St. Johns Reads Program 2026

• 11 December 2025
• Category: SJC News Public Library System
• Tags: 2025

Public Library System Proudly Presents 22^nd Annual “One Book, One Community” Celebration

The St. Johns County Public Library System (SJCPLS) invites the community to participate in St. Johns Reads, the 22nd annual “One Book, One Community” celebration, beginning January 3, 2026. The monthlong event features programs and community conversations inspired by this year’s selected title, An Immense World by Ed Yong.

“Over the past 22 years, St. Johns Reads has not only nurtured a passion for reading but has also brought our community closer together,” said Todd Booth, Southeast Branch Manager and Chair of the St. Johns Reads Committee. “This year, with Ed Yong’s An Immense World, we invite everyone to explore the extraordinary lives of animals and the incredible ways they experience the world.”

Patrons can attend in-person book discussions and themed programs at all six SJCPLS branches, including:

• Presentations from local experts, including St. Johns County Parks and Recreation, Dogs INC., and Jacksonville Zoo and Botanical Gardens
• Workshops on gardening and wildlife habitats
• A live animal show
• Opportunities to meet adoptable pets through a partnership with St. Johns County Animal Control
• Film screenings focused on animals and wildlife
• Arts, crafts, and additional activities

A systemwide finale will take place in January 2026: a sensory-filled Silent Disco at The Amp on the St. Augustine Amphitheatre’s Front Porch. There will be two sessions: a family-friendly session at 6 p.m. and an 18+ session at 8 p.m. Guests will be provided with wireless headphones to enjoy a unique, immersive dance and celebration experience. This event offers a memorable way to end St. Johns Reads and connect with the sensory wonders featured in An Immense World.

An Immense World is available for checkout in multiple formats, including print editions for adults and middle-grade readers, digital audiobook, and e-book.

About the novel: “Explore the wonders of animal senses in this captivating book by Pulitzer Prize-winning science writer Ed Yong. An Immense World takes readers on a fascinating journey into the sensory lives of creatures great and small, revealing how they experience the world in ways we can barely imagine.”

Funding for St. Johns Reads is supported in collaboration with the SJCPLS Friends of the Library groups and the St. Johns Cultural Council. For more information about this year’s event, please visit St. Johns Reads, email sjcpls@tblc.libanswers.com, or call your local branch library.

Learn more about SJCPLS services and programs.