The Orcas Island Library is taking registrations for three new classes beginning in January.

First up is “Awakening the Poet Within” taught by Jo Ellen Moldoff. In this poetry writing class, students will generate new poems in response to exercises and writing prompts. Issues of craft and form will be addressed as students read and discuss selected poems, as well as works in progress by the class. This class began Tuesday, Jan. 4 (from 1 to 3 p.m.) and runs for eight weeks. The fee is $15.

Ornithologist/artist Kim Middleton returns with “An Introduction to Birding Orcas Island.” Kim will introduce the bird groups of Orcas Island and the fundamentals of bird identification. Students will learn life-long identification techniques by focusing on form, pattern, behavior, and habitat use. This class will be offered on both Wednesday and Saturday. Class dates are Jan. 19 to Feb. 23, and Jan. 22 to Feb. 26 from 10 to 1 p.m. Cost for the six-week course is $75 and class space is limited.

Kathi Ciskowski will offer “An Introduction to Genealogy and Family History,” a two-week course, on Thursdays, Jan. 20 and 27 from 12:30 to 2:30 p.m. This class will focus on a few simple ways to get started in the search for your ancestors. Students will learn about free, easily available resources and organizational techniques in order to get started on this very interesting pursuit, including the Orcas Island Library’s database, Ancestry.com. Please bring a laptop computer if you have one, your Orcas Island Library card, and the full name of a United States relative living between 1920 and 1930 for research purposes. Class size is limited to 10 students and the fee is $15.

Please come to the library to sign up for these classes, questions can be directed to Kathy Lunde, Public Services Librarian, 376-4985.