Lopez Island Library

05/29/2026

Our monthly newsletter is out, and it’s packed with art, stories, community happenings, youth creativity, book clubs, and summer inspiration, including:

-First Saturday Art Walk with Artist in Residence Jessica Velo
-Lopez High School student art on display
-Congratulations to Lopez students selected for the WITS Year-End Reading
-Mindful Birding, Weaving Wednesdays, Poet’s Pen, and more
-Best of the Fest: “The Snake and the Whale”
-Book clubs, displays, youth programs, and ways to stay connected

Whether you’re looking for something to read, something to make, something to watch, or somewhere to gather, June is blooming full of possibilities at the library.

Read the full June newsletter, https://bit.ly/3S8O1no

05/21/2026

Architectural Services – Request for Proposals (RFP)

Lopez Island Library District seeks Statements of Qualifications (SOQs) from qualified Architectural/Engineering firms for design and construction administration services for the Lopez Island Library Reroof Project, 2225 Fisherman Bay Road, Lopez Island, WA. The project includes replacement of the existing roof system and associated work to improve building performance, resiliency, and preservation of the facility’s historic character.

SOQs shall be submitted electronically in PDF format no later than 2:00 PM local time on June 15, 2026.

Questions and proposal requests: Darren Hoerner, Library Director, [email protected], 360-468-2265

Complete RFP information: https://lopezlibrary.org/rfp/

05/20/2026

05/15/2026

SAVE THE DATE for a free screening of The Last Dive — a visually stunning documentary about friendship, the ocean, adventure, and one man’s search for a 22-foot manta ray who changed his life forever.

Follow Terry Kennedy — Vietnam veteran, sailor, former Hell’s Angel, and unlikely conservationist — on one final journey across the Pacific in search of W***y, the manta ray who returned to him year after year for nearly two decades.

Presented as part of the Best of the Fest series by the Lopez Island Library in partnership with Friday Harbor Film Festival and the Lopez Center for Community and the Arts.

Friday, May 22 at 7 PM at the Lopez Center for Community and the Arts.

Perfect for a Friday night out on Lopez.

05/14/2026

Are you the karoake queen? Or by extension, the king?

On Thursday, May 21st, 4:30 to 6pm in the library Community Room we’re having Teen Karaoke night. We’ve got snacks, too!

AND there will be prizes for competition winners at the end of the event. Audience members can choose their favorite singer to choose their gift (card).

05/07/2026

Tiny tables. Big imagination. This Saturday at 1:00 PM, Artist in Residence Raven Bartlett invites you into the fascinating world of miniatures at the library.

Raven has worked as a miniaturist for television and film, and their residency explores how scale can completely change the way we see familiar spaces. Their new work features miniature versions of structures and furniture from our very own library — encouraging us to slow down, notice details, and experience space in unexpected ways.

On Saturday, Raven will lead a hands-on workshop where participants will learn how to build a miniature table using sustainable materials you can find around the house.

Saturday, May 9 @ 1:00 PM\. Space is limited. RSVP by logging into your library account or calling 360-468-2265.

05/02/2026

So much art happening for First Saturday Art Walk! Start at the library at 3:30pm with Artist in Residence Jessica Velo, who will give a talk on the materials and mindset of oil painting—from building a frame and stretching canvas to brushes, mediums, palette choices, and the journey from blank surface to finished work.

Then grab some nibbles at 4:30 for an opening celebration with Artist in Residence Raven Bartlett. Raven will share how observing objects in miniature scale can change the way we see space, memory, and community. Their residency features tiny-scale models inspired by our very own library.

Next, explore art around the Village: don’t miss the grand opening of the Creative Coworking Collective at 25 Eads Lane, 4–7pm. Chimera Gallery presents Serving Vessels & Sailing Vessels by TJ Anderson, reception 5–7pm, artist talk at 6. AND be sure not to miss Lopez Artist Guild’s group show at The Gathering Place, 5–7pm.

A great evening to celebrate creativity, community, and Lopez talent.

05/01/2026

May is a-blossom with book voices and clubs, programs in person and online, art and outdoor pursuits. Celebrate Asian American Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander authors, raise your awareness on mental health, and peruse Artist in Residence Raven Bartlett’s miniature muses after hearing her First Saturday Art Walk presentation. Learn about library and bookshop collaborations and the importance of weekly library visits for children. Go birding, make a miniature table, register for Seattle Arts & Lectures programs, support teens at karaoke night, watch “The Last Dive” at LCCA, and check out the Community Happenings. Something for every age throughout the library and beyond.

Read the entire newsletter, https://bit.ly/4w1XDQm

04/29/2026

Ever wondered what goes into an oil painting before the first brushstroke even lands?

Join Lopez Island Library Artist in Residence Jessica Velo for Construction / Prayer on Saturday, May 2 at 3:30 PM.

Jessica will explore both the material and psychological process of painting in oils: building a frame, stretching canvas, selecting brushes and mediums, choosing palette and technique, and the many steps that guide the journey from blank surface to finished work.

This is a thoughtful behind-the-scenes look at how art is built—physically, creatively, and emotionally.

And after the talk, stay for the First Saturday Art Walk, featuring Artist in Residence Raven Bartlett. .velo.art

04/28/2026

Abracadabra, Lopez! Aspiring magicians ages 7 to 100 are invited to a FREE magic workshop with award-winning performer Phina Pipia at the library on Tuesday, April 29, from 5:00–6:00 PM.

Be amazed by a live magic demo, then learn incredible tricks you can build, perform, and take home. Along the way, you’ll explore creativity, curiosity, and how to turn ideas into reality—drawing inspiration from Leonardo da Vinci himself.

Come discover that the biggest magic trick of all might be your own imagination.