At the Library 2/6/25

Enjoy a Blind Date With a Book!

by Jenisa Harris

    Single? In a relationship? “It’s complicated”? No matter! During the entire month of February, you can head to the Washington Public Library and have a blind date with a book! “Blind Date with a Book”, is back, and it’s not just for adults this year! Teens will have their own selection of books.

    “Blind Date with a Book” will go on the entire month of February. Just select a wrapped book from our “Blind Date with a Book” display and check it out. Take it home, unwrap it, and enjoy! If you don’t like the book, simply return it to the library. Its feelings won’t be hurt. These books are specially chosen by the library staff as being particularly deserving of a date with a willing reader. From romance, nonfiction, mystery, history, or out of this world fantasy! Inside the cover of each book will be a “Rate-your-Date” card for you to fill out after you are finished reading your book. You can tell us if your “Blind Date with a Book” swept you off of your feet, was love at first sight, or a total dud. After you fill out your “Rate-your-Date” card make sure you drop it in the Blind Date with a Book box that will be at the front desk of the Library. The more books you read and the more “Rate-your-Date” cards you fill out and turn in the more chances you have of winning a sweet treat! At the end of the month we will draw one of the “Rate-your-Date” cards and that lucky patron will win!

    So stop by the Washington Public Library the month of February and you might fall in love with literature.

At the Library 1/30/25

 A Whole Lot of HOOPLA at Your Washington Public Library!

by LeAnn Kunz

Hoopla hoops at the WPL

    What is all the HOOPLA about? Well, Fiber Arts February 2025 is about to launch and the largest piece that has ever been created by the Washington fiber art community is now installed at the Washington Public Library! Hoopla is 81 individual hoop art pieces by 18 fiber artists joined into one piece in the skylight area. There are also hoops installed on the skylight walls and on the second level windows. It is grand and colorful and carries the spirit of Fiber Arts February. It is also a dream come true for me. Stop by and visit it during the month of February and beyond.

    Our annual celebration is filled with exhibits this year. The Cedar Valley Chapter of the Embroiders Guild of America is showing off their exquisite works of embroidery in This is What We Do and You Can, Too! The display is presented in the foyer cabinet when you enter the library. Next, head upstairs to the second level to view Comfort Me, an exhibit of community quilts in the Helen Wilson Gallery. You can also see the Clever Little Books display in the small cabinet and Scales & Tails in the larger cabinets. The book display is creations made by participants in a January workshop and includes handmade books by our instructor Mary Patterson. The Scales & Tails display is a partnership between the WPL and PAWS & More to encourage pet adoption. Kids (1-10 years) can adopt one of the fiber pets in the exhibit and also learn about real pet adoption. Finally, take a trip to the lower level of the library to Art Underground to view two magnificent macrame exhibits. Mary Maxted is showing Tied Together: The Beauty of Mary’s Macrame Creations and Natali Miller from Nat’s Knots is showing Modern Macrame.   

    The library is able to offer some fun, festive, free programs with the support of our Washington Public Library Foundation and our partnerships with Art Domestique and Studio on the Square. We kick off the month with a three-part class in the Make IT Place. Quilt Block Sewing with Jean Frazer will be offered on February 5, 6, 7 from 5-6:30  pm. In these three free sessions, Jean will take you through the cutting out and sewing together of a quilt block. We have six spots available and you may register on the events calendar at  www.washington.lib.ia.us. You will also find the list of supplies needed there.

    On Friday, February 7 at noon the Sticks & Strings group will meet for some fellowship and time to work and share current fiber art projects. We will also have our potholder looms out and loop supplies to create your own free potholder. 

    Our partnership with Art Domestique this year includes a fantastic quilt display by artist Marykay Hymes at their gallery as well as a presentation on Thursday, February 13 at 3:30 pm. Marykay will give A Journey of 10,000 Stitches presentation and a gallery walk afterwards. This is also the perfect way to start our planned Fiber Arts February Quilt Walk. The Quilt Walk will run Thursday, February 13 from 4-7 pm, Friday, February 14 from 10 am to 5 pm, and Saturday, February 15 from 10 am to 1 pm. Participants can proceed from the United Presbyterian Church (209 E. Main St.) to Art Domestique (118 S. Iowa Ave.) to the Washington Public Library (115 W. Washington St.) to view many community quilts and the quilt art of Marykay Hymnes. Pick up a ticket to get punched at all locations to win a free quilt!

    Our ever-popular Recycled Runway will be offered to 5th-12th graders again. On Friday, February 14 at 1 pm, students can come create their own fashion piece with recycled books, magazines, newspapers, tape, string, etc. They always make something wonderful and often wearable!

    Our partnership with Studio on the Square will offer two free workshop opportunities. Nancy Albert and June Henderson will give a Dreamcatchers Workshop on Wednesday, February 19 at 4 pm and Sunday, February 23 at 1 pm. There are ten spots available in each class and all supplies are provided. Register on the events calendar at www.washington.lib.ia.us. Note that the studio is upstairs at 106 1/2 W. Main St.

    Kids can come and learn the art of potholder weaving on Friday, February 28 at 1:45 pm. Our Friyay Funday activity will give kids the opportunity to learn the skill of weaving and they will go home with a potholder they create.

    Fiber Arts February is possible only with the help of those in our community and surrounding communities who have a love for fiber and textiles and are willing to share their talents and pieces. Call 319-653-2726 if you have any questions and I hope you will come out and enjoy the many opportunities to celebrate Fiber Arts February 2025 with us!

Part of the Hoopla Helpers crew who installed
the massive piece. Nancy Albert, LeAnn Kunz, 
Carol Ray. Not pictured Debi Hanson and Erin Kaye.

View looking up at Hoopla

At the Library 1/23/24

Ready for a little friendly competition and fun?

    

The Washington Free Public Library Foundation has recently opened team registration for their very first Spelling Bee Competition! If the memory of your whole class at school staring at you as you tried to spell “LIBRARY” out loud at your fifth grade Spelling Bee still haunts you, don’t worry-- this isn’t “that kind” of Spelling Bee! 

    The WFPL Foundation Spelling Bee is open to teams of 3-5 people ages 10 and up. Teams can be formed by families, schools, businesses, friends or civic groups (The Washington Lion’s Club has already committed to a team—they’re challenging the Kiwanis and Rotary groups to join in!). In the first few rounds of the competition, teams will collaborate on spelling sets of words given to them by the judges. Words will be written and submitted to the judges for scoring. Top scoring teams will be determined by performance on the written words and then each team will put forth their best speller to face off against the other top teams in more of a “traditional” spelling bee format. Registration for the Bee is $25 for adults and $10 for children. Winning teams will receive Chamber Bucks, MakeIT Place Money and trophies! 

    One team member can register the whole team under their email by clicking HERE. The registering team member will add the names of the rest of the team by clicking on the “Add Attendee” button. Registration fees can be paid at the library by cash or check. 

    Refreshments will be provided by Halcyon House and a silent auction will be open for bids from event participants and spectators. Since the proceeds of the event will go toward support of the MakeIT Place, the library’s new makerspace, the silent auction will feature creative work by local artists as well as items that inspire or support the creative process (chocolate, maybe? Wine?) 

    You didn’t know about the WFPL Foundation? Then this is a great time to find out more! The WFPL Foundation is currently made up of a 10-member Board of Directors that meets together on a quarterly basis, though in reality, they actually spend a lot more time than that working on the Library’s behalf. As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation, they are dedicated to financial assistance, innovative leadership, and advocacy to enhance and support the services and programs of Washington Free Public Library. 

    The WFPLF has in the past and will continue to offer opportunities for the Library to provide programming and services that would not otherwise be possible. The MakeIT Place is the most recent project supported by the WFPLF. Ongoing and past project include the Library’s 1000 Books Before Kindergarten program, the Library’s noon concert series and art collection, funding for most of the Library’s digital collection including eBooks and eAudiobooks on Libby, the Kanopy streaming video service and Mango Languages language learning service. And of course, we would not have this beautiful 30,000 square foot library facility (the envy of other communities our size!) if it were not for the vision and the fundraising efforts of the WFPLF! 

    Donations to the WFPLF can be made in a number of ways: Checks made out to WFPLF can be mailed to or dropped off at the Library (115 W. Washington St). In addition, gifts can be made online through the foundation’s online giving platform, Givebutter (https://givebutter.com/JfwpwS) You can also support the WFPLF by getting your Spelling Bee team together and joining us on February 20! If you’re a local artist or crafter we would love to be able to include your work in the silent auction!

    We appreciate the work of our Foundation Board of Directors so much! THANK YOU to Doug McBride, Ed Lins, Brooke Hanson, Al Larios-Hernandez, Patty Stutzman, Mike Moore, Tamera Alexander, Alisha Davis, Heather Marek and Sally Hart!

At the Library 1/16/25

WPL Offers Free Program for Teen Mindfulness

by Mia Schrock

The start of a new year is when everyone sets big goals. It could go one of two ways: You could stick with your goal and build a new positive habit, or you might start strong but lose track after a month or two. Goals can feel overwhelming and stressful, but if one of your goals is to reduce stress and be more mindful, we’ve got the perfect program for you.

Let’s face it—being a teen is tough. Between school, homework, friendships, extracurriculars, and figuring out who you are, it’s easy to feel totally overwhelmed. If you’re struggling with stress or anxiety, or just want to feel more in control, Mindful Teen is here for you. This program is all about learning simple mindfulness tools to help you stay calm, focus better, and handle whatever life throws your way—without losing your cool.

Mindfulness isn’t just for teens, though—it's a tool used by people of all ages, from kids to adults, to reduce stress and improve emotional well-being. The best part? It's easy to learn and can be practiced anywhere!

Mindfulness is about more than just relaxation. It’s about learning to be aware of your thoughts and emotions, so you can make better decisions and feel more grounded, no matter what’s going on around you. Whether you're dealing with a tough class, a stressful relationship, or just the daily pressures of life, mindfulness helps you approach things with clarity and balance.

Life as a teen means juggling a lot of things at once. Mindfulness won’t change who you are—it’ll teach you how to be present, focused, and calm when you need it the most.

Whether you want to manage your emotions, do better in school, or just reduce your stress, Mindful Teen can help. It’s a program where you’ll learn to manage your mind and feel more connected to yourself and those around you.

Ready to start something that actually works? Sign up for Mindful Teen and begin building your mental resilience today!

At the Library 1/9/25

 

WPL is Celebrating the Art of Handwriting and Handmade Books

by LeAnn Kunz

Old inkwell and handwritten letters
from the collection of Mary Patterson

    During the month of January, the WPL is celebrating the art of handwriting and handmade books. Over the centuries handwriting has evolved from hieroglyphics by ancient civilizations, to Caroligian and Gothic miniscule script done by medieval scribes, to a variety of styles such as the Zaner-Bloser printing method and the Palmer cursive method still taught in schools today. There is research that shows the many benefits of handwriting including improved memory, enriched creativity, enhanced cognitive development and motor skills, as well as stress relief. So, although we live in a world where typing is dominantly used in our communications, it is important that we retain and use our handwriting skills.

    One of the programs we are starting this month is a Community Calligraphy Club that will meet regularly on Tuesdays at 2 pm.  Calligraphy is an artistic form of handwriting using pens and ink to create various line thickness and special flourishes. This club will be mostly self-directed however, the library will be showing some tutorial videos and will provide paper and pens for use in-house. If you are 12 and up and interested in working side-by-side with other beginners and experienced calligraphers, you can register on our January events calendar or call the library at 319-653-2726.

Star Book that participants will learn to make
during the Clever Little Books workshop.

    The library will also be hosting the workshop Clever Little Books taught by Mary Patterson on Saturday, January 25 at 10 am. In this class, we’ll look at a variety of small handmade books and you’ll create two of your own. No stitching is needed to assemble these fun and simple books. Adults can register on our January events calendar or call the library. If you would like to see an example of some of these delightful handmade books, we have an exhibit of Mary’s creations in the 2^nd level cabinet display.

    We are also showing off some of the library’s collection of books to further your knowledge on handwriting. The 1st floor book display focuses on calligraphy and letters and the 2nd floor book display focuses on journals and diaries. They are all available for checkout.

    Finally, our foyer cabinet will be holding an exhibit that salutes letter writing. Several patrons have contributed old, handwritten letters and paraphernalia. Stop by and take some time to enjoy it. We hope that these free opportunities at your WPL will inspire you to pick up pen and paper in the 2025 and perhaps rediscover the joy in the handwritten word.