Programs
Adult DIY Take-Home Kits
Assemble your own project creation. We will supply the materials and instructions. You provide the imagination.
Take Home kits will be distributed at 4 PM at all three libraries. While supplies last.
June 11: Shibori Dyeing
Get ready for some discoveries with our DIY Shibori Dyeing Kit. Shibori is a traditional Japanese dying technique similar to tie-dye with many variations that result in different patterns. Our Shibori Maker Kit teaches you the kumo (meaning "cloud" in Japanese) pattern technique and includes all the materials, instructions, and a cloth to practice based on tutorials from Martha Stewart. We also include more resources so you can experiment with different techniques.
Summer Adult Programs
Monarchs: Small Size, Big Impact!
As requested, the Pacific Grove Museum of Natural History is coming in with a program for adults! Monarch butterflies are beautiful, and play a vital role as pollinators in our ecosystem. Here in the Salinas Valley, pollinators make a difference in our ag-based economy and our everyday lives. Plants depend on pollinators, and we depend on plants for food, clean air, supporting local wildlife, and more.
El Gabilan Library - Tuesday, June 6 @ 4:30 - 5:30 PM
Cooking Demo
Learn how to make a delicious plant-based dish at our in-person bilingual cooking demo with step-by-step instructions from a local chef!
Cesar Chavez Library - June 26 @ 4-5pm
Tea Tasting Workshop
Indulge in the art of tea at our beginner-friendly tasting workshop, where Anthony from Zum Zum Tea will teach you the fundamentals of brewing the perfect cup.
El Gabilan Library - July 23 @ 4-5pm
Garden to Vase: Flower Arranging
Design a stunning organic flower arrangement using repurposed vases with local floral artist, Jessica, from "The Farm"! Registration required.
El Gabilan Library - July 30 @ 4-6pm
Local Author Talks
ML Barrs with Parallel Secrets
Of all the places she’s lived, debut author Maria Barrs considers Salinas her hometown. She dropped out of North Salinas High at fifteen, restarted her education at Hartnell College, became student body president, married, had two children, and worked at KSBW-TV8 as reporter and later as News Director. Maria will read from her mystery, Parallel Secrets, before a presentation about the publication process and the transition From Facts to Fiction, followed by Q&A and a chance to win a signed copy of her book!
El Gabilan Library - Thursday, June 13 @ 4- 5 PM
Sandra E. Bonura with The Sugar King of California
This compelling biography tells the story of Claus Spreckels’ role in developing the sugar industry in California and Hawaii, prevailing in a time rife with cronyism and corruption and transforming farming, industry, and labor in the Salinas Valley and beyond. Partnering with The National Steinbeck Center, we’ll host historian, researcher, and writer Sandra Bonura, retired professor of education and school counseling, and an accomplished author.
Steinbeck Center - July 12 @ 4-5pm
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