Hillsborough County, Fla. (Feb. 6, 2025) - Join the Hillsborough County Public Library Cooperative for engaging, entertaining, and informative free programs for the entire family in February. The events listed below are only a sampling of the many scheduled. Find more listings under the "Events & Classes" tab at HCPLC.org.
The views expressed in these programs are those of the presenters and do not necessarily reflect the official policies, positions, or opinions of Hillsborough County, Tampa-Hillsborough County Public Libraries, or the Friends of the Library of Tampa-Hillsborough County, Inc., which do not endorse the presenters. For more information about these and the many other programs @ your library®, call (813) 273-3652 or visit HCPLC.org.
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Movie Screening - "Race" (PG-13)
Thursday, Feb. 6, 6:30 - 9 p.m.
North Tampa Branch Library, 8916 North Boulevard, Tampa, FL 33604
Join a movie screening of "Race" (2016). Jesse Owens' quest to become the greatest track and field athlete in history launches him onto the world stage of the 1936 Olympics, where he faces off against Adolf Hitler's vision of Aryan supremacy. Rated PG-13. Intended for adults.
African American Historical Resources
Thursday, Feb. 13, at 4 p.m.
Robert W. Saunders, Sr. Public Library, 1505 N. Nebraska Ave., Tampa, FL 33602
Explore the historical and genealogical materials related to local African American communities. Learn about online library resources that complement these collections. Recommended for adults. Registration recommended.
Movie Screening - "Lee Daniels' The Butler" (PG-13)
Saturday, Feb. 15, 3 - 5:30 p.m.
Brandon Regional Library, 619 Vonderburg Dr., Brandon, FL 33511
Inspired by the story of Cecil Gaines, devoted husband, father, and White House butler who served eight Presidential administrations during the politics and civil rights battles of the 20th-century. Seating is limited-registration recommended. Film released in 2013. Rated PG-13. Recommended for adults and older teens.
Book Discussion - "The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store" by James McBride
Monday, Feb. 17, at 11 a.m.
Jan Kaminis Platt Regional Library, 3910 S. Manhattan Ave., Tampa, FL 33611
Join us for a discussion of "The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store" by James McBride. Recommended for adults. Registration recommended. Synopsis: When a skeleton is unearthed in the small, close-knit community of Chicken Hill, Pennsylvania in 1972, an unforgettable cast of characters living on the margins of white, Christian America closely guard a secret, especially when the truth is revealed about what happened and the part the town's white establishment played in it.
Book Discussion: "Black Candle Women" by Diane Marie Brown
Tuesday, Feb. 18, at 1 p.m.
Maureen B. Gauzza Public Library, 11211 Countryway Blvd., Tampa, FL 33626
Join us for a discussion of "Black Candle Women" by Diane Marie Brown. Generations of Montrose women have lived together in a quaint two-story bungalow in California for years. They keep to themselves and stick close to home, but when seventeen-year-old Nickie Montrose brings home a boy for the first time, their quiet lives are disrupted.
African American Historical Resources
Thursday, Feb. 20, at 6 p.m.
C. Blythe Andrews, Jr. Public Library, 2607 E. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., Tampa, FL 33610
Explore the historical and genealogical materials related to local African American communities. Learn about online library resources that complement these collections. Recommended for adults. Registration recommended.
Silver Screen Saturdays: "The Great Debaters" (PG-13)
Saturday, Feb. 22, 3 - 5 p.m.
Jimmie B. Keel Regional Library, 2902 W. Bearss Ave., Tampa, FL 33618
Join a movie screening of "The Great Debaters" (2007). Synopsis: A drama based on the true story of Melvin B. Tolson, a professor at Wiley College Texas. In 1935, he inspired students to form the school's first debate team, which went on to challenge Harvard in the national championship. Recommended for adults. Rated PG-13.
Movie Screening - "Respect" (PG-13)
Saturday, Feb. 22, 3:30 - 5:30 p.m.
Brandon Regional Library, 619 Vonderburg Dr., Brandon, FL 33511
"Respect" is the remarkable true story of the music icon Aretha Franklin's journey to find her voice. Seating is limited; registration is recommended. Film released in 2021. Rated PG-13. Recommended for adults and older teens.
Movie Screening: "Harriet" (PG-13)
Wednesday, Feb. 26, 6 - 8 p.m.
C. Blythe Andrews, Jr. Public Library, 2607 E. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., Tampa, FL 33610
Based on the thrilling and inspirational life of an iconic American freedom fighter, the movie tells the extraordinary tale of Harriet Tubman's escape from slavery and transformation into one of America's greatest heroes. Her courage, ingenuity, and tenacity freed hundreds of slaves and changed the course of history. Rated PG-13.
Graphic Novel Book Club: "Run, Book One"
Wednesday, Feb. 26, at 7 p.m.
Riverview Public Library, 9951 Balm Riverview Rd., Riverview, FL 33569
In this graphic autobiography of iconic congressman John Lewis, "Run: Book One" takes readers through the behind-the-scenes struggle to exercise the hard-won rights of people of color to register, vote, and secure equal representation in their elected leaders, all the while facing escalating tensions over continued American involvement in Vietnam. Copies of the book are available at the Service Desk or can be downloaded from Hoopla. Recommended for adults.
Book Discussion - "The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store"
Thursday, Feb. 27, at 2 p.m.
SouthShore Regional Library, 15816 Beth Shields Way, Ruskin, FL 33573
Join us for a discussion of "The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store" by James McBride. Synopsis: When a skeleton is unearthed in the small, close-knit community of Chicken Hill, Pennsylvania in 1972, an unforgettable cast of characters living on the margins of white, Christian America closely guard a secret, especially when the truth is revealed about what happened and the part the town's white establishment played in it. Recommended for adults. Registration recommended.
Movie Screening - "Hidden Figures" (2016)
Friday, Feb. 28, 3:30 - 5:30 p.m.
Robert W. Saunders, Sr. Public Library, 1505 N. Nebraska Ave., Tampa, FL 33602
Join a movie screening of "Hidden Figures" (2016). The untold story of Katherine G. Johnson, Dorothy Vaughan, and Mary Jackson - brilliant African-American women working at NASA and serving as the brains behind one of the greatest operations in history, the launch of astronaut John Glenn into orbit.