The San Juan Island Library announces the beginning of a new adult programming series we are calling "Live and Learn @ your Library."

Live and Learn programming is designed to fulfill its mission to be a learning center for the community. The library seeks to carry out long range goals to facilitate life-long learning and to provide a public forum supporting the exchange of ideas. “For specific programs we used results drawn from our programming survey conducted in October. Our vision is to provide meaningful, provocative, and recreational programming that responds to community needs and interests. The offerings will primarily showcase the expertise and experiences of our own community members,” said director Laura Tretter.

“The long-term logistical plan is for each Live and Learn series to explore a theme in different ways. Each themed series will then run in approximately three month blocks three times per the year. Events such as book discussion groups, workshops lectures, and films will be a part of each series,” Tretter added.

"Express Yourself" is the first theme. In celebration of self expression the library will highlight the work of authors, poets, artists and activists who have communicated their thoughts through self-expression, as well as provide workshops that allow the public to explore paths to your own personal self-expression.

Express Yourself schedule of events:

• February 9th, 6:30 p.m. - Adult Make A Valentine
• February 10th, 6:00 p.m. – Showing of "An Inconvenient Truth" Local scientists and experts in climate change will participate in a panel discussion led by Ron Zee, who recently trained with Al Gore on global climate change.
• February 23rd, 6:30 p.m. - Book Discussion Group for "The Known World" by Edward P. Jones in honor of Black History Month. The novel is the winner of the 2004 Pulitzer Prize, exploring the issues of one human being owning another.
• March 15th, 3:30 p.m. for Teens & 6:30 p.m. for Adults - Writing Workshop with Terry Trueman. Registration is required.
• March 16th, 7:00 p.m. - Terry Trueman Author Talk
• March 23rd, 6:30 p.m. - Knitters’ Book Discussion Group of “Friday Night Knitting Club” by Kathleen Jacobs – Bring your Knitting!
• April 13th, 6:30 p.m. – Showing of “Pollock” and discussion with Ruth Offen, Owner & Director of Waterworks Gallery
• April 20th, 7:00 p.m. - Poetry Readings with Tom Odegard
• April 28th, 10:00 a.m. - Cooking with Cynthia Burke - Of Course! Registration required.

Please check the library for more information and a calendar of Live and Learn events (as well as for information about youth and other ongoing programming).

We know you have ideas to share, and we can’t wait to hear what you have to say!