Community Engagement

The Houston Public Library’s Community Engagement Team provides library services for all ages, stages, and walks of life! We firmly believe that the library is for everyone, so we bring the instructors, the knowledge, the supplies, and the classroom to you.

We provide a wide variety of classes and services including information about the library, early literacy, digital literacy, STEM, workforce development, ESL, and citizenship.

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Find Us In Your Community

Teachers, Educators, or Organizations

Want to host a group event for kids or teens? We offer the needed support for you to sponsor your own learning activity for any age group of 6 or more.

Hop on board one of our mobile libraries to teach students valuable skills in unique learning environments equipped with an interactive technology center for trainings or jumpstart the fun with the mobile gaming cube. Let us bring the classroom to you and create a dynamic educational experience!

Courses Catalog

Preschool Courses

LEGO Engineering (Preschool)

Group Size: 30
Duration: 45 min - 1 hour
Recommended: 1 Session
Ideal Age: Preschool
This class teaches science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) concepts by using Legos™ to introduce simple machines to young children. Allows children to expand their teamworking and communication skills in a fun and exciting way. Courses include: Lego™ Duplos.

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Puppet Theatre

Group Size: 30
Duration: 30 min
Recommended: 1 Session
Ideal Age: Preschool
Learning through play is fundamental to a child’s education; our puppet theater offers children an engaging way to interact and explore their knowledge of the world and expand their vocabulary.

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Pop Up Library

Group Size: 30
Duration: 30 min - 1 hour
Recommended: 1 session
Ideal Age: Preschool
Each session combines storytime with interactive activities in the area of math, science, and creative arts. After each class, children receive a book and take-home activity to continue the learning fun! The library includes English and Spanish language materials.

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Pop-Up Library TOO!

Group Size: 10
Duration: 30 min - 1 hour
Recommended: 1 Session
Ideal Age: Preschool
Each session combines storytime with books, technology, and sensory learning activities that are fun and accessible for children with various special learning needs.. After each class, children receive a book and take-home activity to continue the learning fun!

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Storytime Fitness

Group Size: *
Duration: 45 min - 1 hour
Recommended: 1 Session
Ideal Age: Preschool
Storytime Fitness includes books that teach the importance of nutrition and engages children in a 30 minutes kid-friendly fitness activity.

TumbleBook Library

Duration: 30 min
Recommended: 1 Session
Ideal Age: Preschool
Sample online books and expand early literacy skills through comprehension quizzes and activities. Children and their families will learn how to access TumbleBook Library through the HPL website and continue the fun at home.

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Osmos Genius

Group Size: 25
Duration: 1 hour
Recommended: 1 Session
Ideal Age: Preschool
Children use tablets to play games that directly correlate with different mathematical objectives. This fun and exciting program is a great way to get your young learners engaged and interested the world of mathematics while embracing mobile technology.

Juvenile Courses

Pop Up Library

Group Size: 30
Duration: 30 min - 1 hour
Recommended: 1 session
Ideal Age: Juvenile Courses (Up to Age 12)
Each session combines storytime with interactive activities in the area of math, science, and creative arts. After each class, children receive a book and take-home activity to continue the learning fun! The library includes English and Spanish language materials.

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Pop-Up Library TOO!

Group Size: 10
Duration: 30 min - 1 hour
Recommended: 1 Session
Ideal Age: Juvenile Courses (Up to Age 12)
Each session combines storytime with books, technology, and sensory learning activities that are fun and accessible for children with various special learning needs. After each class, children receive a book and take-home activity to continue the learning fun!

Watch Video

Storytime Fitness

Group Size: 10
Duration: 45 min - 1 hour
Recommended: 1 Session
Ideal Age: Juvenile Courses (Up to Age 12)
Storytime Fitness includes books that teach the importance of nutrition and engages children in a 30 minutes kid-friendly fitness activity. Kodu Game Lab.

TumbleBook Library

Duration: 30 min
Recommended: 1 Session
Ideal Age: Juvenile Courses (Up to Age 12)
Sample online books and expand early literacy skills through comprehension quizzes and activities. Children and their families will learn how to access TumbleBook Library through the HPL website and continue the fun at home.

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Circuits and Electricity

Group Size: 20
Duration: 1 hour
Recommended: 1 Session
Ideal Age: Juvenile Courses (Up to Age 12)
The circuit and electricity curriculum allows children hands-on opportunities to discover the various components of a circuit and how they work. Courses include DIY Paper Circuits, LittleBits, MakeyMakey, and Arduino Circuit Playground.

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Coding

Duration: 1 - 2 hours
Recommended: 3 Sessions
Ideal Age: Juvenile Courses (Up to Age 12)
This technology course teaches simple videogame creation in a fun and easy way. Children will learn basic concepts of design and programming, without having to learn a programming language! Courses include: Hour of Code, Portal, Spheros, and Kodu Game Lab.

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Lego Robotics (Up to Age 12)

Duration: 1 - 2 hours
Recommended: 1 Sessions
Ideal Age: Juvenile Courses (Up to Age 12)
This class expands on the Lego™ engineering curriculum by engaging children to explore STEM through the manipulation and construction of Lego™ robots. Children then can use IPads and learn basic block coding and command programming to manipulate their new creations. Courses include: Lego™ WeDo.

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Minecraft Education Edition

Duration: 1 - 1.5 hours
Recommended: 1 session
Ideal Age: Juvenile Courses (Up to Age 12)
Instructors will guide children through creative and team building skills via our Minecraft EDU server. This class encourages children to explore their imaginations, to develop problem solving abilities, to work in teams on a variety of activities, and get the chance to apply critical thinking skills by competing against other teams!

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Lego Engineering (Up to Age 12)

Group Size: 30
Duration: 45 min - 1 hour
Recommended: 1 Session
Ideal Age: Juvenile Courses (Up to Age 12)
This class teaches science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) concepts by using Legos™ to introduce simple machines to young children. Courses include Lego™ Duplos, Simple Machines, and Renewable Energy.

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Lego Story Telling (Up to Age 12)

Group Size: 30
Duration: 1.5 - 2 hours
Recommended: * Session
Ideal Age: Juvenile Courses (Up to Age 12)
Children will create characters and backgrounds using Legos™ and the StoryVisualizer software, which helps children to present, share and document their tales; they can use a web cam, digital camera, or smart device to take pictures of the images and import them into book form.

Gaming

Duration: 1 - 2 hours
Recommended: 5 Session
Ideal Age: Juvenile Courses (Up to Age 12)
Video games are used as an effective learning tool to help motivate students with problem-solving techniques. They help teens process information much faster and improve on their gaming and physical fundamentals. These games can have a great effect on health, well-being and fitness.

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Osmos Genius

Teen Courses

Circuits and Electricity

Group Size: 20
Duration: 1 hour
Recommended: 1 Session
Ideal Age: Young Adult (12 to 18)
The circuit and electricity curriculum allows children hands-on opportunities to discover the various components of a circuit and how they work. Courses include DIY Paper Circuits, LittleBits, MakeyMakey, and Arduino Circuit Playground.

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Reel Teen

Duration: 1 - 2 hour
Recommended: 4 Session
Ideal Age: Young Adult (12 to 18)
This class will go over some of the fundamentals of movie making. Teens will produce, direct, and star in their own films while learning how to edit video and add sound!

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Minecraft Education Edition

Duration: 1 - 1.5 hours
Recommended: 1 session
Ideal Age: Young Adult (12 to 18)
Instructors will guide children through creative and team building skills via our Minecraft EDU server. This class encourages children to explore their imaginations, to develop problem solving abilities, to work in teams on a variety of activities, and get the chance to apply critical thinking skills by competing against other teams!

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Rocket Frenzy

Duration: 30 min - 2 hours
Recommended: 1 session
Ideal Age: Young Adult (12 to 18)
Teens will have an opportunity to match their ingenuity with the limits of Newton’s Laws of Physics in order to design their own model rocket that is aerodynamically sound. Requester must provide authorization and space to launch rockets.

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Sewing

Duration: 2 hours
Recommended: 1 session
Ideal Age: Young Adult (12 to 18)
Teens will learn how to select fabric, prepare it for sewing, thread and operate a sewing machine, and finish a project. Teens will leave this class with a finished object. This course is ideal for smaller groups.

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3D Printing

Duration: 2 hours
Recommended: 2 session
Ideal Age: Young Adult (12 to 18)
In this course, teens will learn how to be more than inventors; they will become makers by using various types of 3D modeling software and printing actual physical objects that they have designed and modeled themselves.

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Lego Robotics (12-18)

Group Size: 20
Duration: 1 - 2 hours
Recommended: 1 Session
Ideal Age: Young Adult (12 to 18)
This class expands on the Lego™ engineering curriculum by engaging teens to explore STEM through the manipulation and construction of Lego™ robots. Teenagers then can use IPads and learn basic block coding and command programming to manipulate their new creations. Courses include: Lego™ WeDo, Mindstorms EV3.

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Computer Engineering

Duration: 1 - 1.5 hours
Recommended: 1 Session
Ideal Age: Young Adult (12 to 18)
Using the innovative new Raspberry Pi computer (a credit card sized computer complete in a single circuit board), teenagers will make and program whatever they can imagine, including creating their own radio station, mixing board and more!

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Gaming

Duration: 1 - 2 hours
Recommended: 5 Session
Ideal Age: Young Adult (12 to 18)
Video games are used as an effective learning tool to help motivate students with problem-solving techniques. They help teens process information much faster and improve on their gaming and physical fundamentals. These games can have a great effect on health, well-being and fitness.

Watch Video

Lego Engineering (Ages 12-18)

Group Size: 30
Duration: 45 min - 1 hour
Recommended: 1 Session
Ideal Age: Young Adult (12 to 18)
This class teaches science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) concepts by using Legos™ to introduce simple machines to teens. Courses include Simple Machines and Renewable Energy.

Watch Video

Coding

Duration: 1 - 2 hours
Recommended: 3 Sessions
Ideal Age: Young Adult (12 to 18)
This technology course teaches simple videogame creation in a fun and easy way. Children will learn basic concepts of design and programming, without having to learn a programming language! Courses include: Hour of Code, Portal, Spheros, and Kodu Game Lab.

Watch Video

Adult Courses

Sewing

Duration: 2 hours
Recommended: 1 session
Ideal Age: Adult
Learn how to select fabric, prepare it for sewing, thread and operate a sewing machine, and finish a project. You will leave this class with a finished object. This course is ideal for smaller groups.

Citizenship Class

Group Size: 20
Duration: 1 - 1.5 hours
Recommended: 5 session
Ideal Age: Adult
This class is a month-long class that is designed to guide participants through the naturalization process, prepare the students for the interview, and increase their chances of becoming a U.S. citizen. Classes held in English only.

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Workforce Development

Group Size: 20
Duration: 1 - 1.5 hours
Recommended: 1 session
Ideal Age: Adult
This class provides helpful tips to job seekers who are job searching. Participants will develop skills on résumé writing, job searching and interview techniques. This class is ideally for job seekers that want to improve or learn new skills.

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Microsoft Office

Duration: 1 - 2 hours
Recommended: 3 session
Ideal Age: Adult
This three-part class introduces participants to the Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint. Specific skills that are taught range from creating spreadsheets to designing full presentations.

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English as Second Language

Duration: 2 hours
Recommended: 5 session
Ideal Age: Adult
Classes offered to help non-native speakers communicate in English exploring all aspects of the English language, through group and class discussions, dialogue, pronunciation practice, vocabulary, and grammar.

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Computer Basics

Duration: 1.5 - 2 hours
Recommended: 5 session
Ideal Age: Adult
This multi-part course is ideal for beginner to intermediate users who want to expand their technical skills and knowledge. Various class options exist that range in topics from basic keyboarding to navigating the World Wide Web. Courses include Computer Basics, Mouse and Keyboarding Basics, and Internet Basics.

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All Age Courses

Book Mobile

Group Size: 15
Duration: 1 - 2 hours
Recommended: 1 session
Ideal Age: All Ages
Can’t make it to the library? Have the library come to you! Request our library on wheels with books to borrow for all ages! Materials can be returned to any branch of the Houston Public Library.

Outreach

Group Size: 50
Duration: 1 - 2 hours
Recommended: 1 session
Ideal Age: All Ages
Request that HPL set up a table or display with information about the library for your fair, open house, or other community outreach event. An HPL orientation seminar is also available upon request that introduces participants to the library system through an overview of databases and services like Café College and Learning Express. Eligible participants will also be able to register for a library card on site!

Request an Event

We provide a wide variety of classes and services including information about the library, early literacy, digital literacy, STEM, workforce development, ESL, and citizenship. (Please note that certain of our partners may have policies restricting attendance at their sites to their organization.) Contact us at hpl.mobile@houstontx.gov / 832-393-1533!

Request your event now!

Top Programs We Offer

Camp STREAM

Camp STREAM is a free, fun-filled summer program for kids and teens of all ages offering interactive STREAM activities for Science, Technology, Reading, Engineering, Arts and Math each day of the week!

Robotics Classes

Expands on the Lego engineering curriculum by engaging children to explore STEM through the manipulation and construction of Lego and Sphero robots. Children use iPads and learn basic block coding and command programming to manipulate their new creations.

English as a Second Language

Classes offered to help non-native speakers communicate in English exploring all aspects of the English language, through group and class discussions, dialogue, pronunciation practice, vocabulary, and grammar.

Our Mobile Library Fleet

New Mobile Express

Jumpstart your next library service with the new Mobile Express! This mobile is well suited for technology training, flexible classroom delivery, and providing library services anywhere. Dynamic classroom flow coupled with the latest and greatest technology available creates an engaging environment inside. This mobile also has a hydraulic lift making the lab and all it has to offer accessible to everyone who wants to come aboard.

Gaming Cube

Challenge one another to gaming tournaments in the Mini-mobile gaming cube! This mobile is designed to host small groups while they play on the console of their choice. A dedicated table arrangement makes this mobile great for hands on activities and outreach at your events.

Mobile Express

Find your next technology class onboard the original Mobile Express! This mobile equipped with 11 desktop computers, and outfitted with webcams and headsets, a high-speed mobile internet connection, wireless printing, two 55” smart TV’s (one inside, and one outside), and an Apple TV. This mobile also has a hydraulic lift making the lab and all it has to offer accessible to everyone who wants to come aboard.

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