Upcoming Events and Free Programs at the Thousand Oaks and Newbury Park Branch Libraries
/
Thousand Oaks (Grant R. Brimhall) Library.
There are two great Thousand Oaks libraries; the Grant R. Brimhall Library at 1401 E. Janss Road in Thousand Oaks (805.449.2660) and the local Newbury Park Branch is at 2331 Borchard Road (805.498.2139). These libraries provide year-round free events, activities and programs for all ages. Selected events from time to time will be covered here.
Visit the library website at www.toaks.org/library to learn more.
The following is a list of programs happening at the Thousand Oaks Library during the month of March, with GRB denoting Grant R. Brimhall Library and NPL denoting Newbury Park Library. All Library programs are free and open to the public, some require registration, and all are subject to change or cancellation without prior notice. For the latest information on Library events, please visit www.tolibrary.org/calendar.
One City, One Book 2025
Join us in reading this year’s One City, One Book selection, Symphony of Secrets by Brendan Slocumb!
When he is asked to authenticate a newly discovered piece from famed 20th-century composer Frederick Delaney, Bern Hendricks uncovers clues that indicate Delaney may have had help composing his most successful work, which makes him a target of a powerful organization who will stop at nothing to keep their secret hidden.
OCOB Kickoff Concert: Little Phat Band
Saturday, March 22 • 7:00 pm – 8:00 pm • Grant R. Brimhall Library
Kick-off this year’s One City, One Book with Gordon Goodwin’s Little Phat Band, featuring nine of L.A.’s finest musicians. This ensemble delivers the dynamic energy of its internationally acclaimed counterpart, Gordon Goodwin’s Big Phat Band. Enjoy an after-hours concert at the library featuring a range of styles, from swing to funk to Latin to pop. This event is FREE and open to the public. Seating is first-come, first-served.
An Afternoon with Brendan Slocumb
Sunday, April 27 • 2:00 pm • Bank of America Performing Arts Center Fred Kavli Theatre
Join us for an inspiring conversation with bestselling author and musician Brendan Slocumb. Don’t miss this opportunity to hear him discuss his journey from musician to novelist, the power of music in storytelling, and the inspirations behind his work. Learn more: www.tolibrary.org/ocob.
ALL AGES
Bookmark Contest
Let your creativity shine in our Bookmark Design Contest! Pick up an official contest form from the library and design a unique bookmark inspired by the 2025 Summer Reading theme: Color Our World! Open to all ages, from Kindergarten to adults, entries must be submitted on the official form by April 30, 2025. Check the form for rules and details, then grab your supplies and start designing!
Fiero Code: Arctic Adventure Challenge
Saturday, February 1 – Monday, March 31 • Online
Create your own maze game with Code Blocks! Open to ages 8–12 and 13–18, this program lets you design, build, and compete in the Fiero Code contest. Enter for a chance to win an Air Pod 4, JBL speaker, or Redragon Mechanical Keyboard.
Gosh Yarn It
Friday, March 14 • 3:30 pm – 4:30 pm • GRB Community Room
Relax, crochet, and socialize at our crochet club! Beginners and experts alike are welcome to bring their own supplies and hang out with fellow crocheters as we sip tea and work on our projects. For ages 11+.
Maker Mondays – 3D Printing
Monday, March 24 • 5:00 pm – 7:00 pm • GRB Teen Space
Visit the library to learn 3D printing and see our printers in action! For ages 11+.
LevelUp Lounge
Fridays • 10:00 am – 5:30 pm • GRB Teen Space
Access to gaming for all ages with the Library’s Xbox Game Pass! Hang out and relax with games like No Man’s Sky, Powerwash Simulator, Forza, Sea of Stars, and over 250 more options!
Board Games at the Library
Grant R. Brimhall Library
Stop by the Information Desk to borrow board games to play while inside the Library! Games available include Wingspan, Parks, Forbidden Island, and more.
Stay & Switch
Newbury Park Library
Join the fun by exploring our newest addition to the Library of Things. Stop by the Newbury Park Library Information Desk to check out a Nintendo Switch Lite loaded with exciting digital games! You can borrow it with your library card and enjoy gaming while you’re in the Library.
KIDS
Homework Help
Mondays • 3:00 pm – 5:00 pm • NPL Meeting Room
Tuesdays • 2:30 pm – 4:30 pm • NPL Meeting Room
Wednesdays & Thursdays • 3:00 pm – 5:00 pm • GRB Community Room
Struggling with challenging school assignments? Our volunteers are here to help! For students in kindergarten through 8th grade. Runs September 2024 to May 2025; closed on CVUSD holidays and breaks. No Homework Help on March 17.
Make & Take: Leprechaun Traps
Monday, March 3 • 4:00 pm – 5:00 pm • GRB Community Room
Celebrate Saint Patrick’s Day by creating your own Leprechaun Trap. For grades K-5. While supplies last.
Dog Days
Tuesdays, March 4, 11, 18, & 25 • 3:30 pm – 4:30 pm • GRB Children’s Program Room
Thursday, March 6 • 3:30 pm – 4:30 pm • NPL Meeting Room
Readers of all levels and abilities are invited to come and read to a certified therapy dog! Participants will sign up for a brief 10-minute session with a dog and their owner.
Reading Buddies
Tuesdays, March 4, 11, 18, & 25 • 4:00 pm – 4:30 pm • NPL Meeting Room
Wednesdays, March 5, 12, 19, & 26 • 3:10 pm – 3:40 pm or 3:45 pm – 4:15 pm • GRB Community Room
A weekly program for students grades 1-4 to practice and gain confidence in their reading with the help of an interactive volunteer. Registration required.
Music & Movement
Saturday, March 8 • 10:15 am – 10:45 am & 11:15 am – 11:45 am • GRB Community Room
Dance, clap, and sing along with Ms. Cheryl and her guitar during this fun, interactive program for ages 0-5 years. Registration required.
Learn to Code with Fiero Code
Friday, March 14 • 3:00 pm – 4:00 pm • GRB Technology Training Room
Learn how to set up your own Fiero Code account through the Library and gain access to coding tutorials and learning platforms. It’s recommended to bring your own laptop with WiFi capability, headphones, an email account, and your Library card to get started. For kids ages 8+. Registration required.
Writing Buddies
Thursday, March 20 • 4:30 pm – 5:30 pm • GRB Community Room
Students in grades 2-5 are invited to share their creativity by writing a short story. Registration required.
Mini Masters: Marietta Barovier - Wooden Rosetta Beads
Sunday, March 23 • 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm • GRB Children’s Program Room
Read the story A Thousand Glass Flowers: Marietta Barovier and the Invention of the Rosetta Bead and create wooden rosetta beads. Led by a Teen Volunteer. For grades 1-5. Registration required.
Pathways to Science: Chemistry
Friday, March 28 • 3:30 pm - 4:30 pm • NPL Meeting Room
Join us to learn all about chemistry and make some slime! Led by a Teen Volunteer. For grades 1-5. Registration required.
Future Einsteins: Kinetic Energy
Sunday, March 30 • 2:00 pm - 2:45 pm • GRB Community Room
Learn about kinetic and potential energy. Led by a Teen Volunteer. For grades 1-5. Registration required.
Winter Storytimes & Playtime
Baby Storytime
Tuesdays, March 4 & 18 • 10:15 am – 10:35 am • GRB Community Room
This is a lapsit storytime for babies 0-12 months. Walk-ins welcome!
Toddler Storytime
Wednesdays, March 5 & 19 • 10:15 am – 10:35 am & 11:00 am – 11:20 am • GRB Community Room
This is a toddler storytime for ages 12-36 months. Registration required.
Preschool Storytime
Thursdays, March 6 & 20 • 10:15 am – 11:00 am • GRB Community Room
This is a preschool storytime & craft for ages 3-5 years. Walk-ins welcome!
Newbury Park Toddler Storytime
Thursdays, March 6 & 20 • 10:15 am - 10:35 am • NPL Community Room
This is a toddler storytime for ages 12-36 months. Walk-ins welcome!
Bilingual Pajama Storytime
Monday, March 10 • 6:15 pm – 7:00 pm • GRB Community Room
A bilingual (English/Spanish) storytime & craft for ages 3-5 years. Walk-ins welcome!
Enrichment Playtime
Join us for 30 minutes of unstructured playtime from 10:15 am – 10:50 am.
For babies (0-12 months): Tuesday, March 11 • GRB Community Room
For toddlers (12-36 months): Wednesday, March 12 • GRB Community Room
For preschoolers (3-5 years): Thursday, March 13 • GRB Community Room
For NPL toddlers (12-36 months): Thursday, March 13 • NPL Meeting Room
TWEENS & TEENS
Mic Check
Monday, March 3 • 4:30 pm – 5:30 pm • GRB Community Room
Join us for an interactive program that will help tweens, ages 10-14, boost their communication skills and unleash their creativity through storytelling. Registration required.
Reading Rocks Book Club
Tuesday, March 11 • GRB Children’s Program Room
Rocks (Grades 4-5): 5:30 pm – 6:30 pm
Boulders (Grades 6-8): 6:30 pm – 7:30 pm
Join us monthly to discuss books with strong female characters. This month’s books are Roll With It by Jamie Sumner for Rocks and Just Like That by Gary D Schmidt for Boulders. Registration required.
Learn to Code with Fiero Code
Friday, March 14 • 4:00 pm – 5:00 pm • GRB Technology Training Room
Learn how to set up your own Fiero Code account through the Library and gain access to coding tutorials and learning platforms. It’s recommended to bring your own laptop with WiFi capability, headphones, an email account, and your Library card to get started. For tweens and teens ages 11+. Registration required.
Comics and Manga Club
Tuesday, March 18 • 4:00 pm – 5:00 pm • GRB Technology Training Room
Dive into any comic, manga, or graphic novel! Share your favorites, chat about epic storylines and awesome artwork, and make new friends every third Tuesday of the month. This month’s suggested reading theme is “strong female books.” For grades 6-12. Registration required.
Create Keychain Charms with a 3D Pen
Tuesday, March 25 • 4:00 pm – 5:00 pm • GRB Technology Training Room
Wednesday, March 26 • 4:00 pm – 5:00 pm • NPL Tech Space
Use a 3D Pen to create a charm for a keychain. Just for tweens and teens, grades 6-12. Registration required.
Books for Buttons and Boba
Come to the Library and pick up a “Books for Buttons and Boba” form. Finish a book with more than 200 pages, get a button, and enter for a chance for a Boba gift card. For grades 6-12.
Teen Volunteers Needed
Sign up to help with Homework Help, One-Time Events, Thousand Oaks Teen Advisory League, and other programs and activities at the Library. Go to www.tolibrary.org/teens, set up your CERVIS account, and apply to volunteer for various opportunities.
ADULTS
Conversations with Mom
Tuesdays, March 4, 11, 18 & 25 • 11:00 am – 12:00 pm • GRB Community Room
This free support group is for moms and their newborns to get together, express their joys and concerns, and meet other new moms in the community. Other caregivers, including fathers and grandparents, are welcome to attend the program on the last Tuesday of the month.
The Music of West Africa with Sean Gaskell
Tuesday March 4 • 6:30 pm – 7:30 pm • GRB Community Room
Experience the Music of West Africa with Sean Gaskell and the Kora in a concert and an educational presentation.
Many Voices Book Club
Wednesday, March 5 • 6:30 pm – 7:30 pm • GRB Technology Training Room
Join us in reading and discussing books in a wide variety of genres by authors from a wide variety of cultures. This month’s book is World Running Down by Al Hess. Walk-ins welcome.
Music, Movies, and More
Thursday, March 6 • 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm • NPL Meeting Room
Learn about three free resources you can access from anywhere with your library card and an internet connection: Freegal Music, Kanopy, and Consumer Reports. Registration required.
Free Movie Matinées
Mondays, March 10 & 24 • 1:00 pm – 3:30 pm • GRB Community Room
Catch free movie matinées at the Library! Explore our online schedule to see what's showing, and join us for a fun film outing.
Happily Ever After Book Club
Monday, March 10 • 6:30 pm – 7:30 pm • GRB Technology Training Room
Join us as we chat about our favorite romance novels, where a Happily Ever After (HEA)—or a Happily For Now (HFN)—is always guaranteed. This month’s book is The Spellshop by Sarah Beth Durst. Walk-ins welcome.
Virtual Author Talk - Power of Reset and How to Change What’s Not Working with Author Dan Heath
Wednesday, March 12 • 11:00 am – 12:00 pm • Online
Are you ready for a revolutionary guide to fixing what’s not working—in systems and processes, organizations and companies, and even in our daily lives? Join us for an enlightening conversation with bestselling author Dan Heath as he talks with us about his newest book, Reset: How to Change What’s Not Working.
Open Mic Poetry Nights
Wednesday, March 12 & 26 • 6:00 pm – 7:30 pm • GRB Community Room
Come listen to local poets and share your own work every second and fourth Wednesday of the month in collaboration with The Ventura County Poetry Project.
English as a Second Language (ESL) Conversation Group
Thursday, March 13 • 6:00 pm – 7:00 pm • GRB Technology Training Room
Practice speaking English in an informal and friendly group setting, open to all non-native speakers.
Learn to Code with Fiero Code
Friday, March 14 • 10:00 am – 11:00 am • GRB Technology Training Room
Learn how to set up your own Fiero Code account through the Library and gain access to coding tutorials and learning platforms. It’s recommended to bring your own laptop with WiFi capability, headphones, an email account, and your Library card to get started. For ages 18+. Registration required.
Virtual Author Talk - How Women’s Liberation Transformed America: In Conversation with Clara Bingham
Thursday, March 20 • 11:00 am – 12:00 pm • Online
Join us for a transformative conversation with award-winning journalist and author Clara Bingham as she chats with us about her new book, The Movement: How Women’s Liberation Transformed America, 1963-1973.
Crafternoon
Friday, March 21 • 2:30 pm – 4:00 pm • NPL Meeting Room
Friday, March 28 • 2:30 pm – 4:00 pm • GRB Community Room
Adults are invited to join us at the Library to socialize and make a different craft each month! This month, we will be making a Faux Stained-Glass Bookmarks. Materials provided. Registration required.
Virtual Author Talk - Dreams We Chase: An Author Talk with Novelist Jennifer Weiner
Wednesday, March 26 • 4:00 pm – 5:00 pm • Online
You’re invited to a glimmering conversation with New York Times bestselling author Jennifer Weiner as we chat about the signature emotional depth of her books that have been inspiring readers toward self-discovery for decades. Hearing from the queen of fun herself, we’ll chat with the author about her New York Times bestselling novels, Good In Bed, In Her Shoes, Big Summer, The Breakaway, and many more.
Spanish at Your Library
Wednesdays, March 26 • 5:30 pm – 6:30 pm • GRB Technology Training Room
Advanced & intermediate learners can practice speaking Spanish under the guidance of a language-learning professional.
Ventura College Jazz Ensemble
Saturday, April 5 • 2:00 pm – 4:00 pm • GRB Community Room
Join Fundi Legohn, Director of the Ventura College Jazz Ensemble, and his students for a dynamic performance of classic jazz from different eras.
