In the Know Newsletter | October 2025

Literary Ghost Walk and Ghoulish Stickers!

Your library invites you to embrace the season! From cemetery tales and folklore to creepy critters, there’s something for every thrill-seeker. Preview The Haunting of Hill House, craft Día de los Muertos skulls, or learn the history of The Ouija Board. And don’t miss our annual Literary Ghost Walk, where ghosts of famous authors lurk in the stacks, eager to share their stories. Be sure to stop by in October for a special Halloween sticker pack!

Spine-Tingling Reads (and More!)

As summer fades and fall creeps in, we asked Deschutes Public Library staff to share their favorite stories that chill, thrill, and delight. From haunting novels and eerie films to horror-inspired board games, this list has something to keep you looking over your shoulder. Each pick comes with a short staff review to help you find your next scare. Explore the full list and check out the books, movies, and games to see for yourself.

Read What You Want: Banned Books Week 2025

Banned Books Week (October 5–11) shines a light on the importance of free and open access to information. Libraries are dedicated to protecting your First Amendment rights and ensuring that diverse voices and perspectives remain available to all. Celebrate your right to read by exploring our Intellectual Freedom page and learn more about the most frequently challenged books.

Hispanic Heritage Month

National Hispanic Heritage Month takes place each year from September 15 to October 15. It’s a time to honor the histories, cultures, and contributions of people whose ancestors came from Spain, Mexico, the Caribbean, and Central and South America. Our librarians have curated special booklists featuring works by Hispanic and Latino authors in both English and Spanish. Discover powerful stories, explore new voices, and celebrate the richness of Hispanic and Latino heritage with us.

Bend Library Updates

The last day of operations at the East Bend Library is Saturday, November 15. With the new Central Library scheduled to open in the spring just two miles away, Bend residents will soon have access to more library space and services than ever before. Holds at East Bend will be redirected to the Downtown Bend Library starting November 1, and materials can be returned to any Deschutes Public Library location. Join us on Saturday, November 8, from noon to 2:00 p.m. as we celebrate 15 years of service at the East Bend Library.

Beyond the Books: Creativebug

Fall is the perfect time to get crafty. Whether you want to paint in autumn hues, try your hand at printmaking, or dive into yarn arts like knitting, crochet, and quilting, Creativebug has classes to guide you every step of the way.

You’ll also find seasonal projects like beeswax candle-making, eco-friendly gift wrapping, and Halloween-inspired crafts. With thousands of classes, there’s something for every interest and skill level. Access is free with your library card. Explore Creativebug and start your next project.

Service Spotlight: Gale In Context

Now that back-to-school season is in full swing, your library has Gale In Context resources designed specifically for elementary, middle, and high school students. These age-appropriate databases offer award-winning content aligned with national curriculum standards, supporting students with assignments across core subjects like history, literature, science, and social studies. With access to magazines, newspapers, videos, and primary sources, Gale In Context makes learning engaging and research simple.

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. Youll also find story times on our YouTube channel (as well as STEAM programs, scavenger hunts, and more).



Creepy Creatures with Sunriver Nature Center & Observatory - 10/1 (La Pine)

Community Art Roulette - 10/2 (E.Bend); 10/10 (Sisters); 10/15 (Sunriver); 10/24 (La Pine); 10/27 (D.Bend); 10/28 (Redmond)

Childrens Museum of Central Oregon Pop Up Exhibits - 10/3 (Sunriver)

Infant Music Together Workshop - 10/7 (D.Bend)

Rainbow Family Night - 10/8 (Redmond); 10/16 (D.Bend)

Kids' Math Night with Mathnasium - 10/10 (D.Bend)

Stories & Strollers - 10/10, 10/17, 10/24, 10/31 (Drake Park)

Creepy Crawly Arts and Crafts - 10/11 (Sisters); 10/18 (La Pine)

Pumpkinlicious Tricks & Treats - 10/11 (Redmond); 10/22 (Sisters); 10/23 (Sunriver); 10/25 (D.Bend)

Graphic Novel Book Club: The Sleepover - 10/14 (Remond)

The Adventures of Darla the Deaf Dog - 10/15 (E.Bend)

B.U.R.S.T. - 10/16 (Redmond); 10/16, 10/30 (Sisters); 10/21 (Sunriver); 10/21 (D.Bend)

Pokémon Club - 10/16 (D.Bend)

Halloween Art Play - 10/20 (Two Suns Art Studio + Makerspace)

Math Stories - 10/20 (D.Bend)

Graphic Novel Book Club: Ghosts - 10/21 (Larkspur Community Center)

Step Into the Ice Age - 10/22 (Redmond)

Sensory-Friendly Fall - 10/23 (Redmond)

Spooky Treats for Kids - 10/23 (Arome)

MIDDLE SCHOOL AND HIGH SCHOOL

Middle Ground: Explorers' Club - 10/1, 10/16 (Redmond); 10/8 (La Pine); 10/20 (E.Bend)

Teen Monthly D&D Club - 10/3 (Sisters); 10/7 (La Pine)

Grom Tests and Skate Demo - 10/3 (The Pavilion)

Teen Library Council - 10/8 (Redmond)

Middle Ground Book Club - 10/16 (Redmond)

Our Space in English y Español - 10/16 (Worthy Brewing)

D&D Halloween One-Shot - 10/30 (D.Bend)

Needle Felted Sugar Skull Ornaments - 10/30 (Redmond)

Tummy Time en Español - 10/1 (D.Bend); 10/6 (Redmond)

Ayuda Tecnológica - 10/2 (D.Bend); 10/7 (Redmond)

Tardes en Familia - 10/2 (D.Bend); 10/8 (Redmond); 10/16 (E.Bend); 10/23 (Sisters)

Clases de Inglés Para Hispanohablantes - 10/6, 10/13, 10/20, 10/27 (D.Bend); 10/7, 10/14, 10/16, 10/21, 10/23, 10/28, 10/30 (Redmond)

Oscuridad de Guardianes de Los Niños Darkness to Light® - 10/9 (Online)

Preservación de Nuestra Cultura y Tradiciones - 10/10 (Redmond)

Bilingual Stories & Songs en Español e Ingles - 10/14, 10/21, 10/28 (D.Bend)

Proyecto Cultural Migranta in English y Español - 10/17 (Larkspur Community Center)

Migrantextos, Taller de Escritura - 10/18 (Larkspur Community Center)

Crea y Pinta tu Propia Máscara - 10/18 (Redmond)

SafetyNet: Smart Cyber Choices® en Español - 10/23 (Online)

BOOK CLUBS

The Library Book Club: Someone Else's Shoes - 10/2 (Redmond)

The Library Book Club: Tom Lake - 10/11 (E.Bend)

Larkspur Book Club: Lessons in Chemsitry - 10/15 (Larkspur Community Center)

The Library Book Club: Yellowface 10/24 (D.Bend)

The Fiction Library Book Club: Table for Two - 10/29 (Online)

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.


Lawyer in the Library - 10/1, 10/15 (Online)

Adult D&D Club: Beginners - 10/1 (Redmond)

Technology Troubleshooting - 10/2, 10/16, 10/23, 10/30 (D.Bend); 10/7, 10/14, 10/21, 10/28 (Redmond)

3D Printer Basics - 10/3 (Redmond)

Costume Swap and Share - 10/4 (D.Bend)

Lumina Flute Ensemble - 10/4 (Sunriver)

College & Career Readiness: Financial Aid 101 - 10/6 (Redmond); 10/14 (Sisters); 10/22 (D.Bend); 10/23 (La Pine)

Changing Patterns: Re-Entry Weeklies - 10/6, 10/13, 10/20, 10/27 (D.Bend)

Tuesday Trekkers Walking Group - 10/7, 10/14, 10/21, 10/28 (La Pine)

Cognitive Connections Community - 10/7 (D.Bend)

SafetyNet® Training with KIDS Center - 10/7 (Sisters)

Medicare Made Simple - 10/8 (Redmond)

Notary Public in the Library - 10/10, 10/20 (D.Bend)

Amhránaithe Concert - 10/12 (D.Bend)

Treatment & Medications for Opioid Use with Narcan Training - 10/13 (D.Bend)

Law Librarian Office Hours - 10/14 (Redmond)

SCORE Small Business Counseling - 10/14, 10/28 (D.Bend)

Meet Tayas Yawks and Good Medicine Outreach Staff - 10/16 (La Pine)

Preparing for Nature's Tantrums - 10/17 (D.Bend)

Fiber Arts Supply Swap - 10/18 (D.Bend)

Business/Nonprofit Librarian Office Hours - 10/21 (Redmond)

Literary-Inspired Photo Shoot - 10/25 (Redmond)

Spooktacular Circuits: A Halloween Arduino Light Show - 10/25 (Redmond)

The Nose Knows: Working Dogs in Conservation - 10/26 (D.Bend); 10/27 (Redmond)

Darkness to Light® Training with KIDS Center - 10/28 (Online)

Popcorn and Book Pairing - 10/28 (Brownbag Popcorn)

Death Café - 10/28 (D.Bend)

Literary Ghost Walk - 10/29 (D.Bend)

KNOW MACABRE

Write Your Own Obituary in Four Easy Steps - 10/2 (D.Bend); 10/3 (Sisters)

Charspookerie Making Workshop - 10/4 (Sisters)

Whistling Past the Graveyard - 10/7 (Online)

Gargoyle Relief Sculpture - 10/10 (Sunriver)

Oddities, Curiosities, and Macabre Show & Tell - 10/13 (E.Bend)

Black Magic Drawings - 10/14 (Sunriver); 10/19 (D.Bend)

The Haunting of Hill House Preview Night - 10/16 (Cascades Theatrical Company)

Grieving and Healing in Nature - 10/21 (D.Bend); 10/22 (Sisters)

Yes, No, Goodbye: The History of the Ouija Board - 10/23 (Online)

The Dead and Rituals of Death - 10/24 (D.Bend); 10/25 (La Pine)

Discover Owls: Denizens of the Dark? - 10/28 (Redmond); 10/29 (D.Bend)

WRITE HERE

One Hour, One Story: Intro to Memoir Writing - 10/2 (Redmond)

Meet the Authors: Literary Insights from Mayfield & Strelow - 10/3 (D.Bend)

Quiet Writing Time - 10/7, 10/14, 10/21, 10/28 (D.Bend)

What's So Funny? A Satire Workshop - 10/8 (D.Bend)

Keeping it Real in the Age of Artificial Intelligence - 10/14 (D.Bend)

Third Thursday Spoken Word Night - 10/16 (SCP Redmond Hotel)

All libraries will be closed on Thursday, October 9, 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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