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Our Library is for everyone. We are a free resource that helps our community connect, create, and learn.
Address
585 Franklin St.
Mountain View, CA 94041
Phone
650-903-6887
Questions?
Contact Us
Website
Library.MountainView.gov
Hours
Monday-Thursday: 10 a.m. - 9 p.m.
Friday-Saturday: 10 a.m. - 6 p.m.
Sunday: 1 - 5 p.m.
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- The Library will be closed on Monday, Sept. 1 in observance of Labor Day.
- We will be implementing a ticketing system on a trial basis instead of pre-registration for the Meso-American Print Arts Workshop with Calixto Robles on Saturday, Sept. 20 and the Sci-Fi Pastel Art Workshop on Saturday, Sept. 27. Free tickets will be distributed on a first-come, first-served basis 30 minutes before these programs. Please review the event descriptions for more information.
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Get ready for another exciting Sci-Fi September! Every year in September, the Library hosts a series of events celebrating science fiction, fantasy, and the real-life science that inspires the stories. This year, we have another compelling slate of programs for sci-fi aficionados and science buffs of all ages. Most of these events are generously sponsored by the Friends of the Mountain View Library.
Events for Adults
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Wednesday, Sept. 3: Join us for a fascinating talk with Dr. Rachel Morgan, Optical Scientist at NASA Ames Research Center and the SETI Institute, as she shares how new coronagraph technology could make it possible to directly image distant Earth-like exoplanets.
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Thursday, Sept. 11: We invite adult residents to personalize their own charm bracelet or keychain with sci-fi themed book charms based on a preselected list of sci-fi/fantasy book covers.
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Thursday, Sept. 18: Test your knowledge on all things sci-fi and fantasy related with four rounds of sci-fi themed trivia, where the top three teams will take home a prize.
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Tuesday, Sept. 23: Enjoy a captivating virtual discussion with award-winning science fiction author Ray Nayler as he discusses his boundary-pushing work.
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Thursday, Sept. 25: Get ready for an evening of sharp insights, big ideas, and thrilling speculation with one of today’s most exciting voices in science fiction, Cory Doctorow.
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Saturday, Sept. 27: Let your imagination take flight in this special sci-fi themed pastel art workshop led by local artist David Hostad.
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Tuesday, Sept. 30: Join theoretical physicist Andrew Sullivan as he takes us deep into the world of neutron stars and pulsars, some of the most extreme objects in the universe.
Events for Youth
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Thursday, Sept. 4: Drop in for an afternoon of sci-fi themed arts and crafts that is self-directed, choice-driven, and celebrates the experience of discovery. For children ages 5 and up.
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Saturday, Sept. 6: Build mini robot circuits, make cool robot art, and even drive a real competition robot in an awesome STEM workshop presented by QuantaMania 27090. For grades 3-6.
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Thursday, Sept. 18: What happens when kids design with AI instead of just using it? Design researcher Keren Ruth Wong will share insights from the IDEO Play Lab. For teens and parents.
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Friday, Sept. 19: Bring your friends and battle aliens, explore the galaxy, and protect your spacecraft while you level up your skills with our Nintendo Switches. For teens.
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Thursday, Sept. 25: Blast off into a STEAM adventure by using film canisters and Alka-Seltzer to build and launch fizzy rockets while learning about chemical reactions.
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Saturday, Sept. 27: Use provided tools and materials to build UFOs or other space-age creations in this Sci-Fi Cardboard Construction program.
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Monday, Sept. 29: Wear your favorite PJs or astronaut suit for an out of this world storytime.
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Teens are a vital part of our community, and the Library is here to help all teens connect, create, and learn. Find out more about some of the programs, services, and resources we offer to teens for free.
- On Saturday, Sept. 27, learn how Harry, a student from England, turned a serious head injury into a way of helping others. Creator of the card game CAGOGA, Harry found a fun, interactive way to spread concussion awareness and allow those suffering from concussions to feel less alone. Teens and adults are welcome to attend this Amplify: Teen Voices event.
- Is your teen interested in sharing their passion or interest with an audience? Teens are invited to submit an application through our Amplify: Teen Voices program to work closely with library staff to refine their idea, schedule and promote their program, create a presentation, prepare the venue, and practice public speaking while building their confidence and leadership skills.
- If your teen is enrolled in Mountain View, Los Altos, Saint Francis, or Alta Vista High Schools, they can use their school ID to receive a Student Connect Card that provides free access to all of the Library's online resources. Students can also use this card to reserve group study rooms.
- If there's a teen in your family who is getting ready to head to college, Brainfuse CollegeNow can help them prepare by offering an array of helpful resources including SAT and ACT practice tests, financial aid help, tools to help you find the perfect major, and more. All you need is a library card to access it for free. Learn how CollegeNow can help by watching our tutorial videos on YouTube.
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Free access to Coursera through the Mountain View Public Library ends on Sunday, September 14. Please visit the Career and Skill-Building page on our website for other world class learning opportunities that the Library offers for free. One such resource is LinkedIn Learning, which provides courses taught by industry experts on a range of topics including Excel, coding, public speaking, business writing, and more.
If you have any questions or would like to learn more about this service update, please reach out to us through our Contact Us form.
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Participants learned about kanzashi, the traditional Japanese art of folding fabric into intricate floral designs, in a workshop led by sustainable artists Gigi Farmer and Leila Ghasempor.
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Thirty-six teens came to compete and cheer for their peers at our Teens Super Smash Bros. Tournament.
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Attendees enjoyed a relaxing concert of Hawaiian music featuring musical guest Haopinaka.
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Staff interacted with 224 visitors and issued 23 library cards at the Mountain View Whisman School District's Back to School Event. Students and parents had the opportunity to browse the bookmobile collection and learn about free programs and services available through the Library.
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- Tuesdays, Sept. 2, 9, 16, 23 & 30: Fall Outdoor Storytime.
- Tuesdays, Sept. 2, 9 & 16: Read & Repeat.
- Wednesdays, Sept. 3, 10, 17 & 24: ESL Conversation Club.
- Wednesday, Sept. 3: On Writing Darkly Charming Villainous Love with Hannah Nicole Maehrer.
- Wednesday, Sept. 3: AstroPIC: Integrated Photonics for Exoplanet Imaging.
- Thursday, Sept. 4: Magical Bridge Storytime.
- Thursday, Sept. 4: Let's Create Sci-Fi.
- Thursdays, Sept. 4 & 11: Sensory Storytime.
- Saturday, Sept. 6: Amplify: Robotics with QuantaMania.
- Wednesday, Sept. 10: Argue Less and Talk More with Communication Expert Jefferson Fisher.
- Wednesday, Sept. 10: Ukulele Jam: Sing and Play Along.
- Wednesday, Sept. 10: Bilingual Storytime: Mandarin/English.
- Thursday, Sept. 11: Sci-Fi Charm Craft Night.
- Saturday, Sept. 13: Growing Winter Vegetables and Herbs in Containers.
- Saturday, Sept. 13: Amplify: Improv-aganza.
- Monday, Sept. 15: Lullaby Storytime.
- Tuesday, Sept. 16: Sewing with FabMo: Hourglass Blocks - Part Two.
- Wednesdays, Sept. 17 & 24: Baby Storytime.
- Wednesday, Sept. 17: Our Failed Attempts to Make English Eezier to Spell with Author Gabe Henry.
- Thursday, Sept. 18: Let's Create.
- Thursday, Sept. 18: Sci-Fi Trivia Night.
- Thursday, Sept. 18: Play, AI, and Growing Up: What Gen Z Is Telling Us.
- Saturday, Sept. 20: Drop-in Bike Clinic.
- Saturday, Sept. 20: Amplify: Model UN.
- Saturday, Sept. 20: Meso-American Print Arts Workshop with Calixto Robles.
- Monday, Sept. 22: Myth Masters.
- Tuesday, Sept. 23: Author Talk with Ray Nayler.
- Wednesday, Sept. 24: Mid-Autumn Festival Chinese Calligraphy Class.
- Thursday, Sept. 25: Sci-Fi STEAM.
- Thursday, Sept. 25: Author Talk with Cory Doctorow.
- Saturday, Sept. 27: Sci-Fi Cardboard Construction.
- Saturday, Sept. 27: Sci-Fi Pastel Art Workshop.
- Monday, Sept. 29: Sci-Fi Pajama Storytime.
- Tuesday, Sept. 30: Pulsars: Real Life Star Destroyers.
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The History of Lasers in Mountain View |
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You are probably familiar with the concentrated beams of light emitted by lasers, a name derived from an acronym for light amplification by stimulated emission of radiation. Indeed, lasers are central to both modern technology and science fiction, but did you know that one of the first companies to commercialize laser technology was founded in Mountain View?
In 1961, a group of former Varian Associates employees opened Spectra-Physics and began marketing laser equipment. The photo above shows the company’s facility on Terra Bella Avenue in the early 1980s. Spectra-Physics was quick out the gate—the first practical laser only made its debut in 1960 at Hughes Research Laboratory in Malibu, California, and was, like many mid-20th century innovations, an offshoot of California's aerospace industry.
Spectra-Physics remained small through the 1960s before booming during the 1970s as more applications for laser technology emerged. If a July 11, 1979 profile of the company in the Valley Journal is to be believed, the company's lasers even made an appearance in Star Wars. However, as company founder Herbert Dwight pointed out in the same article, Spectra-Physics never a created a "death ray," but focused on more peaceful applications including supermarket checkout scanners and aligning irrigation systems.
To learn more about Spectra-Physics and Mountain View's early technology landscape, visit the Mountain View History Center open Tuesdays from 1:00-5:00 p.m., Thursdays from 4:00-8:00 p.m., and by appointment at 650-903-6890.
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