Book recommendations from staff members of Harney County Library! All of these titles are available either in the catalog, at the library, or on one of our e-book/audiobook platforms.

A group of the most talented magicians is selected for possible initiation into a secret society. Only five will be chosen. During the qualification year, this group will fight to survive and prove themselves the best.

Available here: Catalog (order via Sage) / Libby App / Hoopla

Based on a true story of women artists in early 1900s, when the art world was dominated by men, this tells the story of Swedish artist Hilma af Klint. Hilma and her friends formed the club for emotional support as they pursued their passion.

Available here: Catalog (order via Sage)

One of the great unsolved criminal cases of the 20th century:  the only skyjacker never to be caught by authorities.

Available here: Catalog (at HCL) / Libby App

Gourmet cook Manako Kajii sits in jail convicted of the serial murders of lonely businessmen, who she is said to have seduced with her delicious home cooking. No visitors until journalist Rika Machida writes a letter asking for her recipe for beef stew.

Available here: Catalog (order via Sage + soon to be added to HCL) / Libby App / Hoopla

Set in a time when many believed a woman’s place was in the home, Elizabeth Zott is a scientist who finds the road to success very bumpy. Forging her own path, she eventually finds herself the star of a cooking show that sparks a revolution.

Available here: Catalog (at HCL) / Libby App

 A bereaved musician embarks under sail in a not-too-distant America in search of his departed, deeply beloved, wife. He finds an increasingly desperate and illiterate people, a malignant billionaire ruling class, crumbled infrastructure, and a lawless society. His private quest for the love of his life sweeps up friends and foes alike.

Available here: Catalog (at HCL) / Libby App / Hoopla

A series that has caught my ear recently is the Lady Darby Mysteries by Anna Lee Huber.  The first book, The Anatomist’s Wife, was published in 2012 & the latest book, A Fatal Illusion (Lady Darby Mystery, #11), was published last year.

The Goodread's summary of The Anatomist’s Wife:
"Scotland, 1830. Following the death of her husband, Lady Darby has taken refuge at her sister’s estate, finding solace in her passion for painting. But when her hosts throw a house party for the cream of London society, Kiera is unable to hide from the ire of those who believe her to be as unnatural as her husband, an anatomist who used her artistic talents to suit his own macabre purposes.

Kiera wants to put her past aside, but when one of the house guests is murdered, her brother-in-law asks her to utilize her knowledge of human anatomy to aid the insufferable Sebastian Gage—a fellow guest with some experience as an inquiry agent. While Gage is clearly more competent than she first assumed, Kiera isn’t about to let her guard down as accusations and rumors swirl.

When Kiera and Gage’s search leads them to even more gruesome discoveries, a series of disturbing notes urges Lady Darby to give up the inquiry. But Kiera is determined to both protect her family and prove her innocence, even as she risks becoming the next victim…"

I am currently listening to A Study in Death - book 4.  This series is a little dark, but highlights the intellect and observational skills of a strong female character that doesn’t always conform to societal norms.

Some books in series available at the Harney County Library - click here
All books in series available in the Sage System - click here
E-Books (1-11) available on Libby - click here
Audio (1-11) available on Hoopla - click here

Four pensioners in a retirement village form a club that meets in the Jigsaw Room on Thursdays. So far, so normal, right? But wait, these elders have formed a group they call the Thursday Murder Club, whose purpose is reviewing old, unsolved murder cases from files kept when one of them retired.

Soon enough they have a real murder to solve. They may use their old age to insert themselves into the police case but their minds are sharp and the whole group is very resourceful. At times laugh out loud funny, other times so very sad, yet realistic in dealing with issues of aging, this whodunit is clever, witty and completely entertaining.

If you like this book, there are 3 more in the series (so far). I think each one gets better!

Large Print Book available at the Harney County Library - click here
Playaway Audio available at the Harney County Library - click here

The crumbling remains of a once bustling component of America’s National Air Defense Command system perches on the skyline from a mile-high butte overlooking the cities of Burns and Hines in Oregon’s southeastern corner. Following its closure and abandonment in 1970 after fifteen years of service, this former military installation has been a curiosity to visitors and area residents who only know the site as an eerie remnant from the Cold War era and a heavily vandalized teen hangout.

In an effort to capture the fast-disappearing knowledge of this fascinating chapter in Harney County history, the Harney County Historical Society, in conjunction with the Claire McGill Luce Western History Room at the Harney County Library and the Harney County Chamber of Commerce invites the public to a roundtable community discussion of the 634th Radar Squadron Burns Air Force Station, colloquially known as the Radar Base. Former military personnel, civilian employees, and families are encouraged to join us April 5th at 6 p.m. in the Chamber of Commerce meeting room to share recollections, photographs, or other memorabilia of their experiences associated with the Radar Base. Several local community members who were stationed at the base for a time will begin the discussion by recounting their own experiences.

Seventy years ago, in April 1954, construction began on the 31-acre military facility atop Burns Butte that would house the 634th Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron tasked with operating and maintaining search radar sets and height-finder radars. Distinctive rubberized “bubbles” protected the delicate radar electronics from the harsh environment atop the butte. The Burns installation was one of many radar sites and “gap fillers” along a Pacific coast route known as the “Pine Tree Line” –part of the first coordinated system for early detection of a Soviet bomber attack on North America. Rapidly evolving jet and missile technology led to modifications in most of these early detection systems which then joined the Semi-Automatic Ground Environment (SAGE) defense system.

The Burns Radar Base was planned as a small community within itself, having many of the same facilities found in any town: housing, cafeteria style dining hall, independent water supply, recreation room and sporting equipment, mail room, etc. in addition to twenty Quonset barracks buildings, an officer’s quarters, two supply houses, two warehouses, well house and a headquarters building. In June 1955, an advance group consisting of a commander and eight men arrived at the site, followed by upwards of 70 enlisted men and their families. At the time of closing in 1970, the base supported twenty civilian employees and 106 Air Force officers and enlisted personnel.

The roundtable event is free and open to the public. For more information, contact the Harney County Historical Society. Phone: 541.573.5618    Email: [email protected]

Learn more about the history of the Burns Radar Base in the files at the Claire McGill Luce Western History Room and through our online digital archives.

More exciting news from the library! Isabelle, our Youth Services Coordinator, has spearheaded a project that involves our beautiful library park, library teen advisory board, and a talented local muralist. As of this week, we have nearly reached our fundraising goal of $4,500.

We began raising money in December of last year. We were gifted some gorgeous handmade butterfly-themed ornaments created by talented volunteers and sold them for $5, $10, and $20. Many folks made individual donations and we also received some assistance from the Harney County Library Foundation to cover the initial deposit. In the past couple months, Isabelle has reached out to local businesses and received many generous contributions. These businesses will be featured on display panel adjacent to the art installation.

Want to know more about the mural? This public art project consists of a large mural that will be painted by teen volunteers and Tori Schmidt, artist and owner of Sage DesignWorks, on an exterior wall of the Harney County Library. The surrounding space is currently home to a seasonal interactive StoryWalk and tons of native plants, including milkweed! The mural itself depicts several monarch butterflies and milkweed in bloom.

We are still just $500 short of the goal ($523 to be exact)! If you would like to make a small individual contribution, please visit the Foundation’s donation page. If you are a business owner and are interested in making a larger gift, please reach out to Isabelle at [email protected].

We feel incredibly grateful for the community’s support and cannot wait for the weather to warm up so we can get started!

This February, Oregon Humanities awarded up to $25,000 in funding to enable rural and rural-serving Oregon libraries to create and host events in their own communities that reflect the 2024 theme, Fear and Belonging. A staff member (Isabelle!) at the Harney County Library applied for, and was awarded, $2,400 to host a series of four events titled “Finding Common Ground Speaker Series.”

The first event is on March 5, 2024 at 6-7 pm and will be a presentation by our own local High Desert Partnership, a national leader and model in the field of collaborative work.

The following three events will take place in early May, July and September. These will feature:

• Emma Ronai-Durning from Rural Organizing Project, who will talk about ROP’s work giving a voice to underrepresented groups in rural Oregon.
• U of O Professor Peter Walker, with a presentation on different approaches to collaborative natural resource management in the Western US and other parts of the world.
• Native American author and activist Jacqueline Keeler, who will present an Indigenous perspective on centering Native voices in our approach to natural resource management and other community issues.

Presenters will also take questions from the audience in a setting fostering dialogue and understanding, as we thrive to find common ground to move our communities into a positive future. And to set the tone, yummy refreshments will be served!

 In August 1995, author and artist Edward Gray presented two paintings of Harney County scenes to the people of Harney County. The paintings were given in appreciation for help received while conducting research for his books detailing the lives of two notable area stock men.

Gray is the author of William "Bill" W. Brown, 1855-1941: Legend of Oregon's High Desert; including a history of the Wagontire Mountain Range Feud and Life and death of Oregon "Cattle King" Peter French, 1849-1897.

Hours of research went into the Peter French book with the help of the Harney County clerk’s office and various individuals, Gray said.

One painting is of the field where Harney County’s famous cattle king, Peter French, was killed. The other is a scene from Steens Mountain.

Originally, the paintings were displayed in the Harney County clerk’s office. Former County Clerk, Dee Swisher later donated one of the paintings to the Harney County Library, where it is on display in the Claire McGill Luce Western History Room along with other pieces of Gray’s artwork.

Subsequent to Gray’s untimely death the following year, his entire working research library—books, research notes, interviews, artwork, photographs and more—was donated to the Harney County Library. That collection, together with the library’s local history collection and a collection from Walt McEwen, a local rancher and book collector, were the basis of the Harney County Library’s western history archives.

Browse items from our Edward Gray Collection online in our digital archives. Make sure to take a walk through the Western History Room in the back of the library to view Gray’s artwork in person.

Gray's two books on Harney County history, along with two other books on South-Central Oregon history, are available for general circulation. Find available titles in the SAGE Library System catalog.

ARCHAEOLOGY AND CULTURE KEEPERS ROAD SHOW
Saturday, June 24th from 10 am TO 3 pm at the HINES CITY PARK
 
     Staff from the Claire McGill Luce Western History Room of the Harney County Library and the Harney County Historical Museum will be among many groups and organizations celebrating this year’s theme: Archaeology of Transportation. Learn about the evolution of transportation in Harney County from the era of horse-drawn freight wagons, to the construction of the Oregon & Northwestern Railroad, and the advent of the modern automobile.
      Visitors will have the chance to learn more about archaeology and history of eastern Oregon – as shared by federal and state agencies, Tribes, museums, universities, and private and non-profit organizations through temporary exhibits and hands-on activities. We also invite visitors to bring personal objects (stone tools, pottery, animal bones) they wish to learn more about.  A panel of experts will be ready to help interpret your find.
And there’s more!
     The Harney County Cultural Coalition has assembled artisans and craftspeople who will be demonstrating traditional skills such as saddle making and silver work, beading and basketry, and rawhide and horsehair braiding.  Come celebrate and learn from these “Culture Keepers”, while listening to live music scheduled throughout the day, and enjoying local on-site food.
This event is free, with activities for all ages.

Visit the combined online digital archives of the Western History Room and the Harney County Museum to browse some of the items in our collections related to the history of transportation in Harney County.

Regarded as a fine collection of items, the Claire McGill Luce Western History Room housed within the Harney County Library contains a collection of ‘Harney County’ archived and curated by our staff. Whether you are reading for your own interest or research this room is dedicated to preserving local history.

Here's a recommended reading list:

Feelin’ Fine!   Bill Hanley's Book Put Together by Anne Shannon Monroe.
Garden City 1931. 8o. Illustrations by William L. Finley. Original cloth. 'Feelin Fine' has long been out of print It has always been a favorite to pass along to someone interested in the subject of Harney County. Bill Hanley was widely known, and greatly admired.

Harney County by Karen Nitz
Archivist at the Claire Mcgill Luce Western History Room housed within the Harney County Library, combines a lifelong interest in photography and local history to portray early life in one of the West’s final frontiers. She has selected images from the combined collections of the Western History Room, the Harney County Library, the Harney County Historical Society, and private collections throughout the county to illustrate the trials and triumphs of life in the high desert. This book is available for checkout and you can also purchase it online or in the library.

Harney County, Oregon and its Range Land by George Brimlow
This colorful action-packed history runs from Indian times and the first explorations by white men through the period of settlement and Indian wars, the decades of the cattle kings, and into the modern scene of industry and change.

Harney County: an Historical Inventory by Royal G. Jackson 
This historical mosaic is replete with people, places, and events which have been the primary shapers of the Harney County story. Among these are such notable names as Peter Skene Ogden, John Devine, Sarah Winnemucca, Chief Egan, Peter French, Bill Hanley, Henry Miller, George Smyth, George McGowan, Charles Voegtly , Nathan Brown and others. Harney County Place names reflect the vitality and descriptive powers of hardy settlers adapting to a diverse and demanding environment.

Footloose and Ahorseback: Memories of a Buckaroo on Steens Mountain, Oregon by Johnie “Cactus” Smyth
 Cactus Smyth lived in Andrews, Oregon at the base of the Steens Mountains. He has written stories of his life in the surrounding area.

Also check out our Special Collection Scrapbook of Mary Neal Kueny: Woman Buckaroo of Harney County

A collection of photographs of the life and times of a true buckaroo woman, Mary Neal Kueny, ranch owner in the Wild Horse Valley on the edge of the Alvord Desert, a true pioneer of the west. She once wrote “It will be nice to know that my name will be in a book to read many years after I have galloped over the mountain.” Over 200 photographs available in this scrapbook.  For more information visit our online digital collections database at: https://harneycountylibrary.catalogaccess.com/search. Select photos of this scrapbook are currently on display at the Harney County Library.