All Amarillo Public Library branches will be closed on Monday, January 19, in observance of Martin Luther King Jr Day.

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Programs

We offer education and enrichment programs for all ages. These include Storytimes and early literacy activities for young children; creative, social, and educational opportunities for teens; and enrichment programs for adults, including crafts, book discussion groups, English as a Second Language classes, and more. Please refer to our event calendar to confirm all programming dates.

Weekly & Monthly Programs
Book Clubs
Storytimes
Children's Reading Programs
Language Learning Programs
Annual & Semi-Annual Programs

Weekly & Monthly Programs

A hispanic woman sitting in a chair and twisting her spine with her hands together in a classic yoga move

Chair Yoga

Presented in partnership with the City of Amarillo’s Department of Public Health, Chair Yoga is a gentle form of yoga practiced while seated or using a chair for balance, making it accessible to all levels. Offered on Wednesdays at 9:15 AM at the Southwest Branch Library.

A pair of older women playing the game dominoes

Games 55+

An opportunity for friends, ages 55 and up, to enjoy an afternoon of card games and dominoes. Offered on the first and third Wednesdays of each month at the Southwest Branch Library.

A group on hand-bound books in a variety of sizes and colors with the center book reading "Handbound Bookbinding Club"

Handbound

Handbound is a club dedicated to learning the art of bookbinding. Each month, participants complete a new bookbinding project. Handbound meets at the Downtown Library on the first two Saturdays of each month from 9:30 to 11:30 AM. The same project is covered in each meeting, so patrons can attend either session.

A child reaching into a cup of popcorn with the Crafthouse Cinema logo overlayed

Crafthouse Cinema

Enjoy a screening of a family-friendly film, paired with related crafts to complete while you watch. Offered on the first Saturday of each month at 11:30 AM at the Northwest Branch Library.

A woman crouching down, pressing a dog's paw dipped in paint onto a paper with a tree on it

Memory Café

Memory Café is for area residents dealing with memory issues and their care partners, providing enrichment activities and social interaction through music, games, puzzles, and other activities. This program allows participants to meet new people and take part in shared activities in an accepting, non-judgmental environment. Offered every second Saturday at the Downtown Library from 12 PM until 2 PM. For more information, please call (806) 378-3043. 

A lego build with the pieces spelling out the word "play"

Lego Club

Playing with Legos helps kids build resilience, improve social skills, and learn to solve problems. Lego Club provides an opportunity to explore creativity in a low-stakes environment, at no cost for families. Lego Club meets at the Downtown Library at 4:30 PM on the second Saturday of each month and is especially appropriate for kids in kindergarten through 5th grade.

A close up of someone knitting

Crafty Group

Craft enthusiasts are invited to bring whatever project they are working on for a chance to have time and space to work with other crafters. Offered on the second Saturday of each month at the East Branch Library from 5 PM until 7 PM.

A close up of a person working on putting a jigsaw puzzle together

Piece by (Puzzle) Piece

The perfect club for puzzle enthusiasts! Join this 18-and-over group and work together to complete a jigsaw puzzle, or bring your own puzzles to swap with others. To swap puzzles, they must:

  • Be complete, in good condition, and at least 500 pieces.
  • Be taped shut and have a photo of the finished puzzle on the lid.

Meetings are held on the second Saturday of each month at the Northwest Branch Library from 3 PM until 5 PM.

A hand moving chess piece during a game

Chess Club

This monthly chess club, open to people ages 7 and up, is a great place to learn the basics of chess or practice strategy with other players. Meetings are held every third Thursday of the month at the East Branch Library at 5 PM.

A young tween writing a letter at a desk

Snail Mail Club

The Snail Mail Club is a program for teens and tweens that encourages young people to reconnect with the art of handwritten letters by designing, writing, drawing, and sending mail through the U.S. Postal Service. It’s an opportunity for social interaction that builds community and creativity, with all supplies being provided. Offered on the fourth Friday of each month at the North Branch Library at 4 PM.

Meetings are moved to earlier Fridays in November and December to accommodate the holidays. 

An overhead shot of kids playing with colorful rice and other sensory tools

Sensory Playtime

An opportunity for parents and caregivers to bring kids ages 3 and younger to interact with their environment by playing with new textures and sensory experiences. Offered on the last Saturday of each month at the Northwest Branch Library at 11 AM.

Because it’s held outdoors on the patio, it may be canceled for bad weather or extreme temperatures.

Book Clubs

A blue tote bag with a green pocket in the front that reads "APL Book Club in a Bag" with six different books around the bag

Book Club in a Bag

Amarillo Public Library’s Book Club in a Bag service makes hosting your own book club easy and enjoyable. With just your library card, you can borrow a kit with everything your group needs to have great discussions about popular books. All you need to do is gather some friends and pick a place to meet.

Each Book Club in a Bag kit includes:

  • Ten copies of the selected book
  • A resource folder with:
    • A sign-out sheet to keep track of book copies
    • Practical tips for organizing your book club
    • Discussion questions about the book
    • An author biography for extra background
    • A feedback card so your group can share thoughts or suggestions
  • Certain special kits also come with additional resources like ten study guides and a DVD to add even more to your book club discussions.
Reserve A Bag
A group of young adults discussing a book

Inspirational Book Club

This book club reads mostly inspirational fiction but occasionally chooses uplifting nonfiction titles. Meetings are held on the second Monday of each month at the Southwest Branch Library at 1 PM. 

A group of four older women sitting around a coffee table discussing a book

women's book club

This book club selects a yearly or quarterly theme and selects books matching that theme, with at least one reader’s choice per quarter. Meetings are held on the second Thursday of each month at the Northwest Branch Library at 1 PM.

A group of adults sitting in a library discussing a book

fourth tuesday book club

This book club reads a wide variety of fiction and nonfiction titles. Each meeting is moderated by the club member who recommended the book. Meetings are held on the Fourth Tuesday of the month at the Southwest Branch Library at 11 AM.

Meetings are moved to the third Thursday in November and December to accommodate holidays.

Storytimes

A woman reading a book to a group of children sitting on the group

Classic Storytime

These Storytimes often include games or crafts that help develop language and fine motor skills. They are open to all ages but are especially appropriate and fun for kids ages 3 and up.

A young baby laying on their tummy reaching for an open children's book

Baby Time

These Storytimes are geared towards pre-walkers aged 2 and under.

A group of children sitting on the ground laughing while someone reads them a book

Laugh & Learn Storytime

These Storytimes are for toddlers. They include stories, music, and finger play to support learning and teach parents how to make the most of reading and playtime.

A woman showing a group of children and parents the inside of a book she's reading to them

Family Storytime

These Storytimes only include the reading of stories and are not geared to a particular age group.

Children's Reading Programs

A smiling father reading a children's book to his daughter

1,000 Books Before Kindergarten

Reading to kids every day from birth has documented benefits, including brain development, language skills, preparation for school, family bonding, and the development of a lifelong love of learning. 

To participate in the program, parents or caregivers can sign their children up at the Downtown Library and receive a booklet to keep track of the stories they read. Kids receive a prize for every 100 books read, leading up to a grand prize after 1000 books.

Library storytimes count, as do re-reads of favorite stories! 

A young boy with glasses lying on the floor in his room reading a book

Summer Reading Program

Each summer, APL’s Summer Reading Club offers participants the chance to take part in cool activities and to create a habit of regular reading. When people sign up, they receive a reading log to track their reading throughout the season.

Everyone who reads on at least 30 days by July 31 receives a prize. Children receive a brand-new book, while adults receive a voucher for a free bag of books at the Friends of the Amarillo Public Library book sale. Teen participants can choose between the two prizes.

A young girl walking hand-in-hand with her parents outdoors

Story Walk

Amarillo Public Library offers a Story Walk so kids and families can enjoy two healthy things at once—reading and a nice walk. Visit our Story Walk along the lake at John Ward Memorial Park. The story begins to the right of the sidewalk between the AMBUCS inclusive playground and the Amarillo Botanical Gardens. Stories change every 4 to 6 weeks, so you can go back again and again!

Layton Lutz of Scout Troop 87 installed the Story Walk as his Eagle Scout project. The Friends of the Amarillo Public Library, the Junior League of Amarillo, the Waite and Genevieve Phillips Foundation, Street Toyota, the Barrett and Carol Pierce Charitable Fund, Moore Smiles Pediatric Dentistry in Dumas, and one anonymous donor provided financial support.

Language Learning Programs

A close up of the word "English" in a dictionary

English as a second language classes

English as a Second Language (ESL) classes teach basic English skills for everyday life, including conversational phrases and workplace vocabulary.  ESL classes are free and offered three times each year at the Downtown and East Branch Libraries. Sessions are broken into the following terms:

  • Winter/Spring from January through May
  • Summer from June through August
  • Fall from September through December

Classes held at our Downtown Library meet on Mondays and Tuesdays at 5:30 PM, and classes held at our East Branch Library meet on Mondays and Tuesdays at 6 PM.

Please call 806-378-4245 or 806-342-1589 for more information

A close up of the word "Spanish" in a dictionary

Spanish as a second language classes

Spanish as a Second Language (SSL) classes are designed for beginning Spanish speakers and for anyone looking to strengthen their existing skills. Each class focuses on basic conversational Spanish, essential phrases, and cultural understanding. These classes can help participants communicate more comfortably with Spanish-speaking community members and open the door to better job opportunities.

Beginner and Advanced classes are offered on alternating Fridays and Saturdays at the East Branch Library, with occasional Conversation Hours available for practice. Please call 806-342-1589 for more information.

Annual & Semi-Annual Programs

A patron talking to a vendor at the 2026 AMA-CON event

Ama-Con

Held the first Saturday and Sunday of each August, AMA-CON is an annual convention celebrating comics, anime, sci-fi, gaming, and everything else that is geeky and awesome.

Friends of the Amarillo Public Library, an independent not-for-profit organization, hosts AMA-CON to support the APL. All funds raised through AMA-CON return to the Friends and allow the group to fund the Summer Reading Club, ESL Classes, program supplies, author visits, and other projects not funded through taxpayer dollars.

Click here to learn more about AMA-CON.

A piano with sheet music in front of an audience with the "Books to Broadway" logo overlayed

Books to Broadway

Books to Broadway is an annual concert celebrating books and music. Produced by the WTAMU School of Music, this program features songs from Broadway musicals based on books. A bookish silent auction takes place at the concert—which is free to attend—and sponsorships and premium tickets are available. Funds raised through Books to Broadway return to the Friends of APL and support Library programs and projects not financed with taxpayer dollars.

A stack of three books wrapped in brown paper with someone reading next to them

Blind Date with a Book

Offered each year from mid-January to just before Valentine’s Day, Blind Date with a Book encourages library patrons to take a chance and discover a new author or genre by checking out a paper-wrapped book without knowing what waits inside. Large print and audiobooks are included and marked on the paper wrapping. Participants are invited to submit an entry for a prize drawing from each Blind Date Book.

A row of library stacks filled with books

Brown Bag Book Sale

Held several times a year, the Brown Bag Book Sale is a fundraiser for Friends of the Amarillo Public Library, an independent not-for-profit that supports APL.

Shoppers fill grocery bags with books, movies, and music for one low price per bag, and bringing your own reusable bag earns a discount. The very first night of each sale is reserved for Friends of the Library members only. The sale wraps up with Bargain Days on the final day, with a Discount Sale taking place as the last sale of the year.

Every dollar raised goes back into the organization, funding the Summer Reading Club, ESL classes, program supplies, author visits, and other projects that taxpayer dollars don’t cover.

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About Translations on Amarillo.gov

The City of Amarillo offers translations of content on Amarillo.gov through the Google Translate web translator (translate.google.com). Because Google Translate is an external service, the City does not control the quality or accuracy of translated content. As a result, some translations may contain inaccuracies, and there may be issues with the appearance of translated pages, including errors in images.

If you encounter incorrect or substandard translations, you can help improve them by contributing better translations using Google Translate:

  1. Hover over any text containing an error, and a pop-up box will appear.
  2. Click “Contribute a better translation.”
  3. Double-click the area of the pop-up that says “Click a word for alternative translations, or double-click to edit directly.”
  4. Make your edits directly in the text box.
  5. Press “Contribute” to submit your suggested changes.

For more information on contributing to Google Translate, visit Google Translate’s help page.

Please note that the City of Amarillo does not control the process by which contributed translations are incorporated into Google Translate.

The City of Amarillo is dedicated to enhancing the accessibility and multilingual content available on our website.

City of Amarillo: Property Taxes Rebated Per Year by Agreement Type 

Overview 

The chart shows the dollar amounts of property taxes rebated per year over the last five fiscal years, broken down by agreement type. There were no Chapter 380 property tax rebates in the first two years listed. The total amount increased slightly each year, with a more significant increase in the most recent year. 

Values 

Numerical values presented on the image: 

 

Fiscal Year 2020/2021 

Fiscal Year 2021/2022 

Fiscal Year 2022/2023 

Fiscal Year 2023/2024 

Fiscal Year 2024/2025 

Chapter 311 

$533,080 

$547,426 

$574,947 

$591,249 

$821,350 

Chapter 380 

$0 

$0 

$37,387 

$39,172 

$61,013 

Presentation 

The bar chart shows the amount of property taxes rebated in the past five fiscal years, broken down by agreement type. The horizontal axis shows each of the past five fiscal years and the vertical axis shows the dollar amount rebated. For each fiscal year there is vertical column, comprised of two stacked columns, each of which representing the different agreement types. 

City of Amarillo: Number of Tax Abatements Granted Per Year 

Overview 

The chart shows the number of businesses that received a tax abatement from the City of Amarillo in the past five fiscal years. The 2020/21 and 2021/22 fiscal years each had four active abatements, 2022/23 had five, and 2023/24 and 2024/25 each had seven. 

Values 

Numerical values presented on the image: 

 

Fiscal Year 2020/2021 

Fiscal Year 2021/2022 

Fiscal Year 2022/2023 

Fiscal Year 2023/2024 

Fiscal Year 2024/2025 

Active Abatements Per Year 

4 

4 

5 

7 

7 

Presentation 

The bar chart shows the number of businesses that received a tax abatement from the City of Amarillo in the past five fiscal years. The horizontal axis shows each of the past five fiscal years and the vertical axis shows the number of active abatements each year. Each year has one column, with the height indicating number of active abatements in that year.

Amount of Taxes Abated Per Year 

Overview 

The chart shows the dollar amounts abated over the past five fiscal years from Chapter 312 tax abatement agreements. Each fiscal year shows a larger dollar amount abated, with minor growth over the first three years, a higher increase in the fourth year, and minor growth again in the fifth year. 

Values 

Numerical values presented on the image: 

 

Fiscal Year 2020/2021 

Fiscal Year 2021/2022 

Fiscal Year 2022/2023 

Fiscal Year 2023/2024 

Fiscal Year 2024/2025 

Taxes Abated by City of Amarillo 

$510,061 

$623,017 

$679,849 

$965,261 

$1,143,899 

Total Abated by All Entities Including City of Amarillo 

$1,569,512 

$1,926,332 

$2,103,099 

$2,884,936 

$2,959,496 

Presentation 

The bar chart represents the amount of taxes abated over the past five fiscal years. The horizontal axis shows each of the past five fiscal years and the vertical axis shows the dollar amount abated. The bar representing taxes abated by the City of Amarillo is sightly offset to the side of the bar representing the amount abated by all participating tax entities for each fiscal year. This shows that the amount abated by the City of Amarillo is a part of the total amount abated by all entities.

City of Amarillo: Taxes Rebated Per Year by Type 

Overview 

This chart shows the dollar amounts rebated by the City of Amarillo from economic development incentive agreements over the past five fiscal years. Each year is broken down by rebate type, including property tax rebates, hotel occupancy tax rebates, and sales tax rebates. Each fiscal year shows a slight increase in total dollars rebated, with a more drastic increase in the most recent fiscal year. 

Values 

Numerical values presented on the image: 

 

Fiscal Year 2020/2021 

Fiscal Year 2021/2022 

Fiscal Year 2022/2023 

Fiscal Year 2023/2024 

Fiscal Year 2024/2025 

Property Tax Rebates 

$533,080 

$547,426 

$612,334 

$630,421 

$882,363 

Hotel Occupancy Tax Rebates 

$686,747 

$753,112 

$794,828 

$871,423 

$808,348 

Sales Tax Rebates 

$0 

$21,046 

$55,528 

$45,881 

$368,716 

 

Presentation 

The bar chart represents the amount rebated by the City of Amarillo for each type of tax rebate over the past five fiscal years. The horizontal axis shows each of the past five fiscal years and the vertical axis shows the dollar amount rebated. The different rebate types are stacked vertically in each fiscal year, with the height representing the total dollar amount rebated.