Fall is in the air, the kids are back in school and Saturday hours are back! The Library is open on Saturdays from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. Saturdays are a fun time to visit the Library and the friendly staff love nothing more than seeing folks come through the door. Yes, the end of summer is always a little sad, but there's something to be said for settling down into the comfortable routine of school year life. We hope a Saturday morning visit to the Library will be part of your routine.
On The Waterfront
Welcome to On the Waterfront, the place where library director Ellen Connor muses about books and libraries and sometimes things in between.
Posted by Ellen on August 21, 2017 - 11:07am
The solar eclipse party we had here at the Library was so much fun. Be sure to check out our Facebook page for photos of the event. The glasses were gone in no time but the friendly folks of Manawa willingly shared their glasses with others who could not get their own pair. There is another total solar eclipse coming to the US in 2024. That is only seven years away. If you want to get into an area of totality though, you better start making your plans now.
Thank you to everyone who came to the event today. We were fortunate to get quality safety glasses from STARnet (Science-Technology Activities & Resources for Libraries) with support from NASA @ my Library, the Space Science Institute and the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation. While the weather looked dicey earlier in the day, by the time the peak viewing time came arund the sun was out and it was warm. That's when the bottled water provided by Premier bank was much appreciated. (It did get a little cooler though when that sun was 80% covered)
There is something special about sharing a big event like this with your community. We're so glad so many people felt the same way. We will do it again in 2024!
Posted by Ellen on August 2, 2017 - 11:51am
A total eclipse of the sun will occur through a path of the United States on Monday August 21st. Unforunately Wisconsin is not in this path but that doesn't mean we can't have a party! The Library was able to get 200 pair of glasses that will alllow safe viewing of the sun as the moon travels a path and for a few brief minutes comes between Earth and the Sun. The Library will also be trying to stream the eclipse in an area of totality and we'll also have a craft activity and some kind of treat. This is a family event and because of issues of safety no child 12 and under that is not accompanied by an adult will be able to wear the glasses to view the sun. There will be other things for young children not with an adult to do if they come to the party. The last time the United States saw a total eclipse was in 1979. That's almost 40 years ago folks! If you're lucky enough to be traveling to an area that will see the total eclipse we wish you perfect conditions and a life altering experience. For those of you who will be here in Manawa, even an 80% eclipse will be fun to see - as long as you have those safety glasses on!
BTW, be wary of purchasing eclipse viewing glasses online. There are many counterfeit glasses hitting the market that are not safe. Even if the glasses have the safety logo on them, they might now protect your eyes.
We hope to see you here on the 21st. The fun starts at 12:30, with prime viewing time at 1:15pm.
Posted by web admin on June 14, 2017 - 10:57am
School is out and the good times will be rolling here at the Library starting Monday June 12th. The Library has been hosting a summer reading program for over 30 years and 2017 promises to be a good time. Staff are excited about the theme for this summer - Build a Better World. We'll be building things with Legos, Keva Planks, Lincoln Logs, Mega Blocks and more. We'll also be creating artwork and fun crafts, doing science projects, decorating the Library and of course...READING. We all love to read and we work hard to find the right book at the right time for every child. It can happen! When kids are ready to take a break from reading, they can have some fun doing other things. Music, art and play are all very important in developing reading skills in young people so it all works hand in hand. Tune into our website, our calendar, our Facebook page or stop in for a schedule of all the fun events coming your way in the next several weeks. We hope the Library is a destination place for all area families this summer.
Posted by Ellen on May 23, 2017 - 10:23am
The Manawa PB Quackers Duck Race and Family Fun Day will be Saturday June 3rd at Lindsay Park from 10am to 2pm. This first time event is a mega fund raiser for the Manawa area Project Backpack program that provides healthy food backpacks for area families on week-ends during the school year. This event flagship event is the Duck Races that will be held on the Little Wolf River that runs along the park. This event includes music, concessions, vendors, games and sports tournaments. All of the proceeds for the event will be used to support Project Backpack for the 2017-2018 school year. The musical entertainment includes Children's Performer David Landau (sponsored by the Library - starts at 11am) and area favorites Megan Pethke and Jeanne Bauer. Ducks are available for sale all over town, including here at the Library, for $5.00 apiece. That's a good price considering first prize is $1,000!
We hope you have your calendars marked for this great event that supports a good cause. For more information contact Saundra Coyle at manawapbteam@gmail.com. For information on the Library's music event call 920-596-2252. Let's all show up for a great time next Saturday!
Posted by Ellen on May 20, 2017 - 8:54am
Just when we've all formed a habit of automatically going to the back entrance to get in the Library, the front entrance has re-opened. It was a happy moment here yesterday around 4pm when we unlocked the front doors and took down all the signs directing people to the back door. The new porch slab and steps and the painted railings look nice and more importantly they are now safe. But as we knew would be the case, we're all still heading to the back door to gain entry to the Library, so we'll keep the door open until closing time Thursday. Friday we're going to force people to go back to their old habits!! Thank you everyone for your patience during the construction. We knew a little noise, mess and inconvenience was not going to keep anyone away.
Posted by Ellen on May 9, 2017 - 2:43pm
It is now May 9th and we are still under construction folks. There was an unforeseen delay in our porches project and so the re-opening of the front entrance has been delayed by a week. The good news is that a potentially unsafe situation was discovered and is being remedied. Everything will look so nice once it is finished. Estimated date for the front entrance to be ready is Tuesday May 16th. Thank you everyone for your patience during the project. I think it's been long enough now that we'll all be going to the back door for awhile even when the front entrance is available!
Posted by Ellen on April 17, 2017 - 1:07pm
Time marches on and buildings age right along with the rest of us. The new Library is now 23 years old and while most of this beautiful building has stood the test of time, the porches, steps and railings around them are in need of a facelift. Both the front and back porches are being repaired and while the end result will look much improved, there will be some pain getting to that point. Last week the back porch was rebuilt and the railings will be installed on Tuesday April 18th. On that day demolition of the front steps and porch slab will begin. At that time the front entrance will not be useable and it is expected that it won't be accessible for up to three weeks. The back door will be the entry and exit during this time. We are well aware this will be an inconvenience for some of our regular users and we will do everything we can to help you get into the building or to get materials to you during the length of the front entrance closure.
If you give us a call ahead of time, or call us from your car in the parking lot we will run any materials you have waiting for you out to your vehicle. If you need help getting up and down the four steps at the entrance, we will help you. (No ramp will be available). We value our users and want to make this transition as smooth as possible for all of you. Now, we're hoping for good weather and looking ahead to May 5th when the project will, hopefully, be completed.