The Turlock Library will host a variety of events in the month of February aimed at encouraging literacy and expanding knowledge for all ages.

A T(w)een Tuesday event on pop-up cards will be held at 4 p.m. Tuesday. Participants join in the Turlock Library Maker Space and learn to craft a simple pop-up greeting card. Materials will be provided. This program is designed for ages 9-18. 

Children can create Valentine’s Day cards to give to family and friends during an craft event at 4 p.m. Tuesday. Children and families will have a plethora of materials to use to make super special cards. This program is aimed at children 8 and younger, but all ages are welcome. Children under 4 must have direct supervision from parents or adult guardians.

The American Association of Retired Persons will offer free tax preparation assistance from 12 noon to 3 p.m. every Wednesday in February. Walk-ins are welcome, as there is no option for advance registration.

Those who love Pokémon are invited to come and meet others who share their passion from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. Feb. 4. Participants can hang out and trade or battle on their Nintendo Switch or bring their trading cards for a friendly game, hunt for shinies in Pokémon GO, and more. All ages welcome; children 4 and under must have direct adult supervision.

The Friends of the Turlock Library group will meet at 6:30 p.m. Feb. 4. All are invited.

Independent readers up to age 12 are invited to practice their reading skills with the special Read to a Dog program at the Turlock Library at 12 noon Feb. 7. This program is designed to help children gain confidence in their reading skills by reading aloud to certified therapy dogs. Register the readers online to participate. Space is limited.

The Mystery Lovers Book Club will meet at 10:30 a.m. Feb. 9. This month, the Mystery Lovers Book Club will discuss “The Devotion of Suspect X” by Keigo Higashino.
Yasuko Hanaoka thought she had escaped her abusive ex- husband Togashi. When he shows up one day, the situation quickly escalates and Togashi ends up dead. Yasuko's next-door-neighbor Ishigami offers his help, not only disposing of the body, but plotting the cover-up as well.

The Mystery Lovers Book Club meets on the second Monday of every month in the Turlock Library Community Room. 

A T(w)een Tuesday event will be held at 4 p.m. Feb. 10. Participants can build LEGO creations using the library’s LEGO blocks and bring them to life with stop-motion film. This program is designed for ages 9 and older.

The library will host a Turlock LEGO Day at 4 p.m. Feb. 10. Children will have the opportunity to build LEGO creations using the library’s LEGO and Duplo blocks. This program helps young ones develop critical thinking skills, and teaches basic engineering concepts. Children under 4 are welcome, but must have direct parental supervision.

A T(w)een Tuesday event on beetles will be held at 4 p.m. Feb. 17. From jewel-like colors to glow-in-the-dark bodies, beetles come in amazing shapes and sizes. In this fun class, participants will discover beetles that pollinate flowers, squirt hot chemicals, and were worn as living jewelry in the past. Come see the UC Master Gardeners' collection of diverse beetle species found in Stanislaus County. This program is designed for ages 9-18.

A STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Math) event will be held at 4 p.m. Feb. 17. Participants will learn how to make butterflies out of coffee filters and pipe cleaners. Children can color the coffee filter “wings” using markers, and with a mist of water, see the science of osmosis in action as their colors spread. This program is aimed at children 8 and younger, but all ages are welcome! Children under 4 must have direct supervision from parents or adult guardians.

The Turlock Chess Club will meet at 5 p.m. Feb. 18. Whether you are an amateur, a master, or somewhere between, you are invited to bring your board to meet and play against others for practice or friendly competition. 

The library will host an open sew session at 1 p.m. Feb. 20. Adults can bring their project to the Turlock Library Maker Space and use one of the library’s sewing machines or try out a project from a previous class.
There are a limited number of projects available. Must be able to use a sewing machine independently. Participants should bring their own fabric and notions; only sewing machines, a serger, irons, scissors, and scrap fabric will be available. Open sew is designed for ages 18 and up. To pre-register, call 209-664-8100.

Local historian Scott Atherton will give a presentation on Depression-era Turlock at 11 a.m. Feb. 21. Do you ever wonder what Turlock was like during the Great Depression? Space is limited. Free tickets will be handed out 30 minutes prior to the event. 

A T(w)een Tuesday event on bracelets and backpack charms will be held at 4 p.m. Feb. 24. Participants will use clay heishi beads and seed beads to create a unique bracelet or backpack charm and add fun letter beads or cute charms to complete their design. Materials will he provided. This program is designed for ages 9-18.

Younger children can explore pattern recognition and creation while designing their own bracelets or backpack charms at 4 p.m. Feb. 24. Threading pony beads onto chenille stems also helps strengthen fine motor skills. This program is aimed at children 8 and younger, but all ages are welcome. Children under 4 must have direct supervision from parents or adult guardians.

The library will host a Video Game Day at 3 p.m. Feb. 25. This Nintendo Switch activity is for ages 8 and up, however, please note that some games may have content suitable for ages 10 and up (rated E10+). 

The UCCE Master Gardeners of Stanislaus County will give a presentation on backyard birds at 6 p.m. Feb. 25. Need a mood booster? Look outside and watch the birds. Research shows that simply hearing or seeing birds can lift your spirits for up to 8 hours. Master gardeners will give tips for making your yard a favorite stop for local birds.

Adults can come to the Turlock library from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m. Feb. 27 for a game of Book Cover Bingo. This game is designed to foster a love of reading and promote literacy. This book cover version puts a twist on the classic Bingo game. Registration is not required and is geared towards ages 18 and up. 
The Central Valley Game Lovers will host a Board Game Day at the library from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Feb. 28. Participants can try a new game or bring their own. Most games are recommended for ages 10 and up, but there will be games for younger players, too.  

The Turlock Library is located at 550 Minaret Ave. Hours are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday, Tuesday and Thursday; noon to 8 p.m. Wednesday; and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday. For more information, visit https://www.stanislauslibrary.org/ or call (209) 664-8100.