📖 Reading & Library Programs

Boise, ID

Boise's municipal library system with five branches in Boise: Main Library (715 S. Capitol Blvd., downtown), Library! at Bown Crossing (2153 E. Riverwalk Dr.), Library! at Cole & Ustick (7557 W. Ustick Rd.), Library! at Collister (4724 W. State St.), and Library! at Hillcrest (5246 W. Overland Rd.). Offers Baby Stories and Play (recurring Mon/Wed/Thu/Fri), summer reading program, kids and teen programming, summer and winter program guides. All locations have parking, public computers, WiFi, and meeting rooms.

Meridian, ID

Independent library district serving Meridian and surrounding areas. Six branch locations: Orchard Park (1268 W. Orchard Park Dr.), Pinnacle (1375 E. Phenomenal St.), unBound (722 E. 2nd St.), Tiny Library (5159 S. Hillsdale Ave., mall branch), History Center (33 E. Broadway Ave., self-guided tours), and Cherry Lane (1326 W. Cherry Ln.: closed for renovation, reopening Winter 2026/2027). Offers story times, summer reading, kids and teen programming. Digital services available 24/7.

Boise, ID

State history museum in Julia Davis Park, operated by Idaho State Historical Society. Permanent exhibits cover Idaho's history from indigenous peoples through statehood. Family programs: Family Second Saturdays (free with admission, all ages), Spring and Summer Camps (STEM-focused, K-5 curriculum tie-in, week-long and single-day formats), Homeschool Days. Admission: Adults $10, Seniors/Military/College $8, Children/Youth (6-17) $5, Under 6 free.

Eagle, ID

Single-branch independent library in downtown Eagle. Dedicated children's room with toys and staff supervision. 'Family Place Space' offers colorful displays, interactive toys, organized children's books. Programs: toddler story hours, hands-on STEM workshops for teens, books before bedtime, teen time lounge. Lending library includes cake pans, sewing machines, robotics kits, and scrapbooking supplies.

Boise, ID

Independent library district covering unincorporated Ada County and parts of Boise / Star. Four physical branches: Hidden Springs (5868 W Hidden Springs Dr, Boise), Lake Hazel (10489 W Lake Hazel Rd, Boise), Star (10706 W State St #100, Star), Victory (10664 W Victory Rd, Boise), plus the Connect Branch mobile bookmobile. Story times, summer reading, kids/teen programming, STEM, music, book clubs at every branch.

Kuna, ID

Independent library district serving Kuna. Programs: Preschool (yoga storytime, toddler STEM, blocks/play), Homeschool program (Fridays 9:30 AM, arts/crafts/STEM/guests), StoryWalk on east loop of greenbelt along Swan Falls Road (boards 1-18). Summer reading, teen programs, book clubs.

Emmett, ID

Single-branch municipal library in Emmett (Gem County). Hosts 132+ programs per year: 114 dedicated children's programs spanning story times, early literacy, STEM activities, and summer reading. Programs run through the school year and summer.

Nampa, ID

Nampa's municipal library running ~819 community programs annually. Preschool Storytime (ages 3-5), Baby & Toddler Storytime (0-3) weekly Tuesdays and Thursdays, summer reading programs, and special family events.

Caldwell, ID

Caldwell's municipal library with extensive weekly youth programming: baby storytimes (Mon 10:30 & 11am), bilingual Spanish/English storytime (Tue 10:30am), music & movement (Wed 11am), preschool storytime (Thu 10:30am), after-school programs Wednesdays at 3:30pm (ages 5-12), and a canine-pal reading program for ages 7-14.

Garden City, ID

Garden City's public library: proudly 'not a quiet library' with active children's programming year-round. Programs include Toddler Tales storytime, Puppet Theater, Bilingual Storytime (English/Spanish), rock painting workshops, chess club, and an annual spring caterpillar-to-butterfly raising with release in the Garden City Pollinator Garden. Distinct from Boise Public Library (#362) and Ada Community Library (#400, Garden City branch).

Boise, ID

Boise's flagship independent bookstore: opened September 2006. Features kids' section with books, puzzles, plushies, kids book clubs, author events, and kids storytime. Supplies many of the Treasure Valley's school libraries + brings children's authors to visit schools. Hours: M-W 10am-6pm, Th-F 10am-8pm, Sa 10am-6pm, Su 11am-5pm. Per the canonical Discovery prompt's broad-scope guidance, bookstores with recurring kids programs ARE in scope; the recurring story-time + book clubs are what qualifies (the retail dimension alone wouldn't).

Middleton, ID

Middleton's public library, offering children's storytime three times a week (Tuesday/Wednesday/Thursday at 10:30 am), a nine-week Summer Reading Program each June–August, plus books, programs, study space, and family activities for all ages. Has also hosted community family-wellness sessions including martial arts and arts & crafts.

Star, ID

The Star branch of the Ada Community Library district, and the only public library located in the city of Star. Runs the district's full weekly youth programming slate (Baby Rhyme Time, Toddler Stories & Art, Preschool Art, STEAM, read-to-a-therapy-dog sessions, homeschool meetups, and kids' coding) alongside its circulating collection and study space. Open Monday through Saturday.

Boise, ID

Bookstore on North Milwaukee Street in Boise that runs a free weekly storytime in its children's department every Saturday morning, pairing read-aloud stories of familiar characters with a craft activity. Open to the public with no registration required.

Boise, ID

Free, Gold LEED-certified environmental education centre run by the City of Boise at its water renewal campus, with an interactive exhibit hall about the Boise River watershed and climate science plus an outdoor River Campus that runs a simulated river feature roughly mid-March through mid-October. Admission to both the exhibit hall and the river campus is free. Programming includes an environmental story time for ages 2–5, quarterly homeschool programs (ages 5–12), free drop-in activity days during school breaks, all-ages Summer WaterShed Wednesdays on the River Campus, quarterly family events including an Earth Day Celebration and a Water Festival, and free K-12 field trips for groups of 15 or more.

Boise, ID

Neighborhood branch of the Boise Public Library system, in northwest Boise along State Street. Runs its own weekly schedule of free children's and teen programming - storytimes, school-age clubs, craft sessions and drop-in game clubs - distinct from the schedules at the other Library! branches. Public computers, WiFi, meeting rooms and parking on site.

Boise, ID

Neighborhood branch of the Boise Public Library system, in the Boise Bench, on Overland Road. Runs its own weekly schedule of free children's and teen programming - storytimes, school-age clubs, craft sessions and drop-in game clubs - distinct from the schedules at the other Library! branches. Public computers, WiFi, meeting rooms and parking on site.

Boise, ID

Neighborhood branch of the Boise Public Library system, in west Boise at Cole and Ustick. Runs its own weekly schedule of free children's and teen programming - storytimes, school-age clubs, craft sessions and drop-in game clubs - distinct from the schedules at the other Library! branches. Public computers, WiFi, meeting rooms and parking on site.

Boise, ID

Neighborhood branch of the Boise Public Library system, in southeast Boise in Bown Crossing. Runs its own weekly schedule of free children's and teen programming - storytimes, school-age clubs, craft sessions and drop-in game clubs - distinct from the schedules at the other Library! branches. Public computers, WiFi, meeting rooms and parking on site.