News & Events

Programs
Storytimes
Book Groups
Movies

Author Talks
Computer Classes & Technology Workshops
Friends of the Library Book Sales
And More…

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The Storytelling Guild’s annual book drive is in full swing! Bring your new or gently used books for children and teens to any Jackson County Library branch from now until January 31, 2012. Board books for babies and bilingual (English/Spanish) books are especially needed. All books collected are sorted by age and distributed to agencies in our community which serve children and youth.

For more information, please contact Patt Colwell, Medford Children’s Librarian, at 541-774-6409.

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Jackson County Library Services is proud to announce “Cattle Heads West: Ewing Young and the Siskiyou Trail,” the next topic in the new 2012 “Windows in Time” history series offered in partnership with the Southern Oregon Historical Society. Lectures are at noon on Wednesday, February 1, at the Medford Branch Library, 205 South Central Avenue, and Wednesday, February 8, at the Ashland Branch Library, 410 Siskiyou Boulevard.

A master trapper and trader from Tennessee, Ewing Young played an interesting role in Oregon history. During her presentation, speaker Connie Battaile answers questions such as: How did fur trappers suffering from malaria fuel the Rogue Indian Wars? Why did the Hudson’s Bay Company spurn a successful businessman as a horse thief? What role did an abandoned cast iron cauldron have in establishing Oregon’s cattle industry? How did the death of a Tennessee fur trapper lead to the first government in Oregon?

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Come and join in activities just for teens on Saturdays from 1 – 3 p.m. during the month of February. All activities are held in the Medford Teen Library of the Medford Branch Library, 205 South Central Avenue.

Saturday, February 4: Duct Tape Valentine Roses. A rose is a rose is a rose...well, maybe not! Come create a unique, red rose out of duct tape for Valentine's Day.

Saturday, February 18: Chess Club. Teens interested in playing the game of chess are welcome to drop in and test their skills. All levels of players are welcome, with basic instruction offered.

Saturday, February 25: Wii™ Game of the Month, Just Dance 3

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The Accidental Ensemble will return by popular demand on Friday, February 10, from 7 – 8 p.m., in the Naversen Community Meeting Room of the Jacksonville Branch Library, 340 West “C” Street. Please use the California Street entrance.

The ensemble’s repertoire consists of songs from eighteenth-century music to contemporary songs including early-American selections. Their greatest pleasure is energizing their audiences through song, poetry, humor, and prose. Come and enjoy this unique a-cappella performance.

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“Descartes and the Rise of Modern Philosophy,” presented by Ean Roby, will be the topic of the next Guild Lecture on Wednesday, February 15 from 12:00 noon – 1:00 p.m., at the Medford Branch Library, 205 South Central Avenue.

This lecture will examine the life and work of Rene Descartes, the remarkable seventeenth-century French thinker often called the "Father of Modern Philosophy." The talk will focus on philosophical and religious problems that confronted Descartes and how he tried to solve them through his skeptical method and his famous claim, "I think, therefore, I am."

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Jackson County Library Services’ Winter Reads program will run from January 9 through February 21, 2012, at your local branch library. This is a fun program for adults to encourage more reading during the winter months. Just drop in to the library and pick up a Reading Log (or print one from link above), take it home, and write down four books as you read them. Listening to an audiobook also counts. After you have read four books and filled out the log, drop it by the library, and get another reading log.

Each week, at each branch, a drawing is held. The winning reader gets to choose either a gently-used book or book bucks for the Friends of the Library book sales. After February 21, everyone who has returned reading logs will have their names put into a drawing for a grand prize for a dinner certificate.

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The Ashland Children’s Department is pleased to announce a new Lego®-building event every Sunday now through February 26, from 1:00-3:00 p.m., at the Ashland Branch Library, 410 Siskiyou Boulevard.

Children ages 5 to 14 years are invited to discover new ways to build with Legos®. Participants are encouraged to play with the provided Legos® and leave the creations to be used again next week.

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Come play one of the oldest games on earth. The Chess Club will meet on the third Saturday of each month from 1-3 p.m. in the Medford Branch Teen Library, 205 South Central Avenue.

Teens interested in playing the game of chess are welcome to drop in and test their skills. All levels of players are welcome, with basic instruction offered.

Third Saturday Chess Club schedule from 1-3 p.m. for 2012:

February 18
March 17
April 21
May 19
June 16
July 21
August 18
September 15
October 20
November 17
December 15

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People of all ages are invited to drop in, learn domino games, and play on Thursdays from 1 – 3 p.m. in the Meyer Memorial Trust Community Meeting Room of the Phoenix Branch Library, 510 West 1st Street.

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A beautiful winter exhibit of oil and watercolor paintings by members of the Josephine County Artist Association is on display during open hours through January 31, 2012, at the Rogue River Branch Library, 412 East Main Street.

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Create Dungeons and Dragons-type adventures during the Teen Game Group on Wednesdays from 4 – 5 p.m. at the Gold Hill Branch Library, 202 Dardanelles Street.

Teens are invited to join in a cooperative-based game where players work together to survive obstacles in a world they create with the throw of the dice.

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¿Habla español? Sí or no, come to the Ashland Branch Library’s Children’s Department to participate in a bilingual Spanish-English storytime on Sunday, February 5, from 12:30-1:00 p.m., at the Ashland Branch Library, 410 Siskiyou Boulevard.

Special guest, Kristel Olsen, will read stories in Spanish and English and teach songs, finger play, and rhymes in both languages.

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Ashland Branch Library’s Children’s Department is pleased to invite the public to participate in a trilingual storytime featuring Chinese, Japanese, and English on Sunday, February 12, from 12:30-1:00 p.m., at the Ashland Branch Library, 410 Siskiyou Boulevard.

Special presenters Kate and Yuki will read stories and sing songs in Chinese and Japanese and will translate them into English.

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Jackson County Library Services is adding Babies and Wobblers programs at the following libraries.
Babies and Wobblers Storytimes are lively sessions full of rhymes, books, and songs for children who are 0-36 months, accompanied by a parent or caregiver. 

Eagle Point Branch Library 
239 West Main Street
Friday: 11:00-11:30 a.m. (Starts January 13, 2012)
Older siblings are always welcome!
Please call the Eagle Point Branch Library at 541-826-3313 for more information.

Rogue River Branch Library
412 East Main Street 
Monday: 10:30 – 11:00 a.m. (Starts January 9, 2012)
Older siblings are always welcome!
Please call the Rogue River Branch Library at 541-864-8850 for more information.

Medford Branch Library 
205 South Central Avenue
Medford Children’s Library will now offer two Wobblers groups on Wednesday mornings. Wobblers storytimes are for children who are walking up to the age of 36 months.
Wednesday: 10:00-10:30 a.m.
Wednesday: 10:50-11:20 a.m. (This replaces the 1:30 p.m. program which is being discontinued.)

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The Elastic Mind Book Discussion Group will discuss “How Important Success Really Is” on Thursday, February 2, from 1:00 – 2:30 p.m., at the Ashland Branch Library, 410 Siskiyou Boulevard.

Participants are asked to read Outliers: The Story of Success by Malcolm Gladwell or another book on the same topic. What makes high achievers different? Why do some people succeed, living remarkably productive and impactful lives, while so many more never reach their potential? Examining the lives of outliers from Mozart to Bill Gates, Mr. Gladwell builds a convincing case for how successful people rise on a tide of advantages, "some deserved, some not, some earned, some just plain lucky." All are welcome to join in this lively discussion group led by Joanna Fenn.

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Enjoy a little romance with films shown on Wednesday afternoons in February, from 3:30 – 5:30 p.m., at the Central Point Branch Library, 116 South Third Street.

Join in the viewing of movies featuring a ghostly Rex Harrison, a lonely Ernest Borgnine, a very young Diane Lane, a heart-recipient Minnie Driver, and a traveling Amy Adams. Movies will be preceded by a classic cartoon or short film.

February 1: The Ghost and Mrs. Muir (1947)
February 8: Marty (1955)
February 15: A Little Romance (1979)
February 22: Return To Me (2000)
February 29: Leap Year (2010)

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The public is invited to a free “Special Valentine Tea and a Movie” on Tuesday, February 14, from 1 – 3 p.m., at the Phoenix Branch Library, 510 West 1st Street.

In this romantic comedy, stars Cher, Nicolas Cage, and Olympia Dukakis prove anything can happen when the moon is full! Enjoy this heartwarming celebration of live, love, and family ties. Bring your tea cup along with your favorite Valentine to enjoy this fun-filled film.

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Each Wednesday afternoon in January features slicing and dicing with classic samurai films, from 3:30 – 5:30 p.m., at the Central Point Branch Library, 116 South Third Street.

The Samurai series will focus on the adventures of Yojimbo and Zatoichi, both separately and for their one-time meeting. Come and see Akira Kurosawa, Toshiro Mifune and Shintaro Katsu use their talents to bring these two legendary swordsmen to life on the movie screen.

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Author Gloria Boyd will discuss and read from her new book Sincerely Louise on Sunday, February 5, from 1 – 2 p.m., at the Ashland Branch Library, 410 Siskiyou Boulevard.

Through writing this book, Gloria Boyd came to know her mother Louise in a new and wonderful way. Parts of this story are from Louise’s own words, parts from early pictures of rural Connecticut in the early 1900s, and the rest from Ms. Boyd’s imagination. You may call the book a memoir, a fictional biography or a tall tale. Ms. Boyd simply calls it Sincerely Louise.

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Dr. William Tweed, recently retired from the National Park Service, will present his latest book, Uncertain Path: A Search for the Future of National Parks on Thursday, February 16 from 6:00 – 7:30 p.m., at the Medford Branch Library, 205 South Central Avenue.

Yellowstone National Park was established by Congress as the nation’s (and the world’s) first national park on March 1, 1872. The National Park Service, established in 1916, is showing its age. Current efforts by ecologists, climatologists, historians, and anthropologists all suggest the core values are unachievable. So now what? Join the author for a discussion of this critical question.

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What is Facebook? How do I use it? How do I protect my privacy? All these questions and more will be answered at Jackson County Library Services’ free, informal presentation on Monday, February 6, from 1 – 2 p.m., at the Ashland Branch Library, 410 Siskiyou Boulevard.

An overview of Facebook as well as time for questions and answers will be offered. A basic working knowledge of computers is necessary to understand the material. If you would like to practice on your own laptop you will need to have WiFi capabilities and a working e-mail account.

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Would you like to know how to use Library2Go, Jackson County Library’s downloadable e-book, audiobook, and video service? Come to free, informal hands-on demonstrations offered at the Gold Hill and Medford Branch Libraries.

Find out how your e-reader or audio device works with library software and how to use it to access thousands of books anytime. Demonstrations will show how to use the library to get the most out of your device. There will be an introductory session to give an overview of Library2Go, as well as time for questions and one-on-one assistance.

Friday, February 10, 2 – 4 p.m.
Gold Hill Branch Library

Wednesday, February 22, 1 – 3 p.m.
Medford Branch Library

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Have you heard of “The Cloud” or “Cloud Computing” and wondered what it is? Come to Jackson County Library's newest technology presentation “Hey, You, Get On To My Cloud” on Monday, February 13, from 2 – 3 p.m., at the Medford Branch Library, 205 South Central Avenue.

Find out how you can use the cloud for work and play. Participants will look at a few of the services available and what can be done with them. You may bring laptop or portable computer but it is not a necessity.

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Sign up now for free Adult Basic Computer Demonstrations offered January through June at Jackson County branch libraries. All hands-on demonstrations are bilingual (English and Spanish). Seating is limited. Reservations are encouraged. Please call your local library branch to reserve a spot in any or all sessions.

Basics I
Session One – Using the Mouse and Keyboard
Session Two – Internet Navigation
Session Three – Electronic Mail (E-mail)
Session Four – Individualized Instruction and Practice

Basics II
Session One – Word Processing
Session Two – Photo Editing
Session Three – File Management
Session Four – Review and Practice

Basics III
Session One – Advanced Word Processing
Session Two – Spreadsheet
Session Three – Computer Management
Session Four – Internet Services

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Free beginning computer help sessions begin again on Thursday, January 19, in the Guanajuato Room of the Ashland Branch Library, 410 Siskiyou Boulevard. All sessions are held on Thursday mornings from 10 a.m. – 12 noon. Classes fill quickly, so please call 541-774-6996 to reserve a spot.

January 19: How to Talk to Your Computer
January 26: Windows Concepts
February 2: Web Basics
February 9: Word Processing
February 16: E-mail I
February 23: E-mail II

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Free Basic Computer Classes at Jackson County Library Services • Read Press Release (PDF)

January/June Schedule

Sign up now for free Adult Basic Computer Classes offered at Jackson County libraries. All classes are bilingual (English and Spanish). Seating is limited. Reservations are encouraged. Please call your local library branch for schedules and to reserve a spot in any or all classes.

 

 

Basics I

Session One – Using the Mouse and Keyboard
Session Two – Internet Navigation
Session Three – Electronic Mail (E-mail)
Session Four – Individualized Instruction and Practice

Basics II

Session One – Word Processing
Session Two – Photo Editing
Session Three – File Management
Session Four – Review and Practice

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Jackson County Library Services has received a $28,000 grant to improve public library services to children. The Ready to Read Grant funds early literacy programming, such as Babies in the Library, and enhanced Summer Reading programs throughout Jackson County libraries.

The Ready to Read Grant was established by the State Legislature in 1993 to assist local libraries in helping to achieve the Oregon Benchmarks for childhood learning and development. This annual grant, funded by the General Fund of the State of Oregon, is administered by the State Library. Oregon libraries may use these funds for the statewide summer reading program for children ages 0-14 and early literacy services for children ages 0-5.

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The Jackson County Commissioners received a check for $124,533 from US Bank during its Wednesday session on December 21, 2011. The check represents the annual interest paid on a bequest of $2.5 million left to Jackson County Library Services by Kenneth A. and Lucille D. Hulburt, who were educators in the Rogue Valley. The bequest provides for programming and collection enhancements to benefit mature readers and youth ages six to sixteen.

With the annual funds from the trust, Jackson County Library Services has been able to provide programs such as free Adult Basic Computer Courses to nearly 5,000 adults and patron technical support services, including workshops for hands-on demonstrations in e-media, to hundreds of residents. Bequest funds were used to purchase a resume-writing and job-search software program available at all branches and to add the Value Line investment survey to its array of reference database available online through its website.

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Jackson County Library Services is pleased to announce that the Amazon® Kindle compatibility with Library2Go e-book collection is here. This update allows most existing e-books in the library’s collection to be read on all Kindle devices or by using free Kindle apps for iPhone®, iPad®, Android™ and other mobile devices.

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Clue in to the story of “Naked Came the Rogue,” an e-published serial mystery with chapters written by local authors, as part of Jackson County Library Services’ “Jackson County Reads Mysteries.

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Did you know that 75 percent of the electricity used in the average home to power home electronics and appliances is consumed while the products are turned off? Find out how much electricity your electronic devices use—whether on or off. On your next visit to your local library branch, check out a Kill A Watt™ monitor. Click here to reserve yours today.

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Whether you are in the doctor’s office, at your kitchen table, or under the hood of your car, Jackson County Library Services is excited to announce a way to bring the library to you.

Download the free Gale AccessMyLibrary mobile application for the iPhone or Android by searching “AccessMyLibrary.” Research is simple, allowing access to Jackson County Library Services' Online Resources from Gale wherever you are. AccessMyLibrary finds your global position and locates libraries within a ten-mile radius.