Classes & Lectures

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Through the classes and seminars held at the library, you can:

  • Appreciate the genius of Shakespeare
  • Discover the hidden depths of film making
  • Feel the pulse of the inspired poet
  • Take a guided tour through literature, film, and history
  • Trace the development of the short story
  • View history in a whole new light

These programs are always insightful, but casual, and are taught by seasoned and knowledgeable teachers.

See below for our current and upcoming offerings.

Summer 2025 (June - August)

PROFILES

Explore the people, places, and events that shape our lives, our world, our universe. Presented by Dr. Bill Thierfelder, Professor Emeritus and Docent Emeritus at the American Museum of Natural History. 

  • Ages: High School through Adult
  • Wednesday, June 4
    • Writing with Pride: 6 LGBTQ+ Authors. This program explores the work of six writers whose writing explores the nature and scope of the LGBTQ+ experience: James Baldwin (Giovanni’s Room), Audre Lorde (Sister Outsider), Larry Kramer (The Normal Heart), Armistead Maupin (Tales of the City), Rita Mae Brown (Rubyfruit Jungle), and George M. Johnson (All Boys Aren’t Blue).  Sign up to receive the Zoom meeting code.
  • Wednesday, July 2
  • Wednesday, Aug. 6
    • Never Too Late. This two-part series profiles the lives of five child prodigies and five “Plus-50” artists, composers, and painters whose lives continue to inspire us. Part Two explores the inspiring lives and contributions of older creative minds. Sign up to receive the Zoom meeting code.
  • Time: 11:00 am - 12:30 pm
  • Location: Online - Zoom (Not sure what that is? Call us and we'll help you! 503-682-2744)
  • No Charge

 

Space Talks

Discover the history and science behind our exploration of the moon, Mars, and the universe with these talks presented by docents Donn Anderson & John Jennings from Evergreen Aviation and Space Museum. Learn more on the Space Talks page.

  • Ages: High School through Adult
  • Saturday, June 7: The Impact of Artificial Intelligence at NASA
  • Saturday, July 12: The Search for Life in the Universe
  • Saturday, Aug. 2: Lucy - The first mission to explore the Jupiter Trojan asteroids
  • Time: 11:00am-12:30pm
  • Location: Oak Room
  • No Charge

 

Flash Fiction Workshop

Unlock your creativity at this fast-paced workshop! We'll guide you through the art of flash fiction, where you'll learn to craft compelling narratives that pack a punch. Get ready for our August Short Story Contest with this fun, interactive workshop. Presented by local author Andi Winter.

  • Ages: High School through Adult
  • Thursday, July 24
  • Time: 6:00-7:30pm
  • Location: Oak Room
  • No Charge

 

Fall 2025 (Sept. - Dec.)

PROFILES

Explore the people, places, and events that shape our lives, our world, our universe. Presented by Dr. Bill Thierfelder, Professor Emeritus and Docent Emeritus at the American Museum of Natural History. 

  • Ages: High School through Adult
  • Wednesday, Sept. 3
    • The Four Brontes. This program examines the lives and works of Anne, Branwell, Charlotte, and Emily Bronte, with an emphasis on the lesser-known but equally satisfactory writing of this remarkable family.  What we discover is that there’s more to the Bronte siblings than Jane Eyre and Wuthering Heights.  It’s a story of triumph and failure, lost love and addiction, and--most of all--the complications and abiding love of family life.  Sign up to receive the Zoom meeting code.
  • Wednesday, Oct. 1
    • Edgar Allan Poe. The life of Edgar Allan Poe is as haunting as the ones that fill the stories and poems he composed in his short, often tumultuous life. He was a prominent critic, a short fiction master, a competent poet, and a husband obsessively devoted to his child bride.  Now considered one of the great literary geniuses of world literature, in his life Poe was the epitome of the tortured artist who was perpetually misunderstood by family and friends--the mad intellect often derailed by circumstances of his own making. Sign up to receive the Zoom meeting code.
  • No program in November
  • Wednesday, Dec. 3
    • The Holiday Trifecta. This program explores three works that are the centerpieces of the holiday experience for millions of people across the world. We explore the creators, the works, and the reasons for their enduring success:  Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol, George Frederick Handel’s Messiah, and Peter Tchaikovsky’s The Nutcracker. Sign up to receive the Zoom meeting code.
  • Time: 11:00 am - 12:30 pm
  • Location: Online - Zoom (Not sure what that is? Call us and we'll help you! 503-682-2744)
  • No Charge

 

Space Talks

Discover the history and science behind our exploration of the moon, Mars, and the universe with these talks presented by docents Donn Anderson & John Jennings from Evergreen Aviation and Space Museum. Learn more on the Space Talks page.

  • Ages: High School through Adult
  • Saturday, Sept. 6: TBA
  • Saturday, Oct. 4: TBA
  • Saturday, Nov. 1: TBA
  • Saturday, Dec. 13: TBA
  • Time: 11:00am-12:30pm
  • Location: Oak Room
  • No Charge

writing real life non-fiction for a small press publisher

George Sorensen, local author of Hot Dish Confidential - That Year My Friends Taught Me to Cook: A Cooking Memoir, will share how he turned his experience learning to cook into a book with a published by a small press publisher.

Presented by George Sorensen

  • Ages: High School through Adult
  • Thursday, Sept. 11
  • Time: 6:00-7:30pm
  • Location: Oak Room
  • No Charge

Lateral Genealogy: Looking Beyond Your Direct Line Ancestors

Most folks start their genealogy research with their direct line ancestors (parents, grandparents, etc), but you might try going sideways instead. You may discover you are related to an old classmate or a current neighbor. If you are doing community or cemetery research, going sideways will open new avenues to explore.  Learn how a mind map can expand your family tree connections.

Presented by Charlotte Lehan.

  • Ages: High School through Adult
  • Monday, Sept. 15
  • Time: 1:00-2:30pm
  • Location: Oak Room
  • No Charge

Before the show began: Theaters of Oregon

Theaters have always captured our imaginations with their unqiue architecture, lighting, and lobbies. Darrell Jabin, Oregon’s Traveling Historian, toured the state, photographing theaters, researching movie palaces and drive-ins, and interviewing historians, theater owners, and directors of community theaters, to create this presentation. Join Darrell Jabin for an entertaining discussion and share your memories about a unique part of Oregon history.

Presented by Darrell Jabin, Oregon's Traveling Historian

  • Ages: High School through Adult
  • Monday, Oct. 6
  • Time: 6:00-7:30pm
  • Location: Oak Room
  • No Charge
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