Sobre nosotros
The City of Menlo Park's libraries offer a variety of programs, including art events, author talks, info sessions, craft sessions, music events, and more. To make the most of our programming efforts and this meetup page, we’d love for you to get involved. If you come to a program, say hi and let us know you saw it on meetup. If you have an idea for something you’d like to see at the library, send us a message. The library is a great space for community meetups and we’d love to play a role in making those connections!
See more events at our calendar, and check our hours and holiday closures.
Eventos próximos
71

Exhibition: Am I An American or Am I Not?
Menlo Park Library, 800 Alma St, Menlo Park, CA, USVisit the library to view our latest special exhibition!
The exhibition’s title comes from Fred Korematsu, who famously challenged the mass imprisonment of over 125,000 Japanese Americans during WWII. When faced with criminal charges for not following the military orders to leave his home without due process, the U.S. born citizen remembered his Constitutional rights and asked, “Am I an American or am I not?”
“Am I An American or Am I Not?” explores how fear, discrimination, and government actions led to the violation of Constitutional rights during the war and how this history relates to the experiences of other communities, including Native Americans and African Americans.
The exhibition addresses stories of other historic and modern-day events that parallel aspects of the incarceration of Japanese Americans to encourage visitors to take action today and stand up for the rights of all Americans.
“Am I An American or Am I Not?” was developed in partnership with the Fred T. Korematsu Institute, AGH Arts Strategies, and Exhibit Envoy, with funding from the National Park Service Japanese American Confinement Sites Grant Program, Asian Americans Advancing Justice (AAJC), the JA Community Foundation, and PwC.
The exhibition is viewable during all library open hours (M-W Noon-8 p.m.; Th-Sun. 10 a.m.-6 p.m.).
This exhibition received funding support from the Friends of the Menlo Park Library.
ONE BOOK, ONE COAST:
Throughout the months of April and May, Menlo Park is partnering with LA County library and nearly 200 library systems across California, Washington, and Oregon for One Book, One Coast, a shared community reading program that celebrates literacy, learning, community, and civil discourse. Join us for two months of special programming bringing Japanese American history and culture to life.
| 3/22-5/17 |
Exhibition: Am I An American...? |
Fred Korematsu challenged the mass imprisonment of Japanese Americans during WWII.| Fred Korematsu challenged the mass imprisonment of Japanese Americans during WWII. |
| ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| 4/8A Wartime Journey |
Yoshiko Kanazawa talks about being forced to relocate to an incarceration camp as a child. |
4/10
Japanese Storytime
Ages 2-5 with adult: high-energy storytime full of Japanese culture—all in Japanese4/14
Draw Manga Moods
Age 8-Adult: draw expressive faces using the unique visual language of Japanese comics4/20
Sacramento's Lost Japantown
Live virtual event with California Museum4/21
Teen Book Group (Ages 12-17)
They Called Us Enemy, by George Takei5/2
Koto Performance and Film
Musician Shirley Kazuyo Muramoto on preserving culture in the "camps"5/4
Americans Behind Barbed Wire
Meet people who lived through mass incarceration, & their family members5/17
Japanese Taiko Drumming
Drummer Kristy "Aki" Oshiro shares Japanese language, culture, and history5/31
Author Talk with George Takei
One Book, One Coast wraps up with a special visit from They Called Us Enemy author George Takei, livestreamed from the East Los Angeles Library.More free events with Menlo Park Library
Menlo Park Library on social media:
@menloparklibrary on Instagram & Facebook
@menlolibrary on Twitter/X1 asistente
Yoshiko Kanazawa: A Wartime Journey
Menlo Park Library, 800 Alma St, Menlo Park, CA, USYoshiko Kanazawa, a resident of San Jose and docent at the Japanese American Museum of San Jose, recalls her family’s wartime experience through a child’s eyes.
Born in 1935 as the daughter of Denjiro and Teruha Nakahiro—two Issei (first-generation immigrants) from Shikoku, Japan—Yoshiko was raised in the diverse Southern California neighborhood of Pasadena with four older brothers and sisters.
In her talk, she describes her life as a Japanese American before, during, and after World War II, and her experience being forced to relocate to Gila River incarceration camp in Arizona.
Mrs. Kanazawa says, “I feel we need to tell this story and make sure we do not repeat that part of history.”
This free event received funding support from the Friends of the Menlo Park Library.
Wednesday, April 08, 2026 | 06:00 PM - 07:30 PM
Menlo Park Library, 800 Alma St., Menlo Park, CA, 94025ONE BOOK, ONE COAST:
Throughout the months of April and May, Menlo Park is partnering with LA County library and nearly 200 library systems across California, Washington, and Oregon for One Book, One Coast, a shared community reading program that celebrates literacy, learning, community, and civil discourse. Join us for two months of special programming bringing Japanese American history and culture to life.
3/22-5/17
Exhibition: Am I An American or Am I Not?
Fred Korematsu challenged the mass imprisonment of Japanese Americans during WWII.4/8
A Wartime Journey
Yoshiko Kanazawa talks about being forced to relocate to an incarceration camp as a child.4/10
Japanese Storytime
Ages 2-5 with adult: high-energy storytime full of Japanese culture—all in Japanese4/14
Draw Manga Moods
Age 8-Adult: draw expressive faces using the unique visual language of Japanese comics4/20
Sacramento's Lost Japantown
Live virtual event with California Museum4/21
Teen Book Group (Ages 12-17)
They Called Us Enemy, by George Takei5/2
Koto Performance and Film
Musician Shirley Kazuyo Muramoto on preserving culture in the "camps"5/4
Americans Behind Barbed Wire
Meet people who lived through mass incarceration, & their family members5/17
Japanese Taiko Drumming
Drummer Kristy "Aki" Oshiro shares Japanese language, culture, and history5/31
Author Talk with George Takei
One Book, One Coast wraps up with a special visit from They Called Us Enemy author George Takei, livestreamed from the East Los Angeles Library.More free events with Menlo Park Library
Menlo Park Library on social media:
@menloparklibrary on Instagram & Facebook
@menlolibrary on Twitter/X1 asistente
Exhibition: Am I An American or Am I Not?
Menlo Park Library, 800 Alma St, Menlo Park, CA, USVisit the library to view our latest special exhibition!
The exhibition’s title comes from Fred Korematsu, who famously challenged the mass imprisonment of over 125,000 Japanese Americans during WWII. When faced with criminal charges for not following the military orders to leave his home without due process, the U.S. born citizen remembered his Constitutional rights and asked, “Am I an American or am I not?”
“Am I An American or Am I Not?” explores how fear, discrimination, and government actions led to the violation of Constitutional rights during the war and how this history relates to the experiences of other communities, including Native Americans and African Americans.
The exhibition addresses stories of other historic and modern-day events that parallel aspects of the incarceration of Japanese Americans to encourage visitors to take action today and stand up for the rights of all Americans.
“Am I An American or Am I Not?” was developed in partnership with the Fred T. Korematsu Institute, AGH Arts Strategies, and Exhibit Envoy, with funding from the National Park Service Japanese American Confinement Sites Grant Program, Asian Americans Advancing Justice (AAJC), the JA Community Foundation, and PwC.
The exhibition is viewable during all library open hours (M-W Noon-8 p.m.; Th-Sun. 10 a.m.-6 p.m.).
This exhibition received funding support from the Friends of the Menlo Park Library.
ONE BOOK, ONE COAST:
Throughout the months of April and May, Menlo Park is partnering with LA County library and nearly 200 library systems across California, Washington, and Oregon for One Book, One Coast, a shared community reading program that celebrates literacy, learning, community, and civil discourse. Join us for two months of special programming bringing Japanese American history and culture to life.
| 3/22-5/17 |
Exhibition: Am I An American...? |
Fred Korematsu challenged the mass imprisonment of Japanese Americans during WWII.| Fred Korematsu challenged the mass imprisonment of Japanese Americans during WWII. |
| ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| 4/8A Wartime Journey |
Yoshiko Kanazawa talks about being forced to relocate to an incarceration camp as a child. |
4/10
Japanese Storytime
Ages 2-5 with adult: high-energy storytime full of Japanese culture—all in Japanese4/14
Draw Manga Moods
Age 8-Adult: draw expressive faces using the unique visual language of Japanese comics4/20
Sacramento's Lost Japantown
Live virtual event with California Museum4/21
Teen Book Group (Ages 12-17)
They Called Us Enemy, by George Takei5/2
Koto Performance and Film
Musician Shirley Kazuyo Muramoto on preserving culture in the "camps"5/4
Americans Behind Barbed Wire
Meet people who lived through mass incarceration, & their family members5/17
Japanese Taiko Drumming
Drummer Kristy "Aki" Oshiro shares Japanese language, culture, and history5/31
Author Talk with George Takei
One Book, One Coast wraps up with a special visit from They Called Us Enemy author George Takei, livestreamed from the East Los Angeles Library.More free events with Menlo Park Library
Menlo Park Library on social media:
@menloparklibrary on Instagram & Facebook
@menlolibrary on Twitter/X1 asistente
Global Language Storytime: Japanese
Menlo Park Library, 800 Alma St, Menlo Park, CA, USJoin us for a special storytime full of fun and Japanese culture—conducted all in Japanese!
For children ages 2-5, with their grown-ups: whether you understand the language or not, you’re sure to enjoy this fun program from Poponta Children's Cultural Society, featuring picture books, finger plays, puppets, kamishibai panel theater, and more.
Poponta Children's Cultural Society is a volunteer organization that introduces Japanese language and culture through stories to Japanese-speaking children in the Bay Area. Since its inception in 2008, Poponta has provided many storytelling sessions at local libraries, Japanese-language schools and educational institutions, and Japanese festivals.
Menlo Park’s Global Language Storytime series features a different language each month, exposing children and families to a wealth of languages and cultures during fun, interactive activities for audiences of all language backgrounds.
This free event received funding support from the Friends of the Menlo Park Library.
Friday, April 10, 2026 | 11:00 AM - 11:30 AM
Menlo Park Library, 800 Alma St., Menlo Park, CA, 94025ONE BOOK, ONE COAST:
Throughout the months of April and May, Menlo Park is partnering with LA County library and nearly 200 library systems across California, Washington, and Oregon for One Book, One Coast, a shared community reading program that celebrates literacy, learning, community, and civil discourse. Join us for two months of special programming bringing Japanese American history and culture to life.
3/22-5/17
Exhibition: Am I An American or Am I Not?
Fred Korematsu challenged the mass imprisonment of Japanese Americans during WWII.4/8
A Wartime Journey
Yoshiko Kanazawa talks about being forced to relocate to an incarceration camp as a child.4/10
Japanese Storytime
Ages 2-5 with adult: high-energy storytime full of Japanese culture—all in Japanese4/14
Draw Manga Moods
Age 8-Adult: draw expressive faces using the unique visual language of Japanese comics4/20
Sacramento's Lost Japantown
Live virtual event with California Museum4/21
Teen Book Group (Ages 12-17)
They Called Us Enemy, by George Takei5/2
Koto Performance and Film
Musician Shirley Kazuyo Muramoto on preserving culture in the "camps"5/4
Americans Behind Barbed Wire
Meet people who lived through mass incarceration, & their family members5/17
Japanese Taiko Drumming
Drummer Kristy "Aki" Oshiro shares Japanese language, culture, and history5/31
Author Talk with George Takei
One Book, One Coast wraps up with a special visit from They Called Us Enemy author George Takei, livestreamed from the East Los Angeles Library.More free events with Menlo Park Library
Menlo Park Library on social media:
@menloparklibrary on Instagram & Facebook
@menlolibrary on Twitter/X2 asistentes
Eventos pasados
1960

