Ta-Nehisi Coates, All-new Story Times, Google Workshops, and More from Your Library

In the Know eNewsletter February 2021

Don't Miss Ta-Nehisi Coates on February 7

The second event in this season's Author! Author! literary series is just around the corner, and you won't want to miss it! Join us online on February 7 when Mitchell S. Jackson interviews Ta-Nehisi Coates in an exclusive online event. Coates is a distinguished writer in residence at NYU’s Arthur L. Carter Journalism Institute. He is the author of the bestselling books The Beautiful Struggle, Water Dancer, We Were Eight Years in Power, and Between the World and Me, which won the National Book Award in 2015. Jackson is the winner of a Whiting Award for his debut novel The Residue Years. He is also the author of Survival Math: Notes on an All-American Family. The Deschutes Public Library Foundation’s Author! Author! literary series introduces bestselling authors to Central Oregon for thought-provoking presentations and memorable discussions. The new online format means you can watch these powerful conversations from anywhere. Visit www.dplfoundation.org to get your tickets.

Learn more about Author! Author! and buy your tickets online here

All Libraries Are Open! Come on In, or Use Our Curbside Service

Things look different, but your library is still here to serve you. All library locations are now open with reduced hours, which means you can come into the buildings to quickly browse for a book or movie, pick up your holds, or make copies and print documents. Click here for the latest information on library hours and what we're doing to keep staff and customers safe. If you'd rather not enter the buildings, you can still pick up your holds using Curbside Service, which is available at all libraries. Simply browse our catalog and place items on hold. Once they're ready for pick-up, head to the library where they're being held and library staff will retrieve your holds and deliver them to your car. Click here to learn how to use Curbside.

COVID-19 Vaccines and Info from Deschutes County Public Health

Deschutes County Public Health's latest update regarding COVID-19 vaccines and phases is now available. When you fill out the County's vaccine interest form at vaccine.deschutes.org, you will be notified you when you're eligible to receive a COVID-19 vaccine. Submitting your info will also keep you in the loop as new information comes available. Visit www.deschutes.org/health/page/covid-19-vaccine for information on vaccination phases. Do you have questions about COVID-19? Deschutes County Health Services staff and St. Charles clinical caregivers have organized a hotline at (541) 699-5109. The hotline is available to individuals in Crook, Deschutes, and Jefferson counties and is open Monday–Friday, 9:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.

New Story Time Options: Story Time To Go and Story Time Live

We miss in-person story time! Watching kids read, rhyme, and romp with us is one of our favorite things. But even if we can't see them, they can see us with all of our online story times. We even added Story Time Live, which runs on our Facebook page every Thursday at 10:00 a.m., and Music and Movement Live, which happens twice a month on Zoom. Can't make it to join us live? Head over to our Story Time Online page, where you can link to dozens of story times on everything from dinosaurs and arachnids to kindness and turtles. We also have story times in Spanish/También tenemos horas de cuentos en español. Ready to do your own story time at home? Check out our new collection of Story Time to Go! kits. There are more than 70 topics to choose from, such as dogs, shapes, weather, friends, and transportation. Each kit includes a variety of picture books on the topic as well as an activity sheet. Reserve your kit and pick it up at your library. If you'd like to share a photo of your own story time at home, we'd love to share it with the community! Send any photos to newsletter@deschuteslibrary.org.

Growing a Business? We Can Help

Whether your small business is just you, or you and a team, finding ways to reach potential customers online is more critical than ever. Join us for these free online workshops and learn how you can improve your website's visibility with Search Engine Optimization (SEO), improve findability in Google organic search results, make better decisions using data, advertise online, and more. These free workshops are brought to you through a partnership between the library, Grow with Google, and Central Oregon SCORE. The only catch: registration is required, so be sure to register today using the links below.

Reach Customers Online with Google, Thursday, February 4
Make Better Business Decisions with Analytics, Thursday, March 4
Learn the Basics of Google Ads, Thursday, April 1

Indoor & Outdoor Winter Activities: Books for Everyone, from Nesters to Explorers

The weather outside may be frightful, but with so many great indoor and outdoor activities it just doesn't matter. We embrace the cold and the cozy here in Central Oregon. Check out this list of activities matched with library materials to help you come up with all sorts of winter activities. From Danish Hygge to winter backpacking skills, there's something here for everyone.

Online in February: Know Flow

Quit swimming upstream and learn to go with the flow this February with a little help from your library. Check out the full slate of programs here (all are presented online). You can learn to stimulate energy flow with beginner’s Tai Chi and get moving with electric vehicle rebates. Dive in to the intricacies of dam removal and efforts to protect our watershed, and explore how and why you should stay hydrated. Learn about immigrant experiences in Central Oregon. You can even get your mojo flowing with a workshop to help you overcome pandemic procrastination, and another to learn how to create meaningful hand-written letters. Some programs require pre-registration, but all are free.

Get Crafty!

Be sure to check out our February Events guide, where you'll find great hands-on activities for kids and teens (found on page 2 of the guide). For kids, each library offers a new activity kit every week that you can pick up and take home (see the guide for pick-up dates). We even have special Craft Your Heart Out kits in February. For teens, we're learning to crochet this month; we even provide the supplies! Teens can also get crafty with words by joining our online writing group. And we can't forget the adults! Be sure to check out all of the free crafting classes available to you on Creativebug. All you need is your library card number, and you have access to thousands of fun classes and workshops.

Our First Amendment: From Sedition to Wedding Cakes?

What are we to make of these 10 stark words: "Congress shall make no law . . . prohibiting the freedom of speech"? Join us for an online discussion on February 3 with Dr. James Foster, professor emeritus of political science who has taught courses on constitutional law, administrative law, gender and law, and American political thought. He'll begin the conversation by distinguishing between the written Constitution (capital C), our cultural constitution (lower case c), and the politics of constitutionalism. Join in and take part. While this is a free event, space is limited and registration is required. Learn more and register online here.

ONLINE PROGRAMS IN FEBRUARY

Follow the links below to learn how to access these programs online.

New story times are posted every week in English and Spanish on our website. Be sure to subscribe to our YouTube channel for even more, including STEAM programs and scavenger hunts.

KIDS

Weekly Children's Activity - Pick up a weekly craft kit for kids from your library; visit our web calendar for locations and days

Music and Movement/Live Online - 2/1, 2/18

Story Time Live: Online on Facebook every Thursday, 10:00am

FAMILIES AND ALL AGES

El Deafo: Reading - 2/3

El Deafo: Activities - 2/10

El Deafo: Books Discussion - 2/17

Craft Your Heart Out Grab-and-Go Kits - Saturdays

Blooming and Floating Hearts - 2/11

TWEENS/TEENS

Learn to Crochet - 2/8