Live! From the Library
Live! From the Library is where our community comes together to connect, learn, laugh, and be inspired—all while celebrating the ideas, people, and possibilities that make our libraries so special.
This year’s lineup has a little something for everyone. In December, Charged Particles will jazz things up with an evening of lively music. 2027 will feature authors Maggie Tokuda-Hall (Authors Against Banned Books) in February, and Kate Schatz (Where the Girls Were) in March.
Live! programs are free and held the second Tuesday of each month at 7 pm in the Oak View Room at the Walnut Creek Library unless noted.
2026-27 Live! Programs
From Grain to Glass - Beer 101
January 12, 2027 | 7 PM
Dry January? No, thank you! Go behind the scenes of the craft beer industry with Matt Sager, a local professional brewer from Danville Brewing Company. Learn how a career in brewing begins, what actually goes into making beer, and what it takes to operate a small, community-focused brewery.
This approachable program will cover the essential ingredients and brewing process, common beer styles, popular misconceptions, and the business realities behind every pint. The evening will also include a guided tasting of four different beers, followed by an audience Q&A.
No prior beer knowledge is necessary. Attendees participating in the tasting must be 21 or older.
Charged Particles
December 8, 2026 | 7 PM
WCLF is proud to welcome back Charged Particles: Jazz With a Spark on Tuesday, December 8 at 7 pm in the Oak View Room.
Highlights for the band in recent years have been a performance on the main stage of Yoshi's San Francisco jazz club accompanying French Vietnamese guitarist Nguyen Le playing his compositions, an appearance accompanying vocalist Kevyn Lettau singing her compositions at Cafe Cordiale in Los Angeles, and performances in the Los Angeles area with keyboardist David Garfield.
Where the Girls Were
March 9, 2027 | 7 PM
Loosely based on her mother’s experience, Where the Girls Were tells the story of a bright teenage girl in the late 1960s in San Francisco who finds herself pregnant and is sent away to have the baby in secret and put it up for adoption. To protect the family's reputation and hide the shame, the girl is sent away to a private, isolated Victorian maternity home for unwed mothers. Inside the house, Baker connects with other pregnant teenagers, finding unexpected solidarity and strength amidst a system designed to keep them hidden.
The author and local educator Meg Honey will explore the book’s themes and connection to the Bay Area. A perfect selection for book clubs, the book can be purchased at Orinda Books.
Authors Against Banned Books
February 9, 2027 | 7 PM
Maggie Tokuda-Hall is the author of numerous award winning, best-selling children’s and young adult books including Love in the Library, The Mermaid the Witch and The Sea duology, Squad, and The Worst Ronin. She has been called “… one of the most unflinching voices in contemporary genre literature.”
Join us for a talk with Maggie about the organization Authors Against Book Bans that she co-founded, when she faced censorship as an author, and the power of books, storytelling and diverse voices.
16th Annual Authors Gala
Saturday, April 24, 2027 | 6 PM
The Authors Gala is WCLF’s most important fundraiser of the year and unites authors and supporters for an evening filled with engaging conversations, cocktails, silent and live auctions, fund a need, and a delightful sit-down dinner.
You will gather with community and business leaders while supporting our two public libraries in Walnut Creek.
If you are interested in supporting our libraries, click on Learn More, or email joanna@wclibrary.org.
THANK YOU
Your support makes programs like these possible, bringing authors, musicians, educators, and new experiences to our community through free library programs. WCLF would also like to thank the Friends of the Walnut Creek Library for their support of Live! From the Library.
Special accommodations are available and require 72 hours advance notice.
The views and opinions expressed in any program are those of the speakers/persons and do not reflect the views of the Walnut Creek Library Foundation.
View past events
Missed a Live! From the Library program? Want to revisit one of our exceptional evenings with authors, educators, and cultural leaders?