El Paso Public Library summer programs

With more than a dozen branches across the city and two bookmobile routes, the El Paso Public Library system works hard to put literature in the hands of El Pasoans. The El Paso Public Library Bookmobile is a library on the go that brings library services to areas of El Paso where one of the library’s branches is not easily accessible. Bookmobile, a van with a mobile Wi-Fi hotspot, offers books, magazines, videos, music CDs and other resources for loan.

Before walking into a library or tracking the route of Bookmobile, anyone can browse the El Paso Library’s online catalogue at ElPasoLibrary.org. With few exceptions, registered cardholders can check out up to 30 books at one time, and most items are loaned for up to three weeks.

El Paso city residents enjoy library services for free, although late fines do apply to both residents and non-residents. Services offered include 400 interactive and informative programs each month. Individual classes are tailored for either child or adult education. Classes taught include Zumba, knitting, quilting, computer basics, chess, adult coloring, French, Spanish, ESL, literacy, GED and citizenship. All 13 El Paso Library branches offer classes.

A calendar of events, which lists the time and location of each class, can be downloaded on the EPPL website or accessed on the El Paso Public Library app available through the Apple App Store or Google Play. Cardholders can also search the library catalogue and access their account on the app.

New to the El Paso Public Library is the Early Literary Initiative, which is geared toward expectant parents. The program incorporates early developmental literacy activities to jumpstart a child’s language development while still in the womb, and educates caregivers on the benefits of reading to their infants. The Early Literary Initiative utilizes the Ritmo audio system, which is designed specifically for in utero development, Belly Books, and music. For registration information, contact the Esperanza Moreno Branch.

On June 10, the EPPL’s Summer Reading Program commences. The two-month program challenges El Pasoans, young and old, to read eight books or read for eight hours depending on each contestant’s reading level. After signing up and participating in the free program, contestants are eligible to win prizes. Moreover, the El Paso Public Library will offer cardholders the chance to read down their fines during the program. For those cardholders who successfully complete the summer reading program between June 10 and Aug. 5, they will be eligible to have their fines reduced.

Another summer program soon to kickoff on June 10 is Movies at the Library. A Westside event, Movies at the Library brings movie screenings to the library every other Saturday of the month at 2 p.m. until Aug. 19.

This summer, the El Paso Public Library will partner with Sun Metro and the United Way to offer young people free transportation on Sun Metro buses throughout the summer. Thanks to the Summer Youth Transportation Program, young El Pasoans can use free bus passes to ride to events at the libraries, the zoo, museums, rec centers or other events in the city. To sign up, contact staff at any branch.

Please refer to this list of locations to discover which branch is closest to you.

Library Branches by area of town

Westside

EPCC Northwest Campus Community Library

6701 S. Desert Blvd.

(915) 831-8840

Dorris Van Doren

551 Redd Rd.

(915) 212-0440

Westside

125 Belvidere

(915) 212-0445

Downtown

Main Library

501 N. Oregon

(915) 212-READ

Armijo Library

620 E. 7th Street

(915) 212-0369

Central

Memorial Park

3200 Copper

(915) 212-0448

Clardy Fox

5515 Robert Alva

(915) 212-0456

Northeast

Richard Burges

9600 Dyer

(915) 212-0317

East

José Cisneros

1300 Hawkins

(915) 212-0450

Irving Schwartz

1865 Dean Martin

(915) 212-0315

Esperanza Acosta Moreno

12480 Pebble Hills

(915) 212-0442

Lower Valley

Judge Edward S. Marquez

610 N. Yarbrough

(915) 212-0600

Sergio Troncoso Branch

9321 Alameda

(915) 212-0453

By Meagan O’Toole-Pitts