October: Read What You Want, Literary Ghost Walk Returns, Scary Book and Movie Picks, and More from Your Library

Celebrating Your Right to Read

Banned Books Week launched in 1982 in response to a surge in the number of challenges to books in schools, bookstores, and libraries. This year, it falls during the week of October 4–10 and brings together the entire book community—librarians, booksellers, publishers, and readers of all types—in shared support of the freedom to seek and to express ideas. Visit our website to learn more about intellectual freedom, book bans and challenges, and your First Amendment rights.

Celebrate your right to read what you want. This list begins with the 11 most challenged books of 2025, followed by some of the most historically challenged and banned books. Plus, stop by your nearest Deschutes Public Library location in October to pick up Read What You Want bookmarks, stickers, and pins (while supplies last).

Share a Costume, Find a Costume!

Are you excited to dress up for Halloween, or just a random Saturday afternoon? Do you have a gently used costume you’d like to pass on? Are you on the search for a new, free costume? We will be swapping for all ages, sizes, and all kinds of costumes. We will have extra costumes on hand, so no one will go home without. To take part, join us on Saturday, October 10, from noon–3:00 p.m. at the Central Library.

Library Ghosts Return on October 28

Take a haunted walk through the library—but beware of the ghosts! Join in as we bring some of your favorite dead authors to life at the fourth annual Literary Ghost Walk on October 28 from 6–7:00 p.m. at the Central Library in Bend. Ghosts of authors passed will be stationed throughout the library to tell you more about their works.

Also on October 28, teens can kick off a frightful night with The Haunting of DPL Escape Room at 4:00 p.m. and 5:15 p.m. at the Central Library (free registration required).

Lastly, if happy haunts are your thing, be sure to stop by any Deschutes Public Library location in October to pick up your free, limited-edition Halloween sticker sheet—we’ll have them available until they disappear.

Know Media This October

Get curious, think critically, and connect beyond the screen for “Know Media” throughout October. First-time voters can build civic literacy skills, and everyone can learn how to stay safe in an era of artificial intelligence as well as shut out misinformation with data-driven thinking. Reflect on the stories we tell about our lives through an obituary-writing workshop or get hands-on creating a zine. Teens can test their wits in a K-pop-themed escape room at the library or get creative with needle-felted aliens. Explore these events and more, happening at libraries throughout Deschutes County in October.

Crafty Season Starts Now!

Dive into your next project with over 5,000 video classes taught by renowned artists and creative experts on arts, crafts, cooking, baking, and so much more on Creativebug.

Access Thousands of Magazines

Media literacy is all the rage this October. Get unlimited access to source materials like The New Yorker and Vogue through Libby - all you need is a library card!

Scary Season Staff Picks

October is almost here! As summer fades and fall creeps in, we asked Deschutes Public Library staff to share their picks for stories that chill, thrill, and delight. See the full list of books and movies...if you dare.

EVENTS AND PROGRAMS IN OCTOBER

KIDS & FAMILY

All Story Times: Visit our calendar for dates, locations, and times. You’ll also find story times on our YouTube channel, plus STEAM programs, scavenger hunts, and more.

B.U.R.S.T. - 10/1 (Sunriver); 10/20 (La Pine); 10/22 (Redmond); 10/22 (Sisters); 10/27 (Central)

Pokémon Club - 10/1, 10/29 (Central); 10/6, 10/27 (Redmond)

Music Together Workshop - 10/3 (Redmond); 10/3 (Central)

Crafternoon - 10/3, 10/5, 10/7, 10/10, 10/12, 10/14, 10/17, 10/19, 10/21, 10/24, 10/26, 10/28, 10/31 (Central); 10/5, 10/12, 10/19, 10/26 (Redmond)

Discovery Days at the Library - 10/6, 10/20 (La Pine)

Youth Media Literacy: Two Truths and AI - 10/6 (La Pine); 10/7 (Redmond); 10/12 (Central); 10/23 (Sisters); 10/29 (Sunriver)

Pop-Up Exhibits with the Children's Museum of Central Oregon - 10/7 (La Pine)

Story Time Craft - 10/7, 10/14, 10/21, 10/28 (Sisters); 10/7, 10/14, 10/21, 10/28 (Sunriver)

Scales & Tales - 10/7 (Redmond); 10/14 (Central); 10/23 (Sisters)

Char-BOO-terie: A Frightful Charcuterie Workshop - 10/10 (Central); 10/24 (Sisters)

Try-It Tuesdays - 10/13, 10/27 (La Pine)

Graphic Novel Book Club: Ghosts - 10/13 (Redmond)

Early Readers Book Club - 10/14 (Central)

Playdough Playtime - 10/14 (Central)

Sensory-Friendly Story Time - 10/16 (Central)

Kids’ Math Assessments and Games with Mathnasium - 10/16 (Central)

Culture Curious Kids - 10/19 (Central)

Graphic Novel Book Club: The Sleepover- 10/20 (Central)

We’re Here! Wednesdays- 10/21 (Sisters)

Creepy Creatures with Sunriver Nature Center & Observatory - 10/21 (Sunriver)

Family Yoga - 10/21 (Redmond)

Sensory-Friendly Fall - 10/22 (Central)

Kids’ Silent Book Club - 10/26 (Central)

Youth Media Literacy: Digital Detox- 10/26 (Central)

Halloween Art Play - 10/28 (Two Suns Art Studio + Makerspace)

MIDDLE & HIGH SCHOOL

Monthly Teen D&D Club - 10/2 (Sisters)

Escape Room: Galaxy Challenge - 10/5 (Central); 10/14 (Redmond)

Da Vinci’s Workshop - 10/7 (Central); 10/14 (Sisters)

Sculpture Needle Felt: Alien Autopsy - 10/7 (La Pine); 10/14 (Central)

GSA in the Library - 10/7, 10/21 (Central)

Open Studio - 10/8 (Central); 10/23 (Redmond)

Teen Takeover - 10/9 (Central)

Online D&D Club - 10/10 (Online)

AI & 2SLGBTQIA+ Youth: Who Gets to Shape the Future? - 10/12 (Central)

Teen Silent Book Club - 10/13 (Central)

Redmond Teen Library Council - 10/14 (Redmond)

Middle Ground Book Club - 10/15 (Central)

Teen Open Mic Night - 10/15 (The Open Arts Center)

Get Ready for College - 10/15 (Central); 10/22 (Redmond)

After-School D&D Club (High School) - 10/21 (Central)

After-School D&D Club (Middle School) - 10/21 (Central)

Bend Teen Library Council - 10/28 (Central)

Escape Room in the Library II: The Haunting of DPL - 10/28, 10/28 (Central)

ESPAÑOL

Tardes en Familia - 10/1, 10/8, 10/15, 10/22, 10/29 (Redmond); 10/6, 10/13, 10/20, 10/27 (Central)

SafetyNet: Smart Cyber Choices® en Español - 10/1 (Online)

Bilingual Crafternoon - 10/2, 10/9, 10/16, 10/23, 10/30 (Central)

A Walk in Our Solar System en Inglés y Español - 10/3 (Central)

Clases de Computación - 10/5, 10/12, 10/19, 10/26 (Redmond)

Media en Pausa - 10/6 (Central)

Clases de Inglés Para Hispanohablantes - 10/7, 10/14, 10/21, 10/28 (Central)

Hablemos de Estas Cosas - 10/8 (Online)

Arte en Movimiento - 10/11 (Redmond)

Cuantacuentos - 10/13, 10/20, 10/27 (Redmond); 10/14, 10/21, 10/28 (Central)

Conexiones Literarias con Hilda - 10/14 (Redmond)

Oscuridad de Guardianes de Los Niños Darkness to Light - 10/15 (Online)

Abuso Infantil: Signos, Síntomas, y Prevención - 10/27 (Online)

Crea tu propio altar en Inglés y Español - 10/28 (Redmond)

BOOK CLUBS

Book Club: The Book Swap - 10/1 (Redmond)

Nonfiction Book Club: The Backyard Bird Chronicles - 10/6 (Central)

Book Club: The Lioness of Boston - 10/10 (Central)

Romance Book Club: Paranormal/Monster - 10/10 (Central)

Nonfiction Book Club: Why Animals Talk - 10/13 (Suttle Tea)

Book Club: Real Americans - 10/21 (Larkspur Community Center)

Book Club: Life’s Too Short - 10/23 (Central)

Book Club: Memory Piece - 10/28 (Online)

ADULTS

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

Seed Library - 10/1, 10/8, 10/15, 10/22, 10/29 (Central); 10/6 (La Pine); 10/27 (Sisters)

MyChart - 10/1, 10/22 (Larkspur Community Center)

D&D for Beginners - 10/1 (Central); 10/12, 10/26 (Redmond)

Technology Troubleshooting - 10/1, 10/8, 10/15, 10/22, 10/29 (Central); 10/13, 10/27 (Redmond)

Notary Public in the Library - 10/1, 10/13, 10/20 (Central)

Book Club: The Whole-Brain Child - 10/2 (Redmond); 10/16 (Central)

Solar Viewing: A Look at Our Closest Star - 10/3 (Central); 10/17 (Sisters)

Motanka: Threads of Memory - 10/3 (Central); 10/10 (Sunriver)

Pokémon Go: Celebrate Harvest Festival - 10/3 (Central)

Changing Patterns: Re-Entry Weeklies - 10/5, 10/12, 10/19, 10/26 (Central)

Library @ Alfalfa Community Hall - 10/6 (Alfalfa Community Hall)

Law Librarian Office Hours - 10/6 (La Pine); 10/13 (Redmond)

Cognitive Community Connections - 10/6 (Central)

Connect to Protect Kids with the KIDS Center - 10/6 (Sisters)

Oregon's Death with Dignity Act - 10/7 (Central)

Lawyer in the Library - 10/7, 10/21 (Online)

Seed Packing Party - 10/8 (Central)

Friendship Friday: Pokémon GO Walk - 10/9 (Central)

Intro to a Plant-Based Diet - 10/10 (Central)

Costume Swap - 10/10 (Central)

27th Street Brass Quintet - 10/10 (La Pine)

The High Desert Wind Quintet - 10/10 (Redmond)

3D Printer Certification - 10/11, 10/11 (Central); 10/17, 10/17 (Redmond)

Library @ Ponderosa Park - 10/13 (Ponderosa Park)

SCORE Small Business Counseling - 10/13, 10/27 (Central); 10/20 (Redmond)

Child Abuse: Signs, Symptoms, and Prevention with KIDS Center - 10/14 (La Pine)

Reading the Rainbow - 10/14 (Central)

Extra! Extra! Learn to Sew a Newsboy Cap! - 10/15, 10/17 (Redmond)

Who Speaks for Bend’s Trees? - 10/16 (Central)

Business/Nonprofit Librarian Office Hours - 10/19 (Central)

Signed, Sealed, Delivered: Card Making Workshop - 10/20 (La Pine)

Pathways for Affordable Homeownership with RootedHomes - 10/20 (Redmond)

Meet a SCORE Mentor - 10/21 (Central)

Find Your Place: Make Your Own Leather Bookmark - 10/22 (Redmond); 10/22 (Central)

Civics Lab: Human Library Edition - 10/22 (Central)

Sketch and Release - 10/24 (Sunriver)

Author Event: Kiliii Yüyan - 10/24 (Sisters Movie House)

Author Event: Beth Piatote - 10/25 (Paulina Springs Books)

Literary Ghost Walk - 10/28 (Central)

3D Printing and Gardens - 10/29 (Central)

How Local News Shapes Civic Life - 10/1 (Redmond); 10/2 (Central)

Tools for First-Time Voters - 10/2 (Sisters); 10/20 (La Pine); 10/23 (Redmond); 10/29 (Central)

How to Beat Misinformation (Before it Beats You) - 10/4 (Central); 10/13 (Sisters)

Know AI: How to Stay Safe - 10/6 (Sisters); 10/13 (La Pine)

Guided Forest Bath - 10/7 (Shevlin Park)

Myths, Monsters, and Media: The Psychology of True Crime - 10/7 (Central)

Write Your Own Obituary in Four Easy Steps - 10/8 (Central); 10/9 (Redmond)

Zine Crafting: From Sketchbook to Copy Machine - 10/9 (Redmond); 10/16 (Central)

Mrs. Doubtfire’s Fancy Valenti’s Dinner - 10/13 (Arome)

Shock Rock: How Creepy Media Influenced Rock Music - 10/15 (Central); 10/23 (Redmond)

Civics Lab: Human Library Edition - 10/22 (Central)

Calligraphy en Inglés y Español - 10/26 (Redmond)

Quiet Writing Time - 10/1, 10/15, 10/22, 10/29 (Sisters); 10/6, 10/13, 10/20, 10/27 (Central); 10/7, 10/14, 10/28 (Redmond)

Introduction to Revision - 10/2 (Online)

Author Claudia Hinz - 10/3 (Central)

From Writer to Author - 10/13 (Central)

Reading the Rainbow - 10/14 (Central)

Third Thursday Spoken Word Night - 10/15 (Redmond)

The Author’s Next Chapter - 10/17 (Central)

This Poem Came to Me - 10/24 (Redmond)

All Deschutes Public Library locations will open at 11:00 a.m. on Thursday, October 8. Visit our website for all 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.

We’re here to help; contact us