In the West, rats are not exactly appealing animals. But in Chinese astrology, they represent the first sign of the zodiac, and 2020 is dedicated to that sign. The Year of the Rat begins on the Lunar New Year, January 25, 2020. And with the help of the Chinese Redwood Empire Association, local libraries will celebrate it with cultural dances, martial arts, calligraphy demos, and more. The Central Santa Rosa Library in Santa Rosa will hold its Lunar New Year celebration on January 11, 2–3:30 p.m., while the Rohnert Park Regional Library in Rohnert Park will hold its event on January 18, 11 a.m.–12:30 p.m. Meanwhile, the soiree of the Sebastopol Regional Library in Sebastopol will be held on February 15, 2–3:30 p.m. For more information, go to sonomacounty.libcal.com.