At the Library 10/2/25

Generations of Mystery

by Marissa Reisen

Marissa Reisen's Nancy Drew collection

You’ll see a new face behind the desk when you stop at the library of a weekday evening (mine!) and I’ve been given the opportunity to share a little about my love of reading with you all today. I got to help refresh the puzzle selection last week and in conversation about puzzles shared that I have some sentimental puzzles in my collection – one of them made up of the covers from Nancy Drew books. And then I went on a tangent about Nancy Drew!

I received my first Nancy Drew book in 1992. Yes, I know that for sure, because my great-grandma (Granny) gifted it to me on my birthday, with the dedication inside the cover to prove it. I didn’t know it then, but Granny would influence my future with “The Secret of the Old Clock.” (Not today’s story, but my original career path was into the world of forensic science). What I also didn’t realize was that this was A THING for her. Years down the road, as we were packing up my grandma’s belongings to downsize her home, I found Nancy Drew books in her collection. They didn’t look like my books – they had faded blue covers with no picture, and if you were to compare the story itself, they wouldn’t be exactly the same, as the original books were modified years later to be accurate to the current time period. But one of Grandma’s books had a dedication from Granny as well, and as we dug further, we found books that Granny had gifted to Mom and my aunt with similar dedications. My mom has gifted both of my daughters Nancy Drew books to carry on the custom.

Now, all of these books grace the shelves in my home as a symbol of family and tradition. And good old-fashioned mystery!

Fun facts about Nancy Drew

- Over 600 Nancy Drew books have been published over the years! The first 3 were published in April of 1930.

- All Nancy Drew books are “authored” by Carolyn Keene, which is a pseudonym. At least 30 authors have penned under this name.

- The original author, Mildred Augustine, has Iowa roots! She was from Ladora and attended the State University of Iowa, where she was the first woman to graduate from the school of journalism and the first person to receive a master’s in journalism from there.

- The original series was aimed at readers aged 8 – 11, but there have been many, MANY other Nancy Drew series extending the range to ages 5 – 14. But let’s be honest… you are never too old for a good mystery with Nan and her crew!

- My absolute favorite subseries is the Nancy Drew/Hardy Boys SUPERMYSTERIES.

- WPL has the classics on the shelves, plus some of the more modern tomes. There’s also a really interesting biography of Nancy Drew that you should check out (I got some of my facts from this very book).

At the Library 9/25/25

 Washington’s Book Store: The Rebook Room!

By Cary Ann Siegfried

ReBook Room in lower level of the library

    We often hear Washington residents wishing for a bookstore here in town, not knowing that the Library actually has a bookstore!  On the lower level, right next to some other unknown treasures (the MakeIT Place and the Grayson Archive room), is the Rebook Room!

    In the Rebook Room, most hardback books sell for $1.00 and paperbacks for $.50.  We sometimes also have music or audiobook CDs and DVDs “in stock.”  Some “almost brand new” adult hardbacks go for the bargain price of $2.00. We stock a cart in the Library foyer with some “gems” to tempt you but there is always more downstairs!

    Our stock in the Rebook Room comes from a couple different sources. When we are withdrawing books from the library’s collection (a necessary step to maintaining a current library collection– see note below) they will generally end up in the Rebook Room. In addition, many of the voracious readers in our community generously donate books to the library, either right after they’ve finished reading them or when they’re reorganizing their book shelves every few years. 

    Often our patrons ask us if they can give us the 500 books that they found when cleaning out their parent’s house. The answer to that is “probably not.”  If the books have been stored in a moldy basement or dusty attic for the last 50 years, we definitely don’t want them. Mold spreads fast and we don’t want to endanger the other materials in our collection. If the books are paperbacks with yellowing and brittle pages, again, we’ll also pass (though we’ve seen some paperbacks from 30 years ago that are holding together better than some made 3 years ago).

    When patrons donate current books to us, they often hope we may add them to our collection (even though we always let donors know that if we don’t add them to the collection they’ll be put in the Rebook Room) and are later disappointed to see them in the ReBook Room or on our sale cart in the foyer. Often, that will be because we already have the book in our collection because we thought it was great too! We’ll often compare the condition of the donated book to the one in the collection just to see how our copy is holding up and might switch it out.  We very very rarely keep two copies of the same book in our adult collections, though we might have duplicates of a well-loved book in our picturebook collection. 

Brand-new books for sale in ReBook

    Here’s some advice to potential book donors:  

• We welcome recent adult fiction in good condition (published in the last 5 years or so) in hardback or paperback. Yes, we do like “the classics”, so if you have some in very good condition we’ll probably take them regardless of publication date. And there are some authors like Grisham or Clancy or Steel that we’ll take for the Rebook Room even if they’re older titles.

• We accept donations of adult nonfiction books if they’ve been published within the last 5 years. Craft books always seem to be popular in the Rebook Room. Titles dealing with medical or legal issues will generally need to have been published within the last 2 years.  We don’t accept textbooks.

• Children’s books should be in good condition without rips/tears, marks or missing pages. We prefer recent hardbacks– any children’s paperback book that has lasted more than a couple years evidently wasn’t very well “loved” by its owner so we may not love it either.  

• We don’t take donations of old National Geographics.  We do accept some magazines– check with us before bringing.

    NOTE to everyone who hates to hear that we remove books from our collection:  We love adding new books to the collection just as much as you all love reading them. But since we have to maintain an orderly library without stacking books on the floor or on 8 foot high shelving, to add some, we have to remove some. This is math and like you, we’ve always liked reading better. 

    Some books we can keep longer than others. We look at a number of factors to decide whether a book will go or stay– not just whether it’s been checked out or not (though that is big factor in most public library collections). In the adult nonfiction collection, we keep a close eye on medical and legal books– generally anything over 5 years old will go. In the travel section, do you really want to take that Fodor’s Paris published in 2012 on vacation with you?  We pride ourselves on our great adult fiction collection, but we acknowledge that to keep adding new titles, sometimes we have to be ruthless– if an author isn’t publishing any longer and no one has checked out any of their books in the last 5 years, we probably can’t keep them. But keep in mind, you can rescue them in the Rebook Room! 

 

Lots of inexpensive books for sale in ReBook

At the Library 9/18/25

Step Back in Time: A Roaring '20s Party & Gatsby Trivia Night    

 by Beth L. Swift

Technology Librarian

The Washington Public Library is thrilled to invite you to a night of glitz, glam, and great fun at our Great Gatsby Roaring ‘20s Party & Trivia Night. Get ready for an unforgettable evening filled with dazzling festivities, jazz, light bites, and a dash of 1920s charm that will transport you straight to the Jazz Age!      

Mark Your Calendar:
Monday, October 6th, 2025 at 6:00 PM                              
Washington Public Library

Live Jazz Music
Get ready to be swept away by the smooth sounds of Randy Swift and The New Old New Orleans Jazz Cats, as they provide the perfect soundtrack for the evening. Let their classic jazz tunes take you to the heart of the 1920s as you mingle with fellow party-goers.

Light Refreshments
Savor delicious bites and beverages as you enjoy the festivities. Whether you're nibbling on savory snacks or sipping a refreshing drink, we've got you covered with tasty treats to fuel your night of fun.

Photo Booth Fun
Capture the magic of the Jazz Age with our themed photo booth! With vintage props and a stunning backdrop, you’ll be able to channel your inner flapper or dapper gentleman. Strike a pose and take home a memento from the evening.

Gatsby Trivia Challenge
Do you know your Jay Gatsby from your Daisy Buchanan? Test your knowledge of The Great Gatsby with our lively trivia competition! Brush up on your Fitzgerald before the event. There could even be prizes for the sharpest minds in the room, so don’t miss out!

Trivia Teams
Trivia teams can range from 1 to 4 adults. Each participant must register separately (no need to register as a team). It's the perfect chance to grab a group of friends or challenge yourself solo!

Dress the Part!
While not required, we encourage attendees to embrace the flair of the 1920s! Think flapper dresses, feathered headbands, sharp suits, and stylish fedoras. Step into the shoes of the glamorous Gatsby era and make your evening all the more memorable.

Space is Limited, so Register Early!
This event is free, but space is limited, so don’t wait—register by October 1st, 2025 to secure your spot. Visit our website at www.washington.lib.ia.us/events to sign up and be part of this unforgettable night.

Once you’ve registered, be sure to stop by the library before the event to pick up your “admission ticket,” which will be your golden ticket to an evening of Gatsby-esque revelry!

This is your chance to immerse yourself in the world of The Great Gatsby. Don’t miss out—grab your flapper dress or dapper suit, gather your friends, and join us for a night of jazz, trivia, and timeless fun. We can’t wait to see you there!

Remember: Gatsby never does anything halfway—neither should you!

At the Library 9/11/25

 Write in the Art Galleries

by LeAnn Kunz

April in a Blue Hat by Carlton Bump

The Washington Public Library is fortunate to house two art galleries, several other art display spaces, as well as hold a permanent collection of local art. If you have never walked the whole library from main level to second level to lower level, you are missing out! We pride ourselves on being a community and cultural center of Washington and therefore, we want to foster your opportunities to enjoy and appreciate art. This month and every month on the 15th we will now be hosting a "Write in the Gallery" day. You are invited to bring your journals or laptops, sign in at the front desk, and plop yourself into a comfy chair in front of any of the pieces of art on display. Spend some time studying and writing your thoughts on what you see. 

There is actually a name for writing about artwork; it is called ekphrastic writing. The term comes from the Greek ek (“out”) and phrasis (“speak”), meaning “to speak out.” Poetry has often been written about art, but you can write in any genre. Most famously John Keats wrote an ekphrastic poem entitled "Ode on a Grecian Urn" which is a reflection on the scenes he saw on a very old urn. William Carlos Williams wrote a piece called "Landscape with the Fall of Icarus" after studying a painting by Pieter Bruegel.

The members of the Washington Writers' Workshop have also experimented with this sort of writing. A few years ago they were given a tour of the library's permanent pieces and then picked a piece to write about. John Greener chose the painting by Carlton Bump called "April in a Blue Hat" and created the following poem:

Woman in a Blue Hat
by John Greener

The Bendix is gone,
I know the sound.
The tractor won't run without it.
It will be God's good time
To find another, if he can.
A used part is more expensive
Than new used to be-
Can we mortgage the crop
One more time?
If the rain comes too late,
It will make no difference.

Like our land, I am used up
Tired to the bone.
If the rain is too much, too early
We will wash away.
If it is too late,
Our land will blow away
And the Bendix will make no difference.

He will be home soon-
He is a good man
Defeated by hard times.
I must haul out my pretty face once again
To greet him.

Come by the Washington Library between 8 am - 6:30 pm on September 15 and "Write in the Gallery" with us. We would love to see the art appreciated and to read your pieces!

Art Underground Gallery

At the Library 9/4/25

Community Calligraphy and Communty Crafternoon 

Begin New Season!

 by Tammy Valentine 

Fall is coming and LeAnn and I are excited to tell you about the new schedule for Community Calligraphy and Crafternoon!

We had so much interest in both programsthat we decided to keep the fun going by having each program one time per month, from September to May. They will continue to be on a Tuesday, but we extended the time, from 2-4pm to 1-4pm, so that people will have more time to work on their projects. This will allow people to work on more complicated projects that take more time. Calligraphy will start from the beginning, with basic strokes videos, so people can get a refresher on them. We will begin each session with the review, which will take less than 1 hour. After the review we will work on specific writing assignments, such as writing a short poem. Each month we will have the review followed by the new assignment. This is a group effort, so all patrons are encouraged to ask for help if needed and also to share their writing practice.

Crafternoon has been lots of fun seeing people work on calligraphy, knitting, sewing, beadwork and embroidery. The structure of Crafternoon is such that patrons can bring their own project to work on in the company of other crafters. What’s new is that we will have mini lessons offered for patrons to try something new. Don’t worry, this is not a requirement. Our first mini lesson will be in the pottery studio making pinch pot pumpkins! Patrons do need to register for the mini lessons so the library staff can plan properly. We also hope to have artist demonstrations on acrylic painting and watercolor painting.

On to my favorite thing in the world, books! If you are a Stephen King fan you probably heard of the new movie based on his novel, The Long Walk. The book was published under King’s pseudonym, Richard Bachman, in 1979 as part of the novel, The Bachman Books. This book also included 3 other novels. Now The Long Walk has been published as a standalone, which means we have it! Calltoday to reserve it!

At the Library 8/28/25

 

Read & Rant @ Your Washington Public Library

By Alison Greiner

We are excited to announce that we have a new and exciting way to use our recording studio in the Make IT Place!  LeAnn and Alison are now doing a Vodcast in addition to our current Podcast.  A vodcast is similar to a podcast except that instead of just recording the interview with the audio equipment, we now record this interview with the video equipment.  

Our vodcast is entitled "Read and Rant".  We invite patrons to "rant" or share their thoughts about a recent book they have read.  Sometimes, when we hear the word rant we assume it will be a person responding negatively about something.  But a rant can also be positive, too.  We want to listen to diverse opinions about the various books people are checking out.  

Host LeAnn "reads & rants"
with guest Carol Ray on our new vodcast

Do you love to read?  We would love to have volunteers who would like to be a part of our vodcast. Contact us.  It's a straightforward process.  Just stop in or call the library and let us know you are interested.  We will plan a time for the interview and ensure the interviewee knows what to expect.  It's so wonderful to hear the variety of books people are interested in, and this is such an excellent opportunity for our patrons to learn more about books they may not have heard about.  

 

At the Library 8/21/25

 

WPL’s Early-Out Hangout Offers a Wide Variety of Fun

By Jenisa Harris 

    This summer at the library was jam-packed with so much fun and excitement! We read over 300,000 pages! Families got to meet the snakes and spiders, oh my! Enjoyed the foam zone, created in the MakeIT Place, and so much more!  I don't know about you, but it's hard to believe school will start in a few short weeks. The library offers free programming for school-age kids every early out Friday during Early Out Hangout. I've revamped the programs I am offering, and I'm excited to start this September! Each Friday, we will rotate between Movie Madness, Craft and Construct, and Maker Mentor. Here are the programs we will offer in September during our Early Out Hangout:

    Join us for Movie Madness Friday, September 5, from 1:45-3:10. This event is free and open to grades K-12th—no registration required. We will be watching the Minecraft Movie. 

    Join us on Friday, September 12, from 1:45-2:45. Craft & Construct is a fun, hands-on program where kids can use their creativity to build and design! Whether they love crafting with glue and paper or constructing cool creations with LEGOS, there's something for everyone. This group encourages imagination, problem-solving, and play through both art and engineering activities. This event is free and open to grades K-12th—no registration required.

    Join us Friday, September 19, from 1:45-2:45. Maker Mentors is an exciting program where local professionals visit the library to share their jobs, skills, and stories. This program gives young makers a chance to learn from real-world experts. It's a great way to explore new careers, ask questions, and get inspired to invent, create, and dream big! Carol Wehr will join us for our first event on September 19 and teach us about bees and her honey farm. This is free and open to grades K-12th—no registration required.

    Finally in September, join us for Movie Madness Friday, September 26, from 1:45-3:10. This event is free and open to grades K-12th—no registration required. We will be watching
Moana 2. 

    I am excited to see you enjoy all the library has to offer this school year!