Cool Summer Happenings at HPL – City of Houston

HOUSTON - Enjoy your summer at the Houston Public Library (HPL)! There are plenty of exciting and fun events happenings our libaries for kids and adults. Every program is free and open to the public. For more details visit: www.houstonlibrary.org or call 832-393-1313.

Author Talk and Book Signing
Author: Joe Holley
Book: Hurricane Season: The Unforgettable Story of the 2017 Houston Astros and the Resilience of a City
Wednesday, July 18 | 6:30 PM
Julia Ideson Building | 550 McKinney, 77002 | 832-393-1662
Get an inside look to Joe Holley's book Hurricane Season: The Unforgettable Story of the 2017 Houston Astros and the Resilience of a City focusing on the epic seven-game World Series, the front office decisions that built a winning team, and the resilience of the city in the wake of Hurricane Harvey.
RSVP!

JULY

EXHIBIT: Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc.
July 5 - August 4, 2018
Julia Ideson Building | 550 McKinney, 77002 | 832-393-1662
The African American Library at the Gregory School
1300 Victor St., 77019 | 832-393-1440
These gorgeous exhibits feature prominent Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority members who have held national and regional sorority positions in Houston as well as highlight the local chapters community projects.

JUST FOR KIDS! SUMMER READING BLOCK PARTIES
Celebrate the John P. McGovern Summer Reading Program with games, crafts and your neighbors at one of our library block parties.

Friday, July 20
Kendall Neighborhood Library | 2 PM
At Bear Creek Pioneers Park - Pavilion 6 | 3535 War Memorial St, 77084

Thursday, July 26
Morris Frank Library, an HPL Express | 12 PM
10103 Fondren, 77096 | 832-393-2410 (Inside the Brays Oaks Tower Building)

Robinson-Westchase Neighborhood Library | 5:30 PM
3223 Wilcrest, 77042 | 832-393-2011

Saturday, July 28
Henington-Alief Regional Library | 2 PM
7979 South Kirkwood, 77072 | 832-393-1820

THE LIVING ROOM AT HPL

Block Party! - A Taste of Africa
Saturday, July 28 | 1 PM
Henington-Alief Regional Library | 7979 South Kirkwood, 77072 | 832-393-1820

The Living Room at HPL presents “A Taste of Africa”. Join us as we celebrate the African Diaspora through culture, cuisine, and entertainment. Bring your taste buds to sample different African food, explore various African culture and art and be entertained by African inspired music.

Cool Family and Local History, Facts and More at our Special Collections Library
Insane Asylum Research: Tips and Tricks
Saturday, July 14 | 10:30 AM
Clayton Library Center for Genealogical Research | 5300 Caroline, 77004
832-393-2600
Unlock the mysteries of family history by diving into census records, news articles, cemetery and death records and more on relatives who were committed to asylums.

DAR Day
Saturday, July 21 | 10:30 AM
Clayton Library Center for Genealogical Research | 5300 Caroline, 77004
832-393-2600
Ever wonder how to join the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR)? Representatives from local DAR chapters will be at Clayton Library for consultation and research help in preparing lineage papers for submission to the DAR. No reservations required. Adults/Teens.

August

HPLQ Author Presentation
Author: Attica Locke
Wednesday, August 29 | 7 PM
Houston Chronicle Building | 4747 Southwest Freeway, 77027 | 713 220-7171
Join local award winning author Attica Locke who will discuss her titillating thriller, Bluebird Bluebird, rural noir suffused with the unique music, color, and nuance of East Texas.
RSVP!

Author Talk and Book Signing
Mimi Swartz in conversation with Maggie Galehouse
Tuesday, August 7 | 6:30 PM
Julia Ideson Building | 550 McKinney, 77002 | 832-393-1662
Learn about the fascinating intricacies of your beating ticker as Mimi Swartz discusses her book Ticker: The Quest to Create an Artificial Heart
RSVP!

EXHIBIT: Fashion Fusion - Inspired by Oscar de la Renta
August 19 - September 30, 2018
This exhibition features garments from the fourth annual Fashion Fusion, a competition that challenged Houston Community College (HCC) fashion students and alumni to design original outfits inspired by The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston's recent exhibition, The Glamour and Romance of Oscar de la Renta.

Fashion Fusion Exhibit Opening and Fashion Designer Panel Discussion
Fashions Inspired by Oscar de la Renta
Sunday, August 19 | 1 PM
Central Library | 1st Floor Gallery | 500 McKinney, 77002 | 832-393-1313
Meet the designers who were inspired by the magnificent designs of Oscar de la Renta to create a collection in the HCC Fashion Design program in collaboration with the Museum of Fine Arts.

South and North of the Border: Houston Paints Mexico
August 25 - November 10
Julia Ideson Building | 550 McKinney, 77002 | 832-393-1662
Texas and Mexico are neighbors who have been intertwined economically, culturally and imaginatively for centuries. Starting in earnest in the 1920s, Houstonians joined the growing numbers of American artists making the journey south. This exhibition showcases the experiences of early Houston artists and how their travels in Mexico influenced their later work.

Cool Family and Local History, Facts and More
Genealogy Online: Ancestry.com Library Edition
Saturday, August 4 | 10:30 AM
Clayton Library Center for Genealogical Research | 5300 Caroline, 77004
832-393-2600
Join us for an introduction to the website Ancestry.com, the Library Edition, available for use at all Houston Public Library locations. Learn to navigate the home page and find the records you need out of Ancestry’s16 billion digitized records and indexes. Bring a laptop if you wish to follow along during the class. Class size is limited. Reservations required, please call 832-393-2600. Adults/Teens.

SEPTEMBER

7th Annual LibroFest
Saturday, September 29 | 12 PM
Central Library - Barbara Bush Literacy Plaza | 500 McKinney, 77002
832-393-1313
Celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month through fashion, books and fun! Attend the annual fest to learn about the beauty of the Hispanic culture with activities and sights that the entire family will enjoy.

Activities in partnership with the Houston Metropolitan Research Center during LibroFest:

Book Snake Craft
Make a Book Snake with the Houston Metropolitan Research Center! A Book Snake is a weight for holding books open. Children and their families will enjoy this fun and easy craft while learning basic techniques for handling books with care.

Anthropoeia, Writer's Workshop
Searching for a story? Find inspiration in the archive! Join us for a writer’s workshop at the Houston Metropolitan Research Center. Archivists will share the hidden gems among family records and historical documents. Hear from Lupe Mendez, poet and founder of Tintero Projects, as he shares how a diary, a map, and newspaper clippings inspired his anthropoeia.

The Living Room at HPL

Celebrate Mexico's Independence Day
Saturday, September 5 | 12 PM
Collier Regional Library | 6200 Pinemont, 77092 | 832-393-1740
Celebrate Mexico's Independence Day featuring traditional dance, live music and Mexican food!

Celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month
Learn about our Hispanic community's heritage, with live performances, fun activities, and food!

Saturday, September 22 | 10 AM
Vinson Neighborhood Library | 3810 West Fuqua, 77045 | 832-393-2120

Saturday, September 29 | 10:30 AM
Heights Neighborhood Library | 1302 Heights Blvd., 77008 | 832-393-1810
Learn about our Hispanic community's heritage, with live performances, fun activities, and food!

Cool Family and Local History, Facts and More
Rare Books Room Showcase
Thursday, September 6 | 6:30 PM
Julia Ideson Building | 550 McKinney, 77002 | 832-393-1662
Houston Metropolitan Research Center (HMRC) will showcase interesting and unique items from their Rare Books Room collection. This event will offer exclusive access to materials normally restricted for preservation purposes. This is a rare opportunity for our customers to see, touch, and learn about precious treasures in our collection.

Grandparents Day Celebration
Saturday, September 8
Clayton Library Center for Genealogical Research

Show & Tell: Stories of Houston’s Mujeres
Thursday, September 20 | 6 PM
Julia Ideson Building | 550 McKinney, 77002 | 832-393-1662
Hispanic women have shaped Houston in significant, and often underappreciated, ways. Join the Houston Metropolitan Research Center to see unique items that reflect the vibrant history of Hispanic women in Houston. This pop-up exhibit is a special opportunity to see, touch, and learn about the Hispanic Archival Collections at the Houston Public Library.

From Shoeboxes to Clouds: Preserving Your Own Digital Archives
Thursday, September 27 | 6:30 PM
Julia Ideson Building | 550 McKinney, 77002 | 832-393-1662
We all create tons of digital files, and many of them aren’t made for the long-term use. But, what about those that we want to keep? How do we ensure they remain accessible over time? Join the Houston Metropolitan Research Center (HMRC) archivists to learn about best practices for caring for your personal digital archives.

About the Houston Public Library
The Houston Public Library (HPL) operates 37 neighborhood libraries, three HPL Express Libraries, a Central Library, the Houston Metropolitan Research Center, the Clayton Library Center for Genealogical Research, The African American Library at the Gregory School, and the Parent Resource Library located in the Children’s Museum of Houston. With more than eight million visits per year in person and online, HPL is committed to excellent customer service and equitable access to information and programs by providing library customers with free use of a diverse collection of printed materials and electronic resources, Internet, laptop and computer use, and a variety of database and reference resources with live assistance online 24/7.

For further information, visit the Houston Public Library at www.houstonlibrary.org, on Twitter @houstonlibrary, on Facebook – houstonlibrary or call 832-393-1313.