Quote of the week

"When summer lies upon the world, and in a noon of gold, Beneath the roof of sleeping leaves the dreams of trees unfold;
When woodland halls are green and cool, and wind is in the West, Come back to me! Come back to me, and say my land is best!"

– J.R.R. Tolkien, The Two Towers

Fall Activity – Enrollment is open

Learning is an adventure that yields lifelong benefits. The City of Menlo Park hosts a wide range of high-quality classes for all ages at reasonable rates, including fitness, dance, sports, gymnastics, music, drama, arts and crafts, lifelong learning and more. Enrollment for classes is now open. Learn more and enroll today.

New pool hours

Beginning Tuesday, Sept. 8, Burgess Pool and Belle Haven Pool will implement new hours that were adopted as part of balancing the City's budget for fiscal year 2026-27. Learn more about the changes to the pool hours or view full pool schedules.

BELLE HAVEN POOL HOURS

• Monday–Friday: 3–7 p.m.
• Saturday: 10 a.m.–3 p.m.
• Sunday: 11 a.m.–4 p.m.

BURGESS POOL HOURS

• Monday, Wednesday, Friday: 6 a.m.–1 p.m. and 3–8 p.m.
• Tuesday, Thurdsay: 6–10 a.m. and noon–8 p.m.
• Saturday: 6 a.m.–4 p.m.
• Sunday: 7 a.m.–4 p.m. 

Fall Aquatics programming begins Aug. 31

Fall Swim Lessons and the Bridge Swim Program begin Monday, Aug. 31, at Burgess and Belle Haven Pools. Spots are still available! With classes meeting once a week at a consistent day and time, it's easy to work swimming into your schedule. Resident rates are available for Menlo Park residents and scholarships and Belle Haven hyperlocal resident discounts are available at Belle Haven Pool. Find your class and register today.

New learning resources for kids

It's back-to-school season! Get into the swing of learning with our newest student resources, free from ABDO Books.

• Booklinks Nonfiction Network – Nonfiction weblinks where young readers can learn more about subjects that interest them.
• Core Library Connection – Connecting students and teachers with Common Core resources.
• Pop! Books Online – An innovative website filled with multimedia content that appeals to young readers with its mobile device-friendly format.

Find more children's resources on our Online Resources page.

Discover & Go – Free and discounted museum passes

Discover & Go is a program provided by the library that offers free and low-cost passes for museums, science centers, zoos, theaters and other cultural destinations. View available passes and plan your next outing by logging in with your card info. Learn more.

More free literary and cultural programs 

These free literary and cultural programs received funding support from Friends of Menlo Park Library.

• Create Quilt-Inspired Art. Create your own piece of art inspired by traditional quilting patterns or design your own story quilt inspired by Faith Ringgold's Caldecott Honor picture book, Tar Beach. Join us on Tuesday, Aug. 25, from 3:30–5 p.m. at Menlo Park Library, 800 Alma St. Learn more.

• Film Screening: Shari and Lamb Chop. Explore the career of Shari Lewis from her early years on TV through her 90s comeback in this heartfelt documentary that charts the life, loves and career of the spunky perfectionist who changed children's entertainment. Join us on Wednesday, Aug. 26, from 6–7:30 p.m. at Menlo Park Library, 800 Alma St. Learn more.

• Cozy Coloring Corner. Bring your favorite coloring supplies and join us for this cozy, social coloring event. We'll provide coloring sheets and colored pencils and put together a still life for you to try your hand at. All levels are welcome. Participate on Sunday, Aug. 30, from 2–3:30 p.m. at Menlo Park Library, 800 Alma St. Learn more.

• Garden Talk: California Perennials. Join us online to learn our ten favorite, easy-to-grow, California native perennials that will help attract butterflies and other pollinators to your yard. Participate online via Zoom on Wednesday, Sept. 2, from 6:30–7:30 p.m. Learn more.

Check out more free community programs
The above was just a sample of the many free activities hosted by the City of Menlo Park this week. Check out the community events calendar to see them all!