Week Calendar

A representative from All Faiths Food Bank will be available to help with your SNAP application. 

Appointments are preferred but not 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.

Enjoy special uninterrupted play time with your child in our drop-in FREE Partners In Play® (PIP) parenting education groups.

Join us for storytime! Stories, rhymes, songs, and simple crafts for little ones and their special grownup. 

Come join us for a fun time of playing and learning with varying toys and activities. Recommended for ages 0-5 and their caregivers.

Join us for songs, rhymes, play, and of course great stories! Engage kids in visual literacy, language development, and social skills in a fun class presented by our Youth Services team.

Join us on Mondays of the month for adult coloring!  We supply the coloring pages and the pencils. Snacks will be provided by the Friends of the Gulf Gate Library. Hope to see you there.

On the first and third Tuesday of each month, the Pop-Up will be at the Town Center Green of Longboat Key with books for all ages and a Storytime for children at 10:30 AM. Swing by to sign up for a library card and read a book with us!

Use 1 of 5 Brother sewing machines on Your Own Project. Must Know How to Sew.  Machines Available on first come first serve basis.

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.

Join the Pop-Up library staff at The Longboat Key Town Center Green for stories, songs and rhymes, and more!

What time is it? It's library time! Join us in the youth area for stories, songs and rhymes, fun activities, and a craft. Best for ages 0-5, but the whole family is welcome!

Meet the one and only Bluey, Sarasota County's only avian mascot. She helps to teach the importance of Mosquito Management.

Looking to try something new and maybe make a friend or two?  Join the library book club! 

Gulfcoast Legal Services is dedicated to protecting older adults from financial exploitation.

Join us for a page or two of your favorite word puzzles! We'll have crosswords, sudoku, word searches, and more.

For people who want to improve their French speaking skills and enjoy reading French-language articles and discussing them.

Join Fun To Be Fit Kids with Ms. Adrianne! This is a music and movement program for children (ages 0 - 5) and their caregivers to attend together.

For mobile babies to 5 years old. Drop in to enjoy special play time with your child, meet our friendly Parenting Educators and discover how Forty Carrots Family Center can help you enjoy parenting even more.

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.

Join us at the Fruitville Library with your knit/crochet projects. All ages and skills are welcome. Supplies and knowledgeable members are on hand to help anyone interested in learning to knit or crochet. 

Preschoolers, kindergarteners, and their families can enjoy loosely structured play with a variety of rotating toys and activities in our Story Time Room.

Children ages 2-8 and their caregivers are invited for Wednesday morning free-play time, with an assortment of toys and props to inspire the young imagination! Drop-in anytime between 10:30am and 11:30am.

Everyone is welcome to the open-topic discussions of the Socrates Cafe.

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.

Join us for a monthly cozy catch-up!

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. 

Enjoy a cup of tea while discussing British movies and television series with a very welcoming group.

Florida Health will be in the Lobby offering drop-in blood pressure and cholesterol screening.

Every baby can be a library baby!

Every third Saturday of the month, this program will focus on a famous artist. Children will learn about famous artists and their methods and create their own masterpieces based on the style of that artist.

Ready to rock? Join us for a fun and family-friendly 6-week guitar class designated for complete beginners! Learn to play some of your favorite songs while making music and memories. 

The Suncoast Writers Guild has been helping people develop the craft of writing for 35 years as a safe place to share stories and poems, get feedback, and build connections.

EVENT FULL. REGISTRATION CLOSED.

Join Teresa as she teaches the art of origami. She likes to create items to decorate a home or to give away as a gift. She brings in her own extra work as examples and sometimes to give away.

Join us as we celebrate the 20th Anniversary of our library! Celebrating Tradition, Crafting Our Future!

Welcome and remarks at 10:30, followed by entertainment, activities, and refreshments.

Please join us to explore the art of Ikebana in this day-long exhibition sponsored by the Sarasota Chapter of Ikebana International.

Every Second Sunday the Sarasota Art Museum offers a free, community day where visitors can not only see exhibits but also participate in family friendly art classes! Come see the libraries at our information table and grab a craft to work on!

Get assistance from experienced and knowledgeable volunteers

Bring your questions

Assistance from experienced and knowledgeable volunteers

Bring your questions

Join us at the North Port Library for storytime!  Songs, crafts and stories guaranteed! 

Join us at the North Port Library for a kid's sensory playtime.  

A fun interactive, educational time designed for children with autism and/or sensory challenges.  

Join your friends for stories, rhymes, sign language, and other activities. 

This is best suited for toddlers aged 1-3, but all ages are welcome as needed. 

Students learn about why mucous, nose hairs, and digestion are gross but important parts of who we are!

Every third Saturday of the month, children are invited to read with certified pet therapy dogs. This program encourages conversation and develops reading and communication skills.

Already know a few chords? Let's take your guitar skills to the next level! In this fun, family-friendly 6-week class, you'll learn to play your favorite songs, learn more chords and move forward with guitar techniques.

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.

Bringing a baby into the world can fill our hearts with joy and love, and our minds with questions and wonder.

Stop by the Health in Motion Bus to talk to a Nurse with the Florida Health Department with any questions you might have!

No appointment required. 

For mobile babies to 5 years old. Drop in to enjoy special play time with your child, meet our friendly Parenting Educators and discover how Forty Carrots Family Center can help you enjoy parenting even more.

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.

The Health in Motion Bus offers free and low-cost public health services. A registered nurse is available at all visits. Individuals who need follow-up medical care are referred to a primary health care provider. No appointment needed.

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.

The Health in Motion Bus offers free and low-cost public health services. A registered nurse is available at all visits. Individuals who need follow-up medical care are referred to a primary health care provider. No appointment needed.

Go with the flow, learn Tai Chi, a low-impact exercise for your mind and body. 

Registration required. For adults.

Calling all teens on the job hunt! Are you stuck wondering where to begin? Want to make a resume but are unsure what to include? Or maybe you have been grueling through job applications that lead to a dead end?

Jam and learn with your teen teacher, Anni Szantosi, and her numerous instruments! This club is for music lovers who want to learn to play an instrument or find people who enjoy music. 

Learn to make intricate flowers and leaves with seed beads as you develop skills in patience and attention to detail.

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!

Join other local knitters and crocheters while working on personal projects and discussing all things knitting/crocheting. All skill levels welcome. 

Registration is not required, so come on in to knit and chat!

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.

Celebrate Earth Day at the North Port Library!

Do you know… 

The Death Cafe returns to the Frances T. Bourne Jacaranda Library every third Saturday of the month! Join us for an open discussion about death and life, dying, end-of life topics and their place in our lives. Come and share.

Teens in grades 6 through 12 are welcome to hang out, play games, and more.

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

Teens in grades 6 through 12 are welcome to hang out, play games, and more.

Meet the one and only Bluey, Sarasota County's Mosquito Management Avian Mascot.  She helps to teach the importance of Mosquito Management, what she and her flock do, and how to stay safe from mosquito bites.   

Life and poetry of Robert Frost

Teens in grades 6 through 12 are welcome to hang out, play games, and more.

The original and more accurate title of this program is: 

“The Top 10 Things You Absolutely, Positively, Need to Know About Venice History for Your Next Cocktail Party.”

Teens in grades 6 through 12 are welcome to hang out, play games, and more.

The Sarasota Earlye Musicke Consort performs music spanning from the Renaissance Era to Modern Times. Each performance features descriptions of the instruments and insightful commentary about the music being shared.

This program is a unique and sustainable way to explore your creativity and imagination.

Meet other coders and work on your coding project. Share with others and troubleshoot as a team. Led by Levi Szantosi whose top picks are Python, Scratch, and Unreal Engine.

Join us on our journey into the exciting world of paper circuits! In this 1-hour workshop we'll discover the magic of how simple materials like copper tape, LED lights and paper can be used to create a circuit. 

Join us for a story time and poetry exercise in one! This event is geared especially for 5-8 year olds, but the whole family may have fun.

Our clay modeling program allows participants to explore their creativity and express themselves through the art of shaping and molding clay. 

LAST Stop is a drop-in program designed for teens in 6th through 12th grade to participate in fun activities, talk with friends, have snacks, and play games.

Get ready for an epic night of fun and games at our Game Night.

Wii U, virtual reality, and more! 

LAST Stop is a drop-in program designed for teens in 6th through 12th grade to participate in fun activities, talk with friends, have snacks, and play games.

Calling all families with readers! Our dog friends from the Suncoast Humane Society are returning to the Jacaranda Library, and they want you to read to them!

🎮 Calling All Teens! 🎮

LAST Stop is a drop-in program designed for teens in 6th through 12th grade to participate in fun activities, talk with friends, have snacks, and play games.

Join us in transforming everyday recycled materials into eco-friendly crafts! In this hands-on program, we'll take items like plastic water bottles, egg cartons, cardboard and other commonly discarded materials and turn them into works of art!

Unleash your inner architect with LEGO® and DUPLO® building! Come over and let's paint the town brick red with our creative construction skills.

Work one on one with an expert Student Success Coach to identify and learn more about the pathways you wish to pursue after high school.

LAST Stop is a drop-in program designed for teens in 6th through 12th grade to participate in fun activities, talk with friends, have snacks, and play games.

Children are invited to read with certified pet therapy dogs. The program encourages conversation and develops reading and communication skills.

This program is intended for children who can read independently  

Need a place to get some homework done, write that paper, or work on that group project? Come over to Elsie Quirk Library to study and listen to some tunes while you get your homework done!

If you like writing your own pieces or would like to grow your creativity, come join us for our Teen Writers Club!  Enhance your writing skills, participate in free-writing exercises and get feedback on written work.

LEGO Club is back! Join us every other Tuesday in the Creation Station to show off your LEGO building talents.  Use the hour to freely build or choose one of our challenge cards for inspiration! Best for ages 5-12.

Meet therapy dogs and their owners.  Enjoy the benefits of spending time with therapy pets!

A different project every week!

Recommended for ages 6 and up.

Watch anime and discuss your favorite characters. Explore anime-inspired, Asian snacks and crafts. Ages 9-18 are welcome!

Tweens are invited to engage in theatre games and improv, exploring and expressing ideas through interactive non-competitive participation. They'll have fun learning about the actor's "instrument": voice, body, mind, and imagination.

Hang out as you please and play a variety of board games and card games with your friends! All games will be provided. Ages 11-18 only.

Have fun making cute DIY magnets shaped like a unicorn's head. This easy craft will add a touch of whimsy to any space.