The Dwight Foster Public Library, 209 Merchants Ave, Fort Atkinson, has announced its February programming and events.
The following opportunities are designed for families and children:
Pajama Storytime
Pajama Storytime will be held Tuesday, Feb. 21, at 6:30 p.m. Families are invited to arrive in their pajamas and participate in songs and stories led and read by a librarian.
“What a great way to close out your day all together with a story and check out some books to read all together on the other nights before bed,” information released by the library suggested.
Other similar opportunities to engage with children include Baby Time, held Thursday at 10 a.m., Toddler Time, held Tuesdays at 10 a.m., and Family Storytime, held Wednesdays at 10 a.m.
Lunch Bunch for Homeschoolers
Lunch Bunch for Homeschools is a program designed to help families who homeschool meet other homeschooling families. The program will be held Wednesday, Feb. 15, from 11:30 to 12:30 p.m. The program invites participants to bring a lunch to the library to enjoy while staff members read books, share library resources and offer time to chat and socialize, according to information released by the library.
Lego Club
The program invites Lego enthusiasts to join as a group and build a Lego creation. The project is guided by a theme, and will be held Monday, Feb. 20, from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m.
Creations built by the group will be placed on display at the library.
Play Pokémon
Play Pokémon offers participants an opportunity to play the Pokémon Trading Card Game with other Pokémon trainers. The program is offered Monday, Feb. 27, from 4 to 5 p.m. Participants are invited to come to trade cards and, for beginners, learn how to play the game.
The following opportunities are designed for adults:
Cooking Club
According to information supplied by the library, Cooking Club meets on the third Tuesday of each month and invites members to share recipes for inclusion in the library’s “selected cookbook of the month.”
In February, the group will meet on 21st, from 1 to 2:30 p.m.
Participants are encouraged to visit the service desk on the library’s second floor where they can choose a recipe to make and share with club members.
Travelogue Series
Celebrating its 10th year, the Friends of Dwight Foster Public Library Winter Travelogue Series continues to provide community members with an opportunity to share their travels and experiences with those who have interest or might be preparing to make their own traveling arrangements and can benefit from the experiences of others.
The program is typically held in the FCCU Community Room in the library on the fourth Thursday in January, February and March.
On Thursday, Feb. 9, with programming offered at both 1 p.m. and 7 p.m., participants are invited to celebrate Mardi Gras in New Orleans with Sandra Czech.
Information provided by the library stated: “Then we will travel though Concord, Mass., and visit the literary sites of Louisa May Alcott on Feb. 23, at 7 p.m., with Jill Fuller. Once we have traveled to Massachusetts, we will fly over to Paris on March 9, at 1 p.m. and 7 p.m., with Jim Marousis and Karen Reinhardt to see and learn about France. Our next flight we will be going to the land down under. Listen mates as we discover Australia and New Zealand on March 23 at 1 p.m. with Ken Stetson. Lastly, we will end our flight in Mexico on March 23 at 7 p.m. with Catherine Wilson.”
Memory Café
Memory Café will be hosted this month on Monday, Feb. 13, from 10:30 a.m. to noon.
According to the release, the Dwight Foster Public Library will be partnered with libraries in Whitewater, Jefferson and Palmyra.
The program’s theme this month is “sweet hearts,” the release noted, in recognition of Valentine’s Day.
“We will be decorating cookies, meeting new friends, catching up with old friends and we have a surprise game. This is a social gathering for individuals with early-stage dementia or mild cognitive impairment and a care partner,” the release stated.
The release continued: “Memory Cafes are part of the Library Memory Project, which is a partnership between public libraries and the Alzheimer’s Association of Southeastern Wisconsin. We also partner with the Lakeshores Library System and the Monarch Library System. The mission of the library memory project is to provide programs to those living with memory loss, Alzheimer’s disease, and other forms of dementia. A main component of the memory project is a monthly social gathering for those with early-stage dementia or mild cognitive impairment and a care partner.”
Veterans Café
Veterans Café provides an opportunity for those interested to “stop by and chat,” the release noted. The program is sponsored by the U.S. Veterans Project Library, and takes place every Wednesday morning between 8:30 a.m. and noon.
Don Millar, a U.S. Marine Corps veteran of the Korean War, hosts visitors with donated snacks and information. Veteran, their family members and the general public are welcome to stop by.
“Bring your questions about serving in the military, military history or services for vets,” the release stated.
StoryCorps
The StoryCorps program invites those with who would like to record a conversation for posterity to make use of equipment provided at the library.
As stated in the release: “We invite you to share and record a conversation with a family member or friend for generations to come with our new Gathering and Sharing Stories initiative.
“Bridges Library System and Dwight Foster Public Library has partnered with StoryCorps, a national oral history nonprofit, to record and preserve community stories.”
Interviews will be held on March 25, 27, 29 and April 3.
All stories are recorded with a trained facilitator from Dwight Foster Public Library. Recordings can then be added optionally to the StoryCorps Archive and Library of Congress or kept private based on the participants’ wishes. Participants are given access to their copies of their conversations, according to the release.
The release notes that the StoryCorps mission is to preserve and share humanity’s stories to build connections between people and create a more just and compassionate world. At the same time, StoryCorps is creating an invaluable archive for future generations online and in the Library of Congress.
Participants will have up to 40 minutes to record a conversation. Participants can choose their conversation partner and what they would like to discuss. The recording is audio only. No video will be taken, the release noted.
For more information about StoryCorps or other library programming, contact Amy Christian, be email: achristian@fortlibrary.org or phone: 920-563-7790. Additional information about StoryCorps is found here: https://bridgeslibrarysystem.org/storycorps/.
The Dwight Foster Public Library, file photo/Kim McDarison.
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