Activities for All Ages in January and February 2021
Join us for free activities at home, online, and in the community. For updates as they happen, follow us on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter, and sign up for our newsletter.
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FOR KIDS & FAMILY
Crafts and STEM Kits for Kids
Drop by to pick up free kids' activity kits to keep, featuring a variety of crafts and STEM activities (while supplies last each week).
Mon., Jan. 4, all locations: Fortune Tellers
Mon., Jan. 11, all locations: Moon Phase Hat
Tues., Jan. 19, Downtown and Sheldon: Unicorn Pillows
Wed., Jan. 20, Bethel: Unicorn Pillows
Mon., Jan. 25, Downtown and Bethel: Tiny Art
Tues., Jan. 26, Sheldon: Tiny Art
Family Storytime LIVE
Online: Tuesdays at 11:00 a.m., Facebook Live
Stories, songs, rhymes, puppets, and more - live! Storytime helps little ones develop the language skills they’ll need when they’re learning to read. Plus it’s a lovely way to play together. No Facebook account or login is needed. Join us live, or later, or over and over here!
Bilingual StoryWalks®
Outdoors in the parks: every day through Friday, January 15
All ages: take a walk and enjoy a bilingual children’s picture book! The illustrated pages are displayed on a series of signs arranged in order along the path to read as you stroll through the park.
In the park outside Sheldon Community Center: "The Hungry Hen/La Gallina Hambrienta"
In the park outside Petersen Barn Community Center: "The Mitten/El Miton "
Thanks to The StoryWalk® Project, created by Anne Ferguson of Montpelier, Vermont and developed in collaboration with the Kellogg-Hubbard Library. StoryWalk® is a registered service mark owned by Ms. Ferguson.
Winter Reading: Free Books for Kids and Teens
All library locations through January
Kids and teens: drop by any Eugene Public Library location to choose a brand-new book to keep - free! Thanks to the Friends of Eugene Public Library.
Book Buddies Group - ages 7-9
Online: Thursday, January 14, 4:00 p.m., Zoom
Sign-ups start Dec. 15. Preregistration required to receive event link: call 541-682-5450.
Back by popular demand: Book Buddies book group for ages 7-9. This month, we're reading "Zapato Power: Freddie Ramos Takes Off" by Jacqueline Jules. Sign up and we’ll mail a free copy of the book to you to keep! Or enjoy it free with your library card:
Print book https://tinyurl.com/ycbwmaej
eBooks and online audiobook: https://bit.ly/2LGOEmb
Stuck in the Middle Book Group - ages 11-14
Online: Wednesday, January 20, 4:00 p.m., Zoom
Sign-ups start Dec. 15. Preregistration required to receive event link: call 541-682-5450.
Join a fun conversation and activity for ages 11-14. This month, Stuck in the Middle book group is reading "It Wasn't Me" by Dana Alison Levy. Sign up and we’ll mail a free copy of the book to you to keep! Or enjoy it free with your library card as an eBook or print book: https://tinyurl.com/ycl9epzl
Tween Scene Book Group - ages 9-12
Online: Thursday, January 21, 4:00 p.m., Zoom
Sign-ups start Dec. 15. Preregistration required to receive event link: call 541-682-5450.
Join a fun conversation and activity for ages 9-12. This month, Tween Scene book group is reading “You Go First" by Erin Entrada Kelly. Sign up and we’ll mail a free copy of the book to you to keep! Or enjoy it free with your library card online (eBook or audiobook) or in print: https://tinyurl.com/y8x9krtr
OBOB Trivia: Online
Grades 3-5: Tuesday, January 26, 4:00 p.m. or Wednesday, January 27, 4:00 p.m., Zoom
Grades 6-8: Thursday, January 28, 4:00 p.m., Zoom
Sign-ups start Jan. 11. Preregistration required to receive event link: call 541-682-5450.
Join a fun trivia contest based on Oregon Battle of the Books (OBOB). We'll meet up in Zoom to play OBOB trivia on Kahoot.
Book Buddies Group - ages 7-9
Online: Thursday, February 11, 3:00 p.m. and 4:00 p.m., Zoom
Sign-ups start Jan. 15. Preregistration required to receive event link: call 541-682-5450.
Join a fun conversation and activity for ages 7-9. This month, we're reading "Make Way for Dyamonde Daniel" by Nikki Grimes. Sign up and we’ll mail a free copy of the book to you to keep! Or enjoy it free with your library card as a print book or online audiobook: https://tinyurl.com/y9ervtmx
Stuck in the Middle Book Group - ages 11-14
Online: Wednesday, February 17, 4:00 p.m., Zoom
Sign-ups start Jan. 15. Preregistration required to receive event link: call 541-682-5450.
Join a fun conversation and activity for ages 11-14. This month, Stuck in the Middle book group is reading "The Stars Beneath Our Feet" by David Barclay Moore. Sign up and we’ll mail a free copy of the book to you to keep! Or enjoy it free with your library card as a print book or online audiobook: https://tinyurl.com/y2vuydrs
Tween Scene Book Group - ages 9-12
Online: Thursday, February 18, 4:00 p.m., Zoom
Sign-ups start Jan. 15. Preregistration required to receive event link: call 541-682-5450.
Join a fun conversation and activity for ages 9-12. This month, Tween Scene book group is reading “From the Desk of Zoe Washington" by Erin Entrada Kelly. Sign up and we’ll mail a free copy of the book to you to keep! Or enjoy it free with your library card online as an eBook or in print: https://tinyurl.com/y2xgbxcr
Watch online anytime:
Bilingual Storytime Online: Join Toña Aguilar online for fun stories, songs, and rhymes in Spanish and English. On YouTube, recorded live in September.
Online Storytimes on our Facebook or YouTube, recorded since spring.
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FOR TEENS
Winter Reading: Free Books for Kids and Teens
All library locations through January
Kids and teens: drop by any Eugene Public Library location to choose a brand-new book to keep - free! Thanks to the Friends of Eugene Public Library.
Teen Book Group - ages 13-18
Online: Tuesday, January 19, 4:00 p.m., Zoom
Sign-ups start Dec. 15. Preregistration required to receive event link: call 541-682-5450.
A get-together for ages 13-18. This month, Teen Book Group is reading "Bloom" by Kevin Panetta and Savanna Ganucheau. Sign up and we’ll mail a free copy of the book to you to keep! Or enjoy it free with your library card in print or ebook: https://tinyurl.com/y7dyhx3f
Stuck in the Middle Book Group - ages 11-14
Online: Wednesday, January 20, 4:00 p.m., Zoom
Sign-ups start Dec. 15. Preregistration required to receive event link: call 541-682-5450.
Join a fun conversation and activity for ages 11-14. This month, Stuck in the Middle book group is reading "It Wasn't Me" by Dana Alison Levy. Sign up and we’ll mail a free copy of the book to you to keep! Or enjoy it free with your library card as a print book or online audiobook: https://tinyurl.com/ycl9epzl
Stuck in the Middle Book Group - ages 11-14
Online: Wednesday, February 17, 4:00 p.m., Zoom
Sign-ups start Jan. 15. Preregistration required to receive event link: call 541-682-5450.
Join a fun conversation and activity for ages 11-14. This month, Stuck in the Middle book group is reading "The Stars Beneath Our Feet" by David Barclay Moore. Sign up and we’ll mail a free copy of the book to you to keep! Or enjoy it free with your library card as an eBook or print book: https://tinyurl.com/y2vuydrs
Teen Book Group - ages 13-18
Online: Tuesday, February 16, 4:00 p.m., Zoom
Sign-ups start Jan. 15. Preregistration required to receive event link: call 541-682-5450.
A get-together for ages 13-18. This month, Teen Book Group is reading "This is My America" by Kim Johnson. Sign up and we’ll mail a free copy of the book to you to keep! Or enjoy it free with your library card as an ebook, online audiobook, or in print: https://bit.ly/3bApJLY
Watch online anytime:
William Ritter: Live Interview Enjoy a talk with the author of the popular and beloved "Jackaby" and "Oddmire" series, recorded this summer.
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FOR ADULTS
2020: The Year in Music
Online: Wednesday, January 13, 6:00 p.m., YouTube Live: bit.ly/EugMusic2020
Join Eugene Public Library and the House of Records to revisit or discover some of the best records of 2020. The past year was a tough one for everyone, including musicians and songwriters. But even in terrible times, these artists managed to provide listeners a few moments of solace. Learn more and enjoy with us.
Craft Kit for Adults
All library locations: starting Friday, January 15, while supplies last
Drop by any library location to pick up a free art activity kit to enjoy at home and keep. This month's kit provides materials and instructions to create your own origami bookmark.
Windfall Reading: Dianne Dugaw and Amanda Wright Powell
Online: Tuesday, January 19, 6:00 p.m., YouTube Live: bit.ly/WindfallJan2021
Join Lane Literary Guild and Eugene Public Library for a livestream of the Windfall Reading Series, a monthly gathering highlighting local and regional writers. This month, writers Dianne Dugaw and Amanda Wright Powell read and take questions online. More information about Lane Literary Guild and the Windfall Reading Series: https://www.lanewriters.org/windfall
What to Read Next: New Year's Edition
Online: Tuesday, January 26, 6:00 p.m., YouTube Live: bit.ly/EugNewYearReads
Catch Eugene Public Library’s entertaining experts talking about our favorite books of 2020 and the most anticipated titles of 2021. We’ll share reading recommendations for all ages. Plus: tell us your tastes in the comments and we'll provide personalized suggestions -- live!
Adult Book Group: “This Is My America”
Online: Saturday, February 6, 2:00 p.m., Zoom
Sign-ups start Jan. 15. Preregistration required to receive event link: call 541-682-5450.
This year’s University of Oregon Common Reading book is “This Is My America,” a novel by professor Kimberly Johnson. Sign up for the book group and we’ll mail a free copy of the book to you to keep. Or enjoy it free with your library card as an ebook, online audiobook, or in print: https://tinyurl.com/y2xgbxcr
Join us for a lively conversation about the acclaimed book, which has been described as “The Hate U Give” meets “Just Mercy.” This unflinching yet uplifting novel explores the racist injustices of the U.S. justice system, following a seventeen-year-old struggling to get her father exonerated from a wrongful death sentence. See the book trailer.
As a teen and a UO student, Kimberly Johnson held leadership positions in social justice organizations in Eugene. She now serves as UO Assistant Vice Provost for Advising and Director for the Center for Multicultural Academic Excellence.
A Talk by Author Kimberly Johnson: How Far Do You Have to Go for Justice? Acting Beyond the Vote
Online: Tuesday, February 9, 5:30 p.m., preregistration required: https://inclusion.uoregon.edu/african-american-workshop-lecture-series-2020-2021
As part of the University of Oregon’s 2020 - 2021 African American Workshop and Lecture Series, the author of “This Is My America” will discuss her inspirations, delving into the themes of how racial injustice in our criminal justice system leads to mass incarceration and excessive punishment. Kimberly Johnson will discuss the 2020 elections and “our responsibility in not only our electoral process, but broader acts of social justice and civic engagement.”
Job Search Help
Ongoing; by appointment at the Downtown Library: call 541-686-7985 to schedule
Make a one-on-one appointment to meet in person at the Downtown Library with an advisor from Lane County Workforce Services. These friendly experts help job seekers make career plans, become more employable, improve job search skills, and find work. Topics include online applications, resumes, cover letters, interviewing skills, community resources, networking, training scholarships. This service is free and available in English and Spanish. Lane Workforce Partnership/WorkSource Lane is an equal opportunity employer/program. Auxiliary aids and services are available upon request to individuals with disabilities. This program is co-sponsored by Lane County Human Services, Lane Workforce Partnership, and Eugene Public Library. Call 541-686-7985 to schedule an appointment.
Watch online anytime:
Holiday Gift Reads: recommended reading suggestions for gift-giving, recorded by our entertaining librarians in December.
Windfall Reading Series: David Axelrod and Sabena Stark: on YouTube Live, recorded in September.
Windfall Reading Series: Melissa Kwasny and Christopher Howell: on YouTube Live, recorded in October.
Windfall Reading Series: Austin Gray and Shirley Perez-West : on YouTube Live, recorded in November.
History of Comics Censorship: Banned Books Week talk: on YouTube Live, recorded in October.
What To Read Next: Spooky Stories for All Ages: recommended reading suggestions by our entertaining librarians, recorded in October.
What to Eat Read Next: Foodie Fiction & Cookbooks: recommended reading suggestions by our entertaining librarians, recorded in November.
Puerto Rican Cooking Online: Learn to make the traditional dishes mofongo and tembleque. With Sara Cintron on YouTube, recorded in September.
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FRIENDS & FOUNDATION SPECIAL EVENTS
Emoji, Culture, & Communication
Online: Friday, January 8, 12:00 p.m.
Join the Eugene Public Library Foundation for this month's entry in their series, “In Conversation with Experts and Enthusiasts.” UO professor Dr. Alisa Freedman will explore the fun and fascinating world of emoji. Learn what the emoji in our phones reveal about our cultural literacy and teach us about Japanese and other world cultures. Discover the ways emoji use differs between generations, how emojis get approved for use, and why emojis make us better communicators and global citizens. And bonus: discover what famous works of literature have been translated into emoji. Pre-register to get tne Zoom link.
Bookish Brain Trivia Night
Online: Saturday, January 23, 6:00 p.m.
Join the Eugene Public Library Foundation for a fun Bookish Brain Trivia Night. Sign up with a team of 4 to 6 people or on your own to be matched to a team. Share your wide-ranging knowledge and raise funds for Eugene Public Library while competing for prizes -- and bragging rights. Invite your friends! Get tickets: bit.ly/eplfjantrivia
Friends of Eugene Public Library: Online Book Sales
Friends of Eugene Public Library are currently offering two ways to purchase gently-used books from their bookstore, Second Hand Prose. Many are gift-quality! For in-person pick-up by appointment at the bookstore in the Downtown Library: browse and pay online here. For items to be shipped: browse and pay online at the Friends' Amazon storefront.
Imagination Library Film: Live Online
Watch anytime: Facebook Live
Stream the new, uplifting documentary, "The Library That Dolly Built," free: https://www.facebook.com/dollysimaginationlibrary/videos/369048854395459. No Facebook account or login is needed. Visit Eugene Imagination Library to learn about our local program, including how to sign up your child (ages 0 through 4) and how to donate to support the program.
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ONLINE & ONGOING
All free! Some online actitivies require a library card. If you don’t have one, call us to sign up: 541-682-5450.
Personalized reading recommendations
Get expert suggestions to match your tastes and interests. Fill out our online form for adults or kids and teens, email us, live chat with us, or call us at 541-682-5450.
Book lists, reviews, and more
Booklist Online
Books & Authors
NoveList Plus
Eugene Public Library Escape Rooms
Solve puzzles and clues to escape! Work on these fun challenges alone or as a team.
- Ghost Ship Escape Room (ages 10 and up)
- Undersea Atlantis Escape Room (ages 10 and up)
- The Labyrinth: Greek Mythology Escape Room (ages 10 and up)
- Spy School: Secret Agent Training Escape Room - Part 1 (ages 13 and up)
- Spy School: Secret Agent Training Escape Room - Part 2 (ages 13 and up)
- Murder in the Library (ages 13 and up)
- Murder at the Ski Resort (ages 13 and up)
Art Exhibit: Acrylic Paintings by Amy Hartsfield
Enjoy a video art exhibit featuring paintings of trees and other "nature-scapes" by self-taught Eugene artist Amy Hartsfield.
Women Make Waves: Listening Experience
Take a listening adventure with a wide variety of performers and types of music. Start now.
Ancestry.com
Explore your family tree, history, and more. Library card required. Start now.
Lynda.com
Professional courses in software development, web development, design, photography, and business. Library card required. Start now.
Mango Languages
Interactive lessons to learn dozens of languages, including English as a second language. Library card required. Start now.
And more ...
Yes, more learning and entertainment from home!
And even more!