Without additional City Council funding, 30% of Santa Monica residents will continue to lack access to a fully staffed neighborhood library.
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Reimagine a Space for Community Connection
We need your support to renovate the former Main Library Central Courtyard into a self-service café, literary lounge, learning kitchen and community event space.
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Santa Monica Public Library Youth Services Librarian Ingha Chopra and Teen Services Librarian Gia Ruiz-Forsyth have been selected for roles on the American Library Association, or ALA’s, award selection committees. Chopra is one of 15 members on the 2025 John Newbery Award Selection Committee, while Ruiz-Forsyth is one of nine members on the 2025 Michael L. Printz Award Selection Committee.
“Being part of the committee is such an honor – it is an opportunity to make a lasting impression on the standards of children’s books nationwide.” – Ingha Chopra
“The library has always been a place of inclusion, and so it was my honor to serve on a committee that selected the highest literary achievement in young adult literature that elevates the voices of Black, Brown, and LGBTQIA+ authors, illustrators, and stories.”
-Gia Ruiz-Forsyth
Love Letters to the Library:
Movie critic Kirk Honeycutt and wine journalist Mira Honeycutt gave us the inside scoop on the making of the hit movie Sideways and the huge impact it had on the wine industry with their 2024 release ‘‘Sideways, Uncorked.” They shared the behind-the-scenes stories and top recommendations for the best regions and vineyards to visit.
Former Random House managing editor and copy chief — and author of the New York Times bestseller Dreyer’s English — Benjamin Dreyer shared his practical methods and expert advice on how to “start the year write”. Having worked with authors such as E. L. Doctorow, Elizabeth Strout, and Shirley Jackson, he offered helpful tips and tricks to help us become not only better writers, but better readers as well. The presentation was followed by a Q&A.
