Stories and Signs
Join us in the Friends Storytime Room on Saturday, April 4 from 10:30-11:30 am for our Stories and Signs Storytime featuring baby sign language! Caregivers and children will learn basic signs through stories, songs, and flannel boards. After storytime, stay for a craft with a sign language coloring sheet.
To see our full schedule of April programs, visit cityofmissionviejo.org/event-category/library-programs.
KinderLaunch: Ready, Set, Go!
Join us at the library for a fun multi-day series for kids ages 3-6 to explore letters, counting, and movement while getting ready for kindergarten. This hands-on program takes place in the Friends Storytime Room on Thursdays (April 16, 23, 30) at 10:30 am and 3:30 pm.
To see our full schedule of April programs, visit cityofmissionviejo.org/event-category/library-programs.
Teen volunteers sought for Summer Reading Program
Have fun and earn service hours!
Mission Viejo Library seeks energetic teen volunteers ages 13-17 to help with all aspects of the Summer Reading Program. The annual Summer Reading Program is a library tradition that instills a lifelong love of learning by encouraging children to read and participate in events over the summer.
The 2026 program begins on June 1 and runs through July 31. Teens interested in welcoming families, explaining the program, enrolling participants, and awarding prizes can sign up now.
Teen Summer Reading Program volunteer applications are available online here. For more information, visit cityofmissionviejo.org/departments/library/about/volunteer-opportunities-library.
Donate and recycle for the Friends of the Library
Spring is in the air, which means it’s time to think about spring cleaning. The Friends is seeking donations of new or gently used handbags, backpacks, and luggage of all types to prepare for its annual Purse Palooza sale. Collection boxes for donations are located at the library, Norman P. Murray Community Center, Sierra Recreation and Fitness Center, Marguerite Tennis Pavilion, Casta del Sol, St. Kilian’s Catholic Church and the Elks Lodge. Handbags, backpacks, and luggage donations will be accepted through Thursday, April 30. This year’s sale is from 9 am to 2 pm on Saturday, May 2 at the Norman P. Murray Community Center.
The Friends remind you to also comb through your refrigerator, closets, and garage for materials to fill your recycling bin every week in April. During this month, Waste Management will donate $5 for every ton of residential recyclables picked up curbside in Mission Viejo to the Friends of the Mission Viejo Library. In 2025, the Friends received more than $3,700 from Waste Management that helped support a variety of library collections including new digital resources Mango Languages and Comics Plus.
However, do not recycle children or young adult books. In fact, board, picture, and fiction books in gently used condition can be donated to the Friends Bookstore. Donations are accepted during bookstore hours and are tax deductible. Bookstore hours are Monday through Thursday from 10 am to 6 pm; Friday 1 to 4:30 pm; and Saturday from 10 am to 4 pm. The bookstore is closed on Sunday. For more information, call 949-452-8349.
Celebrate National Library Week!
Join us in the Friends Storytime Room from 3:30-4:30 pm on Wednesday, April 22 to celebrate National Library Week. All ages are welcome to make book-themed crafts and play games including book butterflies, character puppets, Book Bingo and more.
To see our full schedule of April programs, visit cityofmissionviejo.org/event-category/library-programs.
Quilt blocks sought for America250 Community Quilt
The Mission Viejo Library invites our community to help create a special Community Quilt celebrating the 250th anniversary of the United States of America in 2026.
For more information and submission guidelines, email libraryprograms@cityofmissionviejo.org.
Performing Arts collection available online
While some celebrities may have recently disparaged opera and ballet, do you wonder what the real deal is with those classic art forms?
If you want to learn about or experience these art forms without the ticket price, check out Alexander Street Performing Arts Collection! The Mission Viejo Library is proud to raise the curtains in the comfort of your home and bring you recordings of plays, opera, ballet, and more from world-renowned companies.
This incredible online resource features short videos and full-length productions from all stage traditions. Enjoy the work of the Bard with performances from The Royal Shakespeare Company. Watch contemporary and classic operas like “Tosca” and “Heart Chamber,” and inspire a new generation of ballerinas with recorded master classes and full performances.
Help keep the arts alive with Alexander Street Performing Arts Collection on the library website.
‘Chinese Women of the Delta’ Documentary and Presentation with Carol Lee
The South Orange County California Genealogical Society on Saturday, April 18 will present Carol Lee, a key contributor to the documentary “Voices: Chinese Women of the Delta.”
The free presentation begins at 10 am at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, 27976 Marguerite Parkway. No registration required.
As a prelude to the showing, Carol will provide insight and context to the Chinese American immigration history of the United States and California. Her presentation will offer an impactful lens to truly understanding the significance of the film. Produced by filmmaker Min Zhou, the film honors the pioneer women of the Delta, their struggles, hardships, and resilience. For the first time, women inside the community share their experiences and stories to reveal a glimpse of the history and culture of Locke. Located in the Sacramento River Delta, Locke was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1970. In 1990, it was designated a National Historic Landmark for being the last remaining rural Chinese community in the United States.
About the speaker: Carol Lee grew up in the rural Delta setting of Walnut Grove where her family operated a grocery store. She graduated from Delta High School in Clarksburg then attended California State University, Sacramento to help her aging parents and the family store. She graduated from UC San Francisco Dental Hygiene School and began a 45-year career as a registered dental hygienist. She also earned her master’s degree and became an educator at Sacramento City College. Professionally, Carol served as the first Asian American president of the state Dental Hygienists’ Association as well as in numerous local, state and national leadership roles. She is currently a director of the Locke Foundation and Oral History Project lead. Carol is also cofounder of the 501(c)(3) nonprofit LockePRDA (Prior Residents, Descendants and Ascendants). Created in 2022, its mission is to preserve the history of Chinese of the Delta and educate future generations of their legacy.
The South Orange County California Genealogical Society’s Genealogy Research Center located in the Mission Viejo Library is open six days a week with docents available to help you. Visit soccgs.org/library-hours for current hours.