Yakima Valley Libraries

September is Library Card Sign-up Month

If you don’t already have a Yakima Valley Libraries card, now is the perfect time to sign up!
Visit any of our 16 branches to get your library card, participate in the drawing contest, and explore all that we have to offer.
Click to see hours and locations
https://www.yvl.org/about-us/locations/

Join us for this inspiring Guided Folk Art Workshop—the first in our creative series! All materials provided, and all ages are welcome. Let’s create something colorful and meaningful together! ✨🖌️
With step-by-step guidance, this workshop is perfect for all skill levels—whether you’re an experienced artist or picking up a pencil for the first time. Learn how colors tell stories in folk art and bring your own artwork to life! 🌟✏️

¡Únete a nosotros en este inspirador Taller Guiado de Arte Folclórico, el primero de nuestra serie creativa! Se proporcionarán todos los materiales, y todas las edades son bienvenidas. ¡Vamos a crear algo colorido y significativo juntos! ✨🖌️

Con una guía paso a paso, este taller es perfecto para todos los niveles de habilidad, ya seas un artista experimentado o estés tomando un lápiz por primera vez. ¡Aprende cómo los colores cuentan historias en el arte folclórico y da vida a tu propia obra de arte! 🌟✏️
Workshop Schedule:
📍 Granger Library: Thursday, 9/26/24, 2:30 - 3:30 PM
📍 Mabton Library: Friday, 9/27/24, 4:00 - 5:00 PM
📍 Wapato Library: Thursday, 10/3/24, 2:30 - 3:30 PM
📍 Buena Library: Thursday, 10/10/24, 3:30 - 4:30 PM

Gaze up at the stars and explore the wonders of the universe at Astronomy Night,happening October 12th from 6-8pm at the Naches High School Football Field!
We're celebrating International Astronomy Day with a FREE event for all ages. Partnering with the Yakima Astronomy Club, we'll have telescopes set up to give you an up-close look at the moon,planets,stars, and more!

🎉 A HUGE thank you to everyone who joined in the Yakima Valley Libraries’ Summer Reading Challenge! Your energy and excitement made this year’s challenge a huge success! We can’t wait to keep the momentum going with even more incredible regional programming. Stay tuned for fresh new challenges, fun-filled programs, and so much more!

A special shoutout to our amazing community partners and prize sponsors—your support made all the difference! Yakima Valley Libraries Foundation El Porvenir Panificadora Yakima Valley Museum Yakima Area Arboretum

If you’re interested in partnering, collaborating, donating, or sharing your ideas, send us a message or email us at [email protected]. Let's keep the magic going! 📚✨

*Library staff will be contacting winners directly

It's National Book Lovers Day today. What book(s) have you loved so far this year? Please share your favs in the comments here!

Adult Services Coordinator, Perry, enjoyed "The Road to Belhaven" by Margot Livesey. He appreciated the plot's tension, and the perspective of the author who sympathetically creates her characters, even if they don't do the 'right thing'. Perry thought the 19th century Scottish setting created an interesting backdrop to the lively story.

Alright, your turn!

It's been 80 years of service to Yakima County as a library district! Would you join us this Saturday at Yakima Central Library to celebrate? Preview a vibrant photo gallery of Yakima Valley Libraries "then" and "now" and witness a consistent vision to provide free information and resources to the Yakima Valley.

Event information can be found here: https://www.yvl.org/80-year-celebration/.

(A little behind-the-scenes photo) Here's a pic of Blanca and Madison - two of our coordinators who made the Summer Reading Program events happen this year! Figurative hugs and genuine smiles to our community from the team.

Join us at West Valley Library next Monday to hear from a regional author! Susan La Riviere casts stories with real and fictional characters involving murder mysteries and spirits. One of her books takes place in Yakima's historic Capitol Theatre. See you at 10am for a talk and discussion.

Susan graduated from Arizona State University with a B.A. in journalism and a master's degree in education from Heritage University in Toppen*sh, Washington. She taught writing and public speaking at Heritage University and Yakima Valley Community College for twenty years. She is the author of twelve books.

Today, we met and learned about Australian animals at Sunnyside Library and Wapato Library! How darling is this wallaby, though? And a flying sugar glider?! Thank you for joining us, Yakima Valley.

With your library card, you have access to free classes on a broad range of relevant topics! Would you like help mastering Microsoft Office Suite? Or perhaps you'd like training on Adobe Photoshop. Maybe you're looking for photography lessons. You can find all these subjects and more with LinkedIn Learning.

Follow this link for a more information and to log in - https://www.yvl.org/linkedin-learning/.

Now is your chance to contribute to our 2024 Time Capsule! The treasure trove of donated items will be sealed on August 10th and won't be opened again until 2044. Do you have a poem, a photo, a keepsake, a letter, or memorabilia that represents the present time? We would love to preserve it for you! Simply drop off your donated item to your nearest library branch by August 5th.

If you would like to take part in the celebration to seal the 2024 Time Capsule, visit this link for more info: https://www.yvl.org/80-year-celebration/.

Be prepared to laugh your socks off at THE Professional Zaniac and two-time Guinness World Record holder, Alex Zerbe. A comedy performer, juggler, and magician, The Zaniac has some exciting performances planned for Library patrons. See Alex Zerbe: Professional Zaniac at Sunnyside Library tomorrow (7/25) and West Valley Library on Friday (7/26).

This event is part of our Summer Reading Program.

How fun is this craft?! All are invited to drop by West Valley Library on Thursday between 2:30 - 5:30pm to create a beautiful, beaded wind chime.

Will you be there with bells on? See you Thursday, July 25th. 🌬

Hey Harrah friends, your local library is hosting animal-themed programs for your little ones! Join us in learning about animals through the adventures of storytime and crafts this Thursday (7/24) and again next month.

Conozca más sobre los animales a través de las aventuras que viviremos durante la hora del cuento y las divertidas actividades que les tenemos preparadas.

Did you know our local ecosystem gets less than 10 inches of precipitation a year?! Hmm, so what plants thrive in these conditions? And why plant them in our gardens?

Learn about native plants THIS Thursday at Sunnyside Library from 1:00-2:00pm with The Heritage Garden Program.*

*What are native plants? They are indigenous plant species that have evolved and occur naturally in a particular region, ecosystem, and habitat.

(Photo courtesy of the Heritage Garden Program of the Columbia River Bason)

You're on the homestretch, Summer Reading Program participants!

Do you need some inspiration to continue your reading adventures through August 10th? We’re here to provide you with some interesting reads to fuel your next literary expeditions. Our Assistant Collection Development Librarian, Julie, put together special book lists under the versatile theme of ‘Adventure’. She even provided brief descriptions and recommendations on the titles.

Peruse the categories linked here and pick up your next read today! - https://www.yvl.org/srp-book-lists/

We love learning stories about our communities! Pictured here is a small quilt pieced together from vintage blocks made in 1995 by members of the Pine Country Quilter's Sewing Club of the Nile Valley. The quilt blocks were at one point raffled off to members of the group and later found at a yard sale. With the yard sale finds, a community member made this lovely piece of history for Naches Library. It now graces the wall behind the Library's front desk. Thank you, Gail & Darlene!

(P.S. That paper chain? The number of Summer Reading Program participants in the Babies/Toddlers, Kids, and Teens categories - Way to go, Naches Library🎊)

Ready, Get Set...Go!

Alright, Moxee Library & West Valley Library, are you ready for your Great Friends & Family Puzzle Races this Saturday? The time to beat is 22 minutes. Gather your teams and give us a call to sign up for the challenge.

Moxee Library - (509) 575-8854 | West Valley Library - (509) 966-7070

Fun photo of a team from our Puzzle Race at Yakima Central Library on June 29th.

Are you looking to further your career in a supervisory role? Do you have experience working with young people in a library, school, or other setting? Yakima Valley Libraries is looking for a Community Library Supervisor III. If workdays comprising team-focused management of library operations, program planning, and community engagement sound like a good fit, then you should apply today!

Learn more here: https://www.yvl.org/about-us/employment-opportunities/current-positions/.

Did you know that a Grammy Award-winning musician was raised in the Yakima Valley?! Joel Guzman contributed to the Tex-Mex, Tejano, and mainstream crossover music world, winning Grammy Awards in 1999, 2004, and 2007. Learn about Guzman and more of Yakima's Latino(a) history tonight (7/10) at Gilbert Cellars from 7:00-8:00pm.

Joel Guzman 1973 album cover: Bass – Lupe Guzman, Drums – Joe Guzman, Vocals – Teresa Guzman, Bass & Vocals – Manuel Guzman.

The beauty of a StoryWalk in an arboretum? Shade! ...And, of course, an inspirational setting. 🌳

Despite the high temperatures, our adventurous StoryWalk will continue as planned throughout the week. We welcome attendees to visit the Yakima Area Arboretum during the day's cooler hours to enjoy a self-guided story tour AND take in the beauty of the natural landscape around you. "Paletero Man" by Lucky Diaz books and interactive questions will be provided. 🌲

The Arboretum grounds are open from dawn until dusk. The Jewett Interpretive Center's hours are 9am - 5pm.

For more information, visit https://www.yvl.org/kids/summer-events/.

All Yakima Valley Libraries locations are closed today in celebration of Independence Day. Regular hours will resume tomorrow, Friday, July 5.

We are always open online - https://www.yvl.org/e-resources-a-z/digital-library/.

One of our core values is 'Empowered Access.' Today and every day, we are thankful to "uphold every person's right to pursue the information and ideas that they choose."

Who is ready for The Great Friends & Family Puzzle Race this weekend? If you haven't signed up yet, contact Selah Library or Yakima Central Library to register.*

Teams of 3-5 participants are invited to compete in a race to see which team can finish their 400-piece puzzle the fastest! We hope to see you there.

*Selah Library - (509) 698-7345 | Yakima Central Library - (509) 452-8541

We have some special crafts for you this summer! Connect with your local library to see when their drop-in craft sessions are happening next. Pictured are some creative project examples.

🎈West Valley Library will create 3-D hot air balloons tomorrow (6/27) from 2:30-5:30pm!🎈

Terrace Heights Library Update:
Due to an evacuation notice in Terrace Heights, the Library is closed for the day (6/21).

Send a message to learn more

Yakima’s tradition of pride celebrations honors a commitment to recognize the great diversity in our Valley, and their roots extend back for decades. Read our latest Northwest Reading Room blog post on the history of Yakima Pride gatherings, dating from the 1980s until now.

https://www.yvl.org/nwrr-blog-post-history-of-yakima-pride-gatherings/

Image courtesy of the Yakima Herald-Republic; Scenes from the Yakima Pride Parade Saturday, June 10, 2023.

It's the first day of summer, and we have some joyful activities planned for you today (6/20)! Join us at Naches Library for our first Balloon Lab from 3:00-4:00pm. Learn the art of twisting balloon figures in a step-by-step tutorial! All materials will be provided.

See more Balloon Lab dates and locations here: https://www.yvl.org/kids/summer-events/.

Have you signed up for the Summer Reading Program yet?! We have adventures planned for the whole family. Kids ages 4-11 are invited to read 20 minutes per day for 20 days for the chance to win prizes. At the end of SRP, we will have a drawing for 144 prize bags AND three children’s bike bundles. Stop by your local library today through August 10th to pick up your children's tracking sheets.

Find more information here - https://www.yvl.org/kids/summer-reading/.

Would you like help tailoring your resume? Could you benefit from a practice interview?

Trena from People For People will host a table at Yakima Central Library this Saturday (1.6) from 2:30 - 4:30pm. Not only does she offer free employment training, but Trena will also provide information on transportation assistance, shelter/rental assistance, food assistance, and more.

To learn more about these community resources, visit https://mypfp.org/.