Exhibits - Visit Us at Houston Public Library

Installation view of Looking Up: Sky, Branch and Bough

December 7, 2024 – January 23, 2025

Looking Up: Sky, Branch and Bough exhibits 44 tree paintings from artist Marla Luttrell’s neighborhood. The paintings, created outdoors to capture the essence of the trees in nature, are presented as small “tiles” mimicking the interface of a cell phone. The juxtaposition of natural beauty and the imitation of man-made technology encourages viewers to go outside and look up at natural beauty rather than look down at their phones. Luttrell observed the trees for over a year. Each painting evokes the senses awakened by sights, sounds, and climate.

Marla Luttrell is a contemporary impressionist landscape oil painter in Houston, Texas. For more information, please visit the artist’s website and Instagram page: @marlaluttrellartist.

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Artist Talk with Marla Luttrell | Saturday, December 7, 4:00 - 5:00 PM

CHECK OUT OUR CATALOG

Kid/Juvenile

Bunting, Philip, The Gentle Genius of Trees
Cousins, Lucy, Maisy Loves Trees: Explore and Learn!
Cyrus, Kurt, Trillions of Trees
Delacre, Lulu, Cool Green: Amazing, Remarkable Trees
DK Smithsonian Institution, Trees, Leaves, Flowers & Seeds: A Visual Encyclopedia of the Plant Kingdom
Hirsch, Andy, Trees: Kings of the Forest
Johnston, Tony, Trees
Lemniscates, Árboles | Trees
Veitch, Catherine, Learning About Trees
Volant, iris, Under the Canopy, Trees Around the World
Ziefert, Harriet, Be Thankful for Trees
Zuckerberg, Randi, Dot. Unplugged

Adult

Albala, Mitchell, Landscape Painting: Essential Concepts and Techniques for Plein Air and Studio Practice
Baker, Samantha Dion, Draw Your World: How to Sketch and Paint Your Remarkable Life
Doherty, M. Stephen, The Art of Plein Air Painting: An Essential Guide to Materials, Concept, and Techniques for Painting Outdoors
Garrett, Howard, Howard Garrett's Texas Trees
Macpherson, Kevin D., Landscape Painting Inside & Out: Capture the Vitality of Outdoor Painting in Your Studio with Oils
Newport, Cal, Digital Minimalism: Choosing a Focused Life in a Noisy World
Price, Catherine, How to Break Up With Your Phone | Cómo cortar con tu móvil
Smibert, Tony, Tate Watercolour Manual: Lessons from the Great Masters
Wolf, Rachel Jepsen, The Unplugged Family Activity Book: 60+ Simple Crafts and Recipes for Year-Round Fun

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BLACK STEREO by Tierney Malone - Artist Talk June 21

Image courtesy Tierney Malone May 10 - September 27, 2025The African American History Research Center at the Gregory Campus | Gallery Black music is the soundtrack to the struggle for self-determination and liberation of Black people in the New World. It is the musical history of our evolution in this country. Black music has been key to shaping American culture. Africans stolen from their homeland were forced to give up their languages, rituals, names, and the drum. Yet, they retained the essence of these things and created spirituals, gospel, blues, jazz, rhythm and blues, and hip hop - musical forms whose powerful influence is undeniable on the cultural fabric of this county and beyond. Black music is a connection to our past and a source of inspiration, a space-creating force that encourages and seeds dreams for the future.In 1968, when singer Archie Bell said, “Hi, everybody. I'm Archie Bell of the Drells of Houston, Texas” on the hit record Tighten Up, he helped put Houston's music scene on the world map. The music for this song was created and performed by the TSU Toronadoes, a group formed by students from Texas Southern University in the heart of Third Ward, aka “The Tre.”In the exhibition Black Stereo, I am telling the stories and connection that African American artists and institutions of Greater Houston have with the city and the country. The works presented take the forms of concert posters, showbills, and album covers, infographics meant to highlight, educate, and entertain like music. The message is in the music. - Tierney Malone About Tierney MaloneMalone is a visual artist and modern-day storyteller who blends African American history and pop culture to create mixed media works that challenge contemporary culture and politics. He is the host of “Houston Jazz Spotlight,” a weekly program on Radio KPFT. JOIN US Opening Reception for BLACK STEREO with Tierney Malone | May 10, 2:00 - 4:00 PM>> Artist Talk | Tierney Malone: BLACK STEREO | June 21, 3:00 - 4:00 PM << Events for EveryoneDATETIMEEVENTLOCATION Monday, June 92:00 - 3:00 PMMusical Performance by Sax MinistryFreed-Montrose Neighborhood LibraryRegister HereMonday, June 1612:00 - 1:00 PMMusical Performance by Sax MinistryMcCrane-Kashmere Gardens Neighborhood LibraryRegister HereSaturday, June 2111:00 AM - 9:00 PMMake Music Day FestivalCentral LibraryRegister HereWednesday, July 161:00 - 2:00 PMMusical Performance by Sax MinistryMancuso Neighborhood LibraryRegister Here Events for KidsDATETIMEEVENTLOCATION Tuesday, June 310:30 - 11:30 AMInstrument Explorers with Tom's Fun BandVinson Neighborhood LibraryRegister HereSaturday, June 2111:45 - 12:15 PMMusical StorytimeCentral LibraryRegister HereTuesday, July 153:00 - 4:00 PMInstrument Explorers with Tom's Fun BandScenic Woods Regional LibraryRegister HereTuesday, July 222:00 - 3:00 PMMusic and Movement with AndyRooStanaker Neighborhood LibraryRegister Here EXPLORE SPECIAL COLLECTIONS Black Music in Houston Collection (MSS 0159)The Black Music in Houston Collection contains newspaper articles, programs, correspondence, and photographs of African American musicians and musical activity in Houston during the 1980s. Between WWI and WWII, Houston became a regional center of jazz music, a style popularized during the 19th century. Houston experienced a flourishing music scene from the 1960s to the 1980s with a variety of prevalent genres including blues, jazz, and rhythm and blues. Blues music was popularized in Houston during the 1940s with Gold Star Studios, more recently known as Sugar Hill Studios, who produced several prominent musicians including Lighting in Hopkins and Bobby Blue Band.Texas Jazz Archive (RG E 0071)In 1986, Arnett Cobb and his daughter Lizette Cobb created the Jazz Heritage Society of Texas as a non-profit education, literary, and cultural arts organization. Arnett Cobb expressed an interest in creating a jazz archive. In 1987, the Jazz Heritage Society of Texas partnered with the Houston Metropolitan Research Center (now Houston History Research Center) to document the under-represented jazz scene of Texas by establishing the Texas Jazz Archive. The strong points of this collection are the oral history interviews and the number of photographs chronicling these musicians' professional careers.Jazz Education Inc. (RG 0041)The Jazz Education Inc. Collection contains records related to the operations of Jazz Education Inc. between 1990-2022. Jazz Education Inc. was established in 1970 by Bubbha Thomas, to provide training and educational opportunities to children about the history and culture of jazz music, which were unavailable at both private and public institutions. The organization also sponsors four main programs: Music in the Schools (Jazz and Poetry Series), Summer Jazz Workshop, SJW Scholarship Jazz Brunch, and the Houston International Jazz Festival.Carlos Johnson Papers (MSS 0051)This collection contains the personal and professional records of Charles “Carlos” Johnson during his career as a percussionist. Charles Harold “Carlos” Johnson was born on August 31, 1945, to Ernestine and T.Z. Johnson in Fifth Ward, Houston, Texas. He attended Kashmere Junior and Senior High School and performed under Conrad Johnson. He attended Texas Southern University and performed with the TSU Jazz Ensemble. During his 35-year career as a percussionist, he adopted the stage name “Carlos” and in addition to jazz, he performed with classical, country, rock, and pop musicians. Johnson taught music, performed as a solo artist through Congos By Carlos, and was part of music groups such as D.R.U.M. (Divine Rhythm United Motion). CHECK OUT THE CATALOG Kid/JuvenileAdoff, Arnold, Roots and Blues: A CelebrationDell, Pamela, The Blues: Birth of an American SoundEarl, C. F., Hip-Hop: A Short HistoryKoopmans, Andy, The History of the BluesLoney, Andrea J., The Double Bass BluesMour, Stanley I., Innovators of American JazzMyers, Walter Dean, JazzWheeler, Lisa, Jazz BabyWilliams, Jarrett, Hip-Hop: The Beat of AmericaWinter, Jonah, How Jelly Roll Morton Invented Jazz AdultBradley, Andy, House of Hits: The Story of Houston's Gold Star/SugarHill Recording StudiosCorcoran, Michael, Ghost Notes: Pioneering Spirits of Texas MusicCorcoran, Michael Joseph, All Over the Map: True Heroes of Texas MusicFaniel, Maco L., Hip-Hop in Houston: The Origin & the LegacySteptoe, Tyina L., Houston Bound: Culture and Color in a Jim Crow CityWalker, Lance Scott, Houston Rap Tapes: An Oral History of Bayou City Hip-HopWood, Charles Roger, Down in Houston: Bayou City Blues WatchWhen Houston Had the BluesBeyonce ListenRhino Hi-Five: Archie Bell & The DrellsArnett CobbThelonius Monk: The London Collection Vol. 1The Dixie HummingbirdsThe Crusaders Library of ThingsPortable record player This exhibition is generously supported by Houston Public Library, Houston Public Library Foundation, and the City of Houston....

Al Otro Lado | The Other Side: Raquel Natalicchio

Images courtesy Raquel Natalicchio and Houston History Research Center June 14, 2025 - February 28, 2026The Julia Ideson Building | The Dr. James and Betty Key Map Room At the heart of Al Otro Lado/The Other Side lies the convergence of individual stories and geographical context. This exhibition features the work of photojournalist Raquel Natalicchio, focusing on her portraits and interviews of people who have migrated to the United States. Their personal narratives, highlighting their diverse experiences and journeys, are paired with historical maps highlighting regions along the U.S.-Mexico border, sourced from the Houston History Research Center. These maps not only chart physical landscapes but also document the history leading up the establishment of the border and the socio-political complexities surrounding immigration. En el corazón de “Al Otro Lado/The Other Side” se encuentra la convergencia de historias individuales y contexto geográfico. Esta exposición presenta el trabajo de la fotoperiodista Raquel Natalicchio, centrándose en sus retratos y entrevistas de personas que han migrado a Estados Unidos. Sus narrativas personales, que resaltan sus diversas experiencias y trayectorias, se complementan con mapas históricos que ilustran las regiones a lo largo de la frontera entre EE.UU. y México, provenientes del Houston History Research Center. Estos mapas no solo trazan paisajes físicos, sino que también documentan la historia que condujo al establecimiento de la frontera y las complejidades sociopolíticas en torno a la inmigración. About the Photojournalist | Sobre la fotoperiodistaRaquel Natalicchio is a bilingual photojournalist originally from Los Angeles, now based in Houston as a staff photojournalist for the Houston Chronicle. Her work focuses on social issues, migration, political mobilization, and community-driven stories across the U.S.–Mexico border. Her long-term project Borderlands explores the cultural and human complexity of border life. A passionate educator, she has developed photography curricula for Las Fotos Project and the Houston Center for Photography, empowering youth through self-expression. Natalicchio has organized exhibitions and talks in Houston, Los Angeles, New York, and London. She is South Regional Chair of the National Press Photographers Association and founder of The Open Door Gallery, a roaming gallery dedicated to supporting artists and building community. Raquel Natalicchio es una fotoperiodista bilingüe originaria de Los Ángeles, California, y actualmente reside en Houston, Texas, donde trabaja como periodista visual para The Houston Chronicle. Raquel documenta temas sociales, migración, la movilización política y historias impulsadas por la comunidad a través de la frontera entre EE.UU. y México. Su proyecto a largo plazo llamado “Borderlands” explora la complejidad cultural y humana de la vida fronteriza. Educadora apasionada, ha desarrollado programas de fotografía para Las Fotos Project y The Houston Center for Photography, empoderando a los jóvenes a través de la autoexpresión. Natalicchio ha organizado exposiciones y conferencias en Houston, Los Ángeles, Nueva York y Londres. Raquel es la Presidenta Regional Sur de la National Press Photographers Association y fundadora de The Open Door Gallery, una galería itinerante dedicada a apoyar a artistas y fortalecer la comunidad. JOIN US Saving Immigrant Voices (Freeing DETAINED Texas Tour: Houston) | Wednesday, May 21, 2:00 PM>> Opening Reception with Raquel Natalicchio | Saturday, June 14, 1:00 - 2:00 PM << This exhibition is generously supported by Houston Public Library, Houston Public Library Foundation, and City of Houston. Esta exposición cuenta con el generoso apoyo de Houston Public Library, Houston Public Library Foundation y City of Houston....

I Am Texas: The Largest Published Book in the World

Images courtesy iWriteJune 7 - November 14, 2025Central Library | 1st Floor I Am Texas is the “largest published book in the world,” according to representatives from the Guinness World Records™. Measuring seven feet tall and weighing 496 pounds, the book is an ode to Texas from the perspective of students in grades 3-12 from over 80 school districts. I Am Texas captures what the Lone Star State means to 1,000 young Texans through stories, poetry, and artwork. The giant book has traveled all over Texas since breaking the Guinness World Record™ in Houston in November 2022. Take your picture with I Am Texas and pick up a free copy of the book while supplies last (one per family). RELATED MEDIA This exhibition is in partnership with the iWrite Organization and The Bryan Museum....

World on the Move: 250,000 Years of Human Migration

May 16 - June 26, 2025Walker Neighborhood Library Houston Public Library is one of 15 public libraries around the country chosen to host World on the Move: 250,000 Years of Human Migration. Developed by the American Anthropological Association and the Smithsonian's Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage, this traveling exhibition is organized according to four main questions:Where do we come from?Why do we move?How does migration change us?Where are we going? By presenting case studies from across human history and an array of cultures, World on the Move invites visitors to recognize that migration is a complex and diverse shared human experience. The exhibition aims to expand the public conversation on the topic of migration and displacement through narrative and interactive displays. WORLD ON THE MOVE EVENTS AT WALKER NEIGHBORHOOD LIBRARYDATETIMEEVENTAGES Wednesday, June 46:30 - 7:30 PMPajama StorytimeKids (5-10 yrs)Register HereSaturday, June 711:00 AM - 4:00 PMShare Your Migration Story on the Moving People Connected Stories PodcastTeens, AdultsRegister HereCANCELLEDCANCELLEDLearn about Kindertransport with Holocaust Museum HoustonTween, Teens, AdultsRegister HereWednesday, June 184:30 - 5:30 PMPajama StorytimeKids (5-10 yrs)Register HereTuesday, June 173:00 - 3:30 PMDinosaur Dig at the Library!Kids (5-10 yrs)Register HereMonday, June 231:00 - 2:00 PMScreening of “Change the Subject” DocumentaryTeens, AdultsRegister HereWednesday, June 251:00 - 2:30 PMLearn about the History and Preservation of Freedmen's TownTween, Teens, AdultsRegister Here RELATED EVENTS AROUND HOUSTONDATETIMEEVENTLOCATIONAGES Tuesday, May 2011:00 AM - 12:00 PMTasting the Archive: Exploring of Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and/or Pacific Islander FoodOnlineAdultsRegister HereWednesday, May 212:00 - 3:30 PMSaving Immigrant Voices (Freeing DETAINED Tour)Houston History Research CenterAdultsRegister HereWednesday, May 216:00 - 7:00 PMExperience the Flavors of India with Chef Anita JaisinghaniLooscan Neighborhood LibraryAdultsRegister HereWednesday, June 42:00 - 3:00 PMMalia's Hula HutCentral LibraryKids, TweensRegister HereThursday, June 53:00 - 4:00 PMMalia's Hula HutWalker Neighborhood LibraryKids, TweensRegister HereThursday, June 54:00 - 5:00 PMHenna Workshop with Henna Love HoustonAlief-David M. Henington Regional LibraryTweens, TeensRegister HereSaturday, June 711:00 AM - 3:00 PMGenealogy Book SaleFamily History Research CenterAdults, SeniorsRegister HereSaturday, June 1410:00 - 11:30 AMOrientation to the Family History Research Center at the Clayton LibraryFamily History Research CenterAdults, SeniorsRegister HereSaturday, June 1412:00 - 2:00 PMAl Otro Lado | The Other Side Exhibit Opening ReceptionJulia Ideson BuildingTeens, Adults, SeniorsRegister HereTuesday, June 243:00 - 4:00 PMHenna Workshop with Henna Love HoustonCollier Regional LibraryTweens, TeensRegister Here Start Your Journey to U.S. Citizenship Today!Boost Your English Skills - Join Our Weekly Language Classes!Practice English and Connect with New Friends at Living English Lessons!Bring Your Family to Storytime! A Fun Literacy Experience in English and Spanish CHECK OUT OUR CATALOG Picture Books and Kids FictionThey Call Me Güero: A Border Kid's Poems by David BowlesDo I Belong Here? | ¿Es este mi lugar? by René Colato LaínezWhat Is a Refugee? by Elise GravelInside Out & Back Again by Thanhha LaiDreamers by Yuyi MoralesWe Are a Garden: A Story of How Diversity Took Root in America by Lisa Westberg PetersA Different Pond by Bao PhiSomewhere for Little Bear by Britta TeckentrupHow I Became a Ghost: A Choctaw Trails of Tears Story by Tim Tingle Kids Non-Fiction and BiographiesThe Distance Between Us by Reyna GrandeOut of Hiding: A Holocaust Survivor's Journey to America by Ruth GruenerUprooted: The Japanese American Experience During World War II by Albert MarrinIn the Spirit of a Dream: Thirteen Stories of American Immigrants of Color by Aida SalazarDear America: The Story of an Undocumented Citizen by Jose Antonio Vargas Teen Fiction and Graphic NovelsCome On In: 15 Stories About Immigration and Finding Home by Adi AlsaidThrough Fences by Frederick Luis AldamaBrighter than the Sun by Daniel AlemanManuelito: A Graphic Novel by Elisa AmadoLove in English by Maria E. AndreuDon't Ask Me Where I'm From by Jennifer De LeonSomeday We Will Fly by Rachel DeWoskinThe Freezies by Farrukh DhondyLobizona by Romina GarberRefugee by Alan GratzButterfly Yellow by Thanhha LaiWhen the Angels Left the Old Country by Sacha LambSanctuary by Paola MendozaBridge Across the Sky by Freeman NgNever Look Back by Lilliam RiveraWe Are Not from Here | No somos de aquí by Jenny Torres SanchezThe Grief Keeper by Alexandra VillasanteGame Seven by Paul Volponi Teen Non-Fiction and BiographiesThe Unwanted: Stories of the Syrian Refugees by Don BrownA Hope More Powerful than the Sea: One Teen Refugee's incredible Story of Love, Loss, and Survival by Melissa FlemingFarewell to Manzanar: A True Story of Japanese American Experience During and After the World War II Internment by Jeanne Wakatsuki HoustonCall Me American: The Extraordinary True Story of a Young Somali Immigrant by Abdi Nor IftinWe Are Here to Stay: Voices of Undocumented Young Adults by Susan KuklinNext Round: A Young Athlete's Journey to Gold by John SprayThey Called Us Enemy by George TakeiThe Other Side: Stories of Central American Teen Refugees Who Dream of Crossing the Border by Juan Pablo Villalobos Adult Fiction and Graphic NovelsAmericanah by Chimamanda Ngozi AdichieThe Wind Knows My Name by Isabel AllendeCarnegie's Maid by Marie BenedictWe Need New Names by NoViolet BulawayoWhere We Come From by Oscar CásaresMake Your Home Among Strangers by Jennine Capó CrucetDominicana by Angie CruzWhat Strange Paradise by Omar El AkkadA Replacement Life by Boris FishmanColeman Hill: A Biomythography by Kim Coleman FooteGun Island by Amitav GhoshThe Leavers by Lisa KoLost Children Archive by Valeria LuiselliHotline by Dimitri NasrallahThe Refugees by Viet Thanh NguyenLaGuardia: A Very Modern Story of Immigration by Nnedi OkoraforThere is a Rio Grande in Heaven by Ruben ReyesSweetness in the Skin by Ishi RobinsonLucky Boy by Shanthi SekaranMy Cat Yugoslavia by Pajtim StatovciThe Refugee Ocean by Pauls ToutonghiThe Next Ship Home by Heather WebbSnow Hunters by Paul Yoon Adult Non-Fiction and BiographiesThe Displaced: Refugee Writers on Refugee Lives edited by Viet Thanh NguyenThe Best We Could Do: An Illustrated Memoir by Thi BuiOut of Many, One: Portraits of America's Immigrants by George W. BushDeported Americans: Life After Deportation to Mexico by Beth C. CaldwellThe Line Becomes a River: Dispatches from the Border by Francisco CantúThe Undocumented Americans by Karla Cornejo VillavicencioA Good Provider is One Who Leaves: One Family and Migration in the 21st Century by Jason DeParleA Hope More Powerful than the Sea: One Refugee's Incredible Story of Love, Loss, and Survival by Melissa FlemingKid Quixotes: A Group of Students, Their Teacher, and the One-Room School Where Everything is Possible by Stephen HaffA Beginner's Guide to America: For the Immigrant and the Curious by Ru'ya HakkakiyanChildren of the Land by Marcelo Hernandez CastilloPatriot Number One: American Dreams in Chinatown by Lauren HilgersMy Boy Will Die of Sorrow: A Memoir of Immigration from the Front Lines by Efrén C. OlivaresThe Next Great Migration: The Beauty and Terror of Life on the Move by Sonia ShahFamily Papers: A Sephardic Journey Through the Twentieth Century by Sarah Abrevaya SteinDear America: Notes of an Undocumented Citizen by Jose Antonio VargasThe Warmth of Other Suns: The Epic Story of America's Great Migration by Isabel Wilkerson Library of ThingsCatanTicket to RideTicket to Ride: AsiaTicket to Ride: First JourneyTonie Box: World Stories, Set 1Tonie Box, World Stories, Set 2 World on the Move: 250,000 Years of Human Migration was developed by the American Anthropological Association, together with the Smithsonian's Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage and Smithsonian Exhibits. It is administered by the American Library Association's Public Programs Office. View the exhibition and learn more at https://understandingmigration.org/. ...