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The library's website will be unavailable on Monday, December 16, from 7 a.m. to 11 a.m. due to scheduled maintenance. We apologize for any inconvenience. 

Tacoma Public Library Homepage

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Share your thoughts! Take TPL’s community… Share your thoughts! Take TPL’s community survey

What is the library you imagine for Tacoma? Does it have weekly science programs for middle-schoolers, a coffee shop inside your favorite branch, or a creative makerspace? Are there more programs for adults? What are they? Whatever your vision is, please take our Community…
What is the library you imagine for Tacoma? Does it have weekly science programs for middle-schoolers, a coffee shop inside your favorite…
Online Resource

NextReads NextReads

Looking for a new favorite book? We'll deliver customized reading lists right to your inbox and you'll be able to link to the…
Looking for a new favorite book? We'll deliver customized reading lists right to your inbox and you'll be able to link to the library catalog to reserve your NextRead!
Event

90-Second Newbery Film Festival 90-Second Newbery Film Festival

Jan 10th
Offsite
CALLING ALL YOUNG FILMMAKERS!  Tacoma Public Library invites kids and teens to submit films to the 90-Second Newbery Film…
CALLING ALL YOUNG FILMMAKERS!  Tacoma Public Library invites kids and teens to submit films to the 90-Second Newbery Film Festival!The deadline for submitting films is January 10, 2020 The Oscar Style Screening Party is on February 29, 2020 Learn more here. This is a…
Event

Cubelets: Modular Robots Cubelets: Modular Robots

Various Locations
Through play and experimentation, Cubelets transform from a block set to robots. Click the magnetic blocks together and each arrangement...
Through play and experimentation, Cubelets transform from a block set to robots. Click the magnetic blocks together and each arrangement results in a sound, light, or motion. There's no wrong way to build! Ages 5 – 18 (manufacturer recommended 8 and up). Required: Helping…
Event

Winter Dreams: a Musical Celebration of… Winter Dreams: a Musical Celebration of the Solstice

Dec 21st | 11:00am - 12:00pm
Fern Hill Branch
Welcome the Solstice with the inspiring sounds of world flute music and global percussion from local artists, Earth Sky Duo.
Welcome the Solstice with the inspiring sounds of world flute music and global percussion from local artists, Earth Sky Duo.
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Did You Know

TPL adopts One System, One Schedule…

11/19/2019

Consumer Reports: Featured eResource…

11/08/2019

Eastside Microlibrary is now open!

10/08/2019

HelpNow: Featured eResource of the…

10/02/2019

New Library Cards Are Here!

09/25/2019

Catalog Carousels

  • New Fiction

Local History

Blogpost

Weakness for Wheaties Weakness for Wheaties

By TacomaLibrary_NW_History
Jim Kittilsby hustles down the empty aisles of the Parkland Piggly Wiggly supermarket on December 11, 1974, pushing a cart piled with Wheaties and Cheerios. He was a man on a mission: to stockpile as many groceries as he was able to in 7 minutes. Mr. Kittilsby had won a…
Jim Kittilsby hustles down the empty aisles of the Parkland Piggly Wiggly supermarket on December 11, 1974, pushing a cart piled with…
Blogpost

Once Upon a Time Before Computers... Once Upon a Time Before Computers...

By TacomaLibrary_NW_History
In December of 1950 Sonia Sawyer, at the Washington State Employment Services office in Tacoma at 112 South 12th Street was photographed demonstrating the department’s large Kardex card file. The system of file cards could be used to quickly match job applicants with employment…
In December of 1950 Sonia Sawyer, at the Washington State Employment Services office in Tacoma at 112 South 12th Street was photographed…
Blogpost

Hell Night at CPS Hell Night at CPS

By TacomaLibrary_NW_History
Although threatened with both humiliation and physical harm by his fraternity brothers, Herman Kleiner survived "Hell Night" at the College of Puget Sound and became a member of Delta Kappa Phi. In this photograph from December of 1939, Johnnie Esthen (left) and Norman…
Although threatened with both humiliation and physical harm by his fraternity brothers, Herman Kleiner survived "Hell Night" at the...
Blogpost

Making a Move Making a Move

By TacomaLibrary_NW_History
An employee of Lyon Van & Storage carefully wraps a chair for transport from Fort Lewis in December, 1951. Sheets of heavy duty wrapping paper were used to swathe furniture prior to it being placed into a large wooden crate filled with soft packing material. The heavy crate…
An employee of Lyon Van & Storage carefully wraps a chair for transport from Fort Lewis in December, 1951. Sheets of heavy duty…
Blogpost

Fairy Tale Motherlode Fairy Tale Motherlode

By TacomaLibrary_NW_History
The second annual Tacoma Fairyland and Christmas Parade was held on November 29, 1935. This tall Mother Goose figure with her billowing blue hoop skirt was actually a float. She was so tall that she could nod to the spectators in the second floor windows of the buildings she…
The second annual Tacoma Fairyland and Christmas Parade was held on November 29, 1935. This tall Mother Goose figure with her billowing…
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Tacoma Reads

Staff List

Tacoma Reads Recommends Tacoma Reads Recommends

recommended by TacomaLibrary
Continue the conversation started by Tacoma Reads 2019. Discover these titles at Tacoma Public Library that explore various Native American experiences and cultures.
Continue the conversation started by Tacoma Reads 2019. Discover these titles at Tacoma Public Library that explore various Native…
Staff List

Tacoma Reads Recommends for Kids &… Tacoma Reads Recommends for Kids & Families

recommended by TacomaLibrary_Kids
Continue the conversation started by Tacoma Reads 2019. Discover these titles at Tacoma Public Library that explore various Native American experiences and cultures.
Continue the conversation started by Tacoma Reads 2019. Discover these titles at Tacoma Public Library that explore various Native…
Staff List

Tacoma Reads Recommends for Teens &… Tacoma Reads Recommends for Teens & Tweens

recommended by TacomaLibrary_Teens
Continue the conversation started by Tacoma Reads 2019. Discover these titles at Tacoma Public Library that explore various Native American experiences and cultures.
Continue the conversation started by Tacoma Reads 2019. Discover these titles at Tacoma Public Library that explore various Native…
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We Recommend

Blogpost

LibraryReads December 2019 LibraryReads December 2019

By TacomaLibrary
Nothing says “must read” quite like a Librarian’s stamp of approval! Every month LibraryReads.org releases the top picks for the month, as voted on by Librarians across the country. Subscribe to Tacoma Library’s e-Newsletter service and get the Library Reads picks and more delivered...
Nothing says “must read” quite like a Librarian’s stamp of approval! Every month LibraryReads.org releases the top picks for the month, as voted...
Staff List

Never Too Young To Start Writing Right! Never Too Young To Start Writing Right!

recommended by TacomaLibrary_Kids
Do you have an idea for a story or a poem inside you? Maybe you know a young person who might be interested getting started with creative…
Do you have an idea for a story or a poem inside you? Maybe you know a young person who might be interested getting started with creative…
Staff List

Beautiful Days With Mister Rogers Beautiful Days With Mister Rogers

recommended by TacomaLibrary
More than a decade after his passing, Mister Rogers (AKA Fred McFeely Rogers) is still very much in American's hearts and on our minds.…
More than a decade after his passing, Mister Rogers (AKA Fred McFeely Rogers) is still very much in American's hearts and on our…
Blogpost

Writing a Novel Writing a Novel

By TacomaLibrary
Writing is HARD work. And Tacoma Public Library has titles that can make that easier. It doesn’t matter if you are accepting the National…
Writing is HARD work. And Tacoma Public Library has titles that can make that easier. It doesn’t matter if you are accepting the National…
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