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Calendar of Events Thank you for joining us for over 250 amazing events in January - March celebrating Bridges to Belonging! Please visit us in the fall for a sneak peek of our 2027 season. Events for 2027 will be posted here in January, 2027. If you'd like to watch our 2026 kickoff event with our three featured authors: john a. powell (The Power of Bridging), Keeonna Harris (Mainline Mama) and Annie Hartnett (Unlikely Animals), you can watch it HERE. 2026 Events Mark your calendar! Browse the chronological list of upcoming Silicon Valley Reads events or use the search bar to find specific ones. You can also click a category button to quickly filter events that match your interests. Accessibility Programs Author Visits/Book Talks Music/Movies/Culture Youth/Teen Activities Adult Classes/Talks/Activities Children's Activities Online Events 2026 All Events Tue, Jan 20 Thank You, Neighbor StoryWalk® / Multiple Local Parks Details Jan 20, 2026, 7:00 AM – May 31, 2026, 5:00 PM Multiple Local Parks, 171 W Edmundson Ave, Morgan Hill, CA 95037, USA Enjoy the outdoors with your little ones while reading along to a storybook! StoryWalk® is a great way to exercise the body and the mind. Join us at multiple parks across Santa Clara County! Tue, Apr 07 We Need to Build: In Person with Eboo Patel / Santa Clara University Details Apr 07, 2026, 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM Santa Clara University, 500 El Camino Real, Santa Clara, CA 95053, USA Eboo Patel, author of the 2025–26 SCU Community Read book We Need to Build: Fieldnotes for Diverse Democracy, will be at Santa Clara University for an in-person talk and fireside chat. Refreshments will be available. Free event!

News Room Read the latest news about Silicon Valley Reads. News Articles Select link below to read the full article. February 5, 2026 Panel explores impact of mass incarceration and reforms on Black Silicon Valley residents Read full article February 3, 2026 This year’s Silicon Valley Reads focuses on political polarization Read full article January 22, 2026 Silicon Valley Reads bridges divided times for night of community Read full article Facebook News Feed News Releases newsrelease101222 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE January 8, 2026 Silicon Valley Reads Announces 2026 Season: 200+ Free Events That Build “Bridges to Belonging” Across Santa Clara County SANTA CLARA COUNTY, Calif. – Silicon Valley Reads is proud to unveil an expansive calendar for the 2026 season. Centered on the theme “Bridges to Belonging,” this year’s program features more than 200 free events for all ages, designed to spark connection through art, nature, technology, and literature. The season begins on Thursday, January 15, at De Anza College in Cupertino with a free, high-energy kickoff event moderated by The Mercury News columnist Sal Pizarro in conversation with the three featured authors: john a. powell, The Power of Bridging Keeonna Harris, Mainline Mama Annie Hartnett, Unlikely Animals The kickoff will be in-person and livestreamed. Register here. Attendees at the in-person event can purchase these books onsite and have them signed by the authors. They are also invited to enjoy the art exhibit, "A Sense of Belonging," at the Euphrat Museum of Art before and after the program. There will be additional opportunities to hear from featured authors, including youth book authors Anna Sortino ( Give Me a Sign ), Kelly Yang ( Front Desk ), and Roz MacLean ( Together, A Forest ). There will also be a special event at Santa Clara University with Dr. Joshua Miele—researcher and author of the recommended read, Connecting Dots —who was blinded at the age of 4. The Silicon Valley Reads programming team, a collaboration of librarians and school representatives, moved the program “beyond the page” through dynamic community engagement, helping residents find a personal bridge to their community. The community is invited to participate in county-wide cultural projects, including: Paper Chains of Kindness: Drop in at select libraries and add links to a physical chain representing our connected community. The Community Cookbook Project: A celebration of heritage and belonging through shared recipes and culinary stories submitted online . “Thank You, Neighbor” Community Video: Add your gratitude in your native language by submitting your video ! The 2026 lineup features robust programming for children and teens, our next generation of bridge-builders. Highlights include interactive STEAM sessions with LEGO challenges, nature-based workshops, and high-energy dance and movement classes. The season also emphasizes inclusivity through an open house at Animal Assisted Happiness, ASL-integrated literacy programs, and multilingual storytimes. The arts serve as a universal language of belonging. Programs that highlight this include the Firebird Youth Chinese Orchestra, adult watercolor workshops, and the San Francisco Shakespeare Festival’s production of Julius Caesar . All Silicon Valley Reads events are free and open to the public. The season officially runs from January through March 2026. For a complete, searchable calendar of events and registration details, please visit: siliconvalleyreads.org/calendar . Media Contact: Reid Myers, Silicon Valley Reads siliconvalleyreads@gmail.com The Silicon Valley Reads community engagement program is presented annually by the Santa Clara County Library District, Santa Clara County Office of Education, and San José Public Library in conjunction with other public libraries, community colleges and universities, and community organizations. Over 150 Events Author talks, book clubs, community events and more! Please join us for many more events celebrating Bridges to Belonging! CALENDAR OF EVENTS

Advisory Board Members of the community that provide guidance to Silicon Valley Reads programs. Jill Bourne Co-chair, Library Director City of San Jose Dr. David Toston, Sr. Co-Chair, Santa Clara County Superintendent of Schools Santa Clara County Office of Education Jennifer Weeks Co-chair, County Librarian Santa Clara County Library District Nicole Branch Dean, University Library Santa Clara University Clover Codd Superintendent Moreland School District Kelsey Martinez Combellick Chief of Staff, Betty Duong Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors Alicia Cortez Trustee, Gavilan Join Community College Dr. Michael Gallagher Executive Director ACSA Region 8, Santa Clara County Dr. Deborah Gorgulho Assistant Superintendent Santa Clara County Office of Education Tracy Gray Library Director City of Mountain View Margaret Hengel Past President Santa Clara County Reading Council Cindy Hill Board President Los Altos Library Endowment Kara Iwahashi Associate Program Director The Commonwealth Club Silicon Valley Gayathri Kanth Director of Library Services City of Palo Alto Katie Khera Culture & Arts Commission Morgan Hill Library Deepka Lalwani Founder Indian Business & Professional Women Shannon Miller, Ph.D. Dean of the College of Humanities and Arts San Jose State University Reid Myers Director Silicon Valley Reads Alyce Parsons Author and Teacher Sal Pizarro Columnist The San Jose Mercury News Diane Roche Director of Communications & Marketing Santa Clara County Library District Tara Sreekrishnan Trustee Santa Clara County Board of Education Elizabeth Smith Associate VP of Comms and External Relations De Anza College Patty Wong City Librarian Santa Clara City Library