News Releases

The North Olympic Library System (NOLS) invites people of all ages to Native Songs and Stories with Karen Kitchen. The 45-minute program is offered on Friday, April 14 at 10am in the Forks Branch Library, and at 3:30pm in the Port Angeles Main Library. On Saturday, April 15, the program will start at 9:30am in the Sequim Branch Library.

Children of all ages and their families are invited to celebrate el Día del Niño/Children’s Day with the North Olympic Library System (NOLS) on Saturday, April 29, from 10:30am-12pm at the Forks, Port Angeles, and Sequim libraries. Enjoy games, Mexican treats, a piñata, and free prizes!

On Tuesday, April 11 at 7pm, aquatic and population biologist Dr. David Cowles will discuss the invasive species known as the Asian or Golden Clam, and its impact on the Olympic Peninsula, in the final presentation of this season’s Olympic National Park’s Perspectives Winter Speaker Series. The presentation is hosted by the North Olympic Library System (NOLS) on Zoom. Learn more and access the Zoom link at nols.org/ONP. No registration is required.

LIGO Hanford Observatory science educator Cassidy Eassa will give a talk about the fascinating physics, astronomy, and engineering necessary for one of the most sophisticated scientific instruments ever built to detect gravitational waves. The free presentation is offered by the North Olympic Library System (NOLS) on Monday, April 17 from 7-8pm at the Port Angeles Main Library. No registration is needed.

The North Olympic Library System (NOLS) is hosting Spring Break STEAM Stations geared toward elementary school students on Wednesday, April 5, from 3-4pm at the Forks Branch Library, and on Thursday, April 6, from 3-4pm at the Clallam Bay Branch Library.

The North Olympic Library System (NOLS) offers Intentional Aging, a monthly discussion group for anyone who wants to live well while aging. Meetings are held on Zoom at 11am on the third Tuesday of every month. Attending monthly is encouraged, but all are welcome to join any meeting. Register at nols.org/intentional-aging or by contacting your NOLS branch.

Poetry Walks features nature-themed poems placed in inspiring locations along five Olympic National Park trails from April 1 through May 31. Returning for its ninth year, the experience is designed by North Olympic Library System (NOLS) in partnership with Olympic National Park to combine nature and art in playful and poignant ways.

The North Olympic Library System (NOLS) will host an after-hours “Lock-In” for teens in 7th–12th grades on Friday, March 31, from 5 to 7pm at the Forks Branch Library. The night’s activities will include food, games, crafts, and more! This event was designed with input from the NOLS Teen Advisory Board.

The North Olympic Library System (NOLS) invites people of all ages to a family-friendly Anime and Manga Night at the Sequim Branch Library from 6 to 7:30pm on Friday, March 31. Attendees can watch anime, enjoy Japanese snacks, make origami, draw, color, and talk about manga.

The North Olympic Library System (NOLS) hosts four Book Discussion Group meetings monthly. The Wednesday Evening group will meet in person in Port Angeles, and the Second Saturday group will meet in person in Sequim. The other groups will meet on Zoom. Registration is not required. Learn more and access Zoom links at nols.org/book-groups (or call or visit the library for assistance).

The North Olympic Library System (NOLS), in partnership with Clallam County, is excited to announce that Jaiden Dokken has been named the first Clallam County Poet Laureate. To celebrate, community members are invited to the inauguration event on Tuesday, April 18 at 6pm in the Port Angeles Main Library, 2210 South Peabody St. Dokken will read a selection of their poems after opening remarks by Clallam County Commissioner Mark Ozias and NOLS librarian Clair Dunlap. The event will also be livestreamed on Zoom.

At Olympic National Park’s Perspectives Winter Speaker Series on Tuesday, March 14 at 7pm, ecologist Dr. Catharine Copass will discuss the stunning array of plant community diversity in the Park, from coastal red alder bluffs to rocky dry alpine meadows. The presentation is hosted by the North Olympic Library System (NOLS) on Zoom.

North Olympic Library System (NOLS) patrons can join readers from 16,000 public libraries and colleges across the United States enjoying this year’s Together We Read digital book club selection. From March 1 to 15, booklovers can access an eBook or eAudiobook of the spellbinding psychological thriller, “River Woman, River Demon,” with no waitlists or holds.

The North Olympic Library System (NOLS) is offering Bad Art Night, an evening of fun for community members to be creative without any pressure or expectations of how the final art piece should look. This program is great for adults, teens, and families! Bad Art Night kicks off at the Forks Branch Library on Monday, March 20 at 5:30pm, and at the Clallam Bay Branch Library on Tuesday, April 4 at 4:30pm.

See the joy of reading come alive as fourth-grade students from Clallam County schools take part in a trivia-style Battle of the Books competition at the Port Angeles Main Library of the North Olympic Library System (NOLS), on Friday, March 24, at 6:30pm. The competition is the culmination of a school-year reading program.

The North Olympic Library System (NOLS) hosts four Book Discussion Group meetings monthly. The Wednesday Evening group will meet in person in Port Angeles, and the Second Saturday group will meet in person in Sequim. The other groups will meet on Zoom. Registration is not required.

The North Olympic Library System (NOLS) is excited to announce the No Pressure Book Club, a new opportunity for individuals to come together to talk about whatever they are reading. Beginning on Monday, March 13, adults and teens are invited to meet on the second Monday of each month from 6-7pm in person at the Forks Branch Library or on Zoom.

Thanks to the popularity of prior Jigsaw Puzzle Contests, the North Olympic Library System (NOLS) is offering more chances to race the clock and other puzzle teams at libraries on the West End and at the Port Angeles Main Library.

The North Olympic Library System (NOLS) welcomes guest presenter Joanne Clarkson to lead two “Introduction to Tarot” sessions. Participants can choose to attend in person on Saturday, February 25, from 3-5pm at the Port Angeles Main Library, or virtually on Thursday, March 2, from 5-7pm on Zoom. Registration at nols.org/tarot is only required for the virtual session to receive the Zoom link.

Avian ecologist Christopher Tonra, Ph.D., will share findings about “Salmon and the American Dipper” at Olympic National Park’s Perspectives Winter Speaker Series on Tuesday, February 14 at 7pm. The presentation is hosted by the North Olympic Library System (NOLS) on Zoom. Learn more and access the Zoom link at nols.org/ONP. No registration is required.

To improve energy efficiency, the North Olympic Library System (NOLS) will be upgrading interior and exterior lighting at the Port Angeles Main Library. The project begins on Monday, January 30, and will be completed by March.

The North Olympic Library System (NOLS) offers Intentional Aging, a monthly discussion group for adults who want to live well while aging. Meetings are held on Zoom at 11am on the third Tuesday of every month. Attending monthly is encouraged, but all are welcome to join any meeting. Register at nols.org/intentional-aging or by contacting your NOLS branch.

The North Olympic Library System (NOLS) invites people of all ages to celebrate friendship and all types of love for Valentine’s Day with a card decorating craft activity. The free February Friendship Cards event is open to all ages on Friday, February 10, from 2-4pm at Clallam Bay Branch Library, and on Saturday, February 11, from 2-4pm at Forks Branch Library.

The North Olympic Library System (NOLS) is offering a new book club, BeTween Books and Crafts, at the Port Angeles Main Library for students in fourth through sixth grades. The club meets from 3:30-4:30pm on the first Thursday of each month; February 2, March 2, and April 6.

The North Olympic Library System (NOLS) has developed a series of Family Conversation Kits that encourage middle grade readers (approximate ages 8-12) and their families to explore the topics of “Identity and Self-Love,” “Building Community,” and “Justice and Activism,” through reading and talking about books together.

The North Olympic Library System (NOLS) is inviting teens in 7th-12th grades to test their puzzle-cracking skills during a frighteningly fun escape room challenge, the “Cabin at the Edge of the Woods.” The free event is on Thursday, February 9, from 5-6pm at the Port Angeles Main Library, in the Raymond Carver Room.

Join the North Olympic Library System (NOLS) for fun trivia nights on Zoom! Play on your own or make a team. Sign up in advance at www.nols.org/trivia to receive the Zoom link and information for team play. “Trivia Nights @ NOLS” is held at 6:30pm on the final Friday of January and February. Join one or both!

The North Olympic Library System (NOLS) invites people of all ages to a monthly family-friendly movie and craft activity offered through April at the Clallam Bay and Forks Branch Libraries. The popular G and PG rated movies will be in English with Spanish subtitles.

The North Olympic Library System (NOLS) invites teens in 7th-12th grades to Anime and Manga Club monthly meetups held through April at the Clallam Bay and Forks Branch Libraries.

The North Olympic Library System (NOLS) offers Intentional Aging, a monthly discussion group for adults. This program explores Intentional Aging topics and practices through book discussions, activities, presenters, and more. Meetings are held on Zoom at 11am on the third Tuesday of every month.

Olympic National Park’s Perspectives Winter Speaker Series continues on Tuesday, January 17 at 7pm with “Lake Ozette: An Ecological Update,” by ONP Fisheries Biologist Patrick Crain. The presentation is hosted by the North Olympic Library System (NOLS) on Zoom. Learn more and access the Zoom link at nols.org/ONP. No registration is required.

The North Olympic Library System (NOLS) is hosting timed Jigsaw Puzzle Contests at the Port Angeles Main Library on Saturday, January 14 at 10am, and on Saturday, February 11 at 4pm. Puzzle teams of up to four people will be provided with a 500-piece jigsaw puzzle to complete within two hours.

Sing along with the mellow tunes of Paper Tooth for a calming evening concert to enjoy with your family before bedtime. Free performances will be hosted at three branches of the North Olympic Library System (NOLS).

The North Olympic Library System (NOLS) hosts four Book Discussion Group meetings monthly. The Wednesday Evening group will meet in person in Port Angeles, and the Second Saturday group will meet in person in Sequim. The other groups will meet on Zoom. Registration is not required. Learn more and access Zoom links at nols.org/book-groups (or call or visit the library for assistance).

The North Olympic Library System (NOLS) is inviting teens in 7th-12th grades to join the Teen Advisory Board, and help shape their library. Members of the Teen Advisory Board will gain leadership skills while collaborating with library staff and peers from around the county to plan teen events and help make the library a fun, supportive, and engaging place for teens.

The North Olympic Library System (NOLS) is excited to offer Storytime at all four branches, January through April. Storytime features stories, music, rhymes, and plenty of movement and fun! Activities such as talking, reading, playing, and singing all play an important role in early childhood development.

The North Olympic Library System (NOLS) is extending its monthly Build It! program through April — continuing the program at the Port Angeles Main Library, expanding drop-in hours at the Forks Branch, and adding the program at the Clallam Bay Branch. Kids can let their imaginations run free while they construct their own creations using LEGO® bricks. Participants are encouraged to write a story about their creation, which will be photographed during the program.

The North Olympic Library System (NOLS) is excited to announce the next three books for Kids Book Club, a monthly program for students in Grades 1-3 and their caregivers. Kids will read the book on their own and then join Library staff for a lively discussion at the Port Angeles Main Library. An activity based on the book will be provided.

The North Olympic Library System (NOLS) is continuing to offer the Teen Board Game and Art Night series at the Sequim Branch Library from 6-7:30pm on the second Friday of each month through April. The program dates are December 9, January 13, February 10, March 10, and April 14.

The North Olympic Library System (NOLS) offers Intentional Aging, a monthly discussion group for adults. This program explores Intentional Aging topics and practices through book discussions, activities, presenters, and more. Meetings are held on Zoom at 11am on the third Tuesday of every month.

Olympic National Park’s Perspectives Winter Speaker Series is hosted by the North Olympic Library System (NOLS) on Zoom. The free talks begin at 7pm on the second Tuesday of each month from November through April. Access the Zoom link at nols.org/ONP. No registration required.

Join the North Olympic Library System (NOLS) for fun trivia nights on Zoom! Play on your own or make a team. Sign up at www.nols.org/trivia to receive the Zoom link and information for team play. “Trivia Nights @ NOLS” is held on the final Friday of each month at 6:30pm. Join one or all!

Fourth grade students throughout Clallam County are invited to participate in Battle of the Books for the 2022-23 school year. Battle of the Books is a collaborative project between the North Olympic Library System (NOLS) and schools in Clallam County, including homeschool programs.

Need something to read on your commute? The North Olympic Library System (NOLS) has partnered with Clallam Transit System to offer the Read & Ride program again. It’s easy – just grab a book while you’re on the bus!

The North Olympic Library System (NOLS) invites people of all ages to a monthly family-friendly movie and craft activity offered September through December at the Clallam Bay and Forks Branch Libraries. The popular PG-rated movies will be in English with Spanish subtitles.

Kids Nature Backpacks filled with fun items to encourage toddlers and preschoolers to explore the natural world are now available for checkout through the North Olympic Library System (NOLS). Each backpack contains a magnifying lens, binoculars, bug net, collection box, cards with nature questions, helpful tips for caregivers, and two children’s books.

Pickleball sets are now available for check out through the North Olympic Library System (NOLS). Each two-player set contains two pickleball paddles, four balls, and information on basic game rules and where to play in Clallam County. Patrons can currently borrow a set for up to seven days, subject to change based on demand.