The monsters are coming out from under the bed! Explore the fantastic and the thrilling, the ghastly and the chilling with Know Monsters at Deschutes Public Library in October. Celebrate the 200th anniversary of Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley’s classic gothic horror tale, Frankenstein; explore the fascination with serial murder; get scared silly with spooky stories told by a professional storyteller; and discover the truth behind some of history’s real monsters. It’s all happening at your library in October. All programs are free and open to the public; registration required for programs marked with an asterisk(*).
Here Be Dragons
University of Oregon Professor Gantt Gurley dives into dragons, examining the Indo-European dragon from ancient to medieval and modern literatures. Special emphasis is given to the formation of the modern dragon and how J.R.R. Tolkien shaped and solidified our contemporary notion of this mythical and enigmatic monster.
- Thursday, October 18 – 6:00 p.m. – East Bend Library | 62080 Dean Swift Road, Bend
- Friday, October 19 – noon – La Pine Library | 16425 1st Street, La Pine
Monsters of Death and Desire
Join award-winning storyteller Heather McNeil for chilling tales to haunt your heart. Storytelling is an ancient art that combines creativity, performance skills and the human need for imagination. McNeil is a third generation storyteller who has collected folktales, myths and legends from other cultures and times of history. She will mesmerize you with stories that are old and new, Celtic and southern, and, most of all, downright creepy.
- Wednesday, October 24 – 6:00 p.m. – Downtown Bend Library | 601 NW Wall Street, Bend
History’s Real Monsters
Caligula. Vlad the Impaler. Benedict Arnold. Adolf Hitler. Osama bin Laden. When we think about “monsters” and history, pop culture often elevates certain historical actors into villainous characters without taking into account any of their context. In this program, COCC history professor Murray Godfrey delves into the historical context of some of the most famous “monsters” of history, how they earned that characterization and why, and what their status as villains means for our current time.
- Saturday, October 27 – 2:00 p.m. – East Bend Library | 62080 Dean Swift Road, Bend
- Tuesday, October 30 – 6:00 p.m. – Redmond Library | 827 SW Deschutes Avenue, Redmond
History Pub Encore: Yes, No, Goodbye—History of the Ouija Board
The Ouija Board has inspired fear, sparked creativity, and provided relief for the bereaved for over 120 years. Come learn about the history of this mysterious board game and its connection to the Spiritualism movement that swept through America in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Nate Pedersen highlights the history of both the game and the movement.
- Wednesday, October 31 – noon – East Bend Library | 62080 Dean Swift Road, Bend
For more information about these programs, please visit the library website at www.deschuteslibrary.org. People with disabilities needing accommodations (alternative formats, seating or auxiliary aides) should contact Liz Goodrich at lizg@deschuteslibrary.org or 541-312-1032.