There is always something happening at the Goleta Valley Library, and that is especially the case this month. Check out all the things there are to do in September. Enjoy!
Baby & Me Storytime
Fridays September 1st, 8th, 15th, 22nd and 29th, 10:30 – 11:00 a.m.
Join us for a relaxed storytime with happy songs, lap bounces, a short story, fun bubbles, and parachute play. This fun program has a focus on bonding with your child and building community. Best for ages 0-12 months / pre-walkers.
Free Ice Skating Admission at Ice in Paradise with Your Library Card!
Sunday, September 3rd, 1:30 – 3:30 p.m. and 7:00 – 9:00 p.m.
Ice in Paradise has generously donated free skating admission on the first Sunday of every month in 2023 to patrons of the Goleta & Santa Ynez Valley Libraries! Present your Goleta Valley Library or Santa Ynez Valley Libraries card at Ice in Paradise to receive free skating admission on the dates below. Skate rentals are not included. One library card per skater is required. Skaters must be ages 3+. Thank you to Ice in Paradise for this generous gift to our patrons!
Celebrate Grandparents’ Day
September 5th – 10th, All Day
Let’s celebrate Grandparents’ Day! Drop by the Goleta Valley Library and make them a lovely greeting card!
Wiggly Storytime
Wednesdays September 6th, 20th and 27th, 10:30 – 11:00 a.m.
Join us for Storytime with Miss Nicole! Best for ages 15 months-5 years old. We’ll do a short story, songs, a dance party and bubbles.
Goodland Yarn Works Knitting and Crocheting for Charity
Wednesdays September 6th, 13th, 20th and 27th, 2:00 – 4:00 p.m.
This fun group knits and crochets useful items for local and national charities. If you know how to knit or crochet, this group is for you! No registration required. Join us for fun and friendship!
Senior Happy Hour
Thursday, September 7th, 2:00 – 3:30 p.m.
Join us for a fun craft and great company! This month we will be weaving coasters from yarn. You may bring your own yarn or use all of our supplies needed to make a simple useful coaster. This event is free and all supplies are provided. Senior Happy Hour is the first Thursday of the month.
Live Online Author Talk with Lidia Bastianich: Life, Love, Family, and Food
Thursday, September 7th, 4:00 p.m.
Register here
You’re invited to an intimate evening with award-winning television host and bestselling author Lidia Bastianich as she talks about her memoir My American Dream: A Life of Love, Family, and Food. Born in Pula, on the Istrian peninsula, Lidia grew up surrounded by love and security, learning the art of Italian cooking from her beloved grandmother. But when a communist regime annexed Istria, Lidia’s family fled to Trieste, where they spent two years in a refugee camp waiting for visas to enter the United States. When she finally arrived in New York, Lidia soon began working in restaurants, the first step leading to her becoming one of the most revered chefs and businesswomen in the country. Heartwarming, deeply personal, and powerfully inspiring, My American Dream is the story of Lidia’s close-knit family and her dedication and endless passion for food.
Writers’ Workshop
Saturday, September 9th, 12:30 – 2:00 p.m.
The GVL Writers’ Workshop is open to adults and teens who write in any genre, fiction or non-fiction. The workshop meets on the first Saturday of each month to share work, exchange feedback, offer mutual support and discuss the tools of the trade.
Rosh Hashanah Storytime
Wednesday, September 13th, 10:30 – 11:00 a.m.
Join us for a fun and educational storytime for all ages to learn about the holiday of Jewish New Year, with special guest Shterna Kudan, Youth Director at Chabad of S. Barbara.
Bookworm Bingo
Friday, September 15th, 4:00 – 5:00 p.m.
Join us for a book-themed bingo night at the library! Have fun and earn fabulous prizes.
Help the Librarians Find Curious George on the Shelf!
Saturday, September 16th and Sunday, September 17th, All Day
Curious George is bananas for books but he’s gone MISSING in the library! Help the Librarians find Curious George on the shelf – drop by the Goleta Valley Library, find Curious George on the shelf, get a fun prize, and enter to win Curious George book bundles and plushies as we celebrate his birthday weekend.
After School Crafternoon: Talk Like a Pirate Day
Tuesday, September 19th, 3:30 – 5:30 p.m.
Let’s get crafty at the library on “Talk Like a Pirate” day! Drop yer anchor and sail over to the Goleta Valley Library for pirate themed: crafts, scavenger hunt, activity table, photo booth and more! You’ll have a swashbuckling good time!
Live Online Author Talk with Adam Alter: How to Get Unstuck When It Matters Most
Wednesday, September 20th, 11:00 a.m.
Register here
Join us as we chat with New York Times bestselling author Adam Alter about his new book Anatomy of a Breakthrough: How to Get Unstuck When It Matters Most. Almost everyone feels stuck in some way. Whether you’re muddling through a midlife crisis, wrestling with writer’s block, trapped in a thankless job, or trying to remedy a fraying friendship, the resulting emotion is usually a mix of anxiety, uncertainty, fear, anger, and numbness. But it doesn’t have to be this way. Anatomy of a Breakthrough is the roadmap we all need to escape our inertia and flourish in the face of friction.
1,000 Books Before Kindergarten Party
Saturday, September 23rd, 11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Save the Date! You’re invited to the 1,000 Books Before Kindergarten Party. Celebrate our readers who have read 1,000 books before kindergarten! The fun includes a certificate ceremony, bubbles, prizes and a special storytime. Plus: sign up for the program and take home your next reading log! For children under 5 and their families.
Teen “Bring Your Own” Book Club
Sunday, September 24th, 2:00 – 3:00 p.m.
Bring a book, any book, to share and discuss with the group. Snacks and drinks will be provided. Community service opportunities available – attend the meeting to learn more!
Mystery Book Club
Tuesday, September 26th, 5:30 – 6:30 p.m.
Join us as we discuss this month’s pick: The Love of My Life by Rosie Walsh. Description: Emma loves her husband Leo and their young daughter Ruby: she’d do anything for them. But almost everything she’s told them about herself is a lie. And she might just have got away with it, if it weren’t for her husband’s job. Leo is an obituary writer; Emma a well-known marine biologist. When she suffers a serious illness, Leo copes by doing what he knows best – researching and writing about his wife’s life. But as he starts to unravel the truth, he discovers the woman he loves doesn’t really exist. Even her name isn’t real. When the very darkest moments of Emma’s past finally emerge, she must somehow prove to Leo that she really is the woman he always thought she was . . . But first, she must tell him about the other love of her life. Copies of the book are available in a variety of formats through the library catalog.
Live Online Author Talk with Amor Towles: Writing Three International Bestsellers
Wednesday, September 27th, 5:00 p.m.
Register here
Born and raised in the Boston area, Amor Towles graduated from Yale College and received an MA in English from Stanford University. As well as Rules of Civility, A Gentleman in Moscow, and The Lincoln Highway, Mr. Towles is also the author of the ebook You Have Arrived at Your Destination, part of Amazon’s Forward collection. He also edited and wrote the introduction for The Mysterious Bookshop Presents The Best Mystery Stories of the Year 2023 (Mysterious Press/Penzler Publishers, September 19, 2023). His next book, Table for Two, is a collection of short stories to be published in April 2024. Mr. Towles is the 2023 Peggy V. Helmerich Distinguished Author Award recipient. Having worked as an investment professional for over twenty years, Mr. Towles now devotes himself full-time to writing in Manhattan, where he lives with his wife and two children.
Autumn Tree Craft for Adults and Teens
Saturday, September 30th, 2:00 – 4:00 p.m.
Celebrate the incoming season by getting crafty! Make an enchanting tree with whimsical 3D leaves and create some beautiful fall décor. Space is limited, so please reserve your spot at the front desk or call (805) 964-7878. All supplies provided.
Tech Tutoring
Sundays, Tuesdays, and Wednesdays 2:00 – 4:00 p.m.
Saturdays 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Are you looking for more information about GVL’s online resources? Do you need assistance with your electronic or mobile device? All you have to do is fill out this form and one of our friendly staff will reach out to meet your needs! You will be contacted by a staff member to schedule a 30-minute in-person appointment at the library.
View the full Goleta Valley Library calendar here.