BENEFIT: The Days and NIghts Festival kicks off its season with a stellar show co-presented by Folk Yeah, featuring Philip Glass and Joanna Newsom with Tim Fain performing collaborative and solo pieces. Proceeds from the event will benefit the Henry Miller Memorial Library down in Big Sur, which is in need of facility upgrades in order to meet federally-mandated health and safety requirements. (8 p.m., The Warfield, 982 Market Street)

PANEL: The Mechanics' Institute Library presents 21st-Century Publishing: Reports from the Front Lines, a discussion among a panel of experts bringing news from the wild frontiers of publishing, including literary agent April Eberhardt and five indie publishers on their latest books and adventures. (5:30 to 8 p.m., The Mechanics' Institute Library, 57 Post Street, 4th Floor)

IMPROV: Learn about the power of yes at The Art of Improvisation, a free on-going class that introduces students to Leela's (an improv theatre company and training center) signature style of improvisation: "joyful play, expressing your authentic self, truthful scenework, ensemble building, group mind, character development, detailed space object work, multiple forms, and 'Yes, and!'” (7 to 9 p.m., Intersection for the Arts, 925 Mission Street)