Celebrate Poetry Month with the Online Kelowna Poetry Contest for Adults! Are you feeling creative? Write a poem and submit your entry between April 1 to May 31st. Please email your poem to klreference@orl.bc.ca along with your name and phone number or drop hard copies submissions to your branch and we will make sure your poem will be send to Kelowna Downtown Library.

Submission Guidelines:

1. There is no set theme. Let your imagination run wild!
2. Poetry can be written in any poetic style and on any subject but must be in English.
3. Only one poem per person. Multiple entries will not be accepted.
4. The poem must be an original work by the person entering the contest. Plagiarism is a serious offense!
5. The deadline for submissions is Wednesday , May 31st 16 at 8:00 p.m. 
6. Poems containing language that is vulgar, offensive, or inappropriate will not be accepted.
7. Prizes:

        1^st prize- one book and a $25 Mosaic gift certificate

        2^nd prize- two books

        3^rd prize- one book

Join us for an energetic half hour of songs, rhymes, stories, and puppets. Warning: This program contains jumping, singing, and going bananas! Recommended for children ages 3 - 6 years and their caregiver, but all ages are welcome.

Baby Time is our joyful FREE early literacy program that helps grow the roots of a lifelong love of language. Bond with your baby through the power of song and rhymes! This program is recommended for babies, newborn - 18 months and their caregiver. 

We now have two timeslots to accommodate more families:

• Mondays 10:15-10:45
• Tuesdays 11:30-12:00

Practice your reading skills by registering for a free 20-minute session to read with a certified St. John's Ambulance therapy dog! For ages 6 to 12.

Looking for a place to play some table top games? Every Tuesday we will be hosting a board games night. From social games to in-depth strategy games, we have a number to choose from. People are welcome to bring their own games, we hope to see you there!

Spanish-English Intercambio is a relaxed meeting space for those looking to improve their Spanish or English and meet new friends while doing so. Practice your conversational language skills in this drop-in, weekly program.

Don’t forget your Stuffie as you snuggle up for Pyjama Story Time featuring longer books, Puppets, songs and rhymes. 

Brought to you by Judy from Kelowna through Microsoft Teams

Registration required with Email address to receive Teams Link

This program is recommended for toddlers 18 months - 3 years and their caregivers. We welcome the whole family to join in the fun! Drop-in to this FREE program.

Join us for an energetic half hour of books, rhymes, fingerplays and songs. 

• Wednesdays @ 10:15 AM - 10:45 AM
• Fridays @ 10:15 AM - 10:45 AM

Join us after Toddler Time for Stay & Play, an unstructured playtime for children and their caregivers to socialize and explore. Soft play equipment and a variety of toys will be available. Recommended for children ages 18 months to 3 years and their parents/caregivers, but all children are welcome. Drop-in to join the fun!

Come to the Library to chat with genealogists from the Kelowna and District Genealogical Society. Learn how to find more on your family tree, or ask about your next steps if you’ve hit a wall in your research.

Come join our merry band of minds as we explore the world of books.

The Readers is a program to connect with others and discuss books and reading with fellow book lovers.  Each week starts with a question or theme and the conversation goes from there.  We are open to all kinds of readers – as any type of reading is reading!

The program is over the phone – no computer knowledge is required.  Please register here or call 778-658-6394 or email access@orl.bc.ca to receive the conference line phone number and access code.

We learn, we share, we discover.  English Corner is a conversational group for people with beginner to intermediate English skills that meet weekly to discuss topics that unite and inspire us.

Featuring longer books, puppets and fun, children will sing, dance and rhyme for another season of Story Time.

This FREE DROP IN Story Time is recommended for children ages 3 - 6 years and their caregiver. 

We welcome the whole family to join in the fun! 

Story Times are offered Thursdays and Saturdays 10:30 - 11: 15  April 20 - June 3

No programs on April 22 or May 13.

Practice your reading skills by registering for a free 20-minute session to read with a certified St. John's Ambulance therapy dog! For ages 6 to 12.

The classic game of strategy! Join us every Thursday to master your moves and challenge your peers in this casual drop-in event. Chess boards and pieces provided but feel free to bring your own. All skill levels welcome!

At the Kelowna MakerSpace, you will find equipment and tools for hands-on projects, digital media creation, and exploring new technologies. We offer in-person certifications for our equipment, Each Thursday features a different station (3D Printing, Circut Maker and Heat Press, Sublimation Printing, Whisper Room). You can register at https://orl.evanced.info/signup

Kevin Chong launches his new novel The Double Life of Benson Yu.  This work of metafiction follows Benson Yu, a writer, who loses control of his own narrative when he attempts to write the story of his fraught upbringing in 1980s Chinatown. Kevin Chong is the award-winning author of several books of fiction and nonfiction.. He currently lives in Vancouver and is an assistant professor at the University of British Columbia.

Corinna Chong launches her short story collection, The Whole Animal.  Her short fiction has appeared in magazines including Grain, Room, and Riddle Fence. She won the 2021 CBC Short Story Prize for "Kids in Kindergarten." Corinna’s first novel, Belinda's Rings, was published by NeWest Press in 2013. She lives in Kelowna, BC, where she is an English and Fine Arts Professor at Okanagan College.

Get the family dancing, singing and learning together in this FREE drop-in Story Time.  

This program is recommended for toddlers 18 months - 3 years and their caregivers. We welcome the whole family to join in the fun! Drop-in to this FREE program.

Join us for an energetic half hour of books, rhymes, fingerplays and songs. 

• Wednesdays @ 10:15 AM - 10:45 AM
• Fridays @ 10:15 AM - 10:45 AM

Join us after Toddler Time for Stay & Play, an unstructured playtime for children and their caregivers to socialize and explore. Soft play equipment and a variety of toys will be available. Recommended for children ages 18 months to 3 years and their parents/caregivers, but all children are welcome. Drop-in to join the fun!

Drop-in to build something epic using our impressive Lego collection! Your creation will be displayed at the library for all to admire. Guides, books, and optional themes and challenges will be available. For ages 6 to 12.

Join our French Conversation group to practice your French conversation skills. Activities, games, and special topics for all levels of French speakers. 

Calling all dog lovers! Drop-in for stories and songs presented by Cooper and his handler, Faye! After Story Time, stick around to make a craft and meet Cooper.

Reading changes throughout your life - including how to read.  Access Services is here to explore different technologies to keep you or someone you know reading.  Find out how to make the Libby app more accessible, what DAISYY players and discs are, and other technologies you may not know about.