Library Events & Programming

Programs and events geared to elementary school age children plus toddlers and babies.

Art Explorers: Holiday Cutouts at the Walnut Creek Branch Library

Children ages 6 through 12 can celebrate the holiday season by making evergreen tree cutouts at the Walnut Creek Branch Library’s Art Explorers event. Attendees will learn about the Polish craft wycinanki, or paper cutting. Using a technique similar to paper snowflake creation, participants will be taught how to fold paper and make specific cuts that result in an evergreen tree shape. Hole punches will be used to construct the trees’ boughs. The finished trees may be mounted on black paper with glitter added for embellishment.

2:30 p.m., Saturday, Dec. 7
Walnut Creek Branch Library
Registration opens Saturday, Nov. 23
972-205-2585

Children attending Art Explorers learn about different types of art, then develop their STEAM art skills by creating their own masterpieces. Registration is required to attend each Art Explorer program and is limited to 24 participants. Registration may be completed by phone or in person at the Walnut Creek Branch Library beginning Saturday, Nov. 23. All supplies are provided by the library. 

Music, Movement and Making: A Special Storytime on the Square

Join us for a festive music, movement, and holiday storytime on the Square in Downtown Garland. Kids and families will learn about different holidays in the winter season through stories as well as sing songs, and use egg shakers to add percussion. Santa will be there! 

10 a.m., Saturday, Dec. 14
Downtown Garland - on the Square
972-205-2516

This is a free event, no registration required.

Decorate Holiday Cookies at the Central Library

Children ages 6 through 12 are invited to decorate holiday cookies at the Central Library. Participants at the event will each be given three pre-baked cookies and a variety of decorating ingredients such as frosting and sprinkles. Attendees may take their cookies home at the end of the night. 

6 p.m., Wednesday, Dec. 18
Central Library
Registration opens Dec. 4
972-205-2516

Registration is required to attend this program and is limited to 24 participants. Registration may be completed by phone or in person at the Central Library beginning Dec. 4. The library will provide all the supplies.

Catch Pokémon and Earn Z-Crystals at the North Garland Branch Library

Pokémon enthusiasts may visit the North Garland Branch Library to participate in a Pokémon-themed scavenger hunt. The scavenger hunt will consist of eight activities that will help patrons learn about their library. Participants will earn one Z-Crystal from the Alola region for each activity completed. 

10 a.m. and 5 p.m., Saturday, Dec. 28
North Garland Branch Library
972-205-2804

No registration is required and all ages are welcome to participate.

Programs and events for junior high and high school age kids.  Regular events include gaming parties.

Catch Pokémon and Earn Z-Crystals at the North Garland Branch Library

Pokémon enthusiasts may visit the North Garland Branch Library to participate in a Pokémon-themed scavenger hunt. The scavenger hunt will consist of eight activities that will help patrons learn about their library. Participants will earn one Z-Crystal from the Alola region for each activity completed. 

10 a.m. and 5 p.m., Saturday, Dec. 28
North Garland Branch Library
972-205-2804

No registration is required and all ages are welcome to participate.

 Senior Social Hour is for adults 55 years and older. Computer Classes are usually for adults 18 years and older.

Holiday Maker Fest 

Adults can prepare for the holiday season by attending craft workshops in the Nicholson Memorial Library System’s Holiday Makerspace Festival. The festival, which begins Tuesday, Dec. 3 and continues through Tuesday, Dec. 17, consists of four events each featuring a different holiday ornament craft: gingerbread house ornaments, cross stitch ornaments, snowman ornaments, and no-sew gnome and Scandinavian wood ornaments. The complete schedule is as follows:

Cross Stitch Ornaments
6:30 p.m., Thursday, Dec. 12
Central Library
Registration begins Wednesday, Nov. 27
972-205-2502

Snowman Ornaments
2:30 p.m., Saturday, Dec. 14
North Garland Branch Library
Registration begins Saturday, Nov. 30
972-205-2803

No-Sew Gnome and Scandinavian Wood Ornaments
6:30 p.m., Tuesday, Dec. 17
Walnut Creek Branch Library
Registration begins Tuesday, Dec. 3.
972-205-2587

Registration is required to attend each workshop. Registration begins two weeks prior to each workshop and can be completed in person or by phone at the library location hosting each workshop. Adults can sign up for two of the four events.  All supplies will be provided by the library. 

Personal Genealogy at the South Garland Branch Library

This two week program will help you get started with personal genealogy. In the first week you’ll learn how to stay organized with charts and forms, how to tell fact from fiction, some basics on the different sources available, and more. In the second week you’ll learn about the different online resources available like Ancestry.com and FamilySearch.org, DNA testing, and more.

10:30 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 7
South Garland Branch Library
Registration opens Saturday, Nov. 23
972-205-3931

10:30 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 14
South Garland Branch Library
Registration opens Saturday, Nov. 23
972-205-3931

Registration required, limited to 6 adults age 18 and older. Register by phone or in person beginning Nov. 23 at 10 a.m.

Email for Beginners at the South Garland Branch Library

Learn how email works, including how to create an email account, compose and send electronic messages, and how to recognize “junk” email. Participation is free and open to adult Garland residents with a library account in good standing. 

10:30 a.m., Saturday, Dec. 7
South Garland Branch Library
Registration opens Saturday, Nov. 23
972-205-3931

Registration required, limited to 15 participants. 

Cook the Book German-style at the South Garland Branch Library

Adults who enjoy cooking can learn new recipes and share their talents with their fellow foodies at Cook the Book, a special program from the Nicholson Memorial Library System. In order to register for the event, Cook the Book participants will choose a recipe from Biergarten Cookbook by Julia Skowronek. They will then prepare the recipe at home and bring it to be enjoyed in a buffet-style meal at the library by fellow participants.

1 p.m., Tuesday, Dec. 10
South Garland Branch Library
Registration opens Tuesday, Nov. 26
972-205-3931 

The Biergarten Cookbook will be available at the Reference Desk at the South Garland Branch Library beginning Nov. 26. Cook the Book is open exclusively to adults ages 18 and older who register for the event.

Pet Safety at the South Garland Branch Library

Learn the best ways to ensure the safety of your furry friend at this informational meeting. Learn about dog-safe foods, leash safety, pet sitters/boarding, dog interactions, inclement weather, and medical preparedness.

7 p.m., Thursday, Dec. 12
South Garland Branch Library
972-205-3931

No registration required. This event is hosted by the Garland Public Libraries, in association with Garland Animal Services, and presented by Amanda Fedric Dog Training.  Families are welcome to attend but please leave the pups at home.

Senior Social Hour: Elizabeth Ellis, “Premier” Storyteller at the Central Library

Elizabeth Ellis, lauded by the Dallas Morning News as the city’s “premier” storyteller, will present holiday-themed tales at the Nicholson Memorial Library System’s Senior Social Hour. Ms. Ellis has enjoyed a thirty-year career as a storyteller and is a repeat favorite at the National Storytelling Festival. She is a recipient of the Circle of Excellence Award from the National Storytelling Network and has been the Teller in Residence at the International Storytelling Center. She previously appeared at Senior Social Hour in 2010.

2 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 19
Central Library
972-205-2502

Sponsored by the Friends of the Library, Senior Social Hour programs are free and open to anyone 55 years of age and older. No registration is required to attend the event, but seats do fill up quickly. Doors open 30 minutes prior to performance. Due to planned construction, event locations are subject to change. 

Adult Book Club: Little Fires Everywhere at the South Garland Branch Library

Adults ages 18 and older are invited to join the Garland Library’s book club at the South Garland Branch Library. Library staff and attendees will discuss Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng and enjoy light refreshments.  

6:30 p.m., Thursday, Dec. 19
South Garland Branch Library
972-205-3931

No registration is required to attend book club.

Catch Pokémon and Earn Z-Crystals at the North Garland Branch Library

Pokémon enthusiasts may visit the North Garland Branch Library to participate in a Pokémon-themed scavenger hunt. The scavenger hunt will consist of eight activities that will help patrons learn about their library. Participants will earn one Z-Crystal from the Alola region for each activity completed. 

10 a.m. and 5 p.m., Saturday, Dec. 28
North Garland Branch Library
972-205-2804

No registration is required and all ages are welcome to participate.

Music, Movement and Making: A Special Storytime on the Square

Join us for a festive music, movement, and holiday storytime on the Square in Downtown Garland. Kids and families will learn about different holidays in the winter season through stories as well as sing songs, and use egg shakers to add percussion. Santa will be there! 

10 a.m., Saturday, Dec. 14
Downtown Garland - on the Square
972-205-2516

This is a free event, no registration required.

Spring Storytimes for Children Begin January 13

The Nicholson Memorial Library System’s Spring Storytimes for children and families begin Jan. 13 and run through May 2, 2020.

Central Library
625 Austin St., 972-205-2516
Toddler Storytime (18-36 mos.)        Mondays, 10 a.m.
Preschool Storytime (3-5 yrs.)          Mondays, 11 a.m.
Wee Read (birth to 18 mos.)            Thursdays, 10:30 a.m.  **NEW**

North Garland Branch Library
3845 North Garland Ave., 972-205-2804
Wee Read (birth to 18 mos.)            Wednesdays, 10:30 a.m.
Toddler Storytime (18-36 mos.)        Fridays, 10 a.m.
Preschool Storytime (3-5 yrs.)          Fridays, 11 a.m.

South Garland Branch Library
4845 Broadway Blvd., 972-205-3934
Toddler Storytime (18-36 mos.)        Wednesdays, 10 a.m.
Preschool Storytime (3-5 yrs.)          Wednesdays, 11 a.m.
Super Saturdays (all ages)               Saturdays, 10 a.m. to 12 p.m.  **NEW**

Walnut Creek Branch Library
3319 Edgewood Drive, 972-205-2585
Family Storytime                               Tuesdays, 7 p.m.

Due to planned construction, event locations are subject to change. Any changes will be posted here and sent out to calendar subscribers or call the library for the latest information.