Discover the Santa Monica Public Library
September 17, 2019 8:51 AM
by Rachel Foyt
In this age of instant information, it’s easy to forget about one of our most valuable community resources: the Santa Monica Public Library!
The Library provides help with a wide array of FREE programs, classes, and services, and embraces Santa Monica’s commitment to building a community of readers. Among its many quality programs are those that foster lifelong learning, including all forms of literacies. Specifically, the Library supports literacy through its Literacy Education for Adults and Families (LEAF) program, which includes free one-on-one tutoring for adult learners. There’s so much to see, read and experience at our Library. It offers a diverse collection of materials, curated through assessment of community feedback, demographics, impact, program support, uniqueness of materials, and format types. The dedicated Library staff reviews the collections regularly, allocates funds, and improves collections systemwide. And they’re always working to find new ways to make materials available to the community. That includes you.
The Library is dedicated to the growth of our community, and these days, it means more than just printed materials. In addition to maintaining the core library services you’d expect, the Santa Monica Public Library offers the latest tools and technology to support learning for school, career and life success. To that end, and to foster collaboration across generations, the Library offers engaging technology programs that include smartphone and tablet instruction, one-on-one assistance, 3D printing, virtual reality, coding, robot playtime and more.
The Library staff also promotes interest in our local community by creating interactive programs and displays centered around local history and preservation. They work with community agencies such as Santa Monica History Museum. Most recently, the Library acquired an image collection highlighting Santa Monica during the 1984 Olympics, as well as a notebook of architectural drawings for a Causeway off the coast of the Santa Monica Bay. Come and see them!
WELCOME TO THE LIBRARY!
You are officially invited to come visit the Santa Monica Public Library. As a community resource, the Library is committed to lifelong learning for all ages and walks of life. Whether you seek information to improve your skills or explore a new passion, learn more about the world, discuss current events, participate in a family literacy program, learn to read better or attend an event, the Library can be your gateway to knowledge and discovery.
As a public place, the Library provides many opportunities to engage in any one of their five facilities. They offer hundreds of free programs every year, with some of them produced in collaboration with the support of community partners and advocates such as the Friends of the Santa Monica Public Library. Other agencies make use of their meeting rooms to create programs of interest to benefit the community at large. If you have an idea, the Library welcomes your suggestions.
The Library’s collection of materials reflects our community’s interests and intellectual curiosity and echoes our commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion. Materials can be found in Chinese, English, Farsi, French, German, Japanese, Korean, Russian and Spanish. They can be found in print, on DVD, on CD and online. You can also access services, music, movies and more virtually – all through the magic of a Santa Monica Public Library Card.
Also, in order to provide the best service to all customers, we ask that you please help take care of your Library. We want everyone to have an enjoyable and positive learning experience during your visit and your safety is important. That means the Library will be reminding all visitors of expectations during your next visit. And if you ever see anything that is not quite right or have a suggestion, please let the Library staff know. The Library has many uniformed Library Service Officers available to assist, and of course, the dedicated Library staff stands ready to help you have a successful learning or entertainment experience.
For more information, visit www.smpl.org.
Authored By
Rachel Foyt
Senior Administrative Analyst