Libraries may have started as places to check out books but they’ve become the central hub for many communities, especially in rural areas. Every year, national libraries can pick a theme selected by a national reading program and find a way to bring it to life for their community. When lead librarian Tiffany Derichsweiler saw the theme for 2026 was “farm to table” she knew it would be perfect for the Union Carnegie Library, located in Union County, a rural corner of Northeastern Oregon.
Over four or five months in 2026, the library will host programs that combine the area’s agricultural work with artistic opportunities for locals. In one class, people might take milk from a local farm and use it to make traditional milk paint. In another, they’ll turn horse hair into jewelry or blow and decorate eggs.
As much as possible, Derichsweiler will source materials from people who live nearby. “One way we can give back to the community is by promoting our local businesses.” This includes cheesemakers, people who grow wheat, and more. She’s also calling on community members to lead some of these classes. “Tradition is a huge thing in our community and traditional skills,” Derichsweiler said. “If I find out somebody has a skill, I ask them if they’d mind running a class for us,” she added with a laugh. “Even if you only know a couple stitches, you can share that with your neighbor. We’re all enriched by it.”
The classes will be tailored to different age ranges and ability levels with scheduling at various days and times to make it easy for people to attend. These library programs can be especially important for kids on summer break. For youth that are old enough to walk or bike, but don’t have access to a car, local programs are vital for letting them practice their independence while also engaging with the wider community. “The biggest value of having good programming on site is that our children can get here without having a parent drive them,” Derichsweiler said.
Like so many library programs, Union Carnegie Library’s farm to table classes will all be free, thanks in part to a grant from the Roundhouse Foundation which will help pay for materials. Derichsweiler’s goal is that these programs will give people the chance to try new things. Roughly 18% of Union’s population lives below the poverty line and Derichsweiler hopes residents have a chance to try a skill that might become a deep passion, help them save on living costs, or even be a way to earn extra income.
Regardless of what program attendees do with the knowledge they gain, the classes will connect residents and allow the community to display and pass down the many skills that exist in the population.
“People forget the original purpose of a library was to safeguard knowledge,” said Derichsweiler. Sometimes that means the words in books or archives, but often it means giving a place where the community can share knowledge with each other.
