You are invited to Discover Summer with DC Public Library from June 3- August 31. Discover Summer is an all-ages city-wide celebration of reading and learning. With Discover Summer you will enjoy great reads, fun events and activities that encourage you to explore your neighborhood and D.C. Everything you need to Discover Summer can be found at your neighborhood library!
Download Your Discover Summer Companion Guide
Looking for more fun ways to Discover Summer? Stop by your neighborhood library to pick up this year's companion guide or download the pdf to print from home!
2024 Adult English Companion Guide
2024 Adult Amharic Companion Guide
Discover Summer Events
Stop by your neighborhood library for fun events all summer long! See some highlights below and click the button to see all events for adults.
Prince and Purple Rain: 40 Years
Saturday, June 1, Noon | Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library
Black Music Month and DC Public Library’s Discover Summer kicks off with an author talk and day party in celebration of the 40th Anniversary of Purple Rain, the Grammy and Oscar-winning album by Prince and the Revolution. Minneapolis-based music journalist Andrea Swennson debuts her new work Prince and Purple Rain: 40 Years, a definitive look at Prince the artist, the creation of The Revolution, and the legendary film and multi-platinum soundtrack.
Medusa: A New Musical
Saturday, June 1, 3 p.m. | Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library
You're invited to a special in-concert performance of Medusa, the Musical immediately followed by a conversation with the cast and crew of the musical. Kick-off Discover Summer 2024 for adults with a preview of this new original musical written by D.C. native Wes Braver! In this feminist adaptation of the Greek myth, playwrights Wes Braver and Rachel Dean reintroduce Medusa as a vibrant heroine in her own right, instead of a footnote in the tale of Perseus.
My Black Country with Alice Randall
Wednesday, June 5, 7 p.m. | Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library
Grab your cowboy hat and head on down to the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library to celebrate Black Music Month with Alice Randall, on her new title My Black Country. We are thrilled to partner with Mocha Media on this enlightening discussion with Alice Randall, acclaimed songwriter, novelist, and professor from Vanderbilt, to discuss her latest book, "My Black Country: A Journey Through Country Music’s Black Past, Present, and Future." The talk will dive into the history of Black Country music and the impact of Black musicians on American culture.
Go-Go on the Rooftop Returns
Sundays in June, 1 - 5 p.m. | Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library
The beat is back on this summer at the Go-Go on the Rooftop Concert Series at the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library! This June, in honor of Black Music Month, the Go-Go Archives are inviting you to a FREE concert each Sunday in June with beats by DJ Big John and a line-up that features both current and future legends of D.C.'s official music. Meet some of D.C.’s incredible small business owners at the Pop-Up Vendor Mall in front of MLK Library.
- Sunday, June 9 | MAB 2.0, Still Familiar with Headliner E.U.
- Sunday, June 16 | Headliner Black Alley
- Sunday, June 23 | Relentless Band with Headliner Backyard Band
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Sunday, June 30 | R&S Project with Headliner Junkyard Band
Storm: Dawn of a Goddess with Tiffany D. Jackson
Sunday, June 9, 3 p.m. | Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library
Register to attend this author talk as Tiffany discusses the release of her new book. This program is supported by the DC Public Library Foundation and the first 50 registered attendees will receive a free copy of Storm: Dawn of a Goddess. This program will be a 45-minute conversation with Tiffany about the book, followed by a Q&A and signing.
Black Punk Now: James Spooner and Chris Terry
Thursday, June 13, 7 p.m. | Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library
Join the Library for a rich conversation with James Spooner and Chris Terry, editors of the anthology Black Punk Now. Spooner and Terry will discuss this collection of essays, stories and comics that explore the lives and experiences of the Black punk community.
The South Got Something to Say
Thursday, June 20, 7 p.m. | Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library
The DC Public Library is excited to host The Atlanta Journal-Constitution for a special screening and panel discussion of the riveting, Emmy-nominated documentary, "The South Got Something to Say." "The South Got Something to Say" compellingly narrates the story of a city and culture evolving in tandem, as told by the artists at the heart of this evolution. This event marks the inaugural venture of AJC Films into the realm of original content, drawing from the paper's 155-year-old archive.
See All Upcoming Programs for Adults
Beach Reads
Audiobooks That Will Make The Drive Fly By
Mysteries and Thrillers to Keep You on the Edge of Your Seat
Nonfiction for When You Want Just the Facts
In Their Own Words: Great Memoirs
See Exciting Exhibitions
Up from the People
We Who Believe in Freedom: Black Feminist D.C.
Undesign the Red Line D.C.
DC & Me: A Community Mosaic
Discover Summer is Generously Supported By
