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Senior Health Fair
Benjamin L. Hooks Central Library
Jul. 18 11 AM – 3 PM
This event is aimed at informing, educating, and providing health care resources and health information to seniors. It is FREE to vendors and participating seniors.
Summer Camps 2025
Register Today!
The Memphis Public Library’s 2025 summer camps offer a dynamic array of free, STEAM-focused programs designed for teens. Participants can engage in hands-on experiences such as robotics, filmmaking, and music production, fostering creativity and skill development throughout the summer.
Explore Memphis – Color Our World
June 1 – July 31
Read during the summer to earn prizes, with grand prize drawings at the end of the summer. New this year, groups will have the opportunity to compete for a grand prize as well! Check in at your local library to learn more.
Teen Arts Festival
Submissions Open Now!
June 3 – Aug 31
This prestigious show, funded by Friends of the Library, celebrates the talent of young artists through a juried art exhibition. This provides artists ages 13-19 the opportunity to showcase their art to the Memphis/Shelby County and surrounding areas. Accepted artwork in the following forms: paintings, drawings, original prints, fiber art, ceramics, sculpture, photography, and graphic design.
Japanese Culture Club
Benjamin L. Hooks Central Library
Second Saturday of the Month
10:30 AM – 12 PM
Join us for MPL’s Japanese Culture Club! This monthly meeting will be dedicated to the appreciation of Japanese culture. The club will focus on immersing attendees in Japanese customs and traditions as well as popular culture in a fun and engaging environment.
Dungeons and Dragons 101
Officer Geoffrey Redd Library
Wednesdays in June and July, 1 PM – 4 PM
Want to learn how to play D&D? Join us every Wednesday in June & July in the Teen Loft as an experienced DM will lead a quest designed for beginners (though teens with all experience levels are welcome to join). Everything you need will be provided.
From Homegoing to History
Benjamin L. Hooks Central Library
Jul. 26, 1 PM – 2:30 PM
The History Department is excited to launch the Funeral Program Collection, a new digital genealogy resource that preserves the stories found in homegoing service programs. This collection honors our ancestors and offers valuable insight for researchers, families, and the community, with special remarks by Rosalind Withers and a presentation by Teresa Mays of the Afro-American Historical and Genealogical Society.
I Read That Movie @ The Library – Babe
Benjamin L. Hooks Central Library
Jul. 26, 2 PM – 5 PM
For July, our “page-to-screen” book club, I Read That Movie @ the Library, features a book selection and movie that can be enjoyed by the whole family. We are reading the 1983 children’s book Babe, the Gallant Pig by Dick King-Smith. Originally titled The Sheep-Pig in England, the story centers around a young piglet, won at the fair by a farmer, that learns a new and unique set of skills in order to become a valuable part of the farm’s operations.
French for Beginners
Cordova Branch
Mondays from Jun. 9 – Jul. 28, 5:30 PM – 6:30 PM
Learn French for free in this beginner-friendly class for adults! Instructional materials provided at the start of every class. No registration needed.
MPL Unbound
A Publication of the Memphis Library Foundation
The second issue of MPL UNBOUND is out now! In this issue, we explore the unexpected ways the Memphis Library Foundation supports the library’s mission, how libraries serve democracy, and pay tribute to Orange Mound and its first library branch. Free print copies are available at any branch or digitally right here!
Library of Things
Brand new THINGS have been added to the catalog! Check them out today!
Memphis Public Libraries lends non-traditional items, too! You can try before you buy, discover a new hobby, or borrow a device you’ll only need to use once. Kits include Camping, Karaoke, Yard Games, Outdoor Movies, and Nature Exploration.
Activate Your 901 Pass as a Library Card
Do you have a 901 Pass card and would like to use it to access the Memphis Public Libraries? Check here on how we can activate that for you!
MPL Repair Cafe
We are excited to announce that Memphis Public Library will be hosting regular Repair Days in 2025 in partnership with the international Repair Café organization! If you have special skills and would like to volunteer for this effort, let us know here! Our next Repair Day will be August 3rd.
Seed Library and Colorcopia
Benjamin L. Hooks Central Library
3rd Tuesdays, 1-2 PM
Join The Dixon Garden and Gallery’s Shawna White for a monthly arts class inspired by the ever changing seasons. In these nature themed arts classes, all you need to bring is your creativity for a great time while having great conversation. All supplies provided; all skill levels welcome!
Creative Aging Programs
Talented professional artists and musicians play, perform and teach at locations where seniors live and gather. Musical performances and hands-on arts workshops reach diverse audiences, improving participants’ cognitive vitality and emotional well-being, and making arts access a reality.
Notary Services
Benjamin L. Hooks Central Library
Starting Wednesdays in August
Memphis Public Libraries provides free notary services to the public during drop-in hours on Wednesdays from noon to 2 pm at the Central Library, located in the Business & Sciences Department on the 3rd floor.
Gardening Programs with Booker T. Leigh
Make your garden the best yet with Memphis Public Libraries gardening programs, hosted by Booker T. Leigh, happening all over the city!
Long Live the King!-Chess Club
Benjamin L. Hooks Central Library
Tuesdays 6 PM – 7:30 PM
Free chess tutorials for all ages. Beginners are invited to learn to play, and veterans are welcome to challenge each other to a friendly match of strategy and tactics. For this event we will meet in our main lobby behind the escalators. Long Live the King!
Keep up with Memphis Public Libraries!
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Library Updates
Memphis Public Libraries @ Mid South Pride Parade
Staff represented Memphis Public Libraries at the Mid-South Pride Parade on Saturday, June 21st! Candy bags were given, bubbles were…
Memphis Public Library Comic Con 2025!
Memphis Public Libraries held our annual Comic Con at the Central Library on Saturday, May 31st! Our special guest was…
On-Going @ Orange Mound: Newborn Jazz and Arts Heritage Festival
The Newborn Jazz and Arts Heritage Festival was held at Orange Mound on May 31! Special guests attending were Memphis…
Whitehaven News: Discover Read Grand Reopening!
The Grand reopening of the Whitehaven Library’s Discover Read area was a great success! First-grade students of Robert R Church…
Virtual Library
Browse all of our Virtual Library offerings here, or access some of our more popular resources.
Start your genealogical journey today!
Have a question you need answered? Or a suggestion for the collection? Start Here!
Search the local newspaper all the way back to 1847.
Check out our online Digital Archives and explore Memphis history through photos and more!
Check out E-books and E-AudioBooks through Libby by OverDrive! You can visit the new Libby site or visit the original OverDrive site.
Our magazine collection has moved to Libby! Check out our collection of current and popular magazines.
The New York Times digital subscription is available at home!
Gale Presents: Udemy is an online learning platform for adults who want to improve work-related skills or further develop a personal interest.
We now offer access to Value Line, a single, cost-effective research package covering multiple asset classes that can transform an average investor into an extremely profitable one.
Visit the Library
Browse all of our locations and special services.
Don’t have a Library Card yet? Start Here and register online.
Need to know how to log into your account or place a hold?
Use Book Bundles and we’ll pick out a bundle of books for your child!
CLOUD901 is a free creative space for Memphis teens (13–18) to explore tech, design, and media with expert help and top gear.
Not everyone can get to the library when it is open or access library resources digitally. Find out more about our Outreach services such as Connect Crew, our special programming team.
Memphis Public Libraries also lends fun kits—like Camping, Karaoke, and Yard Games—to explore hobbies or try gear before you buy.
Need help or want to help? Call 2-1-1 to reach LINC at Memphis Public Library for community resources.
Find out how to reserve meeting room space at our libraries.
Second Editions Bookstore is the place to find gently-used books for sale at great bargain prices.
More About the Library
Donations, Book Sales, Second Editions, Amazon Book Store, and more.
Supporting the Library through private donations and more. See how you can help today!
We have various volunteer opportunities that align with your skills and interest.
Keep up with the Library with these bimonthly reports showcasing some of the events and services we provide daily.
Don’t just hear it from us. See what every one else is saying about the programs and services of the Memphis Public Libraries!