Bend Library Updates, Card Renewal, August Programming, and More from Your Library

In the Know Newsletter | August 2025

Final Bond Phase: Bend

Big things are happening for libraries in Bend! Thanks to the 2020 bond measure, we have been expanding and improving libraries across Deschutes County. The new Central Library at Stevens Ranch is set to open in late spring 2026, and the Downtown Bend Library will close temporarily for a remodel around the same time. The East Bend Library will close in mid-November 2025 before its lease expires in December. Learn more and stay up to date by visiting our website.

Celebrate the End of Summer with the Library!

It's the final month of Summer with the Library, but there's still plenty of time to participate in events, activities, and reading challenges. Readers of all ages can join the Summer with the Library program and track their progress. Just for signing up, you’re entered for a chance to win grand prizes and, if you complete your reading log, you get a free book.

Check out our calendar for all events in August and join us on Saturday, August 30 from 10 am to noon, for the final Summer with the Library celebration at Centennial Park in Redmond. Enjoy an all-ages show with nationally recognized physical comedian, Angel Ocasio, balloon animals, games, activities, prizes, free books, and community information!

Have You Renewed Your Library Card?

Thanks to everyone who has taken a few minutes to renew their library card! If you haven’t renewed your card, and it was issued before January 21, 2025, now is the time to renew. Simply visit this page and confirm your current address and phone number. That’s it!

For more details, visit the FAQ page on our website.

August Programs: Know Ink/Inc

Dive into the worlds of ink and ideas with our August programming theme, Know Ink/Inc! Explore the history of maritime tattoos, decode hidden symbols in art, design and carve your own stamps, or try stippling a pet portrait. Tackle big ideas like censorship and freedom of information or roll up your sleeves for hands-on fun like squid ink pasta and zine-making. See the complete list of programs and register for events on our website.

Beyond the Books: Planning Your Next Adventure

Your library has more than just books to guide you: check out atlases and detailed road, trail, and topographic maps for your next hike, bike ride, fishing trip, or road trip. From local trails and rivers to national parks and winding backroads, borrow what you need to explore Central Oregon and beyond. See where the library can take you next!

Service Spotlight: Notary Public

A notary public is available at the Downtown Bend Library on the second Friday and third Monday of every month (August 8 and 18) to provide free, limited notary services for the public on a walk-in basis. The notary will sign up to two documents per person per session. This service is not intended for commercial businesses. For more information, visit our web calendar.

Follow the links below to learn how to access these programs

KIDS & FAMILIES

Family Story Time, Toddler Story Time, Preschool Story Time, and Baby Story Time - Visit our online calendar for dates, locations, and times. You’ll also find story times on our YouTube channel (as well as STEAM programs, scavenger hunts, and more).

Professor Universe: A Comedic Science Show - 8/1 (Sisters)

Zines for Kids - 8/1 (E.Bend); 8/5 (Sunriver); 8/8 (Redmond); 8/15 (D.Bend); 8/22 (La Pine); 8/29 (Sisters)

Camp Kinder! - 8/1 (D.Bend); 8/7 (Redmond); 8/7, 8/21, 8/28 (Sisters); 8/12, 8/19, 8/26 (Sunriver)

Infant Music Together Workshop - 8/5, 8/26 (D.Bend)

Bookends: Pizza and Taco - 8/5 (Sisters); 8/12 (Redmond); 8/20 (Sunriver)

Children’s Museum of Central Oregon Pop Up Exhibits - 8/6 (E.Bend)

Screen Paddington in Peru - 8/6 (Regal Cinemas Old Mill)

Pokémon Club - 8/7, 8/21, 8/28 (D.Bend)

Wanderlust Tours: Supporting INClusion Kayak Adventure - 8/7 (Wanderlust Tours)

Ian and the Oopsies Family Concert - 8/9 (Redmond)

Super Summer Story Time - 8/12 (D.Bend)

Rainbow Family Night - 8/12 (La Pine); 8/13 (Redmond); 8/21 (D.Bend)

Music Together Workshop - 8/13 (D.Bend)

Family Friendly Yoga in English y Español - 8/15 (Redmond)

Graphic Novel Book Club: Wingbearer - 8/19 (E.Bend)

Wobble & Whir: Creating Bristlebot Racers - 8/20 (Redmond)

Kids' Stippling Pet Portraits with Anastasia Zielinski - 8/21 (Redmond)

Summer with the Library - 8/30 (Centennial Park)

Finding Gobi - 8/30 (D.Bend); 8/30 (Redmond)

MIDDLE SCHOOL AND HIGH SCHOOL

Summer Dungeons & Dragons Club -8/5, 8/12, 8/19, 8/26 (La Pine); 8/6, 8/13, 8/20, 8/27 (Redmond); 8/7, 8/21, 8/28 (D.Bend)

Middle Ground: Explorers' Club - 8/7 (E.Bend); 8/15 (Redmond)

Zines for Teens - 8/8 (The Pavillion)

Roll with Board House Society - 8/10 (Sunriver); 8/24 (La Pine)

Dirt Pride: A Film + Conversation About Belonging - 8/18 (D.Bend)

Telling Our Stories Through the Lens - 8/21 (Redmond)

Editing with Intention: Honoring the Image - 8/28 (Redmond)

Ayuda Tecnológica - 8/5 (Redmond); 8/7 (D.Bend)

Conexiones Literarias con Hilda en Español - 8/5, 8/19 (Redmond)

Tardes en Familia - 8/7 (D.Bend); 8/21 (E.Bend); 8/28 (Sisters)

Super Summer Story Time (Bilingual) - 8/12 (D.Bend)

Taller de Papel Marmoleado en Español - 8/16 (E.Bend)

SafetyNet: Smart Cyber Choices® en Español - 8/28 (Online)

WRITE HERE

Quiet Writing Time - 8/5, 8/12, 8/19, 8/26 (D.Bend)

Author Karen Spears Zacharias - 8/6 (Redmond)

"Finish That Draft" with Grace Bialecki - 8/12 (D.Bend)

Closer: A Reading with Miriam Gershow - 8/15 (D.Bend)

Revision Strategies Workshop - 8/16 (Redmond)

Third Thursday Spoken Word Night - 8/21 (SCP Redmond Hotel)

Tangles: A Reading with Kay Smith-Blum - 8/22 (D.Bend)

ADULTS

Thrive Central Oregon Drop-in Consultations - see calendar for dates and times and visit Thrive's website for more drop-in sessions and locations throughout the county.

Technology Troubleshooting - 8/1 (Sunriver); 8/5, 8/12, 8/19, 8/26 (Redmond); 8/7, 8/21, 8/28 (D.Bend); 8/8 (Sisters)

A Tribute to Bracero Workers in Central Oregon - 8/4 (Redmond)

Changing Patterns: Re-Entry Weeklies - 8/4, 8/11, 8/18, 8/25 (D.Bend)

Tuesday Trekkers Walking Group - 8/5, 8/12, 8/19, 8/26 (La Pine)

iPhone Essentials - 8/5 (Redmond); 8/7 (D.Bend); 8/8 (Sisters)

Lawyer in the Library - 8/6, 8/20 (Online)

Adult D&D Club: Beginners - 8/6 (Redmond)

Around the World in 30 Instruments with Four Shillings Short - 8/7 (Redmond); 8/8 (D.Bend)

Notary Public in the Library - 8/8, 8/18 (D.Bend)

Puzzle Swap - 8/9 (Redmond)

High Strung Performs - 8/10 (D.Bend)

Play Together: Stardew Valley - 8/11 (Redmond); 8/13 (D.Bend)

Law Librarian Office Hours - 8/12 (Redmond)

Guided Forest Bath - 8/12 (La Pine State Park); 8/13 (Shevlin Park)

Creative Beginnings: A Scrapbooking & Card Making Class - 8/13 (Redmond)

Business/Nonprofit Librarian Office Hours - 8/15 (La Pine); 8/19 (Redmond)

Beginner Crochet Workshop - 8/15 (Redmond)

Fair Housing Council Drop-In Consultations - 8/19 (D.Bend)

Anxiety: The Good and the Bad - 8/19 (Sisters)

Play Together: Mario Kart World - 8/19 (Redmond)

SafetyNet Training with KIDS Center - 8/19 (Betsy Johnson Community Center)

Medicare Made Simple - 8/20 (Sisters); 8/28 (E.Bend)

iPad Essentials - 8/21 (Redmond)

Let's Talk About It with KIDS Center - 8/26 (D.Bend)

Tea and Book Pairing - 8/28 (Suttle Tea)

Death Café - 8/28 (D.Bend)

KNOW INK/INC

Anchors & Ink: The History and Legacy of Maritime Tattoos - 8/1 (D.Bend); 8/2 (Redmond)

Stamp Making: Make Your Mark - 8/5 (Redmond); 8/13 (D.Bend)

How to Read a Painting - 8/8 (Online)

Fresh Squid Ink Pasta - 8/12 (Arome)

Knowledge in Peril: Censorship and Bibliocide - 8/13 (E.Bend)

Sprout Film Festival - 8/15 (Redmond)

The Old Man and The Daiquiri: A Literary Tasting Event - 8/16 (Kobold Brewing: The Vault)

We Become a Poem in English y Español - 8/19 (D.Bend)

The Art of Journalism Storytelling - 8/23 (Sisters); 8/26 (D.Bend)

Gather:Make:Shelter - The Monograph Tour - 8/23 (Redmond); 8/24 (D.Bend)

The Bulletin: History & People - 8/27 (D.Bend)

Stippling Pet Portraits with Anastasia Zielinski - 8/27 (E.Bend)

Zentangle Postcards - 8/28 (Redmond); 8/31 (D.Bend)

BOOK CLUBS

The Library Book Club: The Wildest Sun - 8/7 (Redmond)

The Library Book Club: Lessons in Chemistry - 8/9 (E.Bend)

Nonfiction Library Book Club: There's Always This Your: On Basketball and Ascension - 8/12 (Suttle Tea)

Larkspur Book Club: The Librarianist - 8/20 (Larkspur Community Center)

The Library Book Club: Tom Lake - 8/22 (D.Bend)

The Fiction Library Book Club: Anita De Monte Laughs Last - 8/27 (Online)

All libraries will be closed on Thursday, August 14 for staff in-service training. Visit our website for locations and hours.

Our Mission:

Deschutes Public Library enriches the community through equitable, open access to books, services, and resources that inspire people to reach for their dreams. To learn more about our mission, vision, and core values, visit our website.

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