What we’re about
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.
Upcoming events
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•OnlineMystery Readers Group: Library-Themed Mysteries
OnlineMenlo Park Library’s Mystery Readers Group is a different kind of book group: rather than all reading the same book, we all share our reading of different books surrounding a particular theme—libraries, for instance.
Please join us this month in sharing mysteries featuring libraries, librarians, and even bookstores and archives! Read and share any mystery surrounding the theme that you like. In case you need some ideas to get you started…
A few leads:
The Woman in the Library, by Sulari Gentill: Four strangers are trapped in the Boston Public Library reading room when they are told by security to stay put until the coast is clear after a loud scream is heard. One of these four strangers may turn out to be a murderer.
Midnight at the Bright Ideas Bookstore, by Matthew Sullivan: When a bookshop patron dies by suicide, his favorite store clerk must unravel the puzzle he left behind.
The Unkindness of Ravens, by M.E. Hilliard: Librarian and murder mystery lover Geer Hogan has stumbled into too many dead bodies not to start investigating when she senses foul play. Only time will tell if her quick wit and natural resourcefulness are enough to keep her safe from the Raven Hill killer as she works to solve this mystery.
Murder by Page One, by Olivia Matthews: When Marvey, a librarian new to a small town in Georgia, finds a dead body, she sets out to solve the murder to exonerate her friend. With her talents for research, and her fellow librarians' knowledge, Marvey pursues the truth. But as she gets closer to it, could she be in mortal peril?
The Quiet Librarian, by Allen Eskens: Middle-aged librarian Hana Babic wants to be left alone. When her dark past comes back to hunt her, Hana must become the fierce warrior she left behind in the mountains of war-torn Bosnia to find the killer on the loose.
Even more leads:
- The Body in the Library by Agatha Christie
- The Library Game by Gigi Pandian
- Murder Out of Character, by Olivia Matthews
- The Medici Murders, by David Hewson
- The Department of Rare Books and Special Collections, by Eva Jurczyk
So many possibilities—and that’s just the starting point! Join us to exchange book recommendations and discover new favorites with fellow mystery lovers.
Menlo Park’s Mystery Readers Group meets online on the third Tuesday of each month.
Tuesday, October 21, 2025 | 06:00 PM - 07:15 PM
Zoom webinarMore free events with Menlo Park Library
Menlo Park Library on social media:
@menloparklibrary on Instagram & Facebook
@menlolibrary on Twitter/X4 attendees
Teen Media Wednesdays
Belle Haven Library, Belle Haven Community Campus, 100 Terminal Ave., Menlo Park, ca, USTeens: we are now watching movies AND playing video games at the library! Join us for Teen Media Wednesdays, where we will either be watching a film or playing video games in the Teen Zone.
All films are rated PG-13 or lower and all video games are rated E10 or lower. Drop in and find out what the movie or game of the week is, and use the suggestion box in the Teen Zone to request future movies and games. Snacks are provided.
https://menlopark.gov/Government/Departments/Library-and-Community-Services/Events/Events-for-adults/202501-05-teen-media-wednesdays
This free event received funding support from the Friends of the Menlo Park Library.
More free events with Menlo Park Library:
https://menlopark.gov/programsMenlo Park Library on social media:
@menloparklibrary on Instagram & Facebook
@menlolibrary on Twitter1 attendee
Gardening for Renters
Belle Haven Library, Belle Haven Community Campus, 100 Terminal Ave., Menlo Park, ca, USAre you a renter who wants to garden—or maybe just a garden lover without a lot of land? This class can help you navigate small spaces so you can get growing!
Topics include:
- Container gardening
- Indoor gardening
- Working with your landlord
- Free/low-cost resources
- Reuse options
- Maintaining your garden
About the presenter:
Lori Caldwell is a Master Composter, Stopwaste Educator and owner/operator of CompostGal: Consulting, Landscaping & Education. She has been happily teaching sustainable gardening classes for over a decade.
This free event received funding support from the Friends of the Menlo Park Library.
Wednesday, October 22, 2025 | 06:30 PM - 07:30 PM
Belle Haven Library, 100 Terminal Ave., Menlo Park, CAMore free events with Menlo Park Library
Menlo Park Library on social media:
@menloparklibrary on Instagram & Facebook
@menlolibrary on Twitter/X4 attendees
Sensory-Friendly Film Screening: Pocahontas
Menlo Park Library, 800 Alma St, Menlo Park, CA, USJoin us for a Disney Princess Film Festival! Our sensory-friendly series will bring you all of the princess films, from 1937’s Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs to 2024’s Moana 2.
Open to all! No registration required. Caregiver/parent must be present with each child.
Your host for the movies will be Ed Sagurton III, who will give a brief introduction to each film. Ed is a new resident to Menlo Park, having moved here from Bangkok, Thailand, in 2023. Ed is a high-functioning autistic person and a big fan of Disney films.
What makes a movie sensory friendly?
Sensory-friendly movies are an experience for all families, designed with special needs in mind:
- Lights remain on (window shades down)
- Sound is lowered
- Subtitles are on
- Attendees are welcome to move about and interact
- Feel free to bring your own snacks and fidget toys
The Schedule:
Sept. 5 | Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs
Sept. 12 | Cinderella
Sept. 19 | Sleeping Beauty
Oct. 3 | The Little Mermaid
Oct. 10 | Beauty & the Beast
Oct. 17 | Aladdin
Oct. 24 | Pocahontas
Nov. 7 | Mulan
Nov. 21 | The Princess and the Frog
Dec. 5 | Tangled
Dec. 12 | Brave
Dec. 19 | Moana
Dec. 26 | Raya and the Last Dragon
Jan. 2 | Moana 2This free event series received funding support from the Friends of the Menlo Park Library.
Friday, October 24, 2025 | 11:30 AM - 01:00 PM
Menlo Park Library, 800 Alma St., Menlo Park, CA, 94025More free events with Menlo Park Library
Menlo Park Library on social media:
@menloparklibrary on Instagram & Facebook
@menlolibrary on Twitter/X1 attendee
Past events
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