At the Library 4/2/26

Join Us For an Evening of History

(registration opens April 1st)

By Beth L Swift

114 years later…

Titanic: A Night To Remember (2026)

BACK BY POPULAR DEMAND

Step aboard the RMS Titanic for an unforgettable evening of history, elegance and drama.       At Titanic: A Night To Remember, guests will have drawn the name of an actual Titanic passenger after registering.  The evening will unfold based on your person's identity through a specially prepared meal based on your assigned class.  

First-Class guests will indulge in the finest fare while Second Class Passengers enjoy a menu based on the middle class experience.  Third-Class Travelers will partake in a more humble meal representing a simple but satisfying fare of steerage passengers.

Dress the part to fully immerse yourself in the era if you wish.  Engage in period-appropriate conversation and interact with fellow passengers while you step back in time to one of history's most famous voyages.  Perhaps some well-known passengers will be sitting at your assigned table.

From 6:00pm-6:45pm - social hour:

• Be welcomed aboard by the Captain before he goes down with the ship!

• Listen to live, authentic period music led by Randy Swift and his entourage.

• Enjoy some light refreshments

• Mingle with the other passengers

From 6:45pm - 7:00pm - dining room seating:

• find your table

• be seated

• dinner conversation

From 7:00pm - 7:30 - DINNER     

• Welcome

• enjoy your fare

• enjoy dinner conversation

From 7:30pm - 7:45 - Dessert and….

• enjoy a short presentation from Clyde Pearce as he pre
  sents The Iowa Ties to the Titanic

This is a free event, limited to 50 participants. This is an adult-only program.

After registering, please stop at the WPL in person on or after April 1st to draw the name of your Titanic persona(s).  

*This year, you and your partner may draw as a couple!  Please specify at the desk if you are drawing as a couple!

Register at : www.washington.lib.ia.us/events 

See you soon…for a while anyway.

At the Library 3/26/26

 Sharing and Growing Freely @ Your WPL

By LeAnn Kunz

Spring means gardening, and there’s nothing more rewarding than dreaming, planning, and planting as the soil begins to warm. At WPL, we’re here to help you dig in!. Our shelves are full of resources—from planning your plot to starting seeds—that can guide you toward a thriving garden.

Because sharing is at the heart of the public library, we don’t just offer books. We also share seeds to support the community of gardeners (and soon‑to‑be gardeners!) across Washington County.

Our Seed Exchange Library is always accepting donations to share with the community. Each year, we encourage gardeners to plant seeds, grow heathy plants, and then harvest seeds for the following season. As you enjoy your garden, we hope you’ll consider donating some of your harvested seeds to help others grow, too.

Sharing seeds is a wonderful way to support gardening—whether someone is a seasoned grower or just getting started. And harvesting seed is easier than many people think. For example, I plant zinnias every year from seeds I collect myself. By autumn, most of the flower heads dry naturally on the stems. I simply snip them off. I also cut blossoms that haven’t dried yet and let them dehydrate in the sun. All of these go into a dry container that I store in a cool cupboard. In spring (or sometimes earlier), I pull the dried blossoms apart to reveal seeds ready for planting. As long as you harvest mature seeds, dry them well, and store them properly, you can become a regular seed saver. You might even find the process addictive.

With your generosity, our WPL Seed Exchange Library can continue to share seeds throughout Washington County. We welcome store‑bought or home‑harvested seeds, in packets or in bulk, ornamentals or edibles. And while you’re here, you might discover a seed treasure for your own dream garden. Let’s share and grow freely together.

At the Library 03/26/25

Lovely People in Every Library

by Tammy Valentine

Do you know someone special? What is it about them that makes you feel so good when you
meet them? What good deeds occur because of them on a daily basis? Let me share with you
a story.

I help manage the library’s interlibrary loans for our patrons. Patrons request books and I put it
into the system and wait for them to arrive, so I can process the items for patrons to retrieve.
That sounds so procedural, doesn’t it? A couple of weeks ago I got a phone call from a library that had sent us one of their books. When they had gotten it back and processed it they found a bookmark that had mistakenly been left inside it.

The director of the lending library called me to let me know about the bookmark and said she
would return it within our delivery system. I thanked her and when I hung up I started the
search for the patron that had borrowed the book. When I discovered who it was I was so
happy because this particular patron has a lovely sentimental streak, finding joy in small things.
She is so kind to the library staff, “grateful to us for how we spoil her.” She doesn’t understand
that SHE is what makes our job so wonderful. My email to the library director let her know how
happy my patron will be when she has the bookmark returned to her, which “made her day.”
A week or two later, I received the delivery and found this most special bookmark. I got very
excited about being able to return it to our patron, so when came in she came to the library to
pick up her books I told her there was a surprise in the package.

Her message back to me brought tears to my eyes. This particular bookmark had been made
for her by her daughter and it certainly was most special to her. “…please let her know my
appreciation. I had not realized there were beautiful people in other libraries in the state, but I
should have known.”

Lovely people are found everywhere.

At the Library 3/12/26

Plant a Seed, Read:

Summer Reading is Growing at the Library

by Alison Greiner

Summer might still be a few months away, but planning is already in full swing at the Washington Public Library! Jenisa and I are excited to begin preparing for this year’s Summer Reading Program, “Plant a Seed, Read.” The theme celebrates growth, curiosity, and the wonderful things that can happen when young readers plant the seeds of imagination through books.

Recently, we had the opportunity to attend the Summer Reading Club Summit at the Coralville Public Library. The event was led by the State Library of Iowa and brought together children’s librarians from across our region. It was a wonderful morning filled with ideas, collaboration, and inspiration.

One of the highlights was hearing from a speaker from the Iowa State Extension Office, who shared ways local extension offices can partner with libraries. They offer creative program ideas, hands-on activities, and even curriculum support that can help make summer programs even more engaging for kids and families. We’re excited about the possibilities this partnership could bring to our library programs.

Another valuable part of the summit was the chance to connect with other children’s librarians from around our area. It’s always energizing to share ideas, talk about what works in our communities, and learn new ways to make summer reading fun and meaningful for families.

Jenisa and I truly love what we do, and the Summer Reading Program is our favorite time of year. Watching kids discover new books, participate in activities, and celebrate reading all summer long is one of the most rewarding parts of our work.

Registration for the Summer Reading Program will open in May, but until then we will be busy planning programs, gathering materials, and preparing for a fantastic summer at the library.

If you’d like to learn more, keep an eye out for us at this year’s Kidz Fest in Central Park, where we’ll have a table and share information about all the exciting things coming up.

We can’t wait to grow, read, and learn together this summer!