Tuesday, June 30, 2015
The Library of the Month is a celebration of Wisconsin libraries compiled by the BadgerLink team.
Change is in the air at Chippewa Falls Public Library (CFPL). The entire library has refocused their programs and services and found fun and creative ways to reach their community. Library staff continues to serve the patron population with the mix of traditional library services with the latest trends in the field. There’s still story time and the microfilm reader, but now you can also check out iPads and access digital content from home! Library staff are in the midst of reorganizing and upgrading the archives and local history room, digitizing historic newspapers, and modernizing the audio-visual equipment in the large meeting room. It’s been a busy spring!
The youth services' department has also seen innovation. New interactive materials have been introduced to the Imagination Station, the children’s learning through play space. Kids can be a pretend to be a chef and "cook" a pretend meal, or be an engineer and "build" a building with blocks, or try out the Art Cart, a re-purposed medical trolley that provides space and materials for open-ended, kid-driven creation. Additionally, the teen/young adult space is being expanded to include the entire mezzanine. The young adult area is called the YA Cafe and is a space where teens can hang out, do homework, and read.
The summer is a great time to check out library programming, but the CFPL has great programming year round. Programming attendance has seen a sizeable increase as well, due in part to a new focus on partnering with others in the community. In January, a Doc McStuffins program with a visit from local veterinarians was a favorite. This summer, programming will follow the “Heros” theme with planned visits from the community’s new K9 officer and her partner, presentations from a local Peace Corp volunteer and an area falconer, as well as a field trip to the fire station. On August 22, the library will partner with Citizen Community Federal to bring a community movie night to an outdoor park in town complete with games, food, raffle, and music. Also in August, the Friends of the Library hosts its bi-annual book sale. And later this fall, the Friends of the Library will be hosting a fall author series, headlined by Nickolas Butler. Fun programs for children, teens and adults like the Teen Monster Ball, Dedicated Readers Society, and holiday Super Yule, make the library great place to find stuff to do.
Chippewa Falls Public Library provides traditional library services but also serves the public with innovative technology and educational programming. The best part of Chippewa Falls Public Library to its community? “It’s all yours.”