(Above: Richard Dawson spent 18 years traversing the United States, exploring and photographing all manner of public libraries; he speaks in Eugene on April 9)
(Compiled by Randi Bjornstad)
Eugene Public Library locations
Downtown: 100 W. 10th Ave.
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 APRIL CALENDAR:
Art Displays — All month long in the Children’s Center on the first floor of the downtown library. Displays by Adventure! Art, BRING Recycling, LCC Summer Day Camp, Little Owl School, and the University of Oregon’s Team Duckling.
Dog Tale Time — 2 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. on April 1, Bethel and Sheldon branches. Children in kindergarten through sixth grade have fun and build skills by reading to trained dogs from the PAAWS program. Register in advance at 541-682-8316.
Play with Lego Blocks — 4 p.m. every Wednesday, downtown location; 10:15 a.m. every Saturday, Sheldon branch; 2 p.m. every Saturday, Bethel Branch. It’s drop-in downtown, but advance registration is necessary starting a week in advance at Sheldon and Bethel, at 541-682-8316.
Family Music Time — 10:15 a.m. every Saturday, downtown library. Kids and their families can sing and dance with a different performer each week. On April 1, Pia and Jason Robbins of Little Timbre Studio share songs, rhymes and music. April 8 features singer-songwriter Rob Tobias with classics, originals and tunes made up on the spot. On April 15, it’s singing and playing along with Jodie St. Clair of Little Notes Music.
April 22 brings Rich Glauber with interactive musical fun. On April 29, Emily Fox entertains with lively banjo tunes.
Making the World Safe for Democracy: WWI and American Literature — 3 p.m. on April 1, downtown library. The United States declared war on Germany and its allies in April 1917. Mark Whalan, professor of English at the University of Oregon, examines the complex history and legacies of this decision, through the writings of American authors such as Ernest Hemingway and F. Scott Fitzgerald.
Family Fun — 4 p.m. every Sunday, downtown library. On April 2, Willamette Resources and Educational Network (WREN) teaches about dragonflies and damselflies in the West Eugene wetlands in a program called “Wetlands Dragons and Damsels.” It’s learning Hawaiian words, hula hand motions and an easy hula dance with Akiko Colton on April 9, followed by “Get Egg-Cited” on April 16 with games and crafts led by Nearby Nature. On April 23, Brynne Blevins Andrus teaches relaxing and energizing yoga for families, and on April 30 Dia de los Niños/Dia de los Libros — Children’s Day/Book Day — offers a bilingual family festival with music and dance.
How to Sell Your Book-Length Memoir — 2 p.m. on April 2, downtown library. Author Melissa Hart hosts a workshop for writers on how to get a memoir published, including what’s popular now, what editors and agents look for, how to write a query letter and the basics of writing a book proposal. Hart has written two memoirs as well as a young adult novel.
Coloring for Adults — Noon to 2 p.m. every Tuesday at the Bethel and Sheldon branches. Color for fun, creativity and relaxation. Coloring sheets and colored pencils are provided, or bring your own supplies.
Tracing Memories for Relaxation — 6 p.m. on April 4, Sheldon branch; 6 p.m. on April 11, Bethel branch. Nori Rice presents “Tracing Memories,” an art program for adults to promote relaxation and stress reduction by coloring line-art versions of photographs, using professional quality Copic markers to layer and blend colors and explore artistic techniques. No experience necessary; supplies provided.
Make a Game Board — 5:30 p.m. on April 5, downtown library. Use vector graphics software to design a game board, and then use a CNC (computer numerical control) to cut it out of wood. Supplies provided. Class is intended for adults and teens with basic computer skills. A Eugene Public Library Card and advance registration at 541-682-5450 are necessary.
Magnet Mania for ‘Tweens — 4 p.m. on April 5, Sheldon branch; 4 p.m. on April 12, Bethel branch. Learn about magnets with fun hands-on experiments, while exploring the natural forces of magnets, testing boundaries, building a floating compass and making magnetic slime.
“Learn to Swing” Dance Workshop — 6 p.m. on April 6, downtown library. Nick Davis and the Track Town Swing Club lead a swing dance workshop for beginners. Partners and previous experience not necessary.
Payroll 101 for New Business Owners — 6 p.m. on April 6, downtown library. Rory Bakken of Paychex gives a practical introduction to avoiding problems and setting up payroll systems for new businesses. The session is sponsored by the library and SCORE, a counseling program for small businesses.
Recycled Plants — 4 p.m. on April 7, Bethel and Sheldon branches. This is a new activity for teenagers the first Friday of every month. In April, the project is decorating pots to start house plants from kitchen scraps, including potato “eyes,” squash seeds, garlic cloves and more. Supplies provided.
Swing Dance Party — 6 p.m. on April 7, downtown library. The 17-piece Blue Skies Band play arrangements by Benny Goodman, Count Basie, Duke Ellington, Harry James, Tommy Dorsey, Artie Shaw, Woody Herman and Glenn Miller, and The Jewel tones vocal trio sing numbers by great trios of the 1930s and ‘40s such as the Boswell Sisters and the Andrews Sisters, for listening or dancing.
2017 Annual Book Sale Fundraiser — 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. on April 8 and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on April 9 at the Lane Events Center, aka the Lane County Fairgrounds. Proceeds from the sale, organized by Friends of the Eugene Public Library, support classes, programs and events that include summer reading for children and teenagers. The sale includes books, DVDs, vinyl records, audio books, sheet music and music CDs, for adults and children.
Introduction to Computers — 10 a.m. on April 8, downtown library. Learn the basics of the computer system, how to use the mouse and keyboard and how to use Eugene Public Library resources online.
Decorate Eggs with an Art Robot — 10:30 a.m. on April 8, downtown library. Kids ages 8 through 12 years may use an Eggbot robot to draw digital art onto a wooden egg. Children under 10 must be accompanied by an adult. Participation requires a Eugene Public Library card and advance registration at 541-682-5450.
What’s in a Label? — 3 p.m. on April 8, downtown library. Community conversation about diversity and racial categories, as part of the Oregon Humanities Conversation Project. The session will address issues such as “What are we describing when we assign racial categories to others and ourselves?” and “How can we use language to increase understanding and connection, and what are its limitations?” The leader will be Ann Su, a longtime public interest attorney, community activist and social justice advocate who teaches at Portland Community College and the Pacific Northwest College of Art.
Robert Dawson will give a talk about his book, “The Public Library,” on April 9
The Public Library: A Celebration in Photos — 2 p.m. on April 9, downtown library. Robert Dawson gives an illustrated talk based on his book, “The Public Library: A Photographic Essay.” For 18 years, Dawson has traveled throughout the United States taking pictures of hundreds of public libraries, whether large or small, old or new, urban or rural, in poor or wealthy communities.
The Ancient Astrologer’s Apparatus: Professional Practice in Greco-Roman Egypt — 6 p.m. on April 10, downtown library. James C. Evans gives an illustrated talk about the practice of astrology in the the second or first centuries B.C. in a culture that also embraced astronomy, mathematics, philosophy and popular religion.
Embroidery at Sheldon Branch — 1:30 p.m. on April 12, Sheldon branch. People of all ages may try out the library’s embroidery machine, choosing from lots of graphics or original messages to embroider on a piece of personal clothing or create a patch.
Archaeology of Rimrock Draw Rockshelter — 6 p.m. on April 12, downtown library. Learn about new findings at the site in Harney County, led by archaeologist Patrick O’Grady, including recent excavations and new directions for the next five years. O’Grady, staff archaeologist at the University of Oregon’s Museum of Natural and Cultural History, specializes in hunter-gatherer subsistence practices and early Holocene cultural trends in the Great Basin of western North America.
Make Colorful Candleholders — 2 p.m. on April 13, Sheldon branch; 2 p.m. on April 27, Bethel branch. Use collage to affix tissue paper to class to create a decorative candleholder. Supplies provided, including flameless LED tea lights.
One-on-One Job Hunt Help — 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. April 13 and 27, downtown library. Register in advance at 541-682-5450 for a 30-minute session with an employment counselor on how to find employment opportunities, complete an application, write online or traditional resumes, practice interview techniques or explore new career directions.
Dr. Who Club for Teens — 4 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. on April 14, downtown library. Watch episodes of the show, eat snacks and participate in “Whovian” conversation the second Friday of each month.
Teen Board Games — 4 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. on April 14, Bethel and Sheldon branches. Drop in to play board games; open to kids ages 13 to 17 years.
Solving Logic Problems with Robots — 1:30 p.m. on April 16, downtown library. Use a computer-simulated robot to solve a classic logic puzzle; class intended for adults and teens with basic computer skills. Supplies provided. Participation requires a Eugene Public Library card and advance registration at 541-682-5450.
Intro to Photoshop — 2 p.m. on April 17, downtown library. Use Photoshop software to rescue bad photos and make good ones even better, using layers, selection techniques and more. Class is available to adults and teens with basic computer skills. Supplies provided. Participation requires a Eugene Public Library card and advance registration at 541-682-5450.
Intro to Email — 1:30 p.m. on April 18, downtown library. Learn to set up and use a free gmail account or other email programs on the internet. Participation is open to those with basic keyboard, mouse and internet skills.
Windfall Reading Series — 6 p.m. on April 18, downtown Eugene. April’s session features poets Darlene Pagán and Deborah Akers, in celebration of National Poetry Month. Pagán has written the collections “Setting the Fires” and “Blue Ghosts” and teaches at Pacific University. Akers’ collections are “partly fallen” and “backward pilgrim.” The Windfall Reading Series is sponsored by the Eugene Public Library, Lane Literary Guild, Friends of Eugene Public Library, and Eugene Public Library Foundation. Refreshments are served at intermission.
Family Night — 6:30 p.m. on April 18, Sheldon branch; 6:30 p.m. on April 25, Bethel branch. Kids and their grownups can try out a different activity each month on the third Tuesday. April’s theme is “Musical Fun,” stomping out rhythms, singing tunes and making instruments to take home.
Weather Wise for Kids — 4 p.m. on April 20, downtown library. Learn about air pressure, rain, rainbows and more, for kids ages kindergarten through sixth grade.
Ani-Manga Club for Teens — 4 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. on April 21, downtown library. Watch animé and enjoy Japanese snacks with old friends and new. The group meets the third Friday of each month.
Garth Stein, who’s a dog-loving author from Seattle, will give a talk at the Eugene Public Library on April 22, which also happens to be Earth Day
Author Garth Stein — 2 p.m. on April 22, downtown library. Stein, the humorous and dog-loving author of “The Art of Racing in the Rain” and other popular books, including his latest novel, “A Sudden Light,” will give a talk about his many works, especially the success of “The Art of Racing in the Rain,” which has sold 4 million copies, inspired a Young Reader edition and children’s book version, a stage adaptation and a major motion picture in production at Universal Studios. He co-founded the nonprofit Seattle7Writers, dedicated to encouraging readers, writers and their communities to support reading. His books will be available for purchase and signing.
3D Print a Planter — 5:30 p.m. on April 24, downtown library. Learn the basics of three-dimensional modeling and printing, by designing a planter with user-friendly Tinkercad software and then 3D-printing it. Supplies provided. The class is for teens and adults. Advance registration is required, by calling 541-682-5450.
Check Out the Telescopes — 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. on April 24, downtown library. Drop in and learn how to use one of the Eugene Public Library’s telescopes, with the help of astronomer Jerry Oltion of the Eugene Astronomical Society.
‘Tween Scene Book Group — 4 p.m. on April 27, downtown library. April’s book is “Liar & Spy” by Rebecca Stead, a novel about secrecy and friendship and the blurred lines between what’s a game, what’s a lie and how far is too far to go for a friend. Register and pick up a copy of the book at the downtown library’s Children’s Center. The group is intended for kids in grades four through six.
Teen Book Group — 4 p.m. on April 27, downtown library. The April book for teens is “More Happy Than Not” by Adam Silvera, in which a series of losses leave 16-year-old Aaron struggling to be happy until he finds a new friendship that seems that it might turn into something more. Register and pick up a copy of the book at the Downtown Teen Desk.
Prolific writer Starhawk brings her insights into earth-based spirituality to the Eugene Public Library on April 27
Starhawk: Vision and Story for Challenging Times — 6 p.m. on April 27, downtown library. Activist and author Starhawk draws from her visionary fiction “The Fifth Sacred Thing” and its sequel, “City of Refuge,” to discuss who we are and who we can be if we envision possibilities and set them in motion. She has written a dozen books, directs Earth Activist Training, teaches permaculture design grounded in spirit and lectures and teaches internationally on earth-based spirituality. The talk is co-sponsored by the library, the University of Oregon’s Center for the Study of Women in Society and the UO Office of Academic Affairs. Her books will be available for purchase and signing.
Teens: WTF — 4 p.m. on April 28, downtown library. This month’s “What the Friday!?” session is a chance for teens to get together, have fun and choose the shared activity for the next month’s fourth Friday.
Intro to the Internet — 10 a.m. on April 29, downtown library. Learn what the internet is, how it works and how to search for information and evaluate what you find. Keyboard and mouse skills are necessary.
Celebrate both children and the importance of reading at the Eugene and Springfield public libraries in April, with music, dance, art, new library cards, free books — and snacks
Día de los Niños/Día de los Libros (Children’s Day/Book Day) — 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. on April 29 at the Springfield Public Library at 225 Fifth St.; 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. on April 30 at the Eugene downtown library. Celebrate the international holiday honoring children, culture and books with a bilingual festival that includes live music and dance, hands-on arts activities, library card sign-ups, refreshments and free books for kids to take home. The jam-packed afternoons are sponsored by the Eugene Public Library, Springfield Public Library, Community Health Centers of Lane County, Downtown Languages, Eugene School District 4J, Springfield Public Schools, Bethel School District, SELCO, Springfield Arts Commission, Relief Nursery, Early Learning Alliance, Joan Gray & Harris Hoffman, Lane ESD Migrant Education Program, Food for Lane County, NAMI of Lane County, and United Way of Lane County.
REGULAR WEEKLY STORYTIMES
STEAM Storytime — Mondays, at 3:30 p.m., downtown library; for preschoolers and kindergarteners with their caregivers
Terrific Twos Storytime — Tuesdays at 10:15 and 11:00 a.m., downtown library; for 2-year-olds with their caregivers
Pajama Storytime — Tuesdays at 6:30 p.m., downtown library; for infants through 6-year-olds with their caregivers
Preschool Storytime — Wednesdays at 10:15 and 11:00 a.m., downtown library; for 3- to 6-year-olds with their caregivers
Sensory Storytime — Wednesdays at 1:00 p.m., downtown library; stories, songs, and word play designed by early childhood school psychologist Debby Laimon especially for children with sensory integration or other special needs with their caregivers
Wonderful Ones Storytime — Thursdays at 10:15 and 11:00 a.m., downtown library; for 1-year-olds with their caregivers.
Baby Storytime — Fridays at 10:15 and 11:15 a.m., downtown library; for infants and 1-year-olds with their caregivers
Family Storytime at Sheldon — Fridays at 10:15 a.m., Sheldon branch; for children and their caregivers
Family Storytime at Bethel — Fridays at 10:15 a.m., Bethel branch; for children with their caregivers.
Family Music Time — Saturdays at 10:15 a.m., downtown library; songs and dances for children and their caregivers, with a different performer each week
Cuentos y Canciones: Stories & Songs in Spanish — Saturdays at 11:15 a.m., Bethel branch; for children and their families
