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Photo of multicolored drawings of cats in the library windows

August 2023

It’s hard to believe that the first day of school is right around the corner. We’re here to help you make the most of every remaining summer moment with a bike ride, petting zoo, book clubs, programs for all ages, and the final weeks of the Summer Library Challenge.

August events

Photo of two adults and two grade school children reading a book together while sitting on a couch.

Summer Library Challenge is wrapping up

Kids: the last day to finish the Summer Library Challenge for ages 0-18 is Friday, August 18.


Adults: you still have until Tuesday, September 5 to finish your Summer Library Challenge.


That’s still plenty of time to sign up and finish this year’s challenge! Our program is designed so that you can sit down and enter all your reading and activities for the entire summer at once. Sign up on our website or using the Beanstack app.

Find out more about the Summer Library Challenge
photo of two calves peering through a wooden fence

Summer finale petting zoo

We’re thrilled to have Haven’s Petting Farm for our annual end-of-summer party. We’re talking bunnies, chicks, lambs, goats, a mini potbelly pig, and more! If you finished the youth Summer Library Challenge (ages birth-18), you’ll also be able to pick up your prizes at the event.

Find out more about the summer finale
photo of two adults and a child riding bikes together through a grassy field

Community bike ride rescheduled

Join “All Together Now” with your neighbors of all ages for a Community Bike Ride at Mound View Park. Bring your helmet and your wheels to ride around the Mound View Park loop or trail. Return to the park when you’re done riding for prizes, food, activities, and more.

Find out more about the Community Bike Ride

Do you love a good puzzle?

We’ve got two escape room/murder mystery style events this month for our puzzle fans. Adults and older teens can sign up for a time slot to solve the mystery of the “Body on the Boardwalk.” Teens can sign up for our “mysterious Library-inspired Escape Room” to get those little grey cells back in action before school starts up.

Sign up for a Body on the Boardwalk session
Sign up for the teen escape room

Wacky Wednesday drop-in fun

Stop by each Wednesday for a different fun activity for children of all ages. Children under 9 must be with an adult.

Summer storytime

Enjoy stories and sunshine with storytime in City Park! Bring a blanket and a stuffed toy and join us for songs, stories, and friends. Storytime will be at the Library if the weather is bad; watch our Facebook page for weather announcements.

Find out more about storytimes

Let’s talk books

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

Let’s get crafty

Unwind: We’ll make the tea, you bring the conversation and a project to work on. Drop in the first Wednesday of the month to enjoy the company of fellow crafters.


Make it Midweek Acrylic Ink: This month we're playing with alcohol inks to make works of art from the many glass yogurt jars we’ve saved! For adults 18+


Find out more about Unwind
Sign up for Make it Midweek: Alcohol Inks

Delve into the past

Dig up some history in your own family tree. Trade tips, share stories, and learn about resources for doing your own research into the past at our monthly Genealogy Table.

Find out more about Genealogy Table

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 page of The Platteville Journal on August 8, 1923:

  • The World Mourns Warren G. Harding

  • Horseshoe Pitching Contest at the Badger Big Fair: Horse shoe pitching tournaments are becoming more popular every day, and many fairs throughout the country are staging events of “Barnyard Golf” this fall.

  • Blockhouse Mine Makes New Strike: The Blockhouse Mining Co., Kistler 5 & Stephens, Mgrs, have made a new strike which is of more than usual importance because the grade of the ore is of much better quality than any previously found there. The sheet is 18 inches in thickness, and looks mighty good to them.

  • Has Record of Eggs for Seven Hens: Henry Ashton has seven hens that have laid 160 eggs in the month of July. This is an unusual record.

Closings

The Library will be closed on Sundays for the summer. The Library will resume Sunday hours on September 10.


The Library will be closed Sunday, September 3 - Monday, September 4 for Labor Day.


The Library will be closed Friday, September 15 for staff in-service.

Looking ahead

Keep an eye out for our September events, including: