Escondido, CA – Celebrate Star Wars Week with the Escondido Public Library and enjoy fun, Star Wars-themed programs May 2 through May 7, 2022.

• Build Your Own Droid Monday, May 2, 4:00-5:30 p.m. Build a custom Star Wars Droid from upcycled materials (ages 8-12).
• PJ Storytime Tuesday, May 3, 6:00-6:30 p.m. Wear your PJS and bring your favorite stuffed animal to this Star Wars evening storytime (ages 5-12).
• May the Fourth Be with You Star Wars Day Celebration Wednesday, May 4, 5:00-7:00 p.m. Celebrate everything Star Wars with crafts, costumes, a trivia competition, and some very special guests from the 501st, Rebel Legion, Mando Mercs, and Saber Guild (all ages).
• Rogue One: A Star Wars Story Thursday, May 5, 5:30-7:30 p.m. Special showing of Rogue One, starring Felicity Jones and Diego Luna. Children under 13 years old must be accompanied by a parent or guardian (ages 13 and up).
• Inclusive Art Club Friday, May 6, 3:30-4:30 p.m. Special Star Wars story time for all ages and abilities featuring story, songs and art (all ages).
• Star Wars Week Finale: Free Comic Book Day & Jedi Padawan Lightsaber Training Saturday, May 7, 11:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m. Free Comic Book Day, Board Games, Jedi Padawan Lightsaber Training, and even more special guests! Come by to pick up a free comic book courtesy of Knowhere Comics (while supplies last), play games and take photos with fan favorite Star Wars characters from the 501st, Rebel Legion, and Mando Mercs. At 11:30 a.m. take part in an all ages family lightsaber training with representatives from the Saber Guild (all ages).

For more information on other Library programs for children, visit http://www.escondidolibrary.org or contact Dan Wood, at 760-839-4827 or dan.wood@escondidolibrary.org. Library programs are free, open to the public, and sponsored by the Friends of the Escondido Public Library.  Escondido Public Library is located at 239 S. Kalmia St., Escondido, CA 92025.

Escondido, CA – Escondido Public Library invites all Escondido residents to share their thoughts and opinions about the Library’s future by participating in a virtual or in person focus group. Sessions will be offered:

• Tuesday, January 11, 8:30 a.m., East Valley Community Center 2245 E Valley Pkwy, Escondido, CA 92027
• Tuesday, January 11, 6:30 p.m., Park Avenue Community Center 210 E Park Ave, Escondido, CA 92025
• Wednesday, January 12, 6:30 p.m., VIRTUAL
• Wednesday, January 19, 5 p.m., VIRTUAL

To register for a focus group, visit www.escondidolibrary.org/strategicplan

Focus group data will help the Library develop a strategic plan that meets community needs. For questions or assistance, please contact Assistant Library Director Katy Duperry at 760-839-4601 or katy.duperry@escondidolibrary.org.

Escondido, CA – The Escondido Public Library invites all Escondido residents to share their thoughts and opinions about the Library’s future by participating in a focus group. Sessions will be offered:

• Tuesday, January 11, 8:30 a.m., East Valley Community Center 2245 E Valley Pkwy, Escondido, CA 92027
• Tuesday, January 11, 6:30 p.m., Park Avenue Community Center 210 E Park Ave, Escondido, CA 92025
• Wednesday, January 12, 6:30 p.m., Library Board Room 239 S. Kalmia St, Escondido, CA 92025

To register for a focus group, visit www.escondidolibrary.org/strategicplan

Focus group data will help the Library develop a strategic plan that meets community needs. For questions or assistance, please contact Assistant Library Director Katy Duperry at 760-839-4601 or katy.duperry@escondidolibrary.org.

Escondido, CA –Beginning September 1, 2021, Escondido Public Library is no longer charging daily fees for items returned late. All items, including DVDs and books on CD, will check out for 21 days with up to three automated renewals as long as no one is waiting for the item.

“We are excited to remove barriers to access for the patrons in our community,” said Dara Bradds, Library Director. “We hope this will encourage more people to come in and use the Library.”

While patrons will no longer be charged daily overdue fees, they are still responsible for paying for lost items. At 30 days overdue, checked out items will be marked as "lost" and the patron will be unable to check out or renew any additional physical items until they return the lost item, or pay for its replacement cost plus a $5 re-processing fee. Patrons with lost items on their account will still be able to check out eMaterials and use Library computers. Patrons are still responsible for overdue fines accrued prior to September 1, 2021.

For more information, visit www.escondidolibrary.org/fines, or contact Assistant Library Director Katy Duperry at 760-839-4601 or katy.duperry@escondidolibrary.org.

Escondido, CA –The Friends of the Escondido Public Library Book Shop will re-open Tuesday, July 6.

“We are delighted to resume service to the Escondido community after a 15-month closure due to the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Linda Parker, Friends of the Library president.

The Friends Book Shop is located on the first floor of the Escondido Public Library on South Kalmia Street. Beginning July 6, the book shop will be open Monday-Saturday 10 a.m.-1 p.m. All items will be half price Tuesday, July 6 through Saturday, July 10.

The book shop will begin accepting donations on Monday, August 2. Donations can be dropped off between 10 a.m. and 1 p.m., Monday through Saturday. Due to space limitations, only two boxes per donor will be accepted at this time. For more information on what types of donations are accepted, visit www.escondidolibrary.org/donate.

The shop sells used books, DVDs, VHS tapes, books on CD, magazines, and music CDs. All proceeds from the shop fund Escondido Public Library programs and events. The Friends of the Escondido Public Library are a volunteer-led 501(c)3 organization. To learn more about the Friends of the Escondido Public Library, visit www.escondidolibrary.org/friends

For questions or assistance, please contact Assistant Library Director Katy Duperry at 760-839-4601 or katy.duperry@escondidolibrary.org.

Escondido, CA – The Escondido Public Library Foundation commissioned artist Julia Anthony to create a mural on the west exterior wall of the Kalmia Street Library building. Two mural design options are under consideration; the Foundation encourages community members to share their opinions at www.escondidolibrary.org. The opinion poll will be active May 26-June 7, 2021.

Julia Anthony created the Wild Beauty of the Savannahs mural in the Library’s upstairs Children’s area in May 2010, as well as a fresh and salt water ocean mural at Oceanside Public Library in April 2011. Anthony’s business, Creative Palette Interiors, is located in Escondido.

For questions or assistance, please contact Assistant Library Director Katy Duperry at 760-839-4601 or katy.duperry@escondidolibrary.org.

Escondido, CA – Escondido Public Library offers special programming for children in the month of May. All events are virtual, free and open to the public.

• Virtual Tea Time for Kids for children ages 5-12 years old on Friday, May 14, 2021 at 4:00 p.m. Enjoy English tea and snacks, learn about tea etiquette, do a craft, and listen to stories on Zoom with The Grand Tea Room. Registration is required online at www.escondidolibrary.org/register. Once participants receive confirmation, craft and snack kits can be picked up at The Grand Tea Room beginning Tuesday, May 11, 2021. The Grand Tea Room is open Tuesday through Saturday, 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. at 145 West Grand Avenue in Escondido.
• The San Diego Poetry Annual hosts its annual workshop, Kids! San Diego Poetry Annual for children ages 6-12 virtually on Saturday, May 22, 2021 at 11:00 a.m. Registration is required online at www.escondidolibrary.org/register. Francisco Bustos and Ying Wu will lead writing activities that stimulate creativity and self-expression. This workshop is free and open to young poets (ages 6 - 12) that reside in San Diego County. Children's poems and artwork can be submitted via email for consideration in the 2021 KSDPA anthology. Ying Wu is a poetry editor of Writers Resist and the Kids! San Diego Poetry Annual. More examples of her work can be found online at writersresist.com and poetryandartsd.com, as well as in the material world at the San Diego Airport (arts.san.org/portfolio-item/before). Francisco Bustos is poet, musician and member of the spoken work/music collective Frontera Drum Fusion. He is a professor of English composition at Southwestern College (SWC) and hosts SWC Guest Writers Series.

All programs are generously sponsored by Friends of the Escondido Public Library. Escondido Public Library is located at 239 S. Kalmia Street in downtown Escondido. For more information about these programs visit www.escondidolibrary.org or contact Outreach Coordinator, Eveleen Crouthamel, at 760-839-5457 or eveleen.crouthamel@escondidolibrary.org.

Escondido, CA – Escondido residents and non-resident users of the Escondido Public Library are asked to share their opinions on the future of the Library by participating in an online survey available through April 30. To take the survey, visit www.escondidolibrary.org. The survey is available in English and Spanish.

Developments in technology and changes in the soon-to-be post-COVID world, have drastically changed the needs of library users. Survey data will help the library best meet these community needs.

For questions or assistance, please contact Assistant Library Director Katy Duperry at 760-839-4601 or katy.duperry@escondidolibrary.org.