Horn From The Heart The Paul Butterfield Story To Purchase Tickets Click HERE "Paul was an incredible creative spirit and always kept stretching. As deep as he would go into the roots, he was always pushing the envelope of what blues can be." - Bonnie Raitt Paul learned the blues from the original black masters performing […]
Read the book and join us at the Claremont Branch for a screening of the movie it inspired! Space is limited, so make your reservation on Eventbrite soon. For more information, contact Michael at (510) 981-6280. Ages 9 and 11. What to read: The Tale of Despereux written by Kate DiCamillo What we will watch: The Tale […]
Maker Lab Kids: Learn About Insects @Claremont (REGISTRATION REQUIRED) Join us once a month for hands-on exploration of science, technology, engineering, art and mathematics (STEAM) concepts! Registration is required and space is limited. To enroll, visit our Eventbrite page. Ages 9-11 only. For more information, call (510) 981-6280. January's Special Event: Insect Discovery Lab led by SaveNature.org
A fairy tale mermaid puppet story set beneath the waves at the Farallon Islands during the Gold Rush era. This interactive paper puppet show features a scrolling back-drop (or cranky) and jointed paper puppets. Ages 4-10.
Maker Lab Kids: Create Foldscope Slides @Claremont (REGISTRATION REQUIRED) Join us once a month for hands-on exploration of science, technology, engineering, art and mathematics (STEAM) concepts! Registration is required and space is limited. To enroll, visit our Eventbrite page. For more information, call (510) 981-6280. Ages 9-11 only.
"Perceptive, finely wrought....Hadley is a writer of the first order, and this novel gives her the opportunity to explore, with profound incisiveness and depth, the inevitable changes inherent to long-lasting […]
To Purchase Tickets Click HERE The temple dancer Nikiya and the warrior Solor fall deeply in love, igniting heated passions and murderous intrigues when the Rajah and his daughter Gamzatti discover their forbidden love. La Bayadere is one of the greatest works in classical ballet history - a story of love, death and vengeful judgment, set […]
"a thrilling hybrid of a novel about the intricacies of family life and the inevitable handing down from one generation to the next of our deepest passions and pathologies. . […]
Enjoy a hot beverage and chat with local service providers: Crisis Support Services of Alameda County provides counseling, education, and prevention services. More at www.crisissupport.org/. Alameda County Food Bank/CalFresh works to end hunger in our community. More at www.accfb.org/.
Maker Lab Kids: Owl Pellet Dissection @Claremont (REGISTRATION REQUIRED) Join us once a month for hands-on exploration of science, technology, engineering, art and mathematics (STEAM) concepts! Registration is required and space is limited. To enroll, visit our Eventbrite page. Ages 9-11 only. For more information, call (510) 981-6280. January's Special Event: Owl Pellet Dissection led by SaveNature.org […]
Let the joyous music of Asheba bring a little sunshine into your child's day! Asheba, a musical storyteller who specializes in calypso, sings a combination of original music and remakes of classic children's music with a Caribbean twist. Always a fun and energy-filled show! Ages 2-7.
You've read all the expert advice, but despite countless efforts to help your child cope better and stay on track, you're still struggling with everyday issues like homework, chores, getting […]
Vandana Shiva and Vijaya Nagarajan OFFSITE In conversation on Women, Rituals, Ecology in India. Vandana Shiva is an Indian scholar, environmental activist, food sovereignty advocate, and alter-globalization author. Currently based […]
EXHIBITION On Screen 2018/19 Season: Young Picasso Wed, Feb 13 1 & 7pm & Wed, Mar 20 4pm To Purchase Tickets Click HERE Pablo Picasso is one of the greatest artists of all time - and right up until his death in 1973 he was the most prolific of artists. Many films have dealt with these […]
Horn From The Heart The Paul Butterfield Story ADDED SHOW! Sat, Feb 16 1pm To Purchase Tickets Click HERE "Paul was an incredible creative spirit and always kept stretching. As deep as he would go into the roots, he was always pushing the envelope of what blues can be." - Bonnie Raitt Paul learned the blues […]
Angie Thomas in Conversation with MK Asante OFFSITE discussing her new novel On the Come Up, an ode to hip hop. The ticketed event is co-sponsored by Oakland Unified School District Library Services and Mrs. Dalloway’s. Tickets and further information available through Eventbrite. Your $25 purchase includes a ticket and a copy of On the Come Up, available for pickup at the event. Insightful, unflinching, […]
Great Art On Screen: Van Gogh - Between the Wheat and the Sky Tue, Feb 19 1 & 7pm To Purchase Tickets Click HERE A new look at Van Gogh, through the legacy of the largest private collector of artworks by the Dutch painter: Helene Kroller-Muller (1869-1939), who, in the early 20th Century, ended up buying […]
"Identity is frail business, and in her searing story, Dani Shapiro makes the most disquieting discovery: that everything, from her lineage, to her father, down to her very own sense […]
Alan Brennert reads from Daughter of Moloka'i, the sequel to his bestselling Moloka'i. Wednesday, February 20, 2019 - 7:30pm
Feb 5, 7, 12 & 21 7pm To Purchase Tickets Click HERE An explosive new play by David Hare I'm Not Running is an explosive new play by David Hare, premiering at the National Theatre and broadcast live to Rialto Cinemas. Pauline Gibson has spent her life as a doctor, the inspiring leader of a local […]
A place to drop in and try out: Sewing on a Babylock sewing machine Button-making Drawing on the ProWise whiteboard Experimenting with a Foldscope microscope Needle-felting Sculpting with modeling clay No previous experience necessary! This program is for kids with parents, teens, and adults.
James Cagney is a poet from Oakland. He has performed in venues and museums throughout the San Francisco Bay Area and beyond. His first book, Black Steel Magnolias In The Hour of Chaos Theory, is available from Oakland's own Nomadic Press. James will read his poems, then sit for an interview; audience discussion will follow the […]
National Theatre Live 2019 Winter to Summer 4-Play Season Season Begins with Alan Bennett's Allelujah! To Purchase Season Subsciptions Click HERE We are thrilled to announce the National Theatre Live 2019 Winter to Summer 4-Play Season! Allelujah! Alan Bennett's sharp and hilarious new play is 'just what the doctor ordered' Daily Telegraph directed by Nicholas Hytner The […]
Katie Peterson in Conversation with Louise Gluck discussing her new book of poems A Piece of Good News. Dense, rich, and challenging, Katie Peterson's A Piece of Good News explores interior and exterior […]
March 2, 2019 - 12:00am to March 9, 2019 - 12:00am Central Library Claremont Branch North Branch Tarea Hall Pittman South Branch West Branch Come celebrate Tech Week at Berkeley Public Library! This is your chance to get up and close with facets of our technological world, right here at BPL. This week we will be having […]
Elinor Lipman returns to Mrs. Dalloway's to celebrate the publication of her latest novel, Good Riddance, in which one woman's trash becomes another woman's treasure, with deliriously entertaining results. A pitch-perfect, whip-smart new […]
The Retirement Center and Ashby Village are pleased to host Ashton Applewhite, activist and author of This Chair Rocks: A Manifesto Against Ageism, a rousing manifesto against discrimination and prejudice on the basis […]
Launch party for her picture book The Yellow Suitcase, a touching story that celebrates grandparental love. "A thoughtful story that artfully addresses the loss of a grandparent from an immigrant perspective.” --Kirkus To […]
To Purchase Tickets Click HERE Pablo Picasso is one of the greatest artists of all time - and right up until his death in 1973 he was the most prolific of artists. Many films have dealt with these later years - the art, the affairs and the wide circle of friends. But where did this all […]
Joyce Carol Oates reads from her latest novel The Hazards of Time Travel, an ingenious, dystopian novel of one young woman's resistance against the constraints of an oppressive society. To reserve your […]
NT Live 2019 Winter to Summer Season: Allelujah! Feb 26, Mar 7, 12 & 21 7pm Season Subscriptions On Sale Now! To Purchase Tickets Click HERE Alan Bennett's sharp and hilarious new play is 'just what the doctor ordered' Daily Telegraph Directed by Nicholas Hytner Filmed live at London's Bridge Theatre during its limited run, don't miss […]
Kurt Eichenwald presents A Mind Unraveled: A Memoir, the compelling story of an acclaimed journalist and New York Times bestselling author's ongoing struggle with epilepsy-- his torturous decision to keep his condition a secret to […]
Indie Lens Pop-Up: Won't You Be My Neighbor? Indie Lens Pop-Ups Wed, Mar 27 7pm FREE! From Academy Award-winning filmmaker Morgan Neville (20 Feet from Stardom), Won't You Be My Neighbor? takes an intimate look at America's favorite neighbor: Mister Fred Rogers. A portrait of a man whom we all think we know, this emotional […]
To Purchase Tickets Click HERE The story of a family in Nahariya, a small traditional town in Israel, whose lives change completely after their father finally decides to tell his family that he's a transgender woman. Their mother chooses to stay with her spouse through the whole process, but just as it seems that life is […]
Bringing the joy of cat videos to the masses and raising money for cats in need. Each year, CatVideoFest curates a compilation reel of the latest, best cat videos culled from countless hours of unique submissions and sourced animations, music videos, and, of course, classic internet powerhouses. Screening events take place all over the world […]
To Our Friends in the Elmwood Neighborhood, We'll be having a 40 year Anniversary Party at Eli's Mile High Club in Oakland on March 30, 7pm-1am. There will raffle prizes, a free gift bag to the first 50 guests, onsite chainstitch embroidery, and live music with DJs. Please stop by and enjoy the festivities!
FREE! Set against the backdrop of the physician shortage and opioid epidemic in rural America, The Providers follows three "country doctors" in northern New Mexico at clinics that offer care to all who walk through the doors, regardless of ability to pay. With personal struggles that at times reflect those of their patients, the journeys […]
Wed, Apr 3 1 & 7pm To Purchase Tickets Click HERE After groundbreaking success in terms of audiences and critics of "The Vatican Museums" and "Florence and the Uffizi Gallery", and after the release of "Raphael - The Lord of the Arts", here it comes a new documentary dedicated to an Italian Master: Caravaggio - The […]
“The Orchid and the Dandelion is based on groundbreaking research that has the power to change the lives of countless children–and the adults who love them.”–Susan Cain, author of Quiet: The Power […]
NT Live 2019 Winter to Summer Season: Allelujah! Feb 26, Mar 7, 12 & 21 7pm Season Subscriptions On Sale Now! To Purchase Tickets Click HERE Alan Bennett's sharp and hilarious new play is 'just what the doctor ordered' Daily Telegraph Directed by Nicholas Hytner Filmed live at London's Bridge Theatre during its limited run, don't miss […]
Q&A to Follow With Filmmaker Arwen Curry - To Purchase Tickets Click HERE Worlds of Ursula K. Le Guin is a feature documentary exploring the remarkable life and legacy of the late feminist author Ursula K. Le Guin. Best known for groundbreaking science fiction and fantasy works such as A Wizard of Earthsea, The Left Hand of Darkness, […]
Please join us for a lively discussion of Berkeley Public Library’s Citywide Read book, Crazy Rich Asians. A limited number of copies will be available at the branch and staff can help you request copies from other branches and through Link+. The e-book is available for immediate download from Overdrive.
Mar 26, Apr 4, 9 & 18 To Purchase Tickets Click HERE by William Shakespeare Starring Simon Russell Beale Directed by Joe Hill-Gibbins An Almeida Theatre production Simon Russell Beale plays William Shakespeare's Richard II, broadcast live from the stage of the Almeida Theatre in London to Rialto Cinemas. This visceral new production about the limits […]
Faces Places: Road Trip with Legendary Filmmaker Agnes Varda and Photographer J.R. 2017/PG/ 90minutes Agnes Varda, one of the leading figures of the French New Wave, and acclaimed 33 year-old French photographer and muralist JR teamed up to co-direct this enchanting documentary/road movie.
Wed, Apr 10 1 & 7pm To Purchase Tickets Click HERE In the 1920's, The Golden Age cabaret is a favorite nightly haunt. The young fisherman Boris falls in love with Rita. He follows her to the cabaret and realizes that she is the beautiful dancer "Mademoiselle Margot," but also the love interest of the local […]
"An irresistible, irrepressible comic saga. I utterly loved every page."--Anthony Marra To reserve your seat, purchase a copy of Oksana, Behave! by speaking to one of our booksellers or ordering on our website. […]
Carolyn Burke presents Foursome: Alfred Stieglitz, Georgia O'Keeffe, Paul Strand, Rebecca Salsbury, A captivating, spirited account of the intense relationship among four artists whose strong personalities, passionate feelings, and aesthetic ideals drew them […]
Namwali Serpell in Conversation with Yael Goldstein Love discussing Serpell's new novel The Old Drift, an electrifying debut that has already garnered three starred advance reviews and accolades from multiple writers. "Recalling […]
Lori Gottlieb presents Maybe You Should Talk to Someone: A Therapist, Her Therapist, and Our Lives Revealed, currently being adapted for television with Eva Longoria and ABC. "If you have even […]
Timothy Hampton presents Bob Dylan's Poetics: How the Songs Work, a close examination of Bob Dylan's songs that locates his transgressive style within a long history of modern (and modernist) art. "A truly […]
In this special Maker Lab: Open Lab, we will celebrate Earth Day with local artist, Nga Tran, who will show us how to do paper weaving using recycled materials. No previous experience necessary! This program is for kids with parents, teens, and adults. Nga Tran came to the US in 1975 as a refugee from […]
"Won’t You Be My Neighbor" 2018/PG-13 /94 min Morgan Neville’s Oscar-nominated documentary paints a portrait of the life and work of children's entertainer Fred Rogers, star of “Mister Rogers' Neighborhood.” A former minister, Mister Rogers creatively communicated themes of empathy and acceptance. Winer of the Critic’s Choice and dozens of other awards.
Indie Lens Pop-Up: Charm City Indie Lens Pop-Ups - FREE! Filmed during three years of unparalleled violence in Baltimore, Charm City delivers a powerfully candid portrait of those on the […]
Jacqueline Winspear returns to read from her fifteenth Maisie Dobbs novel, The American Agent, in which our beloved heroine investigates the mysterious murder of an American war correspondent in London during the Blitz in a […]
Sloane Tanen reads from her novel, There's a Word for That, a hilarious and moving chronicle of a wildly flawed family that comes together--in rehab, of all places--even as each member is […]
Indie Bookstore Day! Saturday, April 27, 2019 - 10:00am to 9:00pm
Shad Harris and the Groovenators will knock your socks off in this 90-minute Blues concert and talk. This event is free and for all music lovers. Please call 510-981-6280 for more information. Shad Harris has been performing, touring and teaching for 45 years in local and international nightclubs, world tours, community theater stages, and major […]
"This is no mere comics adaptation of an ancient classic. Through his intricately illustrated panels, Gareth Hinds brings us The Iliad's depth, brutality, and power. A Herculean effort worthy of […]
NT Live 2019 Winter to Summer Season: All About Eve Apr 25, 30 & May 9 7pm by Joseph L Mankiewicz adapted & directed by Ivo Van Hove starring Gillian […]
Free viewing of the movie CRAZY RICH ASIANS! When native New Yorker Rachel Chu accompanies her boyfriend on a trip to Singapore, she is unprepared to learn that he is the scion of one of the country’s wealthiest families and one of its most sought-after bachelors.
Wed, May 1 1pm & 7pm To Purchase Tickets Click HERE Klimt & Schiele: Eros and Psyche, recounts the start of the Vienna Secession, a magical art movement formed in the […]
Come celebrate Free Comic Book Day by learning to make cartoons. This program is for all ages. Space is very limited, registration is required. Please go to https://bit.ly/2tS2ply. Aaron Southerland is a Brooklyn native, a graphic novelist, and an art mentor in the Bay Area. He is the creator of the graphic novels Strawberry Dough and Solforce.
To Purchase Tickets Click HERE From the National Gallery, London and Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam BACK BY POPULAR DEMAND Every Rembrandt exhibition is eagerly anticipated but this major show hosted by London's […]
Orator (O Le Tulafale 2012/PG/112minutes) Small in stature and humble, Saili lives a simple life with his beloved wife and daughter in an isolated, traditional village in the islands of Samoa. Forced to protect his land and family, Saili must face his fears and seek the right to speak up for those he loves.
Don’t miss our Bike to Work Energizer Station giveaways: Free bike safety checks and flat tire repair by Trek Bicycles. Delicious Dream Fluff Donuts (while supplies last). Our Bicycle Fixit station. Free Bike to Work totebags and more!
Tue, May 14 1 & 7pm To Purchase Tickets Click HERE by William Shakespeare directed by Robert Lepage starring Andre Sills "Riveting" and "jaw-dropping" - The New York Times "The greatest contemporary […]
Hunt for the Wilder People 2016/PG-13/103minutes A defiant young city kid finds himself on the run with his cantankerous foster uncle in the wild New Zealand bush. New Zealand Indigenous director Taika Waititi’s film won Best Narrative Feature at the San Francisco International Film Festival and Best Film at the New Zealand Film Awards and has been […]
FREE! Wrestle is an intimate, inspiring coming of age portrait of the wrestling team at Huntsville's J.O. Johnson High School, which has been on Alabama's failing schools list for many […]
Learn what to do before, during, and after an earthquake with tips for everyone in your household. FREE Giveaways for Attendees: Mini-Disaster Kit, Snacks, and preparedness brochures! For all ages.
Join us for a free a cappella concert! Mozaik Vocal Ensemble is a Berkeley-based a cappella group of women who sing folk songs from around the world. They will be singing songs from Ukraine, Bulgaria, Russia, Mongolia, Ireland, Macedonia, and Khazakhstan. The women of Mozaik have been making music together for many years and all […]
Ages 7 up! Jane Solomon and Tyler Schnoebelen in Conversation launching The Dictionary of Difficult Words: With More Than 400 Perplexing Words to Test Your Wits! To reserve your seat, purchase a […]
To Purchase Tickets Click HERE Carmen is as sensual and free-spirited as ever as she finds herself caught in a love triangle. The passionate one act ballet by Cuban choreographer Alberto […]
To Purchase Tickets Click HERE Voyage through the masterpieces and obsessions of the genius and founder of Impressionism, Claude Monet. An art-world disruptor at the turn of the 20th century whose […]
Kids 8-12/ Susan Adrian in Conversation with Anne Nesbet discussing Adrian's new book, Forever Neverland, a contemporary sequel to J. M. Barrie's timeless classic Peter Pan. "A magical ode to childhood that updates the […]
Wed, June 5 1 & 7pm & Wed, July 10 4pm To Purchase Tickets Click HERE "I envy the Japanese" Van Gogh wrote to his brother Theo. In the exhibition on […]
Tue, June 11 1pm & 7pm To Purchase Tickets Click HERE by William Shakespeare directed by Antoni Cimolino starring Martha Henry "Seeing it is a joy"- Toronto Star "The real magic […]
Louise Aranson presents Elderhood: Redefining Aging, Transforming Medicine, Reimagining Life, an essential, empathetic look at a vital but little respected stage of life. "In the latter years there are possibilities for joy, transcendence, […]
Bloomsday with Thomas Lynch reading from Chapter Ten of James Joyce's Ulysses recalling Dublin on June 16, 1904. Join us for Guinness, Irish soda bread and cheer! Bring Dad! Sunday, June […]
Mondays 1-3pm in JUNE (17th), JULY (8th & 22nd), and AUGUST (5th) Graphic novelist and art mentor, Aaron Southerland, will hold a series of cartooning vibe sessions focused on outer space. The sessions are dedicated to the artsy students who desire to create and continue working on their own cartoon and comic characters. Aaron will […]
Tuesdays at 1pm June 11th & 18th, July 9th & 16th Ever look up at the night sky and wonder what’s all that up there? Have you been following the news about the black hole and the event horizon and would like to understand more about these phenomena and other Astronomy concepts? Join us and […]
Special Encore Presentation! Tue, June 18 1 & 7pm To Purchase Tickets Click HERE starring Tony Award® Winner Helen Mirren by Peter Morgan directed by Stephen Daldry Nominated for three Tony […]
June 19, 2019 - 5:30pm-7:30pm Saving Face R/2004/97 minutes Appealing tale of a lesbian who hides her sexuality from her mother. Michelle Krusiec, Joan Chen, Lynn Chen, Jin Wang. Event Category: LGBTQ / Pride, Movie
Next event (Monthly): July 20, 2019 - 10:00am-12:00pm View all dates Claremont Branch A place to drop in and try out: *Sewing on a Babylock sewing machine *Button-making *Drawing on the ProWise whiteboard *Experimenting with a Foldscope microscope *Needle-felting *Sculpting with modeling clay No previous experience necessary! This program is for kids with parents, teens, and adults
On Monday, June 24, at 2:00-3:00pm Chef Jillian Love is back! Learn to make your own veggie noodles from Zucchini and two delicious sauces. Gluten, Meat and Dairy Free. For cooks of all ages and levels of experience. Please call 510-981-6285 to reserve your space. Event Category: Food, Special
Join us for re-created, re-discovered, and re-imagined chamber music. Black Cedar’s accolades include multiple grants from the Zellerbach Family Foundation and the San Francisco Friends of Chamber Music, and an invite to the National Flute Association Convention. They have performed over 60 concerts throughout California and their critically-praised debut album, A Path Less Trod , was […]
To Purchase Tickets Click HERE "42nd Street with Bonnie Langford is naughty, bawdy, gaudy and GLORIOUS!" - Express UK "An American classic right royally revived!" – Telegraph UK "From the costumes and choreography […]
R/2016/111 minutes A young black man struggles to find his place in the world while growing up in a rough neighborhood of Miami. Please call 510-981-6280 for more information about any of the films in this weekly series. Made possible by a generous donation from the Berkeley Friends of the Library. https://www.berkeleylibraryfriends.org/
Please join us on Friday, June 28th from 12-2pm for a presentation on disaster preparedness planning for people with disabilities and seniors. Walter Delson from Easy Does It Emergency Services will talk about disability-specific issues when planning for disasters or other emergency events. Receive a free "Go Kit" (while supplies last) with emergency supplies to […]
Soul Soup with Amber Hines is a family style music ritual for all ages with live drum accompaniment. Come sing, dance, and play! Amber blends traditional and contemporary music that uplifts, builds social-emotional literacy, and creates community. All ages.
Join us for a screening of The Guardians on June 29th at 1:00pm as we mark Elder Abuse Awareness Month. The Guardians is a 2017 documentary that exposes corruption within the Nevada Guardianship and Family Court system. The film shines a light on a lucrative business that drains seniors’ life-savings and robs them of their […]
Tuesdays at 1pm June 11th & 18th, July 9th & 16th Ever look up at the night sky and wonder what’s all that up there? Have you been following the news about the black hole and the event horizon and would like to understand more about these phenomena and other Astronomy concepts? Join us and […]
To Purchase Tickets Click HERE "I envy the Japanese" Van Gogh wrote to his brother Theo. In the exhibition on which this film is based - VAN GOGH & JAPAN at […]
12-1pm Crafts and board games (Spaceteam and Chronology) 1-2pm Watch NASA live webcast We will be celebrating the 50th Anniversary of Apollo 11’s Moon Landing with crafting, playing board games (Spaceteam and Chronology), and then watching a live webcast from NASA on our Prowise big screen. Everyone welcome!
Tuesdays at 1pm June 11th & 18th, July 9th & 16th Ever look up at the night sky and wonder what’s all that up there? Have you been following the news about the black hole and the event horizon and would like to understand more about these phenomena and other Astronomy concepts? Join us and […]
Brandon Brown presents The Apollo Chronicles: Engineering America's First Moon Missions, a uniquely earthbound story of space travel that follows a handful of surviving engineers from the time through their longest […]
July 9, 18, 23 & Aug 1 7pm To Purchase Tickets Click HERE adapted by Helen Edmundson based on the novel by Andrea Levy directed by Rufus Norris Andrea Levy's epic, […]
Get a taste of maritime life and lore when Peter from the National Park Service leads a sea chantey sing for would- be sailors of all ages. Free.
Mondays 1-3pm in JUNE (17th), JULY (8th & 22nd), and AUGUST (5th) Graphic novelist and art mentor, Aaron Southerland, will hold a series of cartooning vibe sessions focused on outer space. The sessions are dedicated to the artsy students who desire to create and continue working on their own cartoon and comic characters. Aaron will […]
Little Rabbit goes into the forest to pick flowers even though her mother has warned her not to. There she meets the Gunniwolf who wants her to sing him to sleep. Everytime she stops, he wakes up and wants another song. Meanwhile, Little Rabbit's froggy friends are working on their act with hilarious results! Ages […]
Tucker Malarkey returns to present Stronghold: One Man's Quest to Save the World's Wild Salmon, the story of Guido Rahr, a passionate and eccentric environmentalist who has single-mindedly dedicated his life to […]