Come and socialize with fellow knitting, crocheting and sewing enthusiasts! All levels welcome. Bring your current project to work on.

Stumped by technology? Your technology questions can be answered through an in-person appointment with one of our Tech Navigators. Tech Navigators are library staff members ready to assist you with technology skills.

For mobile babies to 5 years old. Drop in to enjoy a special uninterrupted playtime with your child in our FREE Partners in Play® (PIP) groups. Meet our friendly Parenting Educators and discover how play and learning go hand-in-hand.

For infants to five years, attending with caregiver. The storytime includes simple stories, nursery rhymes, songs, fingerplays, and crafts. Space is limited. Free tickets are available at the youth desk beginning at 10 a.m.

For ages 2-5. Join us for story time filled with a variety of early literacy activities that include music, stories, movement, crafts and school readiness. 

Gerard Tricarico uses choreographed juggling with illusions to deliver a high-energy show that is innovative and interactive. Fun for families! This program runs from 10:30 - 11:30 a.m.

Get simple strategies for eating healthy and learn how to make delicious, healthy food!  You get to eat what you make and take home a bag of groceries.

Registration required. 

For mobile babies to 5 years old. Drop in to enjoy a special uninterrupted playtime with your child in our FREE Partners in Play® (PIP) groups. Meet our friendly Parenting Educators and discover how play and learning go hand-in-hand.

This summer lunch program is sponsored by the Sarasota County School District. Free lunches are available for anyone up to age 18 in the Juliano room on weekdays.  

Join us for our Summer Teen Hangout!

Learn to thread the sewing machine and make fun tissue pouches. Registration is required for this adult program

Join us for a calming and therapeutic coloring session where you can unleash your creativity and unwind. 

Bring your projects, patterns, and questions to Elsie Quirk Library and join the Quirky Knitters for an afternoon of knitting and crochet.  All skill levels welcome.  Registration is not required, so come on in to knit and chat!

Come and get assistance with your genealogy research from experienced and knowledgeable volunteers.

Sarasota County Extension Services Master Gardeners are here to help folks identify plants, flowers, etc. as well as care for them.

Get expert advice on your landscaping needs.

Wally the Wacky Word Bird is on a special mission to find the most spectacular vocabulary words ever! But where can he be?

Do you know which national parks are associated with President Lincoln's assassination? What's the most visited national park - and its controversial history? That there's a park where taking a bath is a common activity?

For people who want to improve their Spanish speaking skills.  Come practice your pronunciation and oral understanding through conversation and instruction of this romantic language.  An advanced skill level in Spanish is recommended.

Teens will have the opportunity to make a variety of items during the summer ranging from woodcrafts to 3D string art to resin projects. Each week will feature a different project as listed below.

Join local artist Melissa Hoesman in a class on color theory. Learn about warm and cool colors and how they

Explore the wild world of virtual reality through some of our favorite games that take us as far as the oceans’ depths and more! Whether sitting or standing, you’ll be transported to worlds beyond our own.

We bring the supplies, you bring the creativity! Join us in the creation station to work on your own art projects. Art supplies available: oil pastels, colored pencils, markers, tracers, mixed media paper, and more! Open for teens.

Using our button maker machine, you'll have the opportunity to design and create your very own one-of-a-kind buttons. Express yourself, show off your artistic skills, or make a statement - the possibilities are endless!

Be inspired!

Artists of all ages can join in a series of fun interactive art classes with the Ringling Art Museum.

Creative Writing Professor Emily Carr will help you creatively express stories of your own life and perform them.

Join other teens at our monthly Teen Advisory Board Meeting. Prior registration as a Teen Volunteer is required to attend the meeting. Attendees will receive community service credit for their time at the meeting.

ROAR! is The Ringling's free storytime that connects art with early literacy. At this program, we read together, make art, and learn about an object in the museum.