The Story Center at MCPL

06/03/2026

The Story Center is excited to welcome travel writer Rolf Potts for a full-day writing workshop on Saturday, June 13, from 10am-4pm! Lunch will be provided, courtesy of The Story Center.

The program registration is full but we encourage you to join the waitlist, as Rolf has generously agreed to accommodate a few extra writers! Register here: https://www.mymcpl.org/events/119617/writing-journey-travel-memoir-basics

06/02/2026

Join us Saturday, June 6th at 10:30am to discover the history of agriculture at Woodneath with Jackson Hodges, M.A. graduate in History from UMKC. The first half of this program will take place in the historic Woodneath house. Weather allowing, the second half will involve walking approximately a quarter mile on a gravel path and down steps to the site of the former barn and outbuildings west of the house.

To register: https://www.mymcpl.org/events/119493/agricultural-history-woodneath

06/01/2026

For a full list or programs coming at the Story Center through the end of August, visit: https://www.mymcpl.org/story-center/programs.

05/29/2026

Stories don’t just tell what happened—they reveal who holds the power to shape meaning. Join storyteller and educator Kevin Cordi, Ph.D., on Thursday, June 11, from 6:30-8:00pm for "Why Stories Matter." In this virtual program, you'll explore how perspective, point of view, and intentional choices transform experience into narrative.

For more information and to register, visit: https://www.mymcpl.org/events/119492/why-stories-matter-zoom.

The Story Center empowers authors, performers, and digital storytellers to create, share, and connect with stories.

05/29/2026

It is officially summer, and we're ready for more time outdoors! What's your favorite Kansas City-area park to read a good book or work on your next story? Share it in the comments!

05/28/2026

Next up for staff favorites of 2025, we have our Story Center associates, Leanna and Simaran!

Leanna's favorite of the year was Cry Havoc by Rebecca Wait
https://mymcpl.bibliocommons.com/v2/record/S110C4677665

Simaran loved Spooky Halloween: Tales of Hauntings, Strange Happenings, and Other American Lore
https://mymcpl.bibliocommons.com/v2/record/S110C4653736

05/27/2026

New Art Exhibit Alert! Come see, The Blue Between Us, from painter Ronetta Kane () Her practice centers on storytelling through form, color, and composition to reflect how life is rarely neat, making work that feels honest and human. The exhibit will be viewable Now through end of August during the Story Center's normal opening hours. Register for her artist talk June 15th: https://www.mymcpl.org/events/119838/artist-talk-blue-between-us

05/26/2026

May is Preservation Month! In November 2021, MCPL completed an extensive adaptive reuse project that converted the Woodneath historic home, listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1978, into the Story Center. The project won awards from Historic Kansas City and from Missouri Preservation. The Story Center is open 9-5, Monday through Friday.

For information about the history of Woodneath, visit: https://www.mymcpl.org/story-center/about/woodneath-landscape.

For information about Preservation Month, visit: https://savingplaces.org/stories/history-of-preservation-month.

05/26/2026

Writer and storyteller Laura Packer will explore character development, story structure, point of view, understanding your audience, and other storycrafting techniques. This class includes lecture, exercises, discussion, sharing, and optional homework. Designed for creative writers and storytellers, this class doesn’t require previous writing or storytelling experience.

Register here: https://www.mymcpl.org/events/119415/storycrafting-fundamentals-zoom

05/25/2026

For a full list of programs coming up at the Story Center through the end of August, visit: https://www.mymcpl.org/story-center/programs.