Madam Dulcimer and Lady Chops are teaming up to bring lively holiday music to the Library! Join us for this exciting concert that will entertain the whole family! Madam Dulcimer (Amanda Roberts) is a renowned musician who won the 2017 National Hammer Dulcimer Championship. She will be accompanied by percussionist Lady Chops (Elizabeth Vidos) of the Off-Broadway show STOMP. See below for opportunities to attend. Registration may be required. To register, please call the Library location directly. All children under the age of 9 must be accompanied by an adult.

10 a.m. – Greenwell Springs Road Regional Branch Library

2 p.m. – Bluebonnet Regional Branch Library

6 p.m. – South Branch Library

10 a.m. – Delmont Gardens Branch Library

3 p.m. – Carver Branch Library

3 p.m. – Main Library at Goodwood

Monday, December 22

10 a.m. – Baker Branch Library

2 p.m. – Zachary Branch Library

6 p.m. – Jones Creek Regional Branch Library

10 a.m. – River Center Branch Library

3 p.m. – Central Branch Library

Ready to rev up your small business? The Library is here to fuel your journey to success! Join us at the Main Library at Goodwood on Tuesday, December 9, 9 a.m.-12 p.m., for EBRPL’s Small Business Engine Series, co-hosted by the East Baton Rouge Parish Library and The Alliance. In this hands-on workshop, learn to turn ideas into income, strengthen your sales strategy, and build steady revenue growth for your business. These informative sessions, facilitated by The Alliance CEO Stuart Gilly, are designed for aspiring entrepreneurs and established business owners alike. Connect with seasoned local experts and discover how to supercharge your business strategies. Don’t miss this opportunity to gain insider knowledge, make valuable connections, and drive your business forward! Registration is required. To register, visit ebrpl.co/engine. View previous Small Business Engine Series sessions at ebrpl.co/engineseries.

Movies on the Plaza

La La La Lava... Ch Ch Ch Chicken! Come enjoy a silly song-filled, adventure packed Movies on the Plaza at the Main Library at Goodwood on Friday, December 5 at 7 p.m. Join Steve, Henry, and friends as they learn to build amazing creations in a pixelated world and try to save it from evil Piglins. Refreshments will be available for purchase. Bring your lawn chair or blanket, and don't forget to stay for the after-movie dance party!

The Civic Orchestra of Baton Rouge will present its annual holiday concert at the Main Library at

Goodwood on Saturday December 6 at 3 p.m. In addition to seasonal favorites by Leroy Anderson and the orchestra's annual performance of the Hallelujah Chorus, this year's concert will feature Prokofiev's Peter and the Wolf, narrated by local puppeteer and radio DJ Clay Achee. Bring the whole family out for a rare performance of this children's favorite!

String and choral students from Baton Rouge High, Woodlawn High, and McKinley Middle will perform a Winter Concert at Main Library at Goodwood on Sunday, December 14 at 3 p.m. Delight your ears with musical pieces by Bach, Mozart, Mendelssohn, Vivaldi, and more!

Ever wondered what hidden gems are tucked away in the Library's archives? Join us on the second floor of the Main Library at Goodwood on Wednesday December 17 at 6 p.m. for the Special Collections Open House. Take a tour of the archives and view artwork, photographs, rare books, costumes, scrapbooks, and more! Find out how we preserve the history and culture of Baton Rouge.

Kids and their families are invited to join staff members from Lit Smiles Dentistry to learn about dental health and hygiene followed by fun activities at the Carver Branch on Tuesday, December 2 at 6 p.m. and the Main Library at Goodwood on Saturday, December 6 at 10 a.m. Those families in attendance will also be entered into a raffle for a special prize from Lit Smiles Dentistry.

Make a joyful noise! Books & Music celebrates the holiday season with a “Nutcracker Suite” freeze dance, some very jingly bells, and the book The Boy Who Said Wow by Tom Boss about a nonverbal boy who goes to a concert and says “Wow!” to the delight of everyone in attendance. Prepare to hear a story and make some music! Children will engage in hands-on musical and movement activities with teaching artists from the Kids’ Orchestra. All ages and skill levels are welcome.

The Library continues its Virtual Author Talk Series with two new authors in December! Each live,

virtual event features a different bestselling author, along with an interactive Q&A session where

participants can ask questions directly to the author. See December selections and dates/times below.

Visit libraryc.org/ebrpl to register for these virtual events, learn about other upcoming conversations with bestselling authors, and view previous author talk recordings. For more information about these and other virtual events, visit ebrpl.co/virtual.

• Tuesday, December 2 at 1 p.m. – Buckle up for a wild ride as we sit down with debut author

Sue Hincenbergs for an online chat to discuss her novel The Retirement Plan. After thirty years of

friendship, Pam dreams of her perfect retirement with Nancy, Shalisa, Marlene, and their

husbands – until their husbands pool their funds for an investment that goes terribly wrong, and

their dreams of beachfront condos and a sunny, carefree retirement vanish. The golden years are

looking as dreary as their marriages. But when one husband dies in a freak accident, the other

three women are shocked to see his widow rebound with a huge life insurance payout and a new

life in Florida. In the aftermath, the women discover that their husbands have identical, seven-

figure life insurance policies. A new dream forms, and this time, it involves a hitman. Meanwhile,

their husbands have a secret retirement plan of their own. You won’t want to miss this darkly

humorous debut by Sue Hincenbergs, filled with both laugh-out-loud and genuinely tense

moments as our headstrong wives pursue their dream retirement at all costs.

• Tuesday, December 9 at 1 p.m. – Join us for a conversation that’s sure to warm your heart (and make your stomach rumble), as we delve into the legacy of cooking icon Julia Child with

Smithsonian curator and public historian Paula J. Johnson, author of Julia Child’s Kitchen: The

Design, Tools, Stories, and Legacy of an Iconic Space. The book includes interviews with chefs

who knew Julia well, commentaries on her favorite culinary tools and kitchen gadgets, and a

stunning array of photos. Julia Child's 20’ x 14’ kitchen has been on display at the National

Museum of American History in Washington, D.C. for most of the past twenty-three years, and

museum goers have made it a top destination. The kitchen contains tools, appliances, utensils,

furniture, artwork, knick-knacks, books, and bits of whimsy, all reflecting Julia’s status as an

accomplished chef, gastronome, delightful cooking teacher, television trailblazer, women’s

advocate, mentor, and generous, jovial friend. Julia Child’s Kitchen (and this online

conversation) is a must-have for every serious home cook and Julia Child fan.

Children ages 5-11 are invited to Shakespeare in the Library at the Delmont Gardens Branch Library on Saturday, December 6 at 10 a.m. This month, the Louisiana Shakespeare Company will perform a special presentation of A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens. Join them as they bring one of the most well-known Christmas stories to life!

Is the book really better than the movie? Adults are invited to read the book A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens, then join us to watch Scrooged (1988, PG-13) at the Greenwell Springs Road Regional Branch Library on Saturday, December 20 at 2 p.m. Let us know what you think!
Copies of A Christmas Carol are available at the Greenwell Springs Road Regional Branch’s circulation desk and on Libby, the library reading app.

It’s time for the annual “ugly sweater” office party – a festive gathering that’s supposed to be full of cheer but instead feels like it’s dragging along in awkward silence. Then, chaos erupts! A blood-curdling scream rings out. Mike Romanage lies dead, his head bashed against the glass of an old-fashioned copier machine. The body collapsed onto the “print” button, so hundreds of copies are flying around the room. What was Mike Romanage copying? Most importantly – whodunit? Could it have been YOU? Find out at the Pride-Chaneyville Branch Library on Saturday, December 13 at 3 p.m.

Palacios House of Arts presents Music Overlays Our World – Louisiana Sounds Art Exhibition at the South Branch Library on Sunday, December 14. The event will begin with an opening art expo and recital at 2 p.m., followed by a second recital at 4:30 p.m. This collaborative exhibition bridges cultures and communities through color, rhythm, and creativity. Inspired by New Orleans—the city of jazz and blues—students and artists explore how sound can be seen and felt through vibrant mixed media works. The art expo will remain open to the public through January 11, 2026.