Children

South Pasadena Public Library’s Children’s Services is devoted to supporting literacy and education for children of all ages. We encourage children and parents to explore our physical and digital collections as well as to participate in our programs. Children ages 11 and under must be accompanied by an adult in the Library.

Current Programs

Panda Cub Reading Challenge

Children ages 4–12 can earn one free Panda Cub Meal from Panda Express by reading books! After reading 5 books, participants will receive one certificate. Each participant may receive only one certificate for the entire duration of the program.  

  • Sign-ups start Friday, January 16th at the Children's Room desk.
  • Participants will receive a reading log to track their books read.
  • Child should be present with a parent to pick up their certificate.

Program runs Friday, January 16 – Sunday, February 15, 2026.

Barks & Books with Sawyer the Therapy Dog

Read to Sawyer, the therapy dog on Wednesday, February 11 from 4:30 to 5:30 PM. Find out more here!

 

Lego Free Play

On February 20 from 3:00–5:00 PM in the Library Community Room, use your imagination to create with LEGO® blocks at LEGO® Free Play. Toddlers can build with Duplos®, larger blocks that are easier for small hands to manipulate. Each child must be accompanied by an adult.

Teachers and Educators

Information for Teachers and Educators

The South Pasadena Public Library is here to assist teachers and educators! Here are some of the services we offer: 

Educator Cards: Teachers with valid school IDs can apply for Educator Cards that provide longer loan periods. 

Resources: 

  •  If your class is studying or researching a particular topic, librarians can provide relevant materials for you and your students. Please contact us at least two weeks in advance of when you'll need these items. 
  •  Teaching BooksChildren’s instructional reading resources from book guides, meet-the-author videos, author biographies, to literature-based vocabulary lists and more.

Class/Group Visits: Class visits are a wonderful way for your students to get to know the library and become familiar with our services. During class visits, staff can: 

  • Provide a tour of the library
  • Explain library rules
  • Introduce library resources
  • Read a story aloud to your students

If you are interested in scheduling a visit, please fill out this form at least two weeks in advance of your desired date.

Contact: For more information, please contact Leticia Cheng Ku at lchengku@southpasadenaca.gov or (626) 403-7330. 

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The Library offers Fall, Winter, Spring, and Summer Storytime sessions for toddlers, pre-schoolers and families. Session dates for 2026 are:

Winter: January 6 to February 28
Spring: March 24 to May 9
Summer: June 9 to August 1
Fall: September 15 to November 21

 

Tuesday Storytimes
Library Community Room
Tuesdays | 10:30 - 11:00 AM

Thursday Storytimes
Library Community Room
Thursdays | 10:30 - 10:50 AM and 11:00 - 11:20 AM

Saturday Storytimes
Outside in Library Park (Library Children's Room in winter session)
Saturdays | 10:30 - 11:00 AM