Author: Site Administrator
Voices & Votes Training
I drove to Marysville on Thursday April 17 and Friday April 18 to attend a workshop for the Smithsonian traveling exhibit, Voices and Votes: Democracy in America. Washington Public Library will host this exhibit from December 19, 2025 through January 30, 2026, on the library’s second floor. Voices and Votes will be displayed at six different locations throughout Missouri in 2025. We’re fortunate that Washington was selected as one of the locations. Voices & Votes: Democracy in America explores the foundational principles of American democracy, tracing its roots from the country’s beginnings and examining key questions that continue to shape our nation today: Who has the right to vote? Representatives from all six exhibit locations were present. Together, we learned how to setup the exhibit. Fourteen people required four hours for setup. The next day we took a tour of the exhibit, and reviewed ideas for local matching exhibits and ideas for programs that complement the exhibit. This exhibit isn’t possible without partnerships. The Smithsonian developed this as part of their Museum on Main Street (MoMS) program. Missouri Humanities sponsored this program by making grants available throughout the State of Missouri. Finally, Washington Public Library had to apply for the grant and bring their energy to the program, and add local partners such as Downtown Washington. Bringing Voices and Votes to Washington required partnerships between National, State, and local institutions. Exhibits like Voices & Votes don’t just happen. Like Democracy itself, they are a complex relationship between partners, working towards a common goal of promoting Democracy in America. Thank You to the Smithsonian, Missouri Humanities, Downtown Washington, all our partners, and the citizens of Washington who have supported this library for 100 years and counting. Nelson Appell
» Read moreTeaching Books
Washington Public Library Awarded Access and Innovation Grant
Washington Public Library was awarded a $4,080 Access and Innovation Grant through the Missouri Library Association. This grant is awarded to “…enhance, support, and develop library technologies and innovation that improve patrons’ access to library services.” This Grant will be used to purchase learning technologies for checkout aimed at children. The library will use these funds to purchase 14 Playaway Launchpad Tablets and 20 Playaway Whazoodle! Audio Listening devices. These will be shelved downstairs in the Juvenile Spotlight shelf. These will be available in early 2025. Girl playing with a Playaway Launchpad Tablet. The Whazoodle! Thank You to the Missouri Library Association for this award and for helping Washington Public Library reach out with new technologies. “This project is sponsored by the Missouri Library Association’s Access & Innovation Fund grantprogram, which aims to enhance, support, and develop library technologies and innovation thatimprove patrons’ access to library services. The Missouri Library Association is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit educational organization operating topromote library service, the profession of librarianship, and cooperation among all types oflibraries and organizations concerned with library service in the State of Missouri.”
» Read moreRegister for the Keynote – Ridley Pearson, Sat Sept 13, 2024
Join award-winning author of the Kingdom Keepers and Lou Boldt series, Ridley Pearson, for an exciting presentation on the art of storytelling. Ridley will guide writers and readers of all ages through his process of observation, “livening,” and editing. Featuring stories of his own experiences working with Disney and direct examples from his own work. This program is free and open to the public but requires a ticket. The presentation takes place at 7 pm on Friday, September 13th, 2024, at CJB Theater at Washington High School. Tickets can be reserved at bit.ly/MoBookFest2024. Seating is first-come, first-served.
» Read moreMissouri Book Festival 2024 Schedule Released
The Missouri Book Festival celebrates the best of regional life, culture, and history with an array of dynamic programming meant to promote literacy and encourage reading. Events will take place in Washington, the quintessential Missouri town. Here, books that feature stories on the Show-Me State come to life in food demonstrations, sports exhibitions, performances, and lively author talks and discussions. Missourians of all ages will hear from regional authors while gaining insight into the content they produce and the writing process. Not only will attendees enjoy festivities that truly reflect our state, they’ll also have the opportunity to browse for their next favorite book! 2024 Missouri Book Festival Schedule Click Here for a Printable PDF Version of the Schedule. See updates at the Missouri Book Festival Facebook Page. Why Washington The Best Read Community in America, Washington is a beautiful historic riverfront town with a strong commitment to reading. In 2020, Washington and its nearby neighbors logged more than 1.5 million pages of reading! A long-running youth literacy program supported by dozens of community partners and the nonprofit Community Literacy Foundation has provided more than 20,000 new books to area schools and libraries. Hundreds of children, parents and grandparents gather at the community’s annual Family Reading Night each spring to celebrate the importance of reading together. In the fall, the annual Run to Read offers books to dashers, walkers and runners in exchange for a morning of fitness. Washington is well-known to authors from across the state—and nation. The community’s independent bookstore, Neighborhood Reads, and the Washington Public Library and its Friends organization, both work to introduce authors to readers of all ages throughout the year. Planned Events Week of September 9 In-school programming at multiple schools for students in grades K–12 to promote literacy and celebrate the festival Previous school programming included the Do You Know MO? game show, author talks, and meet-and-greets with Fredbird. Friday, September 13 Opening night keynote event featuring guest speakers The previous keynote event featured noted broadcaster and Missouri native John W. Brown. John opened the program discussing significant moments in Missouri history and later interviewed notable Missouri natives including baseball player Rick Ankiel and actor and comedian Bill Chott. 2024 Keynote details will be announced soon! Saturday, September 14 Festival day and featured programming throughout Downtown Washington Planning for the 2024 festival is underway and will feature programming that celebrates regional life, culture, and history with activities for all ages. Activities from the previous festival included:
» Read morePlayaway Launchpads Now Available for Checkout
The Friends of the Library have gifted Washington Public Library 12 Playaway Launchpads for 2-week checkouts. These Initial Launchpads are targeted for the ages of 5+. Made just for little explorers and for circulation. Kids Launchpads are loaded with learning apps, videos, games, and more for hours of interactive learning and play. No download time. No need for Wi-Fi. Access to powerful content is simple as turning on each device – anytime, anywhere. Click Here for a product overview at the vendor’s website. Click Here to place a hold or see what Launchpads are available in the Library’s Missouri Evergreen Catalog. This is a list of the Initial Playaway Launchpads.
» Read morePress Release: Washington Public Library Awarded LSTA Grant for Charlie Cart
Washington Public Library has been awarded a 2024 “Let’s Get Cooking at the Library” LSTA grant in the amount of $13,500. This will cover the purchase of a Charlie Cart, a mobile kitchen. The library will use the mobile kitchen, gear, and lesson plans to help facilitate classes/programs on healthy eating, beginning in the Fall of 2024. The Charlie Cart will enable the library to further it’s public mission of providing quality programs for the community that reach all ages and all income levels. The library already stocks a wide selection of up-to-date cookbooks on healthy eating. This program will augment the library’s commitment to community health. The purchase of the Charlie Cart required a modification of the Library’s budget, which was approved by the City Council at the last council meeting. Thank You to the Friends of the Library, who covered the $1,500 matching grant for the purchase of the Cart. For more information on the Charlie Cart, please visit: https://charliecart.org/. All programs and classes scheduled will be promoted within the library, on Facebook, on the library’s web page, and the library’s email newsletter. We offer a hearty Thank You to the Missouri State Library and it’s staff for supporting this project. They are an essential resource for the continued improvement and relevance of Missouri’s public libraries. Or, in their preferred wording: This project is supported by the Institute of Museum and Library Services under the provisions of the Library Services and Technology Act as administered by the Missouri State Library, a division of the Office of the Secretary of State.
» Read moreCandidate Forum, July 23 6:00pm
Register for the Washington Public Library Event here. The Missourian Media Group, Scenic Regional Library, and Washington Public Library are hosting candidate forums for Franklin County First and Second District Commissioner races, as well as Missouri Legislative District 109 and 119 races for the August 6 primary election. The Monday, July 8 forum will be held at the at Scenic Regional Library’s Union branch, located at 251 Union Plaza Drive at 6:00 PM. The forum will include candidates for the Second District Commissioner race, as well as the Missouri Legislative District 119. The Tuesday, July 23 forum will be held at the at the Washington Public Library, located at 410 Lafayette Street at 6:00 PM. The forum will include candidates for the First District Commissioner race, as well as the Missouri Legislative District 109. Submit Questions for the candidates at: https://bit.ly/SRLForum Livestream will be at the Scenic Regional Library Facebook.
» Read moreNew Mobile Printing Service – Princh
#PrintwithPrinch at our library! You can use your own mobile device or laptop to easily and securely print at our library! You can also print from home, and stop by the library to pickup your prints. To Print a File or picture from your phone/tablet,laptop: 1. Go to Print.princh.com 2. Enter the Printer Code for Washington Public Library: 109704 3. Or scan the QR Code with your mobile device: To print from an email, download the Princh app to your device. Need Help?For a Laptop device, click here.For a Mobile device, click here.
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