Howdy Library Fans!
It’s already back-to-school month! How was your summer? I think, on average, it was a lovely one. I say ‘on average’, of course, because if you combine 2 months of chilling rain with another 2 months of nightmare heat, the seasonal average comes in just about right! Of course, soon we’ll be seeing the rainy season again, and if that doesn’t thrill you to your wet toes, you just may need to turn in your Oregon card!
Well, rain or shine, the library’s giant roof (visible from space, not to mention Wilsonville Road) will protect you from all forms of climactic unpleasantness. Grab some books and, better yet, partake in some of our many monthly activities, as detailed below.
Kicking things off, as you may have come to expect, is our free monthly movie showing—First Friday Films! Join us at 6pm on Friday September 2nd to watch a film set in 1961, when a 60-year old taxi driver steals Goya’s portrait of the Duke of Wellington from the National Gallery in London. We can’t reveal the name of the film in this column (otherwise we’d need to DUKE it out with the copyright authorities), but if you can’t figure it out, please call us (or check the website) and we’ll tell you without any fanfare at all. Bring a friend, enjoy free snacks and revel in the fun. See you there!
On Monday, September 5th, it turns out to be Labor Day. We’ll celebrate labor by not laboring at all—All City offices and buildings will be closed all day, so come visit us on the 6th instead!
And speaking of the 6th…On each Tuesday of the month, September 6th, 13th, 20th, and 27th from 10 to noon, you can drop in to meet with Jared, our friendly ODHS (Oregon Department of Human Services) contact person. If you need assistance paying for food or child care, or are looking for health coverage, then ODHS may be able to help you! Find Jared in the Simmons Room at the library, no appointment necessary. You can find out more about ODHS services on our website.
On Saturday, September 17th, from 10 to noon, please join your fellow citizens for an Emergency Preparedness Fair. Motivated by a generational ice storm, massive wildfires, a heat dome event and the ongoing pandemic, the Wilsonville City Council established a goal of engaging the community to support emergency preparedness and resiliency.
The “Wilsonville Ready” campaign is a year-long effort designed to help individuals and families become better equipped to endure the immediate aftermath of an emergency when access to critical supplies – power, water, food, medical aid, plumbing, phone, internet, transportation, etc. – may be restricted.
The City’s Emergency Preparedness Fair is an opportunity to learn a few basics about preparedness — including how to build a ‘go kit’, how to prepare for wildfire season, and what supplies you might need to have on hand. By connecting residents and businesses with emergency response resources and educational materials, we hope to yield a more resilient community. Please take note: This event will NOT be held at the library, but across the street at the Stein-Boozier Barn in beautiful Memorial Park.
Of course, if you’d rather visit the library, feel free! That same day (Saturday, September 17th), from 11am to 12:30pm we’re hosting another of our ever-popular ‘Space Talks’! John Jennings, a docent at the Evergreen Aviation and Space Museum will present ‘Paths to Saturn V’, the exciting story of how America conceived and implemented the design for the Saturn V rocket, NASA, and a whole lot more! Free, and open to all.
Monday, September 19th brings another installment of our Genealogy Club. Malia will offer tips and tricks, as well as setting aside some time for questions about your ancestors, both the nobility as well as the horse thieves. Open to seasoned genealogists and beginners too! Join us from 1 to 2:30.
Mens sana in corpore sano is a fancy Latin phrase meaning ‘A healthy mind in a healthy body’. Would you like to join us on a literary walk to develop both? This month on Thursday, September 15th at 1:00pm, join us for our Walking Book Club, as we walk to and around Memorial Park whilst discussing literary topics. September’s topic is banned books. If you’ve ever read a banned book (and how could you not?) then this is the place to gloriously opine upon it while deftly dodging roots and rocks. Like almost all library events, it’s free, and open to all those with working mentes and corporeum.
Children’s events are also front and center in September (and every month for that matter!) Storytimes for all ages from infant on up come roaring back midmonth from their hiatus during the Summer Reading Program. Check the website for full details and the schedule. Fun is always afoot with the Children’s programs!
This seems an opportune moment to ask whether you know any children under 5 who live within the boundaries of the Wilsonville-West Linn School District. If so, please tell their parents or caregivers about our wonderful Imagination Library! A new, free book is sent each month right to the home of any children under five years old. These books do not need to be returned to the library, but are the child’s to keep! Early reading makes better humans, and thanks to the sponsorship of the Dollywood Foundation and our local partners, families can enjoy this free service and read together. Sign up online at imaginationlibrary.com (or at the library), and let the fun begin!
And to end on a high note, don’t forget about Bulky Waste Day on Saturday, September 24th! Please visit the City’s webpage for more information, and never say the library doesn’t have your back!
Source: Greg Martin. Wilsonville Public Library