Learning & Tech❯Tech Help

For over two decades, Railroad Earth has captivated audiences with gleefully unpredictable live shows and eloquent and elevated studio output. The group introduced its signature sound on 2001’s The Black Bear Sessions. Between selling out hallowed venues such as Red Rocks Amphitheater in Morrison, CO, they’ve been responsible for launching signature festivals Hangtown Music Festival in Placerville, CA and Hillberry: The Harvest Moon Festival in Eureka Springs, AR. Sought after by legends, the John Denver Estate tapped them to put lyrics penned by the late John Denver to music on the 2019 vinyl EP, Railroad Earth: The John Denver Letters. Beyond tallying tens of millions of streams, the collective has earned widespread critical acclaim from David Fricke of Rolling Stone, American Songwriter, Glide Magazine, and NPR, who assured, “Well-versed in rambling around, as you might expect from a band named after a Jack Kerouac poem, the New Jersey-built jam-grass engine Railroad Earth has let no moss grow under its rustic wheels.”

Nick Dumas leads on mandolin and vocals, bringing the soulful foundation he learned from his dobro-playing grandfather in Washington State, now living in Wisconsin. Nick is a former member of Grammy-nominated Special Consensus and a three-time IBMA award winner. Nick has performed across the globe and recently released his solo album "Details" on Nashville's Skyline Records. Nick now has three new singles released on Skyline Records from a soon-to-come project, all of which have made it to #1 on the bluegrass airplay charts. When not touring with the trio or his own band, "Nick Dumas and Branchline," Nick teaches mandolin lessons at home and with The Fiddler's Farm Band in WI. He also co-founded the well-known Northwest bands "Northern Departure" and "North Country Bluegrass".

Chris Luquette showcases his virtuosic guitar work alongside vocals, drawing from his 11 years with the celebrated Frank Solivan and Dirty Kitchen. This multi-instrumentalist has shared stages with Jerry Douglas, Emmylou Harris, and The Steep Canyon Rangers, earning multiple IBMA awards and a Grammy nomination along the way. Originally from Seattle's vibrant music scene and now based in New York City, Chris brings an eclectic musical palette that spans from traditional bluegrass to world music influences. Chris is a co-founder of Northern Departure along with Nick.

Andrew Knapp anchors the trio with his exceptional bass playing and rich vocals. He is one of the premier bassists to come out of the Pacific Northwest. Andrew can also be seen with Seattle-based bluegrass band The Warren G. Hardings, as well as Nick Dumas and Branchline. As a classically trained jazz bassist, he has performed with nationally recognized artists such as Kenny Garrett and Terence Blanchard, toured Europe and Brazil, and played on ships for Carnival Cruise Lines. Also, a graduate of the Whitworth University Jazz program. He is one of the best in the business.

Use library equipment for learning about digital and analog music creation! Whether you come for Digital Audio Workstations (DAWs) or ukuleles, you're welcome here! Play, demo equipment, and ask questions to our knowledgeable staff. Get answers about creating music at the library!

Super-Deluxe Fiddle, Banjo, and Song

Through twenty years and a couple of thousand shows together in bands such as The Foggy Hogtown Boys and The Lonesome Ace Stringband, John Showman and Chris Coole have developed a deep and instinctual musical bond. Their music lurks in a truly unique space, somewhere on the outskirts of old-time, bluegrass, and folk. The songs of John Hartford, Hank Williams, Dock Boggs, and The Band share space with the fiddle tunes of Eck Robertson and Ed Haley. The duo's original songs and tunes take in all these vistas and paint something both personal and timely.

They have performed across North America and Europe at festivals such as Merlefest, Rockygrass, Greyfox, Winnipeg Folk Festival, Mariposa, Wintergrass, The Delaware Valley Bluegrass Festival, and The Bluegrass Hall of Fame and Museum. In addition to the five Lonesome Ace albums, John and Chris have released two duo albums - " Afield" a collection of old-time fiddle tunes, and "Much Further Out than Inevitable - A Tribute to Some Music of John Hartford."

"Powerful musicians, playing and singing some powerful music" - Bluegrass Unlimited

"Danceable, poppy, and soulful, it's old-time that's modern and timeless, both" - Bluegrass Situation

(Roddy Campbell, Penguin Eggs Magazine)

Formed by musicians with a passion for the Northwest outdoors, Jawbone Flats takes its name from the ghost town of the same name nestled deep in the Opal Creek Wilderness of Oregon. Since 2008 JBF has traveled throughout Oregon, Washington, Idaho, and Northern California playing an eclectic blend of original and cover songs drawing from the influences of bluegrass, country, alternative country, blues, and rock music led by five alternating lead singers backed by lush harmonies. Interlocking melodies from B-bender Telecaster and acoustic guitars, mandolin, harmonica, and pedal steel guitar are woven into the solid rhythmic fabric of fretless bass and drums to produce a wonderfully entertaining, irresistibly danceable, and downright “flatifying” sound.

Do you know how to remove apps? What to do if your phone memory is full? How to improve battery life? Learn these skills and more for your Apple, Android, or Microsoft devices in a focused, 1:1 session with volunteers from SeniorTechPals, and bring your phone or tablet.

Registration strongly encouraged, but drop-ins can wait to receive help.

Artichoke Community Music class hosted by Megan Cronin, $175 for seven sessions, drop-ins $30 per session. This class will be held at Taborspace, an off-site location. This class is for beginner-ish and intermediate violin and fiddle players who want a chance to play their favorite songs with others in a supportive setting. At the start of this series the instructor will present 10 tunes in the genres of folk, jazz, bluegrass, Irish, blues, pop and/or classical. Students will vote in three of these tunes to work on over the course of the term. Financial Hardship Discount Available Wondering if you are at the right aptitude for this class? If you can work through some or most of the Suzuki Violin Book One, then you will be totally fine in this class (just google "Suzuki Violin Book One PDF" to check it out). You’re welcome to pay the instructor directly at your first class to avoid service fees. Contact Megan via email when you register for a drop-in date, if you plan to pay in-person or if you have any other questions about the class. More information & registration: megancroninmusic.com/violin-fiddle-democracy Website: https://www.megancroninmusic.com/ Feel free to contact the instructor for more information: musiclessonsbymegan(*at*)gmail.com Refund Policy: Refunds up to 7 days before event

Quý vị có câu hỏi về kỹ thuật? Không cần đặt hẹn, xin hãy vào gặp một hỗ trợ viên thân thiện và am hiểu, người sẽ giúp quý vị tìm ra câu trả lời cho những câu hỏi về thiết bị di động, trang web, tải nội dung hoặc thông tin, thiết bị đọc sách điện tử, bắt đầu làm quen với kỹ thuật và còn nhiều vấn đề khác. Hỗ trợ viên giúp quý vị trong 30 phút, trả lời câu hỏi và hướng dẫn sử dụng những thiết bị và ứng dụng khác nhau.

Join the jam! Bring your guitar, fiddle, mandolin or banjo to our weekly bluegrass jam circle. Players with intermediate skills and above are invited to this Tuesday tradition. New faces welcome!

Join Adult Services Librarian April Younglove from the Lake Oswego Public Library for a hands-on, four-part series designed to demystify artificial intelligence. Learn how to navigate the digital world, protect your privacy, and use AI tools with confidence and skepticism. Sessions include clear, live demonstrations, interactive discussions, and personalized tech support. Free for all participants.

• Location: Lake Oswego Adult Community Center
• Cost: Free for both residents and non-residents
• Requirements: Please bring a smartphone, laptop, or tablet with internet access for the hands-on practice portions.

Foundations for Everyday Use

Kick off the series by stripping away the tech jargon and discovering how artificial intelligence can simplify your day-to-day life. This foundational session introduces core AI concepts and terminology—including AI summarizers, generative chatbots, and natural prompting—in clear, approachable language. Through live demonstrations of Claude AI, Microsoft Copilot, and ChatGPT, you will learn how to safely use these tools to brainstorm recipes, plan custom travel itineraries, and organize daily tasks. We will introduce the essential "Ask–Tweak–Verify" (ATV) framework alongside critical privacy guidelines to ensure you protect your personal data right from the start.

One-on-one lab assistance is proudly provided by student volunteers from the Lake Youth Leadership Council to help you configure settings on your personal devices.

Date / Time: Tuesday, September 15 | 2:00–3:30 p.m.
Class Number: 34825

Hands-On Skills and Sandbox Practice

Build directly upon your foundational knowledge with a supportive, highly interactive sandbox session dedicated to mastering digital assistants. In Part 2, participants shift from watching demonstrations to writing and refining their own prompts. Under patient guidance, you will practice conversational techniques, discover how subtle shifts in word choices yield dramatically improved answers, and learn how to implement standard internet safety boundaries. A major focus of this workshop will be learning how to cross-reference and fact-check chatbot output to ensure your digital interactions remain secure, accurate, and productive.

Personalized, one-on-one tech support will be provided throughout the hands-on practice intervals by members of the Lake Youth Leadership Council.

Date / Time: Tuesday, October 20 | 2:00–3:30 p.m.
Class Number: 34826

Helping Seniors Navigate Daily Life With Confidence

Discover how contemporary AI applications can serve as powerful tools for independent living, lifelong learning, and daily problem-solving. This interactive workshop demonstrates practical accessibility functions hidden inside everyday tech, such as instant text-to-speech audio conversion, natural voice-command interactions, and real-time smartphone image recognition (perfect for reading small labels or identifying objects). Moving into deeper research skills, we will outline advanced prompting methods while unpacking the distinct structural limits of large language models. Learn exactly why AI should never replace professional advisory services, and discover specific strategies for spotting online medical misinformation.

Personalized, one-on-one tech support will be provided throughout the hands-on practice intervals by members of the Lake Youth Leadership Council.

Date / Time: Tuesday, November 17 | 2:00–3:30 p.m.
Class Number: 34827

Becoming a Confident, Critical AI User

The final installation equips you with an essential digital defense toolkit to evaluate whether online content is authentic, accurate, and trustworthy. We will break down common system errors, reveal how "hallucinations" occur, and introduce quick, library-approved methods for verifying data across independent sources. Crucially, this session helps participants recognize how malicious actors deploy technology for modern fraudulent schemes—including cloning voices for identity scams, fabricating hyper-realistic deepfakes, and pushing complex cryptocurrency traps. Leave with the confidence and critical awareness needed to enjoy modern digital conveniences safely and securely.

Personalized, one-on-one tech support will be provided throughout the hands-on practice intervals by members of the Lake Youth Leadership Council.

Date / Time: Tuesday, December 15 | 2:00–3:30 p.m.
Class Number: 34828

Missed a previous session? Access archived video recordings, interactive presentation slides, and educational handouts from our past technology literacy classes below:

Explore the sophisticated tools and methodologies professional librarians utilize to identify computer-generated texts, altered documents, and artificial imagery. This session provides actionable, real-world clues to help you differentiate between genuine human creations and artificial content in your daily newsfeeds and correspondence.

This class was originally presented at the Lake Oswego Public Library.

• Watch the Presentation Video on YouTube
• View Interactive Presentation Slides
• Download Class Instructional Handout

Navigate the rapidly-evolving digital landscape with clarity and balance. This session pulls back the curtain on automated "content farms," breaking down how social media algorithms, financial pay-per-click incentives, and strategic influence campaigns purposefully accelerate the distribution of false narratives. Learn to evaluate source motivations and protect your digital footprint from predatory content design.

This class was originally presented at the Lake Oswego Adult Community Center.

• Watch the Presentation Video on YouTube
• View Interactive Presentation Slides
• Download Class Instructional Handout

For questions or more information regarding our technology programs, please contact Adult Services Librarian April Younglove at [email protected].