Tag archives: Santa Barbara Public Library

A new era for the Santa Barbara Public Library recently began as the City Council approved a $9.3 million contract for the construction of the new Michael Towbes Plaza. “The Library Plaza Campaign has made evident the importance of the public-private partnership that our City and County must continue to invest in and foster to […]

Spring is almost here and the Montecito Library is keen to bring back some weekly programs for younger children! Our answer? Stay and Play, an outdoor opportunity for little ones to play and their grownups to chill. No rushing to get anywhere at a certain time or abrupt transitions, just a wide window of time […]

In a perfect universe there would be unlimited funds and proactive civil, charitable and political involvement on the Hot Springs Trail issue that seems to engender such considerable interest on the part of Bryan Rosen. No one can reasonably dispute that his desire to clean up the trail from potentially dangerous and unsightly impediments makes […]

The magic of the printed word is its lasting legacy. Books help preserve the wisdom of the past for the future, and if that is the case, then libraries can conjure all kinds of enduring impressions with the collective knowledge they contain. Of course, public libraries are more than just a collection of books – […]

It is with great joy that I announce our two new Library Technicians, Kelly and Carli. Starting a few weeks ago, they have been working hard, training on the many facets of public library work and the small branch culture that we cultivate at the Montecito Library. They are looking forward to meeting you! We […]

“A library outranks any other thing a community can do to benefit its people. It is a never-failing spring in the desert.” – Andrew Carnegie In case you think libraries are not exciting or boring, wrong. A group of donors and patrons recently gathered in the Faulkner Gallery for cocktails, moving on to the Santa […]

Race, class, family, and belonging are central themes in Members Only, a novel by local author Sameer Pandya. Accused of racism at both his tennis club and university teaching job, the main character’s experiences provide ample opportunity for readers to use the book as both a mirror and a window.  How do we respond when […]

As the inaugural collaboration between UCSB’s much-lauded Launch Pad artist residency and performance program with Local Theater Company, the Boulder-based leader in new play development, Yellowstone will have a lot of voices shaping its first-ever fully staged reading on Friday, September 24. But for playwright Jennifer Barclay, the process has been playing out for more […]

Our library continues to thrive these days as we move from the intensity of the pandemic and open further. While the Montecito Library has been offering curbside pickup since last July and indoor visits since December, June 15 has ushered in a true feeling of normalcy. While we continue to wear masks indoors, library staff […]

At a hearing last week, the Santa Barbara City Council approved a proposal to name the soon-to-be revitalized library plaza at the Santa Barbara Public Library in honor of the late philanthropist, Michael Towbes.  The project to remodel the plaza, which is located between the library and the Santa Barbara Museum of Art, has been […]

Santa Barbara Public Library is partnering with local organizations and leaders as part of the library’s Book to Action programming, designed to inspire the community to read and discuss a book around important themes, then take action to address community issues. This year’s featured title is The Yellow House by Sarah M. Broom.   Winner […]

As of March 24, Montecito Library has returned to its pre-pandemic staffing and we are overjoyed to be together again! It has been an entire year since the stay-at-home order resulted in the closure of Montecito’s charming and beloved library building. Like most, we had no idea that absolutely everything would change so drastically. Our […]

Winter is coming! Santa Barbara Public Library is transitioning our sidewalk service indoors. Montecito Library will be allowing one household at a time to browse a curated selection of materials inside for 15 minutes.  Grab-n-Go in Montecito will be on Tuesdays from 2 pm to 5 pm, and Thursdays 10 am to 1 pm, starting […]

The Santa Barbara Public Library is excited to announce this fall’s Santa Barbara Reads program, SB Reads: Create! featuring Big Magic: How to Live a Creative Life, and Let Go of Your Fear, by Elizabeth Gilbert.  Free copies of Big Magic, in English and Spanish, will be available to pick up at Central Library’s Book […]

We are thrilled to announce that Sidewalk Service is in full effect at Montecito Library. You can request items using our online catalog (SBPLibrary.org/catalog) or please give us a call to request items with the help of staff (805-969-5063). Once your items are ready, you will be notified via email or phone. You are able […]

The burning question on everyone’s mind is, “When is the library going to open?” Currently, our book drops are open to accept returns on Mondays from 2:30-5:30 pm. We will be rolling out Sidewalk Service to check out holds at this location in early July. This service is currently available at the Central Library for […]

In the absence of open hours and programs, our branch activity has come to a standstill. The Montecito Library has been closed to the public since March 13. That said, you can still access important library services including help with job search, applying for unemployment, answers to your reference questions, book delivery, digital services, and […]

On March 15, one of our town’s world celebrated authors, Pico Iyer, had an open discussion about travel, literature, and what brings people of different cultures together. Roman Baratiak from UCSB Arts & Lectures led the discussion. The free event was at the SB Public Library downtown. Pico is usually quoted for saying, “We travel, […]