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Whether you resolved to read more books in 2026, are a die-hard Everybody Reads participant, or simply count yourself a fan of U.S. Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson, it’s time to get reading.
Jackson’s memoir, Lovely One, was selected last summer as the 2026 book for Everybody Reads, the Multnomah County Library program sponsored by The Library Foundation. Launched in 2002, the ambitious communitywide reading program distributes 8,000 free copies of the featured book at library branches across the county and schedules two months of programming and events related to its content. Print copies started showing up at branches Jan. 9. They’re still available, but it’s a good idea to grab yours now if you want to participate, says Matt Stefanik, reader services librarian for the Multnomah County Library. (The book is also available in audiobook or e-book form through the library’s website or the Libby app.)
“One of the things that stuck out to me is that there’s multiple entry points for this book,” Stefanik tells WW. “The book talks a lot about family. It talks about kind of working through a career, facing various barriers in life, and I think that by the end of the book, you’re going to see yourself in there in some capacity. I also think it’s a very easy, easy to read book. She’s got a great story to tell. She’s very interesting. It’s a well-written memoir.” And Jackson’s role as the first Black woman to serve on the Supreme Court gives the book a sense of gravity, he adds. “It’s an important story to share.”
The program culminates in a March 12 talk by Jackson at the Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall, sponsored by Literary Arts. Tickets for that are already sold out, but library branches have begun hosting Everybody Reads programs all over the county. You can find a complete listing of Everybody Reads events online. What follows isn’t an exhaustive list, but a subjective peek at the events we’re especially excited about.
Jan. 23 and 24 and Feb. 14: Handwriting the Constitution
I suspect kids are the target demographic for this event—it includes some advice on improving one’s handwriting—but I bet there are more than a few adults who’d get a kick out of this exercise to copy the U.S. Constitution by hand. Hillsdale Library, 1525 SW Sunset Blvd.; 3:30–5:30 pm Friday, Jan. 23. Albina Library, 205 NE Russell St.; 2–4 pm Sunday, Jan. 24. Northwest Library, 2030 NW Pettygrove St.; 2–4 pm Saturday, Feb. 14.
Jan. 25: The Sounds of Afrofuturism
DJs Omari Jazz, Bryson Mills and Auvie Sinclair perform, exploring the Black future of electronic music. This has to be the coolest way a person could spend a Sunday afternoon in January, inside or outside a library. Albina Library, 205 NE Russell St. 4–5 pm.
Feb. 4: Citizen Activism 101, Making Change Happen
This workshop, led by civics educator Donna L. Cohen, draws from historical examples to inspire participants to find ways they can make change in their own communities. Cohen teaches how to track legislation, submit testimony and figure out who makes the rules—just as the Oregon Legislature begins its 2026 short session. Holgate Library, 7905 SE Holgate Blvd. 6–7:30 pm.
Feb. 10: Speech, Hip Hop & the Power to Persuade
Led by educator and spoken word artist Toni Hill, this workshop bridges the worlds of formal debate and hip-hop, using lyrics by Nas, Tupac Shakur and Portland’s Mic Crenshaw to introduce teens and adults to the fundamentals of debate, including argument, rebuttal and cross-examination. North Portland Library, 512 N Killingsworth St. 6–7:30 pm.
Feb. 18 and 25: Resilient Path, Art Inspired by Lovely One
In these wellness-based art workshops (for ages 12 and up) led by The Lamb Art Studio, participants create symbolic artwork focused on personal growth, justice or dreams for the future, inspired by quotes and notable moments from the book. Rockwood Library, 7917 SE Stark St.; 5:30–7:30 pm Wednesday, Feb. 18. Hillsdale Library, 525 SW Sunset Blvd.; 5:30–7:30 pm Wednesday, Feb. 25. Registration opens Jan. 25; see multcolib. org for more details.
CHECK IT OUT: Everybody Reads at the Multnomah County Library, multcolib.org. See the website for a calendar of events, Jan. 23–March 12.
