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Community Corner

There's More Than Just Books at the Library

SAT practice, story time and computer classes are among the free programs that Hermosa families can enjoy.

Nothing says frugal like free, which is why I love our public libraries in the South Bay.

What everyone knows about libraries is that you can check out books and even borrow a movie or two, but did you know that there are many free activities for children, teens and adults? 

The Hermosa Beach Library and Friends of the Library offer the PAWS to Read program in which children can practice their reading skills with attentive therapy dogs. The library also offers family story time and book discussion groups.

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The Redondo Beach Public Library offers free Kaplan SAT practice tests for teens, as well as story times for children, after-school crafts and PAWS to Read program.

There’s also a free “learn to surf the Web” class as well as book clubs. In addition to the main branch, the North Branch is located at 2000 Artesia Blvd.

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The Manhattan Beach Public Library offers a toddler story time and a preschool story time. The library also has a book club for fourth to sixth graders and a teen book club for seventh grade and up.

The Peninsula Center Library, which is part of the Palos Verdes Library District, offers a computer basics class, puppet story times for children and a teen book club. In addition to the main branch and Annex at the Peninsula Center, there are two other locations: Miraleste and Malaga Cove.

Nearby in Torrance, the Katy Geissert Civic Center Library is the main branch where family and children story time events are offered, as well as free life planning classes, and teen and adult book discussion groups.

Here is contact information for these nearby libraries:

Library hours and event times vary by location and city. Please contact your local library with any questions.

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