Events archive

Local Ojai author Joseph M. Puglia will visit the Ojai Library at 2:00 pm on Saturday, August 31 to give a talk titled “North American Trade Beads.” The history of beads dates back 40,000 years, expressing culture, social circumstance, political history, religious beliefs, wealth and trade. . Dr. Puglia’s focus will be on North American trade beads, exploring their roles in indigenous cultures with an emphasis on artistry. He will share his collection of trade beads dating back to the Lewis and Clark era.

Dr. Puglia is a former college professor who taught English, Philosophy, Social Science, and History of Western Expansion. He also taught high school English on the Cheyenne Reservation at Lame Deer Montana. Currently, he is a writer soon to publish his fifth novel.

Ojai Library Saturday, May 25, 2 to 3pm

Local Ojai Author Catherine Ann Jones is the award-winning author of eight books including Heal Your Self with Writing. Her latest, East & West, is described as a captivating book in which contrasting and complementary aspects of Indian culture are explored through stories of seekers, ordinary Indians, heroes, frauds, and victims.

Catherine Ann Jones has played major roles in over fifty productions on and off-Broadway, later becoming an award-winning playwright. She has authored eleven plays produced in and out of NYC and films including Unlikely Angel (Dolly Parton), The Christmas Wife, and the popular television series, Touched by an Angel. A Fulbright Scholar to India studying shamanism, she has taught for several years at The New School University in NYC and USC Film School in LA, as well writing workshops globally. To learn more, visit wayofstory.com.

Defining Regenerative Agriculture in California, Ojai Library Saturday, April 13, 2:00 pm

The California Department of Food and Agriculture is currently in the process of defining what the term regenerative agriculture means. Rachel Soper, Associate Professor of Sociology at California State University, Channel Islands, will explain all sides of the debate, drawing on public comments given during listening sessions and working group meetings to illustrate the point of view of those who think organic should be the baseline to regenerative, and those who think regenerative should be more inclusive than organic. For more information, contact Ron Solórzano, Regional Librarian, at (805) 218-9146 or ron.solorzano@ventura.org

Peering Into Darkness: Exploring the Deep Sea, Hill Road Library Sunday, April 21, 11:30 am

What makes the deep ocean a wondrous, mysterious environment? Dr. Geoffrey Dilly will discuss the strange adaptations deep ocean animals have developed, the human impact on this far-away ocean environment, and his own experiences in deep sea biology, including several dives on Alvin, the most widely recognized deep-sea submersible. For more information, contact Linda Cherry, Hill Road Librarian, Linda.Cherry@ventura.org