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.