Summer Reading Program 2023

Create a Summer Showpiece--Clay Wave Pendant 

Registration Period: June 9-23

Pickup Party: Wednesday, July 5, 6-7 pm

Library Conference Room

Using polymer clay and a special twisting technique, design a beautiful ocean-inspired pendant. Use wire to create a bale and then bake your creation in an oven to harden the clay. Thread your pendant on the leather thong included in your kit and wear it all summer long. This is a perfect class for beginner and intermediate level crafters, requiring manipulation of clay and wire construction to complete. Light refreshments wil be provided. Space is limited. Registration with a Paso Robles Library card is required for each participant. For ages 16+.

Join the Discussion: The Soul of an Octopus by Sy Montgomery

Wednesday, June 21, 6-7 pm

Library Conference Room

In pursuit of the wild, solitary, predatory octopus, popular naturalist Sy Montgomery has practiced true immersion journalism. From New England aquarium tanks to the reefs of French Polynesia and the Gulf of Mexico, she has befriended octopuses with strikingly different personalities. By turns funny, entertaining, touching, and profound, The Soul of an Octopus reveals what octopuses can teach us about the meeting of two vastly different minds. This title is available in various formats through the catalog. Space is limited. Registration is required for each participant. For ages 16+. 

Wish You Were Here: Australia 

Wednesday, June 28, 6-7 pm

Library Conference Room

Travel through Australia by plane, train, automobile, and boat with avid traveler Carol Singleton! From the outback to the country’s major cities to the Great Barrier Reef – you will see all sides of Australia, experiencing vast landscapes, learning about the indigenous culture, and enjoying the natural beauty of the national parks. If you have ever wanted to visit Australia, Carol’s comprehensive tour will ensure this country will be added to your bucket list. Space is limited. Registration is required for each attendee. For ages 16+.

Bring the Sea Inside with Colorful Macramé Fish

Registration Period: July 7-21

Pickup Party: August 2, 6-7 pm

Library Conference Room

Round out the ocean-themed Summer Reading Program—Dive into Summer—by making a fish wall hanging to display. Using the square knot, double half hitch, and lark’s head knots, learn to add various colors of macramé cord to create a colorful fish like the one depicted. The fish can be hung from the wooden ring included in the kit. This is a perfect class for beginning and intermediate level knot crafters. Light refreshments will be provided. Space is limited. Registration with a Paso Robles Library card is required for each participant. For ages 16+.

Join the Discussion: The Island of Sea Women by Lisa See 

Wednesday, July 19, 6-7 pm

Library Conference Room

Mi-ja and Young-sook, two girls living on the Korean island of Jeju, are best friends who come from vastly different backgrounds. When they are old enough, they begin working in the sea with their village’s all-female diving collective. As the girls start their positions as divers, they know they are beginning a life of excitement and responsibility—but also danger. Little do the two friends know that forces outside their control will push their friendship to the breaking point. This title is available in various formats through the catalog. Space is limited. Registration is required for each participant. For ages 16+. 

Friends of the Elephant Seal 

Wednesday, August 9, 6-7 pm

Library Conference Room

August is the perfect time of year to see male elephant seals with their outstanding noses! The Central Coast Friends of the Elephant Seal will present information about what is happening with the seals in the summer (and throughout the year). Enjoy an evening featuring our favorite local pinniped! Space is limited. All ages are welcome. Registration is required for each attendee.

Join the Discussion: Remarkably Bright Creatures by Sharon Van Pelt

Wednesday, August 16, 6-7 pm

Library Conference Room

After Tova Sullivan’s husband dies, she begins working the night shift at the Sowell Bay Aquarium, mopping floors, and tidying up. Keeping busy has always helped her cope, which she’s been doing since her eighteen-year-old son, Erik, mysteriously vanished. Tova becomes acquainted with curmudgeonly Marcellus, a giant Pacific octopus living at the aquarium. Marcellus knows more than anyone can imagine but wouldn’t dream of lifting one of his eight arms for his human captors—until he forms a remarkable friendship with Tova. This title is available in various formats through the catalog. Space is limited. Registration is required for each participant. For ages 16+. 

Learn about Local Tidepools 

Wednesday, August 23, 5:30-6:30 pm

Library Conference Room

If you have ever wondered what you were seeing as you gazed into a tidepool, this presentation by Central Coast Aquarium staff is sure to answer all your questions. Best of all, you will be able to observe live tidepools dwellers; the Aquarium is bringing their mobile tidepool to the library! Space is limited. All ages are welcome. Registration is required for each attendee.