ALLIANCE – Rodman Public Library will host several events in February.

Teens, ages 12 to 18, are invited to Rodman Public Library at 4 p.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 17 for a special “Sip (Sodas) and Paint” art program. Youngsters will sample craft sodas while recreating a winter scene painting with an RPL librarian. The program is free, thanks to support from Friends of Rodman Library, but space is limited and registration is required at rodmanlibrary.com.

Children, ages 6-12, are invited to the Main Library at 4:15 p.m. on the fourth Tuesday of each month for Lego Lab. The theme will be “castles” for the February session on February 24 and participants will create their own castle using Legos provided by the library. Registration is required at rodmanlibrary.com.

Hot Pots Storytime will have a Valentine’s theme in February. Children, ages 2-12, are invited to come to the RPL Branch for a mini storytime and then proceed to Hot Pots, accompanied by their guardian, to paint a ceramic love bug figurine. Two sessions will be held, including Wednesday, Feb. 11 at 6:30 p.m. and another on Saturday, Feb. 14 at 11 a.m. The cost is $15.99 per child and registration is required. The fee for the event is payable to Hot Pots upon registration at hotpotspottery.com.

Applebee’s will host a dine-to-donate event for Friends of Rodman Public Library all day on Tuesday, Feb. 17. For dine-in and To Go orders placed via phone at the 2600 W. State St. location, guests must show event flyer to server at time of order or To Go Specialist at the time of pickup (paper copy of flyer is not required). For online orders, promo code DOINGOOD must be used to receive credit. Applebee’s will donate up to 15 percent of the proceeds from purchases made by supporters of Friends of Rodman Library.

My Octopus Teacher

Rodman Public Library invites patrons to dive into one of the most memorable documentaries in recent years when it shows My Octopus Teacher on Tuesday, Feb. 10. A 2020 Netflix Original documentary, the film gives viewers a sense of what it’s like to spend time with one of the great sea creatures and will be shown inside Rodman Auditorium at both 11 a.m. and 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 10.

The public viewing kicks off the 2026 programs in support of the One Book One Community selection The Soul of an Octopus: The Surprising Exploration into the Wonder of Consciousness by Sy Montgomery.

Registration is required to attend either showing at rodmanlibrary.com. The film won Best Documentary Feature at the 93rd Academy Awards.

Directed by Pippa Ehrlich and James Reed, the film follows filmmaker and naturalist Craig Foster as he documents his daily free dives into the cold Atlantic Ocean near his home. Over the course of nearly a year, Foster closely observes a wild common octopus living in the kelp forest ecosystem.

The documentary focuses on the octopus’s natural behaviors, including hunting techniques, camouflage, problem-solving, and methods of avoiding predators. Octopuses are known for their intelligence, with the ability to use tools, escape enclosures, and adapt quickly to changing environments. The film provides a rare, sustained look at these abilities in a wild setting rather than a laboratory.

Much of the footage was captured without scuba equipment, allowing for quieter, less intrusive observation. This approach offers an unusually intimate view of life in the kelp forest, one of the most biologically diverse marine environments in the world. The forest itself plays a significant role in the documentary, serving as habitat for fish, sharks, seals, crustaceans, and countless other species.

Beyond marine life, the film also documents the physical and mental discipline required for free diving in cold water and the patience involved in long-term wildlife observation. Rather than relying on scripted narration, the documentary allows the images and behavior of the animals to drive the story.

Visually stunning and unexpectedly emotional, this film proves that the most powerful stories don’t always come from far-off places — sometimes they’re hiding just beneath the surface.

Short on flash but rich in meaning, My Octopus Teacher is inspiring, thought-provoking, and surprisingly uplifting — a rare documentary that connects with both the heart and the mind.