It may be summer vacation for some, but the Eugene Public Library’s as busy as ever

(Above: One of the Eugene Public Library’s stained-glass installations at its downtown location; photo by Randi Bjornstad)

(Posted by Anne-Allegra Bennett)

Eugene Public Library locations

Downtown: 100 West 10^th Avenue

Bethel Branch: 1990 Echo Hollow Road

Sheldon Branch: 1566 Coburg Road

Information: 541-682-5450 or Eugene-or.gov/library

(Free admission to all events)

ON THE JUNE CALENDAR

Art Displays 

• Paintings by Kari Jensen in the 2^nd floor Magazines and Newspapers Room. Jensen’s background and education stem from theatrical design and animation, reflected now in her in acrylic and oil paintings. She has worked as an artist for Disney, Warner Bros., Sullivan-Bluth, and Scale Models Unlimited, as well as painting custom shoes for a Los Angeles-based clog store for 26 years.
• Art and exhibits by Museums of Springfield and Eugene (MUSE), Adventure! Children’s Museum, and Eugene Waldorf School. are on exhibit in the Children’s Center on the library’s first floor.

Events and activities

Family Music Time — 10:15 a.m. every Saturday, downtown library. Kids and families sing and dance their way into the weekend with a different performer every week. On June 2, join Anahid Bertrand, who is fluent in musical fun — and six languages. Music educator Jodie St. Clair of Eugene Suzuki Music Academy leads the fun on June 9, followed by music and movement with Pia and Jason Robbins on June 16. Rich Glauber offers his interactive music play on June 23, and Emily Fox plays lively banjo tunes on June 30.

Kids and Legos — 10:15 a.m. every Saturday, Bethel branch and Sheldon branches; 4:00 p.m. every Wednesday, downtown library. Bring the kids to build, play, and explore with the Eugene Public Library’s large and varied collection of Lego blocks. For ages 5-12 years.

Kids and Minecrafters – 11:00 a.m. every Wednesday, and 4:00 p.m. every Friday, downtown library. Play together, share tips, and get creative with building challenges using Minecraft on Eugene Public Library’s computers. For ages 6-12 years. Attendance requires a library card and pre-registration are required. Sign-ups start each Monday for same-week sessions.

Teens Volunteer — Help staff prepare items for check out, set up craft projects for kids’ programs, create displays, clean and organize books, and more. Summer Teen Team will meet on Tuesdays, June 26 through August 14, from 2:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m., downtown location. Apply starting June 1 at the teen desk downtown.

Concert: Blue Skies Band and The Jewel Tones — 6:00 p.m. on Friday, June 1, downtown library. Tap your toes or get up and dance to swing classics played live by the 17-piece Blue Skies Band, the Pacific Northwest’s premier big band. This show also features the vocal harmonies of the Jewel Tones, inspired by the great trios of the ’30s and ’40s such as the Boswell Sisters and the Andrews Sisters. Under the direction of Devin Wright, the Blue Skies Band plays many of the original arrangements made famous by Benny Goodman, Count Basie, Duke Ellington, Harry James, Tommy Dorsey, Artie Shaw, Woody Herman, and Glenn Miller.

Concert: EYSO String Quartet – 2:00 p.m. on Saturday, June 2, downtown library. Enjoy a concert by a string quartet from the Ambassador Musician Program of Eugene-Springfield Youth Orchestras (ESYO). Logan Griffin (violin), Owen McCoy (violin), Eli Ablow-Measelle (viola), and Anthony Clemons (cello) will perform a range of favorite pieces from classical to popular. Since 1934, Eugene-Springfield Youth Orchestras have promoted youth musicianship, providing instruction from beginning classes to advanced orchestra, offering scholarships, and collaborating with more than 40 local schools and arts organizations.

Color with Copics — 4:00 p.m. on Monday, June 4, Sheldon branch; 4:00 p.m. on Monday, June 11, Bethel branch. Adults and teens: come color with Copic markers, and get tips from professional illustrator Marianne Walker of Imagination International, Inc.

Camp Minecraft for Kids — 7-week session at 4:00 p.m.every Monday, June 4 through July 16, downtown library. Kids ages 6-12 play together, share tips, and get creative with building challenges on Eugene Public Library’s computers. Due to limited space, a library card and pre-registration are required. Sign up once for the complete seven-week session at 541-682-8316.

eBooks and More – Drop in anytime 3:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday, June 5, downtown library. Learn how to get free downloadable and streaming eBooks, audiobooks, magazines, music, movies, and TV shows from Eugene Public Library. Tens of thousands of titles are available at the library website from home or on the road. See demonstrations of online services using devices including Kindle, Android tablet, iPad, and laptops. Bring your own device, or just your curiosity.

Life-Size Oregon Trail Game — 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday, June 5, Sheldon branch. The classic “Oregon Trail” computer game comes to life at full size. All ages are invited to team up and race wagons through calamities and hands-on challenges to get to the Willamette Valley.

Unlock-the-Box: Harry Houdini’s Mysteries —5:30 and 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday, June 5, Bethel branch. All ages work as a team to find clues and solve puzzles to unlock the box where Harry Houdini hid the secrets of his most dazzling illusions. Pre-register in person or by phone at 541-682-8316.

Virtual Reality for all ages — Any time between 4:00-5:00 p.m. on Wednesday, June 6, Sheldon branch; 4:00-5:00 p.m. on Thursday, June 7, Bethel branch; noon-4:00 p.m. on Sunday, June 10 and 17, downtown library. Curious to try a virtual reality experience? All ages are invited to drop in to learn about VR and give Eugene Public Library’s new headsets a try.

Nature, Kids, and Wild Plants — 4:00 p.m. on Thursday, June 7, downtown library, for kids ages 7-12 years. Get to know local wild plants, and make a plant press to dry and keep leaves and flowers.

Conversational English Talk Time — 4:00 p.m. on Thursday, June 6, downtown library. Learning English? Come meet other learners and practice conversational English together. Talk Time is an opportunity to build listening and speaking skills at a friendly, casual gathering.

Small Business: Get Visible — 6:00 p.m. on Thursday, June 7, downtown library. Does your small business struggle to be seen? Learn proven strategies to gain visibility and potential customers’ attention, reach more of your market with less effort, attract “sweet spot” customers, increase revenues and profit margins, and get the media to come to you when they need an expert. Kathleen Gage of Power Up for Profits is a business consultant working with solo entrepreneurs to small and midsize companies. She is a strategist and full-service provider for content marketing, speaking, media, and book development for high visibility. This workshop is presented in partnership by Eugene Public Library and SCORE: Counselors to America’s Small Business.

Yarn & Thread – Drop in anytime 3:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. on Saturday, June 9, Sheldon branch; 3:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. on Saturday, June 16, Bethel branch. Get together to knit, crochet, embroider, cross stitch, or hand sew — and share tips and ideas. Bring your current project or try something new with the library’s needles, hooks, hoops, loom, and more.

Preschool STEAM — 10:15 a.m. on Monday, June 11, Bethel branch. Hands-on exploring, learning, and fun for ages 3-5 years old. STEAM activities feature science, technology, engineering, art, and math.

Quilling Paper Craft – 6:00 p.m. on Tuesday, June 12, Sheldon branch; 6:00 p.m. on Tuesday, June 19, Bethel branch. For adults and teens. Get an introduction to “quilling,” the craft of making decorative scrolled shapes by coiling paper. Learn to create basic shapes and make cards at this hands-on workshop. No experience needed. All supplies provided.

Tweens’ Fact Check Book Group — 4:00 p.m. on Thursday, June 14, downtown library. “Fact Check” is a monthly youth book group featuring nonfiction books and topics, for ages 11-14 years. The title for June is “Anne Frank: Diary of a Young Girl.” Pre-register and pick up the book at the downtown library’s teen center.

Explore Eugene and Springfield by Bucket List — 6:00 p.m. on Thursday, June 14, downtown library. An illustrated talk by travel journalist Julie Furst Henning, author of the new guidebook “100 Things to Do in Eugene Before You Die.” Get ideas for year-round adventures in food and drink, music and entertainment, sports and recreation, culture and history, and shopping and fashion. Discover historical, educational, and cultural opportunities right in your own backyard.

One-on-One Job Hunt Help — 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. on Thursday, June 14 or June 28, downtown library. Pre-register for individual 30-minute appointments at 541-682-5450. Job hunters can get expert advice and assistance to address specific questions and concerns. Employment counselors will help find employment opportunities; complete applications; write online and traditional resumes; learn and practice interview techniques; or explore new job or career directions. This service is provided in partnership by Eugene Public Library, Goodwill Industries of Lane and South Coast Counties, and United Way of Lane County.

Intro to Building a Website — 1:00 p.m. on Saturday, June 16, downtown library. Get an introduction to building a website using the popular online platform WordPress. Plus, explore the many free resources available at Eugene Public Library to help you learn, including online tools and tutorials, books, DVDs, and more. Basic internet skills required.

Designing Games with Raspberry Pi —2:00 p.m. on Saturday, June 16, downtown library. User-friendly Raspberry Pi makes it easy to create your own video game. Try it at a hands-on workshop for adults and teens with Dylan Bennett of the Portland Indie Game Squad. No experience needed. All supplies provided.

Summer Walking Book Group — 10:15 a.m. on Monday, June 18, Sheldon branch. Starting June 1, visit the Sheldon branch to sign up for this month’s walking book group and get your copy of this month’s title. The group will talk while walking at an easy pace along nearby paved paths. June’s book is “Carrying Albert Home: The Somewhat True Story of a Man, His Wife, and Her Alligator” by Homer H. Hickman.

Family Night at Bethel and Sheldon Branches — 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday, June 19, Sheldon branch; 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday, June 26, Bethel branch. In June, the Family Night theme is “Dragons.” Enjoy fun, fire-breathing stories, songs, and crafts.

Virtual Reality Design for Tweens — 4:00 p.m. on Thursday, June 21, downtown library. Explore virtual reality technology and design with Joshua Marinacci, senior developer evangelist at Mozilla. Learn to make, try, and test simple virtual reality experiences. For ages 8-12 years. No experience needed. All supplies provided.

Foundation Directory Online (for agencies and projects) — 6:00 p.m. on Thursday, June 21, downtown library. Looking for grants, corporate giving programs, public charities, and other funding sources for your agency or project? One of the most powerful tools the Foundation Directory Online — Professional — is available free at Eugene Public Library. This database provides up-to-date, complete, searchable information about 140,000 U.S. grantmakers, 5 million awarded grants, and more. Get expert tips for using FDO Professional with Katy Lenn, Head of Research and Instructional Services at the UO Knight Library. If possible, bring a laptop or mobile device; library devices will also be available.

Refugee Purgatory: Escaping from Syria, Languishing in Greece — 2:00 p.m. on Saturday, June 23, downtown library. In honor of World Refugee Day, learn about the current crisis for Syrian refugees, which the United Nations’s High Commissioner for Refugees has called “the biggest humanitarian emergency of our era.” Tod Schneider presents an overview of the situation from the perspective of one family forced to flee Syria, as well as information about some inspirational grassroots interventions taking place in Greece. Though the Arab Spring uprisings of 2011 briefly raised hopes for freedom and democracy throughout the Middle East, most were crushed by repressive regimes. Some of the worst harm has occurred in Syria, where horrific acts by Assad’s military forces on one side, ISIS terrorists on the other, and a shifting collection of factions in between have destroyed the lives of ordinary citizens. Extensive bombing by Turkish, Russian, and Syrian forces have continued the devastation into 2018. Millions of Syrians have managed to escape, but overwhelmed European countries eventually shut their doors, leaving tens of thousands trapped in Greece. This event is presented in partnership by Eugene Public Library and the World Refugee Coalition of Lane County.

Intro to Game Design with Unity – 10:00 a.m. on Sunday, June 24, downtown library. Interested in creating video games? Get a hands-on introduction to Unity, a user-friendly “game engine” designed for non-programmers. Learn to use this free software to start making games. This workshop is for adults and teens who know how to use a PC and Microsoft Windows. Teacher Jason Harrison is the Director of Consulting for Zeal, a software consultancy in Medford and organizer of the Southern Oregon Unity Developers meetup and a Microsoft Certified Trainer.

JuggleMania Show  for Kids — 1:00 p.m. and 3:00 p.m. on Tuesday, June 26, downtown library; 11:00 a.m. on Wednesday, June 27, Bethel branch; 2:00 p.m. on Wednesday, June 27, Sheldon Community Center (2445 Willakenzie Rd). Start summer vacation with amazing juggling, magic, and lots of laughs at the JuggleMania show by Rhys Thomas. Born and raised in Oregon, Thomas grew up to become a world-touring juggler, magician, and comedian. See Chinese yo-yos, cowboy lassos, Indian clubs, Egyptian juggling balls, and more in action.

Basic Bike Mechanics – 5:30 p.m. on Wednesday, June 27, downtown library. For teens and young adults.

Crafting Ugly Creatures, for teens — 2:00 p.m. on Wednesday, June 27, downtown library; 11:00 a.m. on Thursday, June 28, Bethel branch; 3:00 p.m. on Thursday, June 28, Sheldon branch. Create “ugly” creatures with mixed materials and hand sewing. No experience needed. All supplies provided.

Tween Scene — 4:00 p.m. on Thursday, June 28, downtown library. This month’s book is “Nick and Tesla’s High-Voltage Danger Lab” by Bob Pflugfelder and Steve Hockensmith. Join Nick and Tesla on mysterious adventures involving electromagnets, burglar alarms, and other gadgets you can build yourself. Pre-register and pick up the book at the Downtown Library’s Children’s Center starting June 1. For ages 9-12 years.

Teen Book Group — 4:00 p.m. on Thursday, June 28, downtown library. This month’s title is “The 57 Bus” by Dashka Slater. The book tells the compelling and complex true story of two teens and a crime that changed both their lives. Visit the downtown Teen Desk to pre-register and pick up the book, starting June 1.

Small Business: How to Finance Equipment — 6:00 p.m. on Thursday, June 28, downtown library. A question that new and established business owners often face is, “How do I get equipment without using all my cash?” Get expert guidance on alternatives for financing equipment purchases with bank and financial services specialists Bonnie Merten and Dianna Paz. Merten worked in banking and commercial industry for more than 50 years, specializing in heavy equipment financing, including as lift truck finance manager at Papé Group. Paz, currently with Willamette Financial Services, specializes in business equipment financing in the logging and trucking industry. This event is presented in partnership by Eugene Public Library and Willamette SCORE.

Game Dev Expo — Drop in anytime 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. on Saturday, June 30, downtown library. Play locally created video games and virtual reality experiences, plus meet game developers and other industry professionals. For adults and teens.

WEEKLY STORYTIMES in June (This schedule will change for July and August)

STEAM Storytime — 4:00 p.m. on Mondays, downtown library. For ages 3-7 years with their caregivers.

Talkers Storytime — 10:15 a.m. and 11:00 a.m. on Tuesdays, downtown library. For toddlers who are starting to string words together, with their caregivers.

Pajama Storytime — 6:30 p.m. on Tuesdays, downtown library. For young children with their caregivers.

Preschool Storytime — 10:15 and 11:00 a.m. on Wednesdays, downtown library. For preschoolers with their caregivers.

Walkers Storytime – 10:15 a.m. and 11:00 a.m. on Thursdays, downtown library. For babies up on their feet, with their caregivers.

Baby Storytime — 10:15 a.m. and 11:15 a.m. on Fridays, downtown library. For babies from birth to first steps, with their caregivers.

Family Storytime at Sheldon — 10:15 a.m. on Fridays, Sheldon branch. For kids of all ages, with their caregivers.

Family Storytime at Bethel — 10:15 a.m. on Fridays, Bethel branch. For kids of all ages, with their caregivers.

Family Music Time — 10:15 a.m. on Saturdays, downtown library. Live music for kids of all ages, with their caregivers.

Cuentos y Canciones: Stories & Songs in Spanish — 11:15 a.m. on Saturdays, Bethel branch. Stories and songs in Spanish for the whole family. For information in Spanish, call 541-682-5450 (press 5); for English, 541-682-8316.