Up and Atom: Snap Circuits with TPU

Join us for Up and Atom STEAM Days where we try out different STEAM and craft activities.  This week we will learn about the basics of engineering and electronic circuitry with Snap Circuits provided by Tacoma Public Utilities.

Birding the Rainbow

Learn about some of our local and migratory birds and habitats while exploring how a rainbow of colors and patterns are used by wild birds for display, courtship, and camouflage. Presented with Tahoma Bird Alliance.

Veggie Gardening

Join WSU Master Gardeners and learn ways to grow resilient gardens in the face of climate change. Growing a vegetable garden with EASE involves Evaluating your carbon footprint, Adapting to climate change realities, Sustaining soil health, and Enjoying your garden!

Family Storytime

Join us for stories, songs, and other fun learning activities designed to develop language, literacy and social skills in an environment the whole family can enjoy. Storytime is followed by play time and an opportunity for grownups to connect and chat. Want to continu......More

Join us for stories, songs, and other fun learning activities designed to develop language, literacy and social skills in an environment the whole family can enjoy. Storytime is followed by play time and an opportunity for grownups to connect and chat. Want to continue the fun at home? View these fun Storytime song and book recommendations here.

EspaĂąol/English Chat Group

Want to practice your Spanish? Join us at the Swasey branch to exchange English and Spanish. Any level of knowledge is welcome to participate in this language exchange. ÂżQuieres practicar tu ingles? AcompaĂąa a nuestro grupo de charla para intercambiar inglĂŠs y e......More

Want to practice your Spanish? Join us at the Swasey branch to exchange English and Spanish. Any level of knowledge is welcome to participate in this language exchange. ÂżQuieres practicar tu ingles? AcompaĂąa a nuestro grupo de charla para intercambiar inglĂŠs y espaĂąol en la Biblioteca Swasey. Cualquier nivel de conocimiento es bienvenido a participar en este intercambio de idiomas.

Drop-in Tech Help @ Swasey Branch

Swasey Branch staff will assist with learning basic computer skills like email, web searching and MS Office programs, navigating apps and using your iOS or Android devices, getting started on resumes and cover letters, and more. No registration required, but capacity ......More

Swasey Branch staff will assist with learning basic computer skills like email, web searching and MS Office programs, navigating apps and using your iOS or Android devices, getting started on resumes and cover letters, and more. No registration required, but capacity is limited. Ask for assistance at the Information Desk. People will be assisted in the order they arrive. Please note: It is easiest to assist people with more specific tasks, technical issues, or focused subjects for study (for example, "Learning how to print photos off my phone?"). That said, staff will work to help learners with more general issues (for example, "Learning about computers?"). If you need help right now, be sure to check out Tacoma Public Library's always available online computer learning and assistance resources as well as the free DigitalLearn online courses available from the Public Library Association.

Storytime at Proctor Community Garden

Bring your own blanket and join us for a special story time at the Proctor Community Garden. We will read a story and then decorate a pot to grow our own basil seeds. The garden is located at 2102 N Proctor St. with entrances on N. Proctor Street and parking on N. Mad......More

Bring your own blanket and join us for a special story time at the Proctor Community Garden. We will read a story and then decorate a pot to grow our own basil seeds. The garden is located at 2102 N Proctor St. with entrances on N. Proctor Street and parking on N. Madison Street. 

Switch Saturday

Join us once a month at the Swasey library for a fun gaming session! Bring your Nintendo Switch, or your favorite handheld console. No Switch? No problem! Use ours, loaded with Smash Bros, Minecraft, Overcooked, and tons more! Hang out, talk games, and play your favori......More

Join us once a month at the Swasey library for a fun gaming session! Bring your Nintendo Switch, or your favorite handheld console. No Switch? No problem! Use ours, loaded with Smash Bros, Minecraft, Overcooked, and tons more! Hang out, talk games, and play your favorites on our projector. Be sure to check out our new circulating video game collection while youâre here!

Up and Atom: Tissue Paper Painting

Join us for Up and Atom STEAM Days where we try out different STEAM and craft activities. Today, kids will create art by layering tissue paper squares on watercolor paper, drizzling them with water, and watching as the colors blend and bleed into beautiful patterns. It......More

Join us for Up and Atom STEAM Days where we try out different STEAM and craft activities. Today, kids will create art by layering tissue paper squares on watercolor paper, drizzling them with water, and watching as the colors blend and bleed into beautiful patterns. It's a fun way to explore color mixing and artistic expression!

Hand Knitting and Finger Crochet for Kids

Join Craftopia for this kid's craft program and learn to make your very own creation using nothing but yarn and your own hands in our finger knit/crochet class. No experience necessary! We will walk you through how to create strings of knit/crochet that can be used ......More

Join Craftopia for this kid's craft program and learn to make your very own creation using nothing but yarn and your own hands in our finger knit/crochet class. No experience necessary! We will walk you through how to create strings of knit/crochet that can be used to turn into scarves, belts, bracelets, and so many other things. We will also cover some easy variations to make your creation as unique as you are.

Brick by Brick LEGO Club

Join us on select Wednesdays for Brick by Brick LEGO Club! Build a LEGO creation around the theme, or free build to your heart's content! All ages welcome. No registration required. Please leave your personal LEGOs at home.

Crafting with Remakery--Sew a Slug Friend

Join us as we welcome Remakery Tacoma for this instructor-led session where we will make cute and colorful slug friends! We will hand sew fabric scraps into a sweet and silly slugs. In honor of one of the great decomposers of the PNW, we will be using only donated s......More

Join us as we welcome Remakery Tacoma for this instructor-led session where we will make cute and colorful slug friends! We will hand sew fabric scraps into a sweet and silly slugs. In honor of one of the great decomposers of the PNW, we will be using only donated scraps. This craft is perfect for anyone who can use a needle. .All materials and supplies are provided at this free event.  This is a drop-in event. No registration is required. Supplies and table space are limited and available on a first-come, first-served basis.

Family Storytime

Join us for stories, songs, and other fun learning activities designed to develop language, literacy and social skills in an environment the whole family can enjoy. Storytime is followed by play time and an opportunity for grownups to connect and chat. Want to continu......More

Join us for stories, songs, and other fun learning activities designed to develop language, literacy and social skills in an environment the whole family can enjoy. Storytime is followed by play time and an opportunity for grownups to connect and chat. Want to continue the fun at home? View these fun Storytime song and book recommendations here.

Drop-in Tech Help @ Swasey Branch

Swasey Branch staff will assist with learning basic computer skills like email, web searching and MS Office programs, navigating apps and using your iOS or Android devices, getting started on resumes and cover letters, and more. No registration required, but capacity ......More

Swasey Branch staff will assist with learning basic computer skills like email, web searching and MS Office programs, navigating apps and using your iOS or Android devices, getting started on resumes and cover letters, and more. No registration required, but capacity is limited. Ask for assistance at the Information Desk. People will be assisted in the order they arrive. Please note: It is easiest to assist people with more specific tasks, technical issues, or focused subjects for study (for example, "Learning how to print photos off my phone?"). That said, staff will work to help learners with more general issues (for example, "Learning about computers?"). If you need help right now, be sure to check out Tacoma Public Library's always available online computer learning and assistance resources as well as the free DigitalLearn online courses available from the Public Library Association.