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May 2024

Summer is just around the corner! We’re already gearing up for an adventure-filled season with a summer kick-off event, a camping-themed “Let’s Pretend,” and a summer library challenge for all ages. Find out all the ways that “Adventure Begins at Your Library”!

May events

🌞 Summer Library Challenge

“Adventure Begins at Your Library” this summer! Our all-ages summer library challenge starts May 20 and runs through August. Whether you’re an adult, teen, tween, kid, or even a baby, there’s a special set of reading challenges and activities for you to try, awesome prizes for you to earn, and fantastic prize drawings to enter.

Sign up for the summer library challenge on our website or download the Beanstack Tracker app to your phone or tablet. We adore the ease of using the website, and we’re equally in love with the app’s ability to just scan a book’s ISBN to log it. For the tech-avoidant folks in your life, we’ve got paper versions at the Library, too.

🌟 Reading is magic!

Kick off summer with a magic show by perennial favorite Isaiah the Magician. Witness the magic at the City Park Gazebo (rain location: City Hall Auditorium)

🌌 Star Wars Day

May the Fourth be with you! Celebrate at the library with drop-in Star Wars crafts and activities.

🌱 Out with the old plants, in with the new

Is it possible to own too many plants? Should you find yourself in such a situation, may we suggest dropping off your excess houseplants, seeds, bulbs, cuttings, etc for our spring Plant Swap. Make sure to also come to the Swap and find a new plant friend to take home with you. It’s okay to bring plants without taking any, and it’s okay to take a plant without bringing any.

🧶 Out with the old craft supplies, in with the new

Started a new hobby you didn’t like? Started a new hobby and realized you like it better than your old hobby? Have some leftover paint from a project that you finished? We get it - we have Library craft cupboards to clean out, too!

Drop off the craft supplies that you no longer use and then come back and pick up some new supplies at our annual Craft Swap. Anyone who drops off craft supplies ahead of time gets an “early bird ticket” that will grant you entrance to that magical first 30 minutes of the swap. It’s okay to bring supplies without taking any, and it’s okay to take supplies without bringing any.

🛍 Book sale

We’re taking part in Platteville’s city-wide garage sale weekend with a sale of our own. We’ve been saving up ex-Library books for weeks to get ready. Be sure to stop by for bargains!

🧸 Oh Happy Play!

Bring your 18" doll, action figure, stuffed animal, or American Girl doll for a fun crafting experience with the Oh Happy Play organization. No toy? No problem! You can receive a doll or toy to keep and join in the fun! For ages 3-11; children 8 and under with an adult. Registration required.

👶 Baby-sitting clinic

Thinking about summer jobs? Learn the basics of babysitting with Bev Doll, Human Development and Relationship Educator from UW-Extension. This workshop will cover first aid, safety, child development, and ideas for fun activities to do while babysitting. For children finishing grades 5-8. Registration required.

✂ Let’s get crafty

Unwind: We’ll make the tea, you bring the conversation and a project to work on.

Make it Midweek Decorated Silhouettes: Regency fans: add a modern twist to this popular art form of the 18th and 19th century. If you’d like to create a personalized silhouette based on your own photo, make sure to register at least a week ahead of time. We’ll also have silhouettes available for drop-in participants.

⛺ Let’s Pretend: Adventure

Hang out in the Children’s Space for some imaginative play! This month, we’re launching the summer library program with a camping-themed “Let’s Pretend.”

🎹 Musical storytime

Looking for storytime fun while the Library storytime is on break until summer? Miss Deborah returns for a morning of books, music, and sign language fun. Designed for ages 2-5 with an adult.

💥 Teen anime

Anime marathon! Come and join us as we continue watching Spy X Family! We’ll pick up where we left off and tackle 6-7 episodes while eating pizza, having snacks, and answering trivia. Ages 12-17.

Monthly teen anime club! Join us each month for fun, food, and fandom as we eat snacks and watch anime. Ages 12-17.

🦸‍♀️ Teen Trivia: Marvel edition

Test your superhero knowledge and enjoy snacks and prizes!

🎬 Film Club

Our newest discussion group is Library Film Club. From casual moviegoers to diehard cinephiles, all are invited to check out a copy of the movie, watch it at home, and join the discussion at the Library. May’s selection is Parasite, a 2019 South Korean dark comedy thriller and Academy Award winner for Best Picture. Each month will feature a different genre, so join us to help choose our next month’s selection!

📚 Let’s talk books

Stop by the library to pick up a copy of one of this month’s book club titles:

• Kid’s Book Club is reading the Bad Kitty series by Nick Bruel

• Teen Book Club is reading Twilight by Stephenie Meyer

• Adult Book Club is reading Black Cake by Charmaine Wilkerson

• Monthly Morning Book Chat is sharing their current reads

The more you know…

🖨 Wireless printing with Princh

We’re excited to roll out Princh, our new wireless printing option. Princh allows you to easily and securely print from a mobile phone, tablet, or laptop, both remotely and at the library by sending your files through email, a secure website, or the Princh app. Ask us at the front desk to show you how it works.

📰 Platteville 100 years ago

Did you know that you can search digitized local historical newspapers on the Library’s computers? Here’s a look at a few of our favorite headlines from the front pages of The Platteville Journal in May 1924:

• To Celebrate 50th Anniversary: The Hook & Ladder Co., No. 1, will celebrate the 50th anniversary of the organization of the company, tomorrow, by a banquet in Legion Hall at 6:30 o’clock. The feast will be prepared and served by the Legion Auxiliary, for the Firemen and their wives and sweethearts. The Company will have as their guests, the M. C. Eng. Co., and city council, and a company of more than 150 in all is expected to sit down at the tables. Speeches by Rev. Meritt, R. A. Goodell and others, will form part of the entertainment, and a general good time is expected. The program will be followed by dancing. May 7, 1924

• Our New White Way Posts - To Be Placed on Main and Second Streets: Platteville’s new White Way will be composed of the very newest and latest in lighting styles. […] The question of the height of the posts is to be determined later. As one side of Main St. has the walks considerably higher than the other, it is a question whether the posts should be shorter on one side than the other. Among the contractors, there is a difference of opinion on this, and it is left to the engineer for his decision. May 14, 1924

• Surprise Marriage Announced Saturday: The marriage of Miss Elva Volkmann of Preston, Minni., and Mr. Chas. Geasland of Platteville, was announced last Saturday and was a great surprise in that the marriage took place nearly a year ago and has been kept secret during that time. The ceremony occured on July 10, 1923 in Osage, Iowa. The bride has been the teacher at the Block house for the past year. The groom is a member of the firm of Henning & Geasland. Both are fine young people and have many friends who are interested in their future, success and happiness. May 21, 1924

⛔ Library closings

Due to staffing shortages, the Library's spring hours will not include Sundays. Following our regularly scheduled Sunday closures during the summer, the Library plans to resume Sunday hours the weekend after Labor Day (Sunday, September 8). Thank you for your support and understanding.

The Library will be closed on Monday, May 13 for staff in-service.

The Library will be closed on Monday, May 27 for Memorial Day.