SEASIDE — People wanting to learn a new skill — from patching drywall to crocheting to changing a bike tire — could soon find answers at the Seaside Public Library with its new how-to clinic.

The idea stems from Library Director Jennifer Reading’s time working at the Walla Walla Public Library in Washington.

“We tried it there, and it seemed like a lot of fun,” she said. “And, you know, things have sort of settled down around here, so we thought, let’s try expanding some of the offerings that we’re able to provide to the community.”

Reading hopes to debut the pilot program this fall, and is collecting a list of volunteers with various skills to share with the community.

If the first how-to clinic goes well, the program will become a quarterly occurrence. The skills will likely change with each quarter, but if a certain workshop is particularly popular, patrons might see it return.

“The idea would be sort of like a job fair or science fair, where attendees could show up and just drop in and say ‘Oh, I want to learn how to fix a bike tire,’ and then wander over to the bike tire station,” she said.

The library recently announced the clinic on Facebook with a post detailing possible subjects and a call for volunteers to contact the library with their area of expertise.

The response has been overwhelmingly positive, Reading said, with volunteers offering so far to teach left-handed sewing, a guitar workshop, knitting and crocheting.

Reading said she also plans to reach out to Home Depot and have a presenter come equipped with supplies and knowledge to share about home renovations and other do-it-yourself projects.

“I think it’s sort of a multipronged opportunity,” she said. “A lot of times, they’re things that maybe we would have learned from our parents, or just maybe going to a camp or in school, and maybe we missed that opportunity, or we weren’t paying attention when we were learning it, like tying knots or something like that, or writing a thank-you note.

“So I think there’s the opportunity to just do a little refresh or, you know, learn something new that maybe wasn’t available to someone initially.”

But she hopes something else happens as well at the clinics: “I think it’s also a great way to have folks come together in a really neutral and safe space to engage in conversation and have a shared experience and maybe strike up some conversations about what else is going on in their lives and in the community.”

The program is yet another addition to the library’s array of community programs. The library also features activities such as teenage book clubs, youth Lego clubs and movie and board-game nights.

And for people who may be homebound and aren’t able to visit the library, there’s a “Words on Wheels” program that brings the library to them through customized collections of material.

“They sign up with the coordinator, and they kind of give her a sense of the types of books or audios or movies that they’re interested in receiving,” Reading said. “And she’ll put together between three and five items that will get sent out and brought to the individuals, primarily at assisted living facilities that we’ve partnered with here in Seaside.”

During a recent citywide power outage, the library reinforced its status as a gathering place for the community — thanks to a generator, the building stayed open, and people were able to come in, charge their electronics and drink hot tea.

Reading recently gave her annual report to the Seaside City Council, and was struck by the number of patrons who had frequented the library in 2024. Last year, nearly 5,000 people participated in 234 programs at the library.

“The majority of what we have to offer is available without a library card, which I think is pretty phenomenal,” she said. “So you know, if you want to come to a program or use the Wi-Fi here, or get on a computer and print, you don’t need a library card for any of those activities, which is pretty nice.

“I’m here every day, and I see the crowds come and go. But to see that that final number at the end of 2024 was pretty phenomenal. So it’s a popping place down here, and I’m just really glad that we’re here to be able to offer these opportunities free and open to the public.”