Sharpen Your Photography & Editing Skills!

Drop-into the Colfax Library TEK Center any Tuesday in March from 1:30 to 4 p.m.! 

Photo by Sharon Lindsay

Interested in photography but not sure how to get started? Already taking pictures but still have questions? Photographer, Sharon Lindsay, is ready to help you sharpen your skills. Stop by the Colfax Library every Tuesday in March from 1:30 to 4:00 p.m. for assistance with basic photography, camera settings, photo editing, and more. Don't forget your camera and laptop!

Photo by Sharon Lindsay

Sharon Lindsay's love of photography started in her teens with a hand-me-down Brownie box camera that only had one button. As time passed the pictures improved through practice and training. After retiring from her professional career as a chemist, Lindsay had more time to spend on photography and volunteering with the National Wildlife Refuge System, where she took photos of beautiful landscapes and a large variety of animal life. It also provided opportunities to teach photography during refuge programs and as a Merit Badge Councilor for the Boy Scouts. Sharon's goal is to help others understand how their cameras work, take pictures they want to keep & share, and have fun doing it.

Play Helps Northwest Farmers & Ranchers Plan for Succession

Great drama, timely topic - right here in Colfax! "Map of My Kingdom" comes to The Center on Thursday, Feb. 28 at 7-8 p.m. FREE tickets here or by calling 397-4366 

Who’s going to get the farm?  And what are they going to do with it?  Will your future plans for your land create harmony or strife for your family?  Should I start planning?

“Map of My Kingdom” tackles the critical issue of land transition.  This live performance by Maria Vorhis  looks at the human challenges of transitioning the farm business – from beginning the conversation to the power struggles along the way – and explains how to avoid conflict and choose peaceful, rational solutions that focus on the viability of the family, and the land.

And it’s coming to The Center at Colfax Library on Thursday, February 28 at 7 p.m.  Thanks to local sponsorship the play is presented by donation only but tickets are still advised. ($10 suggested donation).

“Map of My Kingdom” was commissioned by Practical Farmers of Iowa and written by Iowa’s Poet Laureate Mary Swander to help farmers understand the emotions that are at play in farm transitions and has played to audiences around the country ever since.

In the drama, Angela Martin, a lawyer and mediator in land transition disputes, shares stories of how farmers and landowners she has worked with over the years approached their land successions. Some families almost came to blows, struggling to resolve the sale or transfer of their land and dissolving relationships. Others found peacefully rational solutions that focused not only on the viability of the family, but also of the land.

Thank you to our local sponsors including Palouse-Clearwater Food Coalition, The McGregor Company, Avista, GVA, University of Idaho Extension, Moscow Food Co-Op, Hayden Ross, and Potlatch Deltic

Everyone is welcome to our new book club!

Book Club meets the last Monday of every month at 5:30 p.m.

Next Book Club Meeting is Monday, February 25. Read or watch "The Book Thief."

Colfax Library's *NEW* Great American Read Book Club

• enjoy coffee & snacks
• engage in exciting literary conversations
• explore PBS' Great American Read Television Series
• Meet new people and spend time with friends
• Read great books!

Questions? Call Sarah Phelan at (509) 397-4366 or email sarahp@whitco.lib.wa.us

FREE Language Learning & Travel Info with Whitman County Library

Whitman County Library Now Offering over 70 FREE Language Courses & 20 ESL Courses

With just your library card, you now have 24/7 access to dozens of world language courses through Mango Languages. Mango makes learning a new language fun, easy, and incredibly effective. Featuring enjoyable and engaging lessons, Mango uses cutting-edge methods to make sure the new knowledge sticks.

Mango’s practical, self-paced courses make it easy to brush up on that high school French, rekindle your lifelong dream of visiting Japan, or simply improve your day-to-day Spanish. Lessons cover culture, grammar, vocabulary, pronunciation, and real-world situations using native speaker audio. Nail that perfect accent using the voice comparison feature. The foreign language starts to feel natural as Mango helps you build new phrases on your own.

You can use Mango however, whenever, and wherever you learn best. Access Mango Languages on your computer, tablet, or smartphone – there is even an app for on-the-go learning, perfect for your busy lifestyle.

CLICK HERE TO ACCESS MANGO OR A TO Z TRAVEL

Whitman County Rural Library Acquires 202 World City Travel Guides

Are you planning a dream vacation or weekend getaway? Let the Whitman County Rural Library assist you with an innovative online reference, AtoZ World Travel.  This resource includes 202 world city travel guides covering 67 topics to assist your planning needs. The detailed travel information covers a multitude of topics from pre-trip preparation, points of interest, excursions, neighborhoods, restaurants, nightlife, as well as health and safety.

Anyone can access AtoZ World Travel using the library’s computers, or from anywhere in the world through the library’s portal at www.whitco.lib.wa.us. WCL deepens its coverage of topics with AtoZ World Travel, a product of World Trade Press, the Global Knowledge Company. This database is designed for world travelers, schools and universities, global businesses, and anyone who wants to prepare for their trip abroad.

CLICK HERE TO ACCESS MANGO OR A TO Z TRAVEL

Whether you're planning a vacation or want to better communicate with an international friend, try Mango Languages and AtoZ Travel today! For additional information, please contact Sarah Phelan or Shirley Cornelius at Whitman County Library, (509) 397-4366. 

It's Trivia Night in Colfax!

BRING YOUR TEAM, TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE & WIN!!!!

• Trivia Night at Colfax Hyde Out Thursday, Feb. 21 @ 6:30 p.m.

• Play for the Parks at Colfax Library Center Sunday, Feb. 24 @ 2:30 p.m. Fundraiser for the Colfax Pool!

Remember, everyone is an expert at something!

YOU ARE INVITED for an evening of laughter and friendly competition at our exciting trivia contest ...featuring history, pop culture, geography and just-for-fun questions, plus clips from your favorite songs!

Having FUN isn't hard when you have a LIBRARY card!

 For a complete list of events and programs happening in all fourteen Whitman County Library branches, please visit our website at www.whitco.lib.wa.us, find us on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram or call the library toll free 877-733-3375. 

Questions? Contact Sarah Phelan at (509) 397-4366 or sarahp@whitco.lib.wa.us for more info!

Happy President's Day!

IT'S FOOD FOR FINES TIME!

Get that library fine off your chest and do a good deed at the same time! The 19th annual library food drive drive runs the entire month of February at all 14 branch locations. This highly successful program allows library patrons to bring nonperishable food and toiletry items into any library branch and waive up to $10 in outstanding library fines. Those who visit the library and do not have fines are also encouraged to make a contribution. All items will be given to the food bank used in the community where they were collected.

Last year, Whitman County Library collected nearly $600 worth of food and toiletry items. Many food bank clients receive large heating bills in February and it is wonderful that the library’s food drive allows local agencies to put something extra in their grocery box. For more information please call Branch Coordinator, Catalina Flores, at (509) 397-4366 

Creating Edible, Pollinator Friendly Landscapes

“Multi-functional Landscapes: Creating Beneficial, Edible, Pollinator-Friendly Habitats” is the focus of February’s Science on the Palouse presentation at Colfax Library Center on Monday, February 11 from 5-6 p.m. Presenter Emily Pickron, with the National Resources Conservation Service, will discuss ways to create edible landscapes that also attract pollinators.

On the 2nd Monday of each month from 5-6 p.m., Science on the Palouse explores a topic that matters to our region. Sponsored by The Whitman Conservation District, these engaging conversations will enlighten you about local issues and efforts.

For more information, please contact Brian Bell, Whitman Conservation District at 288-4644 or brianwhitmancd@gmail.com.

Map of my Kingdom Performance on Feb. 28

Map of My Kingdom comes to The Center at Colfax Library on Thursday, Feb. 28 at 7 to 8 p.m. 

“It’s easier to talk to your children about sex than farmland transition.” – An Iowa farmer 

Map of My Kingdom was commissioned by Practical Farmers of Iowa and written by Mary Swander, Iowa’s poet laureate. In the play, character Angela Martin, a lawyer and mediator in land transition disputes, shares stories of how farmers and landowners have approached their farmland transfers. Map of My Kingdom will be performed by Maria Vorhis, an actor from Central Iowa who graduated from Iowa State University. For more information about Maria, click here.

The performance will be from 7-8 p.m. and will follow with a 30-minute facilitated discussion. Tickets are "Pay What You Can" to make the play accessible to all. Suggested rates are $10 per person or $20 per family. Ticketholders will have first priority by reserving at http//monk-colfax.eventbrite.com.

Sponsored by the Palouse-Clearwater Food Coalition, Gem Valley Appraisal, University of Idaho Extension, Hayden Ross, Potlatch Deltic, Avista, and the McGregor Company.

Find the book of your dreams at Colfax Library!

Checkout a Blind Date Book or join us at Book Speed Dating and be entered to win a coffee & donut date, generously donated by Purpose Roasters. To enter, complete the "Rate your Date" form by March 8, using a rating scale from "a major dud" to "red hot read!"

Find the book of your dreams at Colfax Library this February with two romantic programs!

Blind Date with a Book all February

Speed Dating with Books on Valentine's Day Only

How do you go on a "Blind Date with a Book"? Browse our collection of wrapped up books, read the hints, unwrap and enjoy! Previous blind date goers enjoyed the surprise of unwrapping a book, trying to guess the titles based our hints, and reading books that they would have never found otherwise.

Try "Speed Dating with Books" to find your perfect literary match! Pick out a book with an attractive cover, read for 90 seconds, then find a new selection. Speed daters will sample up to 10 books - and are encouraged to take as many as they like. Stick around to enjoy sparkling cider, sweets, and chat about your "dates" after each round.

Contact Sarah Phelan at 509-397-4366 or sarahp@whitco.lib.wa.us with any questions.