Mesa Public Library

Your dino-mite summer reading adventure begins TODAY! 🦕 What discoveries will you unearth with your library? Create your account, customize your avatar, and start tracking your points towards some great prizes at https://maricopacountyreads.org/.

• 500 points = Peter Piper Pizza (up to age 11)
• 500 points = Loyalty cup from Harkins (teens)
• 500 points = Kid’s meal (ages 0-11) from Habit
• 750 points = Arizona State Parks pass (ages 5-11, teens and adults)
• 750 points = Ono Keiki meal from Ono Hawaiian BBQ (up to age 17)
• 750 points = Phoenix Mercury Tickets (all ages, up to 2 tickets)
• 1,000 points = FREE BOOK!
⭐ Prizes are only available while supplies last, so don’t wait until the end of the program to pick up prizes you’ve earned!

Enjoy free (air conditioned) movies at the library this summer! Check out what's coming up on our events calendar: https://events.mesalibrary.org/events/month/2026/06?program_types%5B269%5D=269&bundles%5Blc_event%5D=lc_event

Did someone say stegosaurus?! Paleontology?! Adventure?! Unearth a Story at your library! You can sign up now for summer reading and begin tracking points on June 1st. Read, conquer challenges, and attend events to earn some great prizes:

• 500 points = Peter Piper Pizza (up to age 11)
• 500 points = Loyalty cup from Harkins (teens)
• 500 points = Kid’s meal (ages 0-11) from Habit
• 750 points = Arizona State Parks pass (ages 5-11, teens and adults)
• 750 points = Ono Keiki meal from Ono Hawaiian BBQ (up to age 17)
• 750 points = Phoenix Mercury Tickets (all ages, up to 2 tickets)
• 1,000 points = FREE BOOK!
⭐ Prizes are available while supplies last

Sign up, customize your avatar, and get ready to start tracking at: https://maricopacountyreads.org.

Have you seen the new mural on the west side of the Main Library? We love it so much! What's your favorite detail?

About the mural, from artist Kayla Newnam:

"Desert Stacks and Midnight Scholars" is a celebration of imagination, curiosity, and connection, transforming towering bookshelves into a colorful desert landscape where owls quietly inhabit the stories around them. Often associated with wisdom and observation, the owls act as subtle guides throughout the mural, while whimsical patterns and vibrant colors echo the quiet energy of the desert at night. Hidden details, contributed book titles from library and City employees, and a winding cactus weaving through the composition invite viewers to slow down, explore, and discover something new with each visit, much like wandering through the library itself in search of the next adventure. The mural also incorporates lattice patterns and blooming cactus flowers inspired by Susan Furini’s 1986 relief sculpture In Pursuit... on the building’s façade, creating a connection between the artwork, the library’s history, and the surrounding desert landscape.

Kayla Newnam is a Phoenix-born mural artist and founder of Out There Murals. Her work is focused on creating vibrant, site-responsive murals that transform spaces through color, pattern, and play. Inspired by the Sonoran Desert, travel, and the unexpected beauty found in everyday environments, her work blends whimsical imagery, native flora and fauna, and bold layered compositions to create immersive spaces that invite curiosity, connection, and joy. She received her BFA in Painting from Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, NY and has since worked on creating bigger and bolder works. Since founding Out There Murals in 2019, Newnam has completed more than 100 murals across 19 U.S. states as part of her ongoing “50 States Project,” traveling in her art camper to collaborate with cities, businesses, and communities across the country. Her work ranges from intimate interior murals to large-scale exterior installations. Through her work, she aims to create public art that feels welcoming, energetic, and deeply connected to the places where it lives.

Stomp into a dino-sized summer with your library! 🦖 Grab your explorer’s hat — or really just a new book — and get ready to dig up some prehistoric adventures! Read with us in June and July to earn prizes. Get ready to start tracking points on June 1 by signing up now at https://maricopacountyreads.org/.

All Mesa Public Libraries will be closed Monday, May 25, in observance of Memorial Day. Access our downloadables 24/7/365 at: mesalibrary.org/downloadables

Looking for a way to volunteer that's proven to be effective and rewarding? Volunteer with AARP Experience Corps Mesa and change a child's life by helping them become a confident reader. For 30 years, Experience Corps volunteers have changed the lives of students around the country by helping them become better readers. With just a few hours a week, you can change your life and your community for the better. Applications are now open for the 2026-2027 school year—click the link to start your journey today! https://my.mesaaz.gov/3WEHJLQ

Mesa Public Library is excited to continue our Writer in Residence program in partnership with the Arizona State Library. This month we are pleased to welcome Oscar Mancinas as our Writer in Residence. During his residency, Mancinas will use the library as his creative workspace, lead writing workshops, and offer one-on-one consultation sessions to assist aspiring authors in refining their work. To learn more or schedule a session, visit: https://www.mesalibrary.org/writerinresidence