At the Library 5/22/25

by Tammy Valentine

Summer Book Clubs for Adults

    Working at the library has the benefit of being able to use my personal interests in my job, one of which is reading, what a surprise.  As a lifelong reader one of my favorite things to do at the library is to host book clubs. Book clubs have all the best things including books, good friends, and great conversations. This will not change but we will be aligning with the Summer Reading Club slogan of Level Up!   

    Bookish people love to talk about books, read books set in libraries, and books with characters who read.  So the book clubs will include information on how fiction is categorized by genre and how nonfiction fits into the Dewey Decimal System. I hope you will enjoy them. Instead of adding book clubs I am transitioning the current ones into something just a little bit different.  The What are you reading? Book Club has been a lot of fun, sharing what each of us has been reading, our favorite authors, and what is in our to-be-read pile.  This book club is now transitioning to Books & Banter!  We will still have the show-and-tell structure but now we will read within a specific genre.  And we will learn about that genre, along with the subgenres in that category.  During the summer we will read Romance!  But each month will be a specific subgenre of Romance.  

The Bite Size Business Book Club was very interesting, to say the least.  It has given us so much information on improving our work skills, productivity, leadership, and communication. But we are ready for a change. The Bite Size Book Club is transitioning to Fact Finders Book Club!  We will be reading through the Dewey Decimal System, one class at a time.  A sidenote: when I first started working at the library I loved walking the stacks in the nonfiction.  The world was right there, at my fingertips, ready for me to dive in.  And now you can come with me!

Of course, there is still the Sci-Fi Book Club, without changes!  The June title is Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? This book inspired the movie, Blade Runner.  I already read (audiobook) it and found it very interesting.  Level up your lit by giving this a try! 

Last but not least, is the Summer Reading Challenge for adults of all ages.  I challenge you to read at least 1,500 pages between June 1st and July 31st.  Contact the library to sign up.

Don’t forget, the Summer Reading Club for adults  is called Level Up Your Lit!  You can register by calling the library or online. 

At the Library 5/15/25

 Job Shadowing at the Washington Public Library

by Maci Baker

I have never been one for meeting new people. Something about it has always put me on edge and going to the Washington Public Library for a job shadow was no different. Walking in, I didn't know what to do or who I should talk to. I had never done something like this before. The staff were very nice, and I was quickly introduced to the director, Carry Ann. She had a way of putting my nerves at ease as we talked, and as she gave me a tour of the building. Now I know you may be thinking that “it’s just a library. There isn't that much to see or do,” but you'd be wrong. From clay and strings to making your own crafts, they have just a little of everything.
I found out they have pottery classes they offer, as well as 3D printers, a Cricut, art of all kinds, and so much more. They offer many different events that people can attend, like the Titanic dinner, Dungeons and Dragons, reading programs for kids, movie nights, concerts, writers workshops, sticks and strings–and the list is always growing. I was able to observe what some of these programs did, and I was even allowed to help plan future events like the K-2 summer reading program they host. 

Throughout my time there, I was given the opportunity to learn how to catalog books, learn the system they use, and even look at some of the books that were donated when the library first opened. For a little bit every day, I worked on marking all the books in the young adult sections. The goal of the library was to mark all the books based on genre. Each genre would be given a different colored tape. After making all the books, they would like to move them so that all the romance is together in one place and all the fantasy is all in one place. 

During this time I was also able to observe some programs for younger kids, like the Lego Club. This is an after-school program that encourages creativity and problem-solving. The other program I got to see was the reading program. This was for a younger audience of kids who don't know how to read quite yet. They did all sorts of things, from dancing and singing to playing.

This was my time at the Washington Public Library. I would like to give a special thanks to Carry Ann and the rest of the staff for not only giving me the opportunity to learn about the job but also igniting a new appreciation for libraries all over.

At the Library

The WPL Has Lots of Opportunities to Help Parents Read Early to Young Children

 

by Alison Greiner

Research has shown that reading to children at a young age has many benefits. Beyond using that time as an opportunity to bond with your child, it also positively impacts their cognitive development and emotional skills while also fostering their creativity and imagination. We are fortunate to offer two programs at our library designed to support parents when choosing books that reinforce these skills and encourage children to love reading at a young age. 

The first program I would like to highlight is one we have had in our library for nearly three years.  It is called "1000 Books Before Kindergarten".  This program encourages parents and young children to work towards the goal of reading 1000 books before they are in Kindergarten.  Prizes and incentives are offered at various milestones as the children read their way to the  1000 books goal.  Once they have read 1000 books, they will have their picture taken and displayed in the children's section at the library.  They also choose a book in the children's section, and a label is placed inside with their name to honor their accomplishment. 

 

Another benefit of this program is the ease it offers parents when choosing books for their children.  While the children can read any book to earn 1000, the library has pre-filled backpacks with 10 books in each backpack.  Each backpack has a different theme, and the books are all centered around that theme.  The books were also carefully compiled and are some of the best children's books.  These backpacks are a quick and easy way to choose books and keep their child on track to earning their goal.

Recently, we have started offering another program for children called Dolly Parton's Imagination Library.  Once parents sign their child up for this program, their child will receive a free book each month until age five from the Imagination Library sent directly to their home.  The Dolly Parton Foundation created this program because of her desire to inspire all kids to read.  If you want to learn more about the Imagination Library, visit www.imaginationlibrary.com.  You can also sign up your child on this website if your zip code is within the sponsored area. 

The Washington Free Public Library Foundation made each of these programs possible. If you would like to learn more about the foundation and the other programs it supports, you can read about it at this link: https://www.washington.lib.ia.us/about/library-foundation-board. 

Remember, our librarians are here to answer any questions about either of these programs.  We love to encourage all children to read and love books and know this can be the best start to a lifetime of learning and enjoyment.  

At The Library 5/1/25

 Early Out Fun at Your WPL

Lego Club at Early Out Fridays

by Mia Schrock

The weather is finally warming up, and summer vacation is almost here—but not quite yet! We’ve still got a few more weeks of school, which means a few more chances to join us for our early-out programs at the library.

Every early-out Friday, we offer fun, free activities for kids in Kindergarten through 12th grade. It’s the perfect way to relax, create, or connect after a short school day!

Here’s what you might find waiting for you on a Friday afternoon:

• Tinker Lab – Dive into hands-on experiments and creative projects.

• LEGO Club – Build something amazing and let your imagination soar.

• Movie Madness – Kick back and enjoy a great movie with friends.

And that’s not all! We also host Pokémon Trading once a month on a Tuesday, open to the same age group (K–12). It’s a fun way to swap cards, meet fellow fans, and see what treasures others have in their collections. This month’s Pokémon Trading event is happening on Tuesday, May 13th—don’t miss it!

Be sure to check out our calendar, available in the library or on our website, for even more exciting programs for kids and teens. Plus, our MakeIt Space offers endless creative opportunities!

As school winds down, the library is still the place to be. Come hang out with us on early-out days—you never know what you’ll discover! And don’t forget—Summer Reading kicks off soon! Stay tuned for details!

Lego Wall in the Make IT Place

At the Library 4/24/25

Join us in the WPL Memory Lab!

by Cary Ann Siegfried

Mark Keedy talks to patrons about his project in the WPL Make IT Place

    Are some of your most precious memories of friends and family stored in plastic totes or

cardboard boxes in your basement or attic? And are these memories printed on photographic

paper that’s quickly aging or recorded on a VHS tape that has already exceeded its expected

lifespan? Maybe the pictures from your family vacations are only on slides or 8mm tape and you don’t actually have a slide or film projector anymore? The Washington Public Library Memory Lab can help!

    The Library’s Memory Lab is part of the MakeIT Place located in the lower level of the Library. The Memory Lab is a collection of equipment that can be used for converting different kinds of recordings (video and audio), pictures and documents to digital files that can be stored on a USB drive or SD card. Equipment includes an Epson Expression 13000XL flatbed scanner, a Ricoh ScanSnap SV600 overhead scanner, as well as various peripherals and software programs for digitizing video from DVD, VHS and 8mm film formats and sound from cassette tapes. To learn more about the Memory Lab equipment you can take a look at the Library’s MakeIT Place Memory Lab page. If you want more of a “hands-on” experience feel free to attend one of the Library’s quick MakeIT Place tours on Tuesdays at 5:30 or Thursdays at noon.

Most days when you visit the Memory Lab you’ll meet Mark Keedy, our volunteer Memory Lab

“expert.” Mark is a former resident of Washington and was employed as a photographer for the Washington Evening Journal (WEJ) back in the late 1970’s and early 1980’s. What started out as a moment of idle curiosity about whatever happened to the film from the days he was taking pictures for the WEJ has turned into a mission to digitize the WEJ film and negatives from 1957 to about 2004. These 50,000 or so images were fortunately safely stored (after being rescued by Mike Zahs) in the University of Iowa Library Special Collections department and are being loaned a bit at a time to WPL for digitization and cataloging.

    

    Mark’s ongoing work can be seen on the Washington Public Library Memory Lab Facebook and Instagram pages and eventually will be uploaded to Fortepan Iowa photo archive, as well as appearing in the U of I Special Collections catalog. You can see images already loaded onto Fortepan Iowa from Washington County on the Library’s web page (choose Local Photos from Washington County from the Research & Learn menu). If you’re interested in helping Mark with his work, either digitizing or researching the old photos, please fill out a volunteer application and become a Memory Lab Assistant.

    Ready to get started preserving YOUR memories? You can call the library to schedule a brief overview of the equipment you’d like to use, or make an online reservation from the Memory Lab page. The first time you visit, a library staff member or volunteer will give you a brief overview of the equipment and you can get started on your work. Keep in mind that materials that are copyrighted may not be duplicated, so that old VHS tape of The Little Mermaid or cassette tape of the Best of the 70’s isn’t a candidate for digitization!

 

At the Library

Washington Public Library's Wowbrary Newsletter Keeps Patrons Informed

By Beth L Swift 

    The Washington Public Library is making it easier than ever for locals to stay connected with all things library through its Wowbrary Newsletter. Delivered directly to your inbox every Tuesday, the newsletter keeps readers up to date on upcoming events, new book arrivals, and exciting library services 2 weeks at a time. Previously known as Constant Contact, the newsletter has become an indispensable tool for patrons seeking information on library happenings.  Patrons who were already subscribed to the previous newsletter are automatically subscribed to the newer and more updated Wowbrary newsletter.   

    Each edition is packed with details about upcoming programs, including book clubs, children's events, educational workshops, and MakeIT Place programming. Readers also get an exclusive look at the newest titles available for checkout. Some of the popular books circulating this month include I Am Yoga by Susan Verde, Some Of Us Are Looking by Carlene O’Connor, Invisible: A Graphic Novel by Christina Diaz Gonzalez and El Recluso (The Inmate) by Frieda McFadden, offering something for readers of all interests.

    For those interested in diving deeper into any of these updates or getting personalized recommendations, the library encourages patrons to reach out. You can contact the Washington Public Library at (319) 653-2726 or email them at reference@washington.lib.ia.us.

    If you haven’t signed up yet, it’s easy to receive the Wowbrary Newsletter directly to your inbox every Tuesday. Visit the library's WPL Website to subscribe and stay informed about all the fantastic opportunities and resources Washington Public Library offers.

At the Library 4/10/25

 The WPL Website
Has All the Information You Need

by LeAnn Kunz

    I am always surprised when patrons tell me they have not yet explored our website at www.washington.lib.ia.us. It is basically Grand Central Station when you are planning to board and ride the library train! Almost every question you need answered is on our website. Do we have a particular book or author? Check our website. When is the next noontime concert? Check our website. Can I learn how to use the sewing machines in the Make IT Place? Check our website.

    I have spent many years working on and maintaining our website, including transferring the entire site to an updated platform a few years ago. It was a lot of work, but quite satisfying knowing all the valuable information it contains for our community. If you start your journey on the front page you will see in the top right corner an orange box entitled "Search Catalog". Clicking on that takes you immediately to the entire WPL catalog of materials, both physical and digital. If you are like me, you can wile away hours looking for new books by favorite authors. While you are in Catalogland you can also see a list of the newest materials added within the last week and the top checkouts! 

    Next you might want to travel to the left side of the front page where  our schedule of all the program and events at the Washington Public Library is located. Click on the event you are interested in and you will see further details and sometimes a registration form. We also have colorful posters of upcoming events constantly scrolling across the page. In addition, the front page has links to Princh, our remote printing service. Here you can upload your document from anywhere, even from the comfort of your home, and have it sent to our printer. Then stop by to pick it up! Moving on you should cruise on over to two other popular links on the opening page which includes the Bridges link, our available e-books and audiobooks. Simply use the free Libby app to read or listen to materials in that collection. The other link is for exploring our Make IT Place. Clicking on that will take you on a trek through all the details on our Make IT Place and how you can learn to use our machinery, whether it be the laser engraver, cricut, memory lab, laminator, 3-D printers, or sewing machines. 

    Finally if you roam towards the bottom of the page you will see the newest book covers chugging across in a trail. You will also be able to visit our "Tell Us Your Story" podcast by clicking on the big red box on the left. Alison and I host a monthly interview with community members and our podcast is the archive for all of these wonderful stories. In turn you can head on over to the "At the Library" blog by clicking on the big blue box on the right. Each week the staff rotates writing a blog post on what is going on at the WPL. You are able to be aware of all the latest WPL news with one click of the mouse. 

    Plus, the front page is only the beginning of your excursion through our website! At the top of the front page you will see tabs of many more explorations you can take with drop-downs of side trips! The "Research & Learn" tab will lead you learning a new language through the Mango database or going back in time with the Fortepan Washington photos. "Read, Listen, & Watch" will take you to our Kanopy movie streaming service or how to get your child enrolled in the  "1000 Books Before Kindergarten" program. "Using the Library" will carry you to scheduling the use of a meeting room for your service group or teach you how to use the Interlibrary Loan service. Finally, the "About the Library" tab will give you access to read about the library staff, the library board and its agendas and minutes, our strategic plan and annual report, library history, etc. The website really is your starting point to all Libraryland has to offer you! So head on over today to www.washington.lib.ia.us and start your WPL journey.