The hero of the American western rides into town and neatly dispatches the evil villain with his shiny gun.

A caped superhero saves the world from certain destruction by intercepting a renegade asteroid.

Real-world heroes ease the suffering of others and use their talents to make the world a better place.

Heroes of all types have been and remain an important part of our cultural narrative.


So, if you’re holding out for a hero Deschutes Public Library invites you to explore all types of heroes and the role they play in our culture during the Know Heroes series throughout the month of December. All programs are free and open to the public.

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Know Heroes: The Wrong Heroes: Helping Young People Navigate Beyond Naked Royals, Lindsay’s Arrests, and Snooki’s Baby
OSU-Cascades professor Elizabeth Daniels looks at the often problematic nature of media targeted at young people today and discusses strategies for helping youth develop skills to protect themselves against the negative effects of today’s media.

Know Heroes: The “Hero” of New Orleans
Chef Bette of The Well Traveled Fork demonstrates how to create the perfect Muffuletta sandwich. Class size limited to 20 participants. Register online at one of the links below.

Know Heroes: From Four Color to 3D: A History of the American Superhero
Over the past eighty years, superheroes have flown free of the pulpy pages of their origins to become international pop culture phenomena. The simplicity of their cowls and capes hides an intricate blend of meaning and psychology, of myth, history and shared social perceptions. Writer William Akin pulls back the cape to reveal how a uniquely American art form gave birth to earth’s mightiest memes.

Know Heroes: Bruce Springsteen: An American Musical Hero
Author of the recently published biography Bruce, acclaimed music writer Peter Ames Carlin presents a startlingly intimate and vivid portrait of the rock icon.

Know Heroes: Heroes and Why We Need Them
COCC professor Maggie Triplett identifies and describes the roles that heroes, specifically heroes of the American west, play in our culture.

Know Heroes: Four-Legged Heroes: From Protection & Detection to Search & Rescue
From battlefields to street beats, and from helping those with disabilities to searching for missing people, dogs are often called on to be more than companions. Learn about how dogs help humans and meet Ranger, a two-year-old bloodhound who was laid off from the Polk County sheriff’s office due to budget cuts—but who found a job with Bend Police and Officer Kyle Voll.

For more information about this or other library programs, please visit the library website at www.deschuteslibrary.org. People with disabilities needing accommodations (alternative formats, seating or auxiliary aides) should contact Liz at 312-1032.