Library closure notices November 27-29

All Ventura County Libraries will close early at 5:00 p.m. on Wednesday, November 27.

All Ventura County Libraries will be closed on Thursday, November 28 and Friday, November 29.

Todas las bibliotecas del condado de Ventura cerrarán temprano a las 5:00 p. m. el miércoles 27 de noviembre.

Todas las bibliotecas del condado de Ventura estarán cerradas el jueves 28 y el viernes 29 de noviembre.

 

Jobs

Career Opportunities

Beach scenery

Ventura County Library has 12 library branches located throughout the County as well as a Mobile Library, a Mobile Education Center, and a School Mobile Library.  

We offer many opportunities for employment and advancement from management positions, full and part-time positions, extra help and student worker opportunities, and of course, volunteer options.  We offer competitive salaries and comprehensive benefits packages, including incentives such as textbook and tuition reimbursement, educational and bilingual incentives.

Job Openings

There are currently no open positions. Please check back later for updates.

Reading Recommendations

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Feeding Littles Lunches

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • 75+ simple and delicious ideas for packed school lunches and snacks for kids of all ages, from the New York Times bestselling authors of Feeding Littles and Beyond.

In a lunch packing rut? Megan McNamee and Judy Delaware, the founders of Feeding Littles, are here to help with the ultimate lunch box resource. Feeding Littles Lunches is complete with 75+ lunches that are quick to assemble, safe and easy for kids of all ages to eat, and balanced in nutrients for growth, learning and play. Each lunch idea is easily modified for nine of the most common allergens and includes tips for picky eaters, plus vegetarian swaps and “I Can’t Even” tips to make lunch packing even easier. Feeding Littles Lunches is not a recipe book because, let’s face it, most parents don’t want to spend hours packing lunches. Rather, it’s an inspo book with a full-page photo for every lunch, meant to be used with your child as a visual reminder for delicious and easy new ideas that you can assemble from simple ingredients.
 
Feeding Littles Lunches also includes a lunch packing formula to help you plan your own lunches, grocery lists, tips for dealing with cafeteria and school settings, picky eating, food safety, and more! With creative and approachable lunches like Chicken Salad with Mini Brioche Toasts, Sun Butter Banana Roll-Up “Sushi-Style,” Build-Your-Own Naan Pizza, Leftover Burger Mini Sliders, Pesto Turkey Wrap Rounds, and more, you’ll bring joy back to lunchtime.

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Housing the Nation

Scholars, advocates, and architects assess America’s affordable housing crisis and suggest various strategies to rectify it, including numerous images of important, recently built houses and complexes.

On any given night, more than 650,000 people in the United States—many with families and full-time jobs—experience homelessness. The shortfall in affordable housing is estimated to be 5 million units or more. Devastating effects of these conditions include an increase in multigenerational poverty, a decrease in economic mobility, and—since the housing crisis has a disproportionate impact on communities of color—a heightening of racial injustice.

Just as there was no single cause of the crisis, there is no single cure. Assembled here are essays by economists, scholars, architects, planners, and community organizers to address diverse aspects of the subject. The book discusses the history and extent of the US housing crisis; permanent affordable housing and affordable housing as a component of market-rate residential buildings; the development of community associations that can build and manage local units; links between housing production and climate change; and the pervasive and long-term consequences of racial discrimination in the housing market. Recent buildings by Studio Gang, Koning Eizenberg Architecture, and others illustrate affordable housing at its best, offering a glimpse of possible solutions.

Included are essays by Dean Baker, Richard Florida, Robert Kuttner, Michael Gecan, Rosanne Haggerty, J. Phillip Thompson, Margery Perlmutter, David Dante Troutt, Justin Steil, Christopher Hawthorne, David Burney, Jon McMillan, Viren Brahmbhatt, Richard Plunz, Kenneth Frampton, Mark Ginsberg, Fernando Pagés Ruiz, Jessica Holmes, Rusty Smith, Andrés Duany, Alan Organschi, Andrew Ruff, and Elizabeth Gray.

This book is Flexibound.

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The Aztec Myths

From their remote origins as migrating tribes to their rise as builders of empire, the Aztecs were among the most dynamic and feared peoples of ancient Mexico, with a belief system that was one of the most complex and vital in the ancient world. Historian Camilla Townsend returns to the original tales, told at the fireside by generations of Indigenous Nahuatl speakers. Along the way, she deals with human sacrifice, the raising of great temples, and the troubling legacy of the Spanish conquest.

Few cultures are generally understood to have been so controlled by their religion as the Aztecs, and few religions are envisioned as being as violent and celebratory of death as theirs. In this introduction to the Aztec myths, Townsend draws from sixteenth-century historical annals and songs written down by Nahuatl-speaking peoples, now known as the Aztecs, in their own language to counter this narrative, inherited from the conquering Spaniards. In doing so, she reveals a rich tapestry of mythic tradition that defies modern expectations.

Townsend retells stories ranging from the creation of the world, revealing the Aztec cosmological vision of nature and the divine, to legends of the Aztecs' own past that show how they understood the foundation of their state and the course of their wars. She considers the impact of colonial contact on the myths and demonstrates that Indigenous engagement with the new cultural customs introduced by the Europeans never entirely uprooted old ways of thinking.

Image for "The Five Stages of Courting Dalisay Ramos"

The Five Stages of Courting Dalisay Ramos

A sweet and spicy multicultural romantic comedy that that blends the rich tapestry of Filipino courtship rituals with the modern complexities of love, family, and cultural expectations, written by #1 New York Times bestselling author Melissa de la Cruz.

Evan Saatchi can't keep his eyes off his new co-worker, Dalisay Ramos.

Newly arrived from Manila to lead their travel app's Asia division, nothing matters more to Dalisay than tradition and family. When Evan asks her out, she soundly rejects him for his cheek.

Evan learns from his Filipino friends that Dalisay expects more from potential suitors. If he wants a chance with her, he's going to have to go through the Five Stages: the courtship ritual that lovers in the Philippines have performed for generations.

At first, Evan is skeptical--what, exactly, does "servitude" entail? And he has to sing?! But when Dalisay bets Evan that he doesn't have the nerve to make it through the stages, the game is on.

As Evan attempts to prove to Dalisay that he can win her heart--and the bet--Dalisay is driven to distraction by Evan's sexy labors, and soon their "courtship" turns into a sizzling secret.

But when modern love and family expectations collide, Dalisay and Evan must find a way to carry a rich history into a shared future.

Featuring a memorable cast of characters navigating the intersection of cultural traditions, workplace dynamics, and the magic of true love, this heart-warming Asian American romance is perfect for fans of Kevin Kwan books, Red String Theory, and other voicey Asian American authors. Melissa de la Cruz thoughtfully explores the push and pull of contemporary desires and deep-rooted familial expectations, all set against the backdrop of a will-they-won't-they workplace romance that will leave readers swooning.

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The Book of Elsewhere

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • An “action-packed [and] profoundly stylish” (Los Angeles Times) epic from Keanu Reeves and China Miéville, unlike anything these two genre-bending pioneers have created before, inspired by the world of the BRZRKR comic books

“[The Book of Elsewhere is] a pulpy, adrenaline-fueled thriller, but it’s also a moody, experimental novel about mortality, the slippery nature of time, and what it means to be human.”—The New York Times

“An exceptionally innovative collaboration from two remarkable minds.”—William Gibson, author of Neuromancer

She said, We needed a tool. So I asked the gods.

There have always been whispers. Legends. The warrior who cannot be killed. Who’s seen a thousand civilizations rise and fall. He has had many names: Unute, Child of Lightning, Death himself. These days, he’s known simply as “B.” 

And he wants to be able to die.
 
In the present day, a U.S. black-ops group has promised him they can help with that. And all he needs to do is help them in return. But when an all-too-mortal soldier comes back to life, the impossible event ultimately points toward a force even more mysterious than B himself. One at least as strong. And one with a plan all its own.
 
In a collaboration that combines Miéville’s singular style and creativity with Reeves’s haunting and soul-stirring narrative, these two inimitable artists have created something utterly unique, sure to delight existing fans and to create scores of new ones.

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The Man in Black

From the internationally bestselling author of the Ruth Galloway Mysteries, an eclectic, thrilling collection of short stories, featuring many characters that readers have come to know and love.

Elly Griffiths has always written short stories to experiment with different voices and genres as well as to explore what some of her fictional creations such as Ruth Galloway, Harbinder Kaur, and Max Mephisto might have done outside of the novels. The Man in Black gathers these bite-sized tales all together in one splendid volume.

There are ghost stories, cozy mysteries, tales of psychological suspense, and poignant vignettes of love and loss.

In the title story, Ruth Galloway crosses paths with a mysterious man in a bookstore, setting in motion a rescue mission that hinges on the legends and lore of Norfolk.

Looking into the past, a young magician in 1920s Leeds wonders just what happened to his missing landlady in "Max Mephisto and the Disappearing Act."

In "Justice Jones and the Etherphone," a witty girl detective investigates the dire prediction of a fortune teller in dreary postwar London.

A flashback in time reveals Harbinder Kaur as a Detective Sergeant surviving her first day on the job at Shoreham DCI.

To celebrate the holidays, Ruth gets her very first Christmas tree, and her beloved cat narrates his own seasonal story in "Flint's Fireside Tale."

And readers can armchair travel with stories set on the Amalfi Coast, in Capri, and in Egypt as Ruth and DCI Nelson experience their very own version of Death on the Nile.

The Man in Black illustrates the breadth and variety of Elly Griffiths's talent for blood-chilling, page-turning stories all with her trademark humor and heart.

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Pearly Everlasting

Set during the Great Depression, an immersive and enchantingly atmospheric novel about a girl and a bear raised as sister and brother in a remote logging camp, and the lengths to which they'll go to protect each other.

New Brunswick, 1934. When a cook in a logging camp finds an orphaned baby bear, he brings it home to his wife, who names the cub Bruno and raises him alongside her newborn daughter, Pearly. Growing up, Pearly and Bruno share a special bond and become inseparable. While life in the camp can be perilous--loggers are regularly injured or even killed--the Everlasting family form a close-knit community with the woodsmen, who accept and embrace the tame young bear.

But all that changes when a new supervisor arrives, a ruthless profiteer who pushes the workers to their breaking point and abuses Bruno. When the man is found dead in a ditch, the blame falls on the bear; soon after, Bruno is kidnapped and sold to an animal trader. Determined to rescue the only brother she has ever known, Pearly, now a teenager, sets off alone on a hazardous journey through the forest--her first trip to "the Outside"--to find him. In the harrowing quest to bring him home through miles of ice and snow, eluding malevolent spirits and the cruelty of strange villagers, she will discover new worlds and a strength she never knew she possessed.

Steeped in rural folklore and superstition, and set against the backdrop of an enchanting woodland, Pearly Everlasting is a story about the triumph of good over evil, the beauty of the natural world, and the bonds that cannot be broken.

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Eruption

The biggest thriller of the year: A history-making eruption is about to destroy the Big Island of Hawaii. But a secret held for decades by the US military is far more terrifying than any volcano.



"The book is a classic summer beach read...Eruption will revive the art of speed-reading...told with a singular voice that is a compelling amalgam of the two writers."--USA Today



"Eruption is an epic thriller...fast-paced and deeply considered...a cinematic story rooted in science and infused with plenty of heart, tackling big themes like love and loss."

-Time



The master of the techno-blockbuster joins forces with the master of the modern thriller to create the most anticipated mega bestseller in years. 



Michael Crichton, creator of Jurassic Park, ER, Twister, and Westworld, had a passion project he'd been pursuing for years, ahead of his untimely passing in 2008. Knowing how special it was, his wife, Sherri Crichton, held back his notes and the partial manuscript until she found the right author to complete it: James Patterson, the world's most popular storyteller.



"Red-hot storytelling... The action scenes will make readers' eyes pop as the tension continues to build." -Kirkus, starred review



"Explosive...the summer's ultimate literary mashup." --Washington Post



"Takes readers on a thrilling journey." --BBC



"Beachbag-ready." --Boston Globe



"A seismic publishing event...all the elements of a summer blockbuster...it's a thrill and the pages practically turn themselves." --Associated Press



"Eruption is this summer's literary version of a blockbuster action movie." -Los Angeles Times



"Breakneck and plausible." --Publishers Weekly

Upcoming Events

This event is in the "Babies" group.
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Saticoy Library Storytime

10:00am - 11:00am
Babies, Toddlers, Preschool, Family
Library Branch: Saticoy Library
Room: SAT-Storytime Space
Age Group: Babies, Toddlers, Preschool, Family
Program Type: Storytime
Event Details:

Join us every week at our early literacy storytime for stories, music and movement. For children ages 0-5 and their parent or caregiver.

This event is in the "Babies" group.
This event is in the "Toddlers" group.
This event is in the "Preschool" group.
This event is in the "Family" group.

Oak Park Storytime

11:00am - 11:30am
Babies, Toddlers, Preschool, Family
Library Branch: Oak Park Library
Room: OKP-Storytime Room
Age Group: Babies, Toddlers, Preschool, Family
Program Type: Storytime
Event Details:

Join us for stories, poems, music, movement, and a simple craft! (Ages 0-5 years)

This event is in the "Babies" group.
This event is in the "Toddlers" group.
This event is in the "Preschool" group.
This event is in the "Family" group.

Toddler Play

11:30am - 1:00pm
Babies, Toddlers, Preschool, Family
Library Branch: Oak Park Library
Room: OKP-Storytime Room
Age Group: Babies, Toddlers, Preschool, Family
Program Type: Games & Play
Event Details:

Come stay and play with us after our Storytime every Thursday from 11:30am to 1pm! All are welcome.

This event is in the "Children" group.
This event is in the "Teens" group.
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Family Coloring

12:00pm - 6:00pm
Children, Teens, Adults, Family
Library Branch: Avenue Library
Age Group: Children, Teens, Adults, Family
Program Type: Arts & Crafts
Event Details:

Coloring sheets and crayons are provided for children and their families.

This event is in the "Children" group.
This event is in the "Teens" group.
This event is in the "Adults" group.
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Stay & Play

12:00pm - 6:00pm
Children, Teens, Adults, Family
Library Branch: Avenue Library
Age Group: Children, Teens, Adults, Family
Program Type: Games & Play
Event Details:

All are welcome to "stay and play" at the Avenue Library.  Board games, card games, puzzles and more are available during open hours.

This event is in the "Children" group.
This event is in the "Teens" group.
This event is in the "Family" group.

Puzzle and a Movie

2:00pm - 5:00pm
Children, Teens, Family
Library Branch: Ojai Library
Room: OJI-Twice-Sold Tales Meeting Room
Age Group: Children, Teens, Family
Program Type: Movie
Event Details:

Families are welcome to relax and watch a movie over puzzles!