Altadena Library District

E-CONNECT | DECEMBER 2025 UPDATE FROM THE ALTADENA LIBRARIES

Altadena Main Library closes early at 2 p.m on Saturday, Dec. 6 for the Christmas Tree Lane Lighting Ceremony.

All Altadena Library District locations 
(Main, Bob Lucas, and Loma Alta Park site) 
will be closed on
Wednesday, Dec. 24, 
Thursday, Dec. 25,
Thursday, Jan. 1, 2026.

We have a NEW app!

Search our catalog, 
listen to a new audiobook (for FREE), 
discover new music, 
learn new skills through Linkedin Learning,
get homework help from an online tutor 
explore upcoming events and more!
 
To download our app, search for "Altadena Library District" in the Apple App Store or on Google Play! You can also stop by the Info Desk for our app reference one-pager!

Winter Clothing Rack Swap
Dec. 1-31
Altadena Library at Loma Alta Park
For the month of December, our satellite location at Loma Alta Park will house a clothing rack for a community clothes swap (adult sizes only)! Participants can donate their clothes at the Loma Alta Park site. All the donated clothes will be free to take.
 
Guidelines for swap:
  • Each person may only donate three items
  • Each person may only take three items
  • All items must be gently used and clean
  • Items must be donated at the satellite library location at Loma Alta Park
  • You do NOT have to donate items to take items
  • All items are FREE
 
What we're taking:
Shirts
Pants
Jackets and Coats
Sweaters
Sweatpants/shirts
Dresses & Skirts
What we're NOT taking: 
Shoes
Accessories
Socks & Underwear
Shorts
Pajamas
Children’s Clothing

   

English Classes (English as a Second Language)
Monday-Thursday every week • 10:30am-12pm Bob Lucas Memorial Library, 2659 N Lincoln Ave

Build your English fluency to help work through everyday situations. Our casual, small group sessions are designed for beginning English learners. Classes are free and in person. To sign up, call (626) 798-0833 x 102.
 
   

Stop by the Main Library Reading Court to explore the exhibition
Mt. Lowe Railway: "The Greatest Mountain Railway Trip in the World"

Open Mic Night
Monday, Dec. 1 • 6-7:30pm
Main Library Community Room, 600 E. Mariposa

Come share your music, story, or latest spoken word poem! We'll spend the evening cheering on our neighbors' work. All ages and genres welcome.
 
Open Mic Night flyer

Tech Tuesday:
Online Safety: Scams, Phishing, Privacy, and Anonymity
Tuesday, Dec. 2 • 6-7pm
Main Library Community Room 
Tuesday, Dec. 9 • 4-5pm
Altadena Library at Loma Alta Park

Learn about scam tactics and security methods to protect yourself with skills taught at this seminar.
Art + Connections for Families flyer

Meditate with Amy Virtually!
Tuesday, Dec. 2 
7-7:30pm on Zoom

Meditate with Amy Rutledge Virtually! Join us for a guided 1/2 hour meditation via Zoom. Be kind to yourself and chill with us for 30 minutes!
Register for Virtual Meditation with Amy Rutledge

Seed Processing Workshop
Wednesday, Dec. 3
4-5:30pm 
Altadena Library at the Loma Alta Park

Learn how to process seeds at this hands-on workshop! Led by Nina Raj of the Altadena Seed Library project. *We’ll be working with soil, so wear clothes you’re comfortable getting dirty!

Older Adult Grief & Loss flyer

Discover Your Passion
Older Adult Workshop

Thursday, Dec. 4
10-11am
Bob Lucas Library
Invest one hour in your self-care by joining us to welcome L.A. County of Department of Mental Health Mental Wellness Promoter, Monique Juarez present strategies and tips. 

Book Bedazzling for Teens

Thursday, Dec. 4
4-6pm
Main Library Community Room
Bring your own favorite (paperback) book to bedazzle! All supplies will be provided - we will have some extra books on hand. Registration is required! This program is for Teens 13-18 years old, only.
Register for Book Bedazzling

Watercolor Holiday Cards
Thursday, Dec. 4 • 4-5:30pm
Altadena Main Library Community Room

Join us for a festive watercolor card-making class, where you'll craft beautiful, personalized holiday greetings. Perfect for beginners, this joyful event is all about embracing your artistic flair while spreading cheer with handmade cards. Class led by Jennifer Hafner of https://artflowpasadena.weebly.com/ Ages 18+
Register for Watercolor Holiday Cards
Holiday Card Watercolor Workshop flyer

Music & Movement
Friday, Dec. 5 & 19 • 10:30-11:30am
Main Library Community Room

Children ages 0-5 and their caregivers are invited to join us for Music & Movement! Through songs, dancing, and free exploration of musical instruments, little ones will develop early literacy skills and have the opportunity to discover rhythm and sound!
Music & Movement flyer

Mad Science: Fire & Ice
Friday, Dec. 5 • 4-5pm
Bob Lucas Library

Join us for an interactive and educational science show presented by Mad Science. Fire & Ice is an interactive show that includes fascinating science demonstrations with air pressure, fire, bubbling potions, and more!
 
Message Mori flyer

Huntington Health  Health Screenings
Monday, Dec. 8
10am-12pm
Main Library
Come and receive free health counseling and screenings by a registered nurse.
  • No appointment/registration is necessary.
  • Personal health guidance
  • Hypertension (high blood pressure) screening
  • Diabetes (high blood sugar) risk assessment and screening (min. 2 hour fasting)
  • Medical and social services and referrals
  • Health promotion literature and resources

Winter Sensory Play (Ages 0-5)
Monday, Dec. 8 • 11am-12pm
Altadena Main Library Community Room 

Winter Sensory Play graphic

Adult Dungeons & Dragons: A Library Adventure

Monday, Dec. 8 • 6-7:30pm 
Main Library Small Meeting Room

Register for a game of adventure and fun! Beginners and seasoned players welcome. Sign up for each session!
Register for D&D

Bilingual Lotería at Bob Lucas
Tuesday, Dec. 9 • 4-5:30pm
Main Library Community Room

Join us for a fun-filled Altadena Library-themed Lotería event in English & Spanish!
Come play a few rounds of Lotería & maybe win a prize. Light refreshments will be served. Space is limited, and registration required.
Register for Lotería
Canva Design Workshop flyer

Stuffy Sleepover!

Tuesday, Dec. 9 • 6pm
Altadena Main Library Community Room

Bring your favorite stuffed animal for a special Stuffy Sleepover at the Library! Children ages 0-5 are invited to enjoy a cozy PJ Storytime before saying goodnight to their stuffed friend, who will spend the night having fun at the Library. Come back the next day to pick up your stuffy and receive a special scrapbook filled with photos of their overnight adventures. 
Bilingual Storytime flyer

Community Food Distribution
Wednesday, Dec. 10 • 11am-12pm
Main Library Parking Lot

Stop by the Altadena Library to pick up a bag of fresh produce, courtesy of Hollywood Food Coalition on Dec. 10.
 
Supplies are limited, first come, first served! If you can, please bring your own extra bags!
 
The mission of Hollywood Food Coalition is to nourish the community by rescuing and distributing food, preparing nightly meals, and uniting efforts to achieve food equity.

Gift Making Workshop

Wednesday, Dec. 10
4-5pm
Main Library Community Room

Come make a bag charm or a friendship bracelet for a friend or family member (or just for yourself).
 
For ages 8-12.
 
Supplies are limited.
Bilingual Storytime flyer

Altadena Poets Laureate A Wall Is Just a Wall + Open Mic
Wednesday, Dec. 10 • 6-7:30pm
Main Library Community Room

Featuring Olga Garcia Echeverría, Iyatunde Folayan, traci kato-kiriyama, Jessica Kashiwabara & more; Hosted by Seba Sarwar and Lester Graves Lennon
 
Poets will share work inspired by Assata Shakur's historic line, "a wall is just a wall, one that has new meaning given Assata's recent passing, the continued devastation caused by the Eaton fire, rising walls along borders, and ICE invasions; community members are invited to share about any subject at the open mic.
 
This event will be livestreamed at youtube.com/ AltadenaLibrary.
 
Supported by Friends of the Altadena Library, the Altadena Library Foundation, Octavia's Bookshelf, Academy of American Poets, and Poets & Writers.
 
Altadena Poets Laureate flyer

Ruckus Roots
Wild Art & Wellness
Come make art, build community, and learn about local ecology with RuckusRoots and guest facilitator, Teresa Totaro! This educational and creative workshop series for kids and parents will incorporate accessible wellness practices such as breathing and yoga, with art projects themed around plants and animals that assist with land restoration after wildfires.
Thursday, Dec. 11
3:30-5pm
Main Library Community Room
THE FIRST WORKSHOP WILL USE PRINTMAKING TO EXPLORE LOCAL ANIMALS WHO AID IN LAND RESTORATION.
Register for Dec. 11
Thursday, Dec. 18
3:30-5pm
Main Library Community Room
THE SECOND WORKSHOP WILL USE DRAWING TECHNIQUES TO HIGHLIGHT THE BEAUTY OF FIRE-RESILIENT CA WILDFLOWERS. MATERIALS PROVIDED.
Register for Dec. 18
Crossword Cafe flyer

Heartthrob Hangout Book Club
Thursday, Dec. 11 • 4:30-5:30pm
Main Library Small Meeting Room

Check out our newest book club and join us for a monthly discussion of a selected romance novel. This month's romance pick: "The Most Wonderful
Crime of the Year" by Ally Carter
Heartthrob Hangout flyer

DIY Felt Photo Holders for Teens

Friday, Dec. 12
4-5:30pm 
Altadena Library at Loma Alta Park

Come make some DIY Felt Photo Holders! You can turn them into magnets for your fridge or ornaments for the holidays!
 
Supplies are limited.
 
For Teens 13-18 years old, only.

CHP Toy Giveaway & 
Author Visit by Nell Cross Beckerman
Saturday, Dec. 13, Main Library
 CHP Toy Giveaway - 9am-12pm 
in library parking lot
 Author Talk - 10:30-11:30am
 in the Community Room
 
Come early to the CHP toy giveaway, then join us as children’s author Nell Cross Beckerman reads her new book, “Forests,” and an arborist from Altadena Green leads a family friendly talk about special trees around the library. For families, while supplies last. 
 
How You Can Support Our Community
From Nov. 19-Dec. 19, CHP is collecting new unwrapped toys for all ages. You can drop off toys at: 
  • CHP Altadena Station, 2130 N. Windsor Ave 
  • Altadena Main Library, 600 E. Mariposa 
  • Bob Lucas Library, 2659 Lincoln Ave
Creative College Pathways flyer

Food For Thought: A Recipe Preservation Workshop
Saturday, Dec. 13 • 1-3pm
Main Library Community Room

Join us for an afternoon workshop about recording and sharing recipes in community. Open to all who would like to create art, meet neighbors, swap recipes, and tell stories.
Consider bringing along a favorite recipe or a good food memory to share. Craft supplies will be provided!
 
This workshop will also provide an in-person opportunity to upload your recipe to the Altadena Cooks website as well as receiving free cookware, supplies are limited.
 
Registration is required.
 
With support from Direct Relief, the Altadena Library District is partnering with local organizations to offer workshops, trainings, and other activities for all ages that promote community health and well-being in the aftermath of the Eaton Fire. The funding will also help create a collection of wellness materials and supplies available for patrons to access during their visits. In addition, plans include hosting a mental health fair featuring engaging, evidence-based activities designed to support emotional resilience and connection.
Register for Food for Thought
Fire & Ice Workshop Flyer

Odyssey Games x Altadena Teens

Saturday, Dec. 13
2-4pm
Odyssey Games:
1795 E Colorado Blvd, Pasadena, CA 91106

Come meet us at Odyssey Games & play some games with other Teens! Each Teen will walk away with their own game.
 
For Teens 13-18 years old, only.
 
Registration is required, limited space available. Liability form must be signed by teen & parent/guardian to attend/participate in this off-site program.

Bilingual Storytime

Saturday, Dec. 13
3-4pm • Altadena Library at Loma Alta Park

Join us as we welcome Families in Schools as they share stories that span English and Spanish language and culture. Book bags with high quality books will be provided for children ages 4-8.
Bilingual Storytime flyer

Second Saturday: Rhythms of the Village Family Band
Saturday, Dec. 13 • 6:30-8:30pm
Main Library, 600 E. Mariposa

Free concert. Food and drinks will be available for purchase. This is an indoor event. Due to its popularity, please register for the event and we recommend you arrive early.
 
Sponsored by the Friends of the Altadena Library and the Altadena Library Foundation.
Register for Second Saturday
Second Saturday Dance Dance Evolution flyer

   

Want to find out more about our Board? 
Come in person to our Regular Meeting of the Altadena Library Board of Trustees on Monday, Dec. 15 • 5pm in the
Altadena Main Library Community Room
or join us virtually at 
https://www.youtube.com/AltadenaLibrary

   

Holiday Cookie Decorating for Tweens

Tuesday, Dec. 16
6-7pm 
Main Library Community Room

Tweens ages 8-12 are invited to decorate festive cookies using icing, sprinkles, and more! All supplies will be provided and available on a first-come, first-served basis.

Consumer Law Clinic
Wednesday, Dec. 17 • 2:30-5:30pm
Altadena Main Library

Meet with an attorney for free about consumer law issues. Consumer law issues may include but are not limited to fraud, debt collection, foreclosure, and home improvement loans. No appointment necessary. Walk-ins welcome!
 
Featuring Neelanjana Banerjee, Teresa Mei Chuc, Hazel Clayton Harrison, Jimmy Vega, workshop participants & more  Poets will read along the theme of Fire & ICE, a continuation of the poetry started at the October 11 workshop led by Teresa Mei Chuc; workshop participants are invited to share at the open mic.

Winter Family Storytime
Wednesday, Dec. 17
4pm
Bob Lucas Library

We'll have fun with books, songs, and rhymes that encourage development and bonding. A 30-minute self-directed craft will follow storytime.
 
 

 
DIY Holiday Keychains
Thursday, Dec. 18
11am-12pm
Main Library Community Room
Join us for a morning of creating your own holiday keychain. We will provide supplies so you can add your own unique personalization. Ages 18+
 
 

 
Teen Volunteer Orientation
Thursday, Dec. 18, 5-5:30 p.m.,
Main Library Teen Space.
Teens (ages 13-18) are invited to volunteer and can earn service hours. Drop-ins welcome! Learn more at https://www.altadenalibrary.org/teens
 

Pacific Opera Project Presents: "Cinderella Story"
Saturday, Dec. 20 • 11am
Main Library Community Room

POP’s iconic mashup opera “Cinderella Story” is coming to Altadena! This family-friendly, one-hour comedy combines music from "La Cenerentola, "Cendrillion," and the Rodgers and Hammerstein musical. "Cinderella Story" is performed in English with live piano accompaniment.
Ofrenda flyer

True Crime All The Time Virtual Book Club

 

Saturday, Dec. 27, 4-5 p.m.

Zoom

 

Book: "A Treasury of Victorian Murder Compendium II" by Rick Geary  

Sign up

Chess Night
Every Monday
5:30-7:30pm
Main Library Reading Court

 
December Craft Calendar
Dec. 1-31
Main Library Children's Room
Celebrate the winter season in the Children's Room! Come by each day to pick up a winter-themed craft kit!
 
 

Help Us Paint a Community Mural
Friday, Jan. 23 - Sunday, Jan. 25
Various 2-Hour Sessions Available
Bob Lucas Library

Bring your family, friends & neighbors to paint a community mural at Bob Lucas Library!
Artist Edgar Arceneaux will lead the sessions, and all ages and all skill levels are invited. Register for a session at AltadenaLibrary.org/programs.
Ofrenda flyer

Friends' Library Book Store Closes Sat., Dec. 6
The Book Store at Altadena Main Library will reopen when the Library’s renovation is complete.
 
The Friends of the Altadena Library will hold their LAST BOOK SALE during the Christmas Tree Lane Lighting Ceremony & Winter Festival on Saturday, Dec. 6 from 3 to 9 p.m.

“We are truly grateful for your wonderful support — it has meant so much to all of us. We look forward to welcoming you back and sharing more great books when the Book Store reopens. Thank you for being part of our library community.” — The Friends of the Altadena Library Book Store
Altadena Library Foundation strengthens the mission and resources of the libraries through fundraising and advocacy. Learn more at
The Friends of the Altadena Library stimulate public interest, assist with funding to purchase materials, and support cultural and educational programs. Become a member at

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Main Library
600 E. Mariposa Street, Altadena, CA  91001
Phone: (626) 798-0833
 
 
Monday & Tuesday
10:00am-8:00pm
Wednesday – Friday
10:00am-6:00pm
Saturday
10:00am-4:00pm
 
Bob Lucas Memorial Library & Literacy Center
2659 Lincoln Avenue, Altadena, CA  91001
 
Monday – Friday 
10:00am-6:00pm
Altadena Library 
at Loma Alta Park*
3330 N. Lincoln Avenue
Altadena, California 91001
 
Monday – Friday 
10:00am-6:00pm
Saturday 
10:00am-4:00pm
 
 

 

*Altadena Library at Loma Alta Park is located in the park’s Social Hall. The Social Hall is a unit of the County of Los Angeles Department of Parks and Recreation System.

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