Blog

Need a laugh? At Mechanics’ we have an extensive collection of funny films ranging from silent comedies of the early 20th century to recent releases of today. Visit the Funny Films display on the 2nd Floor and take home a DVD or Blu-ray that will make you laugh out loud! Below are staff favorites from the display.

Steven recommends:
The Twelve Chairs- Less well known Mel Brooks film about a...

This August I want you to do more than lie in the sun. Now before you tell me that August is the foggiest month in the city, let me ask you something personal: are you ready to get serious about your writing career? You wouldn’t be reading this if you weren’t, right?  So let’s get to it.

Jane Friedman is coming to speak about How to Become a Compet...

Are you a pet parent? Do you have a grumpy cat or playful pup in your life? Or, like me, do you somehow find yourself watch cat and dog videos on Youtube for hours on end? It's no secret that animals can provide stress relief and companionship in your life and coinciding with the dog days of summer, although here by the bay we don't get much of the lethargy inducing heat, this month's audiobook selections features an animal theme, from dogs and cats, to a famous whale and even a tiger.

Hello writers! A member recently gushed to me that Mechanics' Institute is the place where people actually write, that MI is the place of literary action in real time and that it’s a place where we don't just "talk" about writing, but where it really happens. Quite honestly that conversation made my day and it inspired me to write more about what goes on at the Library that may be of interest to our community of writers.

If you're a contest lover, our partne...