Library programs and events

Our libraries offer early literacy programs during school term.These feature various rhymes, stories and games that engage children of different age groups and assist with early childhood development.

Baby Rhymetime is 30 minutes of songs and rhymes for children aged 0-18 months.

Toddlertime is 30 minutes of songs, games and stories for toddlers up to age 3.

Storytime is 45 minutes of stories, songs and craft for pre-schoolers aged 3-5.

Walk-ins are welcome at Arncliffe, Bexley North, Mascot and Sans Souci. Bookings are required for our libraries in Eastgardens and Rockdale. Bookings open on Eventbrite at the start of each term (you can book week-by-week or the full term).

Bookings required for all activities.

School holiday programs

We offer free school holiday activities such as arts, crafts, and science workshops for primary school kids. Visit our Eventbrite page ahead of the school holidays to see what we have planned.

Other programs

We also run various pop-up events and after-school programs across our libraries that get advertised at different times throughout the year via our Facebook, Instagram and Eventbrite pages.

Bookings required for all activities.

Dungeons and Dragons - D&D is a fantasy role-playing game in which players are characters in an ongoing fantasy story. Adventurers 13+ meet one Saturday per month at Rockdale Library.

For other activities for young people aged 12+, head to the Arncliffe Youth Centre.

Bookings required for all activities.

Programs provided for adults include book groups, technology classes, craft groups and talks on new release books or topics of interest and relevance to the community such as legal issues and local history.

Author Talks

Our author talk program for adults connects readers and authors through a series of talks on newly released books.

Other types of informational talks are run to meet the lifelong learning needs of the community, such as legal or local history topics and workshops to develop skills such as writing workshops. These talks may be presented in different community languages. These run throughout the year across the library network. Please check social media and Eventbrite for upcoming talks.

Book groups

Our libraries host several book groups for different genres and interests. For more information or to join, email book.clubs@bayside.nsw.gov.au

Red Herring Book Group - Red Herring meets at Eastgardens Library from 10:30am on the first Friday of the month to read and discuss crime fiction. Group meetings are run February to December and this group is accepting new members.

Midweek Mayhem - Midweek Mayhem meets at Rockdale Library from 1:30pm on the second Wednesday of the month to read and discuss crime fiction. Group meetings are run February to December and this group is accepting new members.

Books & Biscuits - Books & Biscuits meets at Eastgardens Library from 10:30am on the second Friday of the month. This group is not accepting new members.

4th Wednesday Book Group - 4th Wednesday meets at Rockdale Library from 10:30am on the fourth Wednesday of the month to read a set list of books chosen by members. This group is not accepting new members.

Chinese Language Book Group - the Chinese Language Book Group meets at Rockdale Library from 10am on the last Friday of the month and is for fluent Chinese readers and speakers to discuss books and news items they are reading and other forms of media.

Chess Club

Join Chess Club to meet other chess enthusiasts and improve your skills. Adults of all skill levels are welcome, but you must be familiar with the basic moves of each chess piece.

Join us for a social game of chess at Mascot Library from 3-5pm every Tuesday, except public holidays.

Craft groups

Our libraries host several craft groups for people of all skill levels and interests.

The Eastgardens Knitting Club - the Eastgardens Knitting Club meets at Eastgardens Library from 10am on the second and fourth Mondays of the month. For more information about the Knitting Club, contact Eastgardens Library on (02) 9366 3888

The Rock & Wool Group - the Rock & Wool Group meets at Rockdale Library from 5pm on the first Wednesday of the month and 10am on the third Monday of the month. For more information about Rock & Wool, contact Zulma on 0401 426 571

The Sans Souci Knitting Group - the Sans Souci Knitting Group meets at Sans Souci Library from 11:30am on the first and third Wednesday of the month. For more information about the Knitting Group, contact Sans Souci Library on (02) 9562 1817

Crafternoon - Crafternoon meets at Rockdale Library from 1:30pm on the third Sunday of the month. For more information about Crafternoon, contact Rockdale Library on (02) 9562 1821

Film Club

We run a monthly film club from 10:30am at Rockdale Library on the third Wednesday of the month. Please check Eventbrite for details. Bookings are essential.

Local history exhibitions and talks

We display two local history exhibitions and regular local history talks throughout the year at the Mascot Library and George Hanna Museum. For more information about current exhibitions, visit the Local History page.

We host Local History talks throughout the year which we advertise via our Facebook, Instagram and Eventbrite pages. Bookings are essential.

English conversation classes

Bayside Library hosts English classes for adult beginners and adult post beginners at Rockdale Library. The classes run during school terms. Bookings essential for all sessions

Beginner Class Thursdays 10am-12pm

For beginners to learn English from ABC and 123, basic grammars and sentences, simple conversations for daily communication.

Post Beginner Class Thursdays 10am-12pm

To improve listening, reading, speaking and writing skills in English.

Be Connected

Be Connected are one-on-one beginner to intermediate level classes that can be booked to help seniors be more confident using a computer, mobile devices and the internet. Call Rockdale Library on (02) 9562 1821 or Sans Souci Library on (02) 9562 1817 to book a class.

Tech Savvy Seniors

Tech Savvy Seniors are group classes that seniors can join and be more confident using technology and the internet. These classes are run throughout the year in community languages as well as English. Please check our Eventbrite page for details. Bookings are essential and open two weeks before the session.