At the Library 7/3/25

Summer Reading Club @ the WPL

by Alison Greiner

    We have had a great start to our summer reading program so far this June!   Jenisa and I always enjoy seeing the plans we've been making all year for summer reading come to life.  It is truly our passion to make reading enjoyable and fun for kids and families.  We love seeing the smiles, fun, and connections that families create while spending time at our library programs.

    The library offers reading groups for all ages.  The youngest groups meet every Wednesday.  Babies and toddlers attend Wee Read from 10:00 to 10:30 am with their caregivers.  Wee Read is a storytime that incorporates music, movement, scarves, and shaky eggs.  This year-round program is an excellent way to introduce literacy skills to our youngest patrons.  

    After Wee Read, our next group starts at 10:30. This program is for children who have attended preschool but have not yet entered Kindergarten. Beyond the Book is similar to Wee Read, but it takes place in a classroom setting.  The children can answer questions and express ideas about the stories we read.  It's also an excellent way to reinforce the reading and behavior skills students worked on during the school year while enjoying storytime with friends.   

    The Kindergarten through second-grade children meet on Mondays from 10:00 until 11.  Each week, we have a different topic.  They listen to a story about the topic, and then we have activities for the remainder of the time.  We enjoyed listening to Samantha Jamison from the Country Extension Office teach about Coding Across Iowa.  We have done some coding with our Bee-Bot Robots and have also learned all about ants!  

    Students in grades 3 through 5 have scheduled activities that vary throughout the summer.  So far this June, they have enjoyed painting bubbles with watercolor, making buttons, and fishing at Marr Park.  It was a little rainy on the fishing outing, but I think all would agree the rain made it even more fun!

    Our teens have enjoyed making buttons, Make-IT Monday, and a Bob Ross Paint Along.  Adults can participate in various book clubs.  All ages, including adults, are invited to track the number of pages they read for our reading challenge.  We are hoping each person can read 750 pages.  Our combined total goal for the end of the summer is 200,000 pages, and we are well on our way!  

    If you would like to join us for any part of the summer reading program, there is still time!  If you have any questions, please stop in or call us at the library.

At the Library 6/26/25

 Level Up this Summer at the Washington Public Library!

Will Vittetoe and Jenisa Harris fishing
at Marr Park SRC event

by Jenisa Harris

    Summer is here, and that means it’s time for long, lazy days filled with adventure, exploration, and the joy of reading! This year, our local library is rolling out an exciting Summer Reading Program that promises to engage readers of all ages with fun, free events and a thrilling reading challenge—our goal is to read a combined total of 200,000 pages by the end of July!

    Download the Beanstack Reading Tracker to your computer or mobile device (if you don’t want to track online you can pick up a reading log at the Library).  A parent can create an account and then complete registrations for each child in the family. If you finish your reading challenge by July 31st you will qualify for a prize!  

Pick up a calendar of events at the library or download it from our website at www.washington.lib.ia.us. Some programs require registration, so you’ll want to register soon to make sure you’re able to attend. Other programs are open to all and don’t require registration. 

Join us for our free family events:

Saturday, June 28 @ 10am Cold Blooded Redhead, Library meeting rooms

Wednesday, July 9 @ 1:00 Movie Madness, Library meeting rooms

Friday, July 11 @ 1:00 LEGO Club, Library meeting rooms

Wednesday, July 23 @ 4:00 Pokémon Trading Card, library meeting rooms

Saturday, July 26 @ 10am Foam Zone at Central Park

Monday, July 29 at 10am, Dino Dimensions at Central Park Stage

Magician Makayla Oz, Jaxson and Lawson Harris at SRC event

    So, what are you waiting for? Fill your summer with good books, fun programs, and a summer reading challenge!

Annabel Septer at Make IT Monday event

At the Library 6/19/25

 Closing a Chapter at the Library

by Mia Schrock

    As I write my final At the Library article, I want to begin with a heartfelt thank you.

Thank you to all the wonderful staff I’ve had the privilege of working with over the past

three and a half years. I started this journey as a 14-year-old freshman in high school,

just a kid with her very first job. Now, as I prepare to head off to college, I carry with me

not only incredible memories but also the experience of a lifetime.

    I’m endlessly grateful to the library team who supported me, taught me, and

made this place feel like a second home. Over the years, I’ve grown in ways I never

expected, gaining confidence, communication skills, and a deeper appreciation for what

libraries truly offer. I didn’t expect to find my best friend here, but the library has a way of

bringing people together. Everyone is kind, welcoming, and always ready to help. What

began as little sticky notes on our boxes turned into conversations while shelving, and

eventually into hanging out after work and spending weekends together.

    That’s what makes the library so special: it’s more than just books. It’s a

community space where people of all ages connect, learn, grow, and sometimes even

find lifelong friends. Whether you’re coming in for a quiet place to study, a fun event, or

just to browse, there’s always something (or someone) worth discovering at your local

library.

    To anyone thinking about working at the library, whether you're a student looking

for a first job or someone simply curious about getting involved, do it. You’ll gain more

than just work experience. You'll learn valuable skills, meet amazing people, and

become part of something truly meaningful. The library is a place where stories live, and

I’m so lucky that part of my own story was written here.

    Thank you to everyone who made these past few years unforgettable. I’ll miss

this chapter, but I know the library will continue to inspire new ones for so many others.

At the Library 6/12/25

 Happy Birthday to the MakeIT Place!!!

by Cary Ann Siegfried

Make IT Place Opened Last June

    On June 11, 2024, the Grand Opening of the MakeIT Place was held! A lot has happened in the last year and we’ve enjoyed watching our community learn and grow in so many ways.

Since we opened the MakeIT Place:

 159 library patrons have become certified users of one of the MakeIT Place areas

 MakeIT Place program attendance totals 1,082

 MakeIT Place users have made reservations for 1,701 hours of use

    What’s in store for NEXT year?

Pottery Class in the Make IT Place

    Be sure to attend the MakeIT Place Birthday Open House on June 14 between 10 and 3 during Ignite the Arts Weekend here in Washington. You can create a quilted or paper bookmark on the sewing machines, cut out a flower on the Cricut, engrave a wooden bookmark on the Glowforge, do a drop-in recording in our recording studio, or watch demos on pottery, 3-D printing, and the memory lab. 

    In July, we’ll be purchasing an additional pottery wheel so that we’ll have a total of four wheels. We’ve found that often our pottery users like to “bring a friend” so having an even number of wheels will helpfacilitate that. In addition, users will find that the cost of our pottery classes will be decreasing, thanks to the generosity of the Washington Free Public Library Foundation. Our goal is to try to get as many people certified in wheel use as possible. After a user is certified, the only cost for pottery users is to purchase clay, glazing and firing ($2.50/lb of clay). We realize that the $50/class cost (which covers our instructor cost, clay and glaze) can be prohibitive for some so we hope this will allow for more users to participate.

    The Memory Lab will be expanding equipment thanks to the grant from the Washington County Riverboat Foundation. While much of the equipment purchased with the grant will assist with the Washington Evening Journal project, this equipment, which will make scanning slides and film much more efficient, will also be available for certified Memory Lab users with the appropriate training. We look forward to beginning to upload the WEJ images to the FortePan Iowa site.

Mark Keedy talks about the Memory Lab to patrons

    Be on the lookout for our MakeIT Place Improvements survey. We’d love to have continuing feedback from the community on what additional classes we can offer, as well as what other equipment could be added in the future. Tell us what YOU want to make!