At the Library 10/1/26

 Quilt Walk Returns to the Community

    by LeAnn Kunz

The Washington Public Library Quilt Walk returns this week, offering three days of beautiful quilt displays and fiber art exhibits throughout the community. After two successful Quilt Walks held during Fiber Arts February, this year's event will take place on October 1, 2, and 3, taking advantage of Iowa's pleasant autumn weather.

Participants can pick up a map and explore the exhibits at their own pace, visiting locations in any order:

• Washington Public Library, 115 W. Washington Street
• United Presbyterian Church, 209 E. Main Street
• United Methodist Church, 206 W. 2nd Street
• Art Domestique, 118 S. Iowa Avenue

At the churches, visitors will have the opportunity to view more than 80 quilts created by talented community artists. Art Domestique's display window will feature stunning works by Mary Kaye Hymes.

The Washington Public Library will showcase the quilts of Carol Moellers in both the Helen Wilson Gallery and the Art Underground Gallery. With more than 20 years of experience as a professional quiltmaker and pattern designer, Carol has been published in McCall's Quilting, Quilter's Newsletter, and Sew Iowa. She has earned multiple awards at AQS, IQF Houston, Road to California, and Iowa and Minnesota state quilt shows, and she designs for prominent fabric and pattern companies.

Exhibit hours are:

• October 1: 5:00-7:00 p.m.
• October 2: 9:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m.
• October 3: 9:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m.

Whether you bring a friend or a vanload of fellow quilt enthusiasts, this community celebration of fiber arts promises to be a memorable autumn experience.

At the Library 9/17/26

Adult Services Position Opens at the WPL

by Tammy Valentine

The Washington Public Library is overflowing with a wide variety of materials and services that get used every single day. Some of the most used services include our remote printing servicecalled Princh, our free scan-to-email service, and our faxing ability which only costs $1.00 per page.These services help those needing prints for their job interviews, copies insurance paperwork, or to print a picture of their grandchild. When we hand over prints to our patrons, and they thank us with tears in their eyes because they didn’t know how to print something, we know we have done well by our patrons. Patrons may also need to scan forms into their email, which is available here for free. Some agencies require documents sent via fax instead of email, which we do here for so many people. When a fax is sent and received, and the patron receives their confirmation page, they really have a sigh of relief knowing the job has been completed successfully.

Our library has certainly shown love for the arts, with monthly concerts, ongoing art exhibits, and regular programs like Fiber Arts February and the Washington Writers Workshop. The concerts will sometimes see over 40 patrons attend, with performances by local schools and musicians from all over Iowa. People from other communities make a point to come in to see our art exhibits, which change regularly. These exhibits include artists from Iowa, along with Fiber Arts February exhibits which can include a quilt walk in October. The Washington Writers Workshop, led by LeAnn, attracts many writers from all over Iowa to come and work with our local writers.

One of our biggest additions, the Make IT Place, has become a gathering center for crafters, potters, and those who are learning to sew. The people attending programs have become patrons we see regularly and have even become our friends, which is really the purpose of this wonderful space.

I can’t say enough good things about our library, as I am leaving the library, opening it up for another person to put their unique stamp on the Adult Services Librarian position. I have learned so many skills and created special, lifelong relationships with co-workers and patrons. I especially want to thank my director, Cary Ann Siegfried, who has mentored me, giving me excellent guidance at every turn, and being the role model of someone I aspire to emulate.

As I have always said, I am the luckiest girl in the world.

At the Library 9/10/26

Welcome to the PlayIT Place!

By Alison Greiner

We’re excited to introduce a new space at the Washington Free Public Library designed especially for our youngest visitors—the PlayIT Place!

PlayIT Place is a free early childhood play space for children ages 0–5 and their caregivers. We created this space because we know that play is an important part of how young children learn and grow. Through pretending, building, climbing, creating, and exploring, children are developing language, motor skills, problem-solving abilities, social skills, and imagination.

And what better place for that than the library?

How does PlayIT Place work?

Bringing your child to PlayIT Place is easy! No registration is required. Families can visit during the library’s regular hours and enjoy the space whenever it is open.

When you arrive, simply stop at the library’s front desk. A staff member will have you complete the PlayIT Place User Agreement and Liability Waiver before your child plays. Once your family has completed the waiver, you’ll be ready to enjoy the space on future visits.

PlayIT Place is designed for children birth through age 5, and a parent, guardian, or other responsible adult must remain with and supervise children while they play. The space is intended to be a place for children and caregivers to explore together—not a drop-off childcare area.

Come play, explore, and imagine!

Inside PlayIT Place, children will find opportunities for imaginative play, movement, hands-on exploration, and creativity. Whether your child wants to pretend, build something, explore the light wall, practice climbing and coordination, or simply play beside another child, there is something for them to discover.

We hope families will think of PlayIT Place as another part of what makes the library theirs. You can come for a story, choose some books, spend a little time playing, and head home—or make the library part of your regular routine.

There is no right way to play, and there is no expectation that your child will accomplish anything while they’re here. Just come, explore, and let your child play.

We can’t wait to see you in the PlayIT Place!