There are two great Thousand Oaks libraries; the Grant R. Brimhall Library at 1401 E. Janss Road in Thousand Oaks (805.449.2660) and the local Newbury Park Branch is at 2331 Borchard Road (805.498.2139). These libraries provide year-round free events, activities and programs for all ages. Selected events from time to time will be covered here.
Visit the library website at www.toaks.org/library to learn more.
The following is a list of programs happening at the Thousand Oaks Library during the month of September with GRB denoting Grant R. Brimhall Library and NPL denoting Newbury Park Library. All programs are subject to change or cancellation without prior notice. For the latest information on Library events, please visit www.tolibrary.org/calendar.
Celebrate the 60th Anniversary of the City!
60 Year Photo Submission
Help us commemorate six decades of growth and community! We're calling on all residents and enthusiasts to capture and share your favorite moments, landmarks, or events that showcase the essence of our city's journey over the past 60 years. Whether it's a cherished historical spot, a vibrant community event, or a snapshot of daily life, we want to see what makes Thousand Oaks special to you. Submit your photo with a brief description (50 words or less) of why it represents our city's 60-year story. Let's celebrate together and highlight the unique character and spirit of Thousand Oaks! Digital submissions are due by September 30, 2024. Learn more and submit your photos at toaks.co/60years.
Acorn Painting
Saturday, September 7 • 2:30 pm – 4:00 pm • GRB Community Room
Celebrate the 60th anniversary of the City of Thousand Oaks! Transform artificial acorns into beautiful, hand-painted decorations. Materials provided. While supplies last. For ages 5-Adult. Walk-ins welcome.
Diamond Tree Bookmark
Friday, September 20 • 3:30 pm – 5:00 pm• GRB Community Room
In honor of the City’s 60th anniversary, adults are invited to “diamond-paint” a seasonal tree bookmark. Materials provided. Space is limited. Registration required.
First Residents Social / 60th Anniversary Open House
Sunday, September 29 • 2:00 pm – 3:00 pm • GRB Community Room
Join us in celebrating the 60th Anniversary of Thousand Oaks! Reconnect with long-time residents who have been part of the community since 1964 or earlier. Take a trip down memory lane or learn about our City’s history through stunning images and a recorded interview with Ed Lawrence, the renowned historian and photographer of Conejo Valley. Let’s come together to explore and honor our local heritage!
ALL AGES
Free Movie Matinées
Friday, September 6 • 1:00 pm – 3:30 pm • NPL Meeting Room
Mondays, September 9 & 23 • 1:00 pm – 3:30 pm • GRB Community Room
Watch free movie matinées at the library! View the movie schedule online.
Alejandro Brittes and his Trio Concert
Wednesday, September 11 • 7:00 pm – 8:00 pm • GRB Community Room
Alejandro Brittes is one of the most celebrated figures in contemporary chamamé music. This is a free event. Seating will be open and available on a first come first serve basis.
Gosh Yarn It
Friday, September 13 • 3:30 pm – 4:30 pm • GRB Community Room
Relax, crochet, and socialize at our crochet club! Beginners and experts alike are welcome to bring your own supplies and hang out with fellow crocheters as we sip tea and work on our projects. For ages 11+.
LevelUp Lounge
Fridays • 10:00 am – 5:30 pm • GRB Teen Space
Access all ages gaming with the Library’s Xbox Game Pass! Hang out and relax with games like No Man’s Sky, Powerwash Simulator, Forza, Sea of Stars, and over 250 more options!
Book a Librarian
Grant R. Brimhall Library • 805-449-2660, option 4 • 30-minute appointments
Newbury Park Library • 805-498-2139, option 3 • 45-minute appointments
Free one-on-one technology help. Please contact the Information Desk to make an appointment.
LibCon Survey
Did you attend LibCon? We’d love to hear about your experience to help us make next year even better. Please take a few moments to complete our survey and share your thoughts on this year’s event. Your feedback is invaluable in helping us improve. Also, be sure to check out the photos from this year by visiting www.tolibrary.org/libcon
Summer Reading Club Survey
Did you enjoy Summer Reading Club? We'd love to hear from you! Help us evaluate this year’s Summer Reading Club by telling us about you and your family’s experience. Your feedback will help us make next year even better! To participate in the survey, visit www.tolibrary.org/srcsurvey
KIDS
Homework Help
Mondays • 3:00 pm – 5:00 pm • NPL Meeting Room
Tuesdays • 2:30 pm – 4:30 pm • NPL Meeting Room
Wednesdays & Thursdays • 3:00 pm – 5:00 pm • GRB Community Room
Struggling with challenging school assignments? Our volunteers are here to help! For students in kindergarten through 8th grade. Runs September 2024 to May 2025; closed on CVUSD holidays and breaks.
Dog Days
Tuesdays • 3:30 pm – 4:30 pm • GRB Children’s Program Room
Thursday, September 5 • 3:30 pm – 4:30 pm • NPL Meeting Room
Readers of all levels and abilities are invited to come and read to a certified therapy dog! Participants will sign up for a brief 10-minute session with a dog and their owner.
PACT with Ventura First 5
Fridays, September 6 – September 27 • 10:30 am – 11:15 am • NPL Meeting Room
Parent and Child Together (PACT) spans 8 weeks, featuring 45-minute classes that encompass Circle Time (featuring books, songs, music, and movement) and Free Play using open-ended materials. For children prenatal to 5 years.
Reading Buddies
Tuesdays, September 10, 17, & 24 • 4:00 pm – 4:30 pm • NPL Meeting Room
Wednesdays, September 11, 18, & 25 • 3:30 pm – 4:00 pm or 4:00 pm – 4:30 pm • GRB Community Room
A weekly program for students grades 1-4 to practice and gain confidence in their reading with the help of an interactive volunteer.
Make & Take: Maracas
Monday, September 16 • 4:00 pm – 5:00 pm • GRB Community Room
Celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month and paint your own percussion instrument! While supplies last. For grades K-5.
Make & Take: Sculpture
Wednesday, September 18 • 6:00 pm – 7:00 pm • NPL Meeting Room
Create a sculpture using air dry clay. While supplies last. For grades K-5.
Writing Buddies
Thursday, September 19 • 4:30 pm – 5:30 pm • GRB Community Room
Students in grades 2-5 are invited to share their creativity by writing a short story.
Music & Movement
Saturday, September 21 • 10:15 am – 10:45 am & 11:15 am – 11:45 am • GRB Community Room
Dance, clap, and sing along with Ms. Cheryl and her guitar during this fun, interactive program for ages 0-5 years. Registration required.
Fall Storytimes & Playtime
Baby Storytime
Tuesday, September 24 • 10:15 am – 10:35 am • GRB Community Room
This is a lapsit storytime for babies 0-12 months. Walk-ins welcome!
Toddler Storytime
Wednesday, September 25 • 10:15 am – 10:35 am & 11:00 am – 11:20 am • GRB Community Room
This is a toddler storytime for ages 12-36 months. Registration required.
Preschool Storytime
Thursday, September 26 • 10:15 am – 11:00 am • GRB Community Room
This is a preschool storytime & craft for ages 3-5 years. Walk-ins welcome!
Newbury Park Toddler Storytime
Thursday, September 26 • 10:15 am – 10:35 am • NPL Community Room
This is a toddler storytime for ages 12-36 months. Walk-ins welcome!
Bilingual Pajama Storytime
Monday, September 23 • 6:15pm – 7pm • GRB Community Room
This is a bilingual (English/Spanish) storytime & craft for ages 3-5 years. Walk-ins welcome!
Enrichment Playtime
For babies (0-12 months): Tuesdays, September 17 • 10:15 am – 10:50 am • GRB Community Room
For toddlers (12-36 months): Wednesday, September 18 • 10:15 am – 10:50 am • GRB Community Room
For preschoolers (3-5 years): Thursday, September 19 • 10:15 am – 10:50 am • GRB Community Room
For NPL toddlers (12-36 months): Thursday, September 19 • 10:15 am – 10:50 am • NPL Meeting Room
Join us for 30 minutes of unstructured playtime.
TEENS & TWEENS
Learn to Code at Your Own Pace
Thursday, September 5 • 4:00 pm – 5:00 pm • Online
Learn about Fiero Code, a self-guided online software program that teaches you how to code through hundreds of coding tutorials and dozens of real-world projects. For grades 6-12 only. Registration required.
Reading Rocks Book Club
Tuesday, September 10 • GRB Children’s Program Room
Rocks (Grades 4-5): 5:30 pm – 6:30 pm
Boulders (Grades 6-8): 6:30 pm – 7:30 pm
Join us monthly to discuss books with strong female characters. This month’s books are The Swifts: a Dictionary of Scoundrels by Claire Powell for the Rocks and Scarlet by Marissa Meyer for the Boulders. Registration required.
Alebrijes Style Clay & Paint Craft
Monday, September 30 • 4:00 pm – 5:00 pm • GRB Tech Training Room
Wednesday, October 2 • 4:00 pm – 5:00 pm • NPL Tech Space
Dive into the colorful world of Alebrijes! Craft your own fantastical creature inspired by Mexican folk art and celebrate Mexican Heritage Month with vibrant creativity. Registration required.
Books for Buttons and Boba
Come to the Library and pick-up a “Books for Buttons and Boba” form. Finish a book with more than 200 pages, get a button and enter for a chance for a Boba gift card. For grades 6-12 only.
Teen Volunteers Needed
Sign up to help with Homework Help, Thousand Oaks Teen Advisory League, and other programs and activities at the library. Go to www.tolibrary.org/teens, setup your CERVIS account, and apply to volunteer for various opportunities.
ADULTS
Conversations with Mom
Tuesdays* • 11:00 am – 12:00 pm • GRB Community Room
This free support group is for moms and their newborns to get together, express their joys and concerns, and meet other new moms in the community.
Board Game Club
Tuesdays, September 3 & 17 • 5:30 pm – 7:30 pm • GRB Community Room
Adults are invited to join us monthly to play strategy board games like Forbidden Island, Dungeon Mayhem, and Wingspan. Walk-ins welcome.
Many Voices Book Club (Hybrid)
Wednesday, September 4 • 6:30 pm – 7:30 pm • GRB Tech Training Room or Zoom
Join us in reading and discussing books in a wide variety of genres by authors from a wide variety of cultures. This month’s book is Disability Visibility by Alice Wong. Walk-ins welcome.
Happily Ever After Book Club
Monday, September 9 • 6:30 pm – 7:30 pm • GRB Technology Training Room
Join us as we chat about our favorite romance novels, where a Happily Ever After (HEA)—or a Happily For Now (HFN)—is always guaranteed. This month’s book is Role Playing by Cathy Yardley. Walk-ins welcome.
Virtual Author Talk: Capturing the Human Drama Through History with Garrett Graff
Tuesday, September 10 • 11:00 am – 12:00 pm • Online
An expert at capturing the human drama, New York Times bestselling author Garrett Graff will speak about his body of work with particular focus on his oral histories, The Only Plane in the Sky: An Oral History of 9/11 and When the Sea Came Alive: An Oral History of D-Day.
eBooks and Audiobooks
Wednesday, September 11 • 12:30 pm – 1:30 pm • NPL Meeting Room
Join us as we explore Libby and the Palace Project, two digital lending services that specialize in eBooks and audiobooks. Registration required.
Open Mic Poetry Nights
Wednesday, September 11 • 6:00 pm – 7:30 pm • NPL Meeting Room
Wednesday, September 25 • 6:00 pm – 7:30 pm • GRB Community Room
Come listen to local poets and share your own work every second and fourth Wednesday of the month, in collaboration with The Ventura County Poetry Project.
English as a Second Language (ESL) Conversation Group
Thursdays, September 12 & 26 • 6:00 pm – 7:00 pm • GRB Technology Training Room
Practice speaking English in an informal and friendly group setting. Open to all non-native English language speakers.
Spanish at Your Library
Advanced: Wednesday, September 11 & 25 • 5:30 pm – 6:30 pm • GRB Technology Training Room
Beginner: Monday, September 16 & 30 • 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm • NPL Meeting Room
Enhance your Spanish fluency through guided conversations led by facilitators.
Virtual Author Talk: Living with an Expansive Mind in a Distracted World with Nate Klemp, PhD
Wednesday, September 18 • 11:00 am – 12:00 pm • Online
Join us as New York Times bestselling author and philosopher Nate Klemp helps us explore pathways back to openminded living when he talks to us about the core tenets in his new book Open: Living with an Expansive Mind in a Distracted World.
