The story of a library is the story of the people who use it.
We’ve collected an incredible range of stories from community members- travelers, volunteers, readers, musicians, teachers, parents, students, and more- who use and love the libraries in Jefferson and Waukesha counties. Their stories demonstrate the value and power of libraries to benefit and change lives. We are grateful they chose to share those stories with us.
“I had a friend tell me about the Jefferson library about five years ago because we live in the area. She said, “They have a great little place for kids to play.” We just loved it so we’ve been coming ever since. The play place is so fun and so nice. The librarians are so friendly and great. I love the children’s audiobook selection because we do a lot of driving, so we listen to a lot of audio CDs and they have the best children’s book selection that we’ve found. We do their storytime program in the summer time with Ms. Melissa. She’s very friendly and really gets to know all of the kids and all of their names. So it’s just very personal.”
Abby and Jon moved to Lake Mills a year ago and got a library card right away for themselves and their three-year-old son Ira. “We come to the library to check out books and to have something to do when it’s cold and rainy. Our son loves to play here,” Abby said. Jon added, “We took him to the Reading to Dogs program a few times, which he really liked.” Abby continued, “I appreciate that the entire downstairs area is the children’s section because there’s no way we would’ve come here as much as we have if he wasn’t able to be loud or play.”
“The library’s kind of like a safe space for me. Especially being an LGBT teen, it makes it really a safe place for us to be here and nobody tells you that you can’t be there. Nobody judges you. If you go to one of the librarians, they don’t tell you that you’re not allowed to be there.”
“I come for classes. I’ve taken classes in genealogy, ukulele, I’ve taken a class in nutrition here. I was also involved in getting a writer’s workshop up and going here…that’s another thing I love about the library, that people can have these oddball ideas and bring them in and discuss with the other librarians… and then they’re supportive in getting it off the ground.”
When I tell my kids I’m going to the library, they insist on coming with. I love that Mukwonago and Eagle libraries have helped instill a love of learning and reading in my kids. We absolutely adore our libraries and all the people who work there!!
We caught up with Penny after a computer class at Delafield Public Library. “We relocated to Wisconsin for my husband’s job and moved in with his parents,” she said. “We were living in limbo during that time. We didn’t have a computer, so Diane and Melissa bent over backwards to teach me things on my phone. When you’re in limbo, you need a lifeline. Who else do you turn to?” “I don’t even live here now but I keep coming back. I check out cookbooks, books on chickens. It’s been helpful for me to come here and absorb what I need to learn.”
Han and her daughter Evelyn come to the Hartland Public Library for storytime on Fridays. “She likes the music, and it’s really good for her age,” Han said. “We also like to check out books.” And it looks like Evelyn loves being read to!
While working as a truck driver, Charlie always listened to books on tape. Recently, he discovered Playaways at the library after his sight started deteriorating. He goes to the Johnson Creek Public Library, which just got a grant to build a Playaway collection. “Now we’ve got maybe 20. It’s a start. I think it’s great for folks like me who used to read a lot, and they’re so portable! Fits in your pocket. It’s pretty handy- you just put the little earbuds in your ear and there you go. And what I like about them is they’re so trouble-free. I’ve never had an issue with them and I’ve listened to 150-200 different books. It’s all in one little thing in your pocket!”
“This is where I became social because I grew up as a homeschooler. I didn’t really have anywhere to socialize, so when the Summer Reading Program came, I saw that the library was hosting a Summer Reading Program for volunteers and I thought, “I might as well do that.” This was when I was 14 and I’m currently 17. So I’ve been doing Summer Reading since I was 14 up until now. Through that, I met a ton of people. I met my current girlfriend here and it’s just led to amazing opportunities.”
“The library has always been a place of joy,” Patrice says. She goes to multiple libraries to attend discussions and talks on a variety of topics. “I go to the Donuts and Documentaries [at the Waukesha Public Library]. Then there’s a discussion, so I’ll discuss different things about the movie. I’ll bring up certain points or ask if I have questions. At the New Berlin Public Library, they have an Elder Focus group, so I go to that one.” She also attends health talks and programs at the Brookfield Public Library. “I’ve found all the information useful at these talks. You’re getting information from a professional and you can ask questions back. When you go on the Internet, you have to go on enough sites to decide what is true and what is not. At the library, I can go to the talk, where they bring in people who are in their field who talk about what they know.”
“For our family, it’s about our kids. I love coming down here and I can find what I need, but the kids love it even more….My daughter volunteers here in the summer. They let the middle school kids come and volunteer up to 10 or 12 hours a week, so she comes here and she sorts and files and cleans and organizes and helps with the kid’s hour. My kids think of it as a second home. Olivia is into the Harry Potter and Maze Runner and Hunger Games series. Hudson is usually over there with his Pokemon books or Dog Man books. They both like different stuff, but that’s nice with coming here. They can go their own way, I can sit here and relax. It’s calming. There’s a little bit of everything.”
“I always knew I loved the library but didn’t know I am in love with the library.”
We met Megan at the Delafield Public Library last month working on her homework. “I’m at college so I’m just getting some homework done during spring break,” she told us. When we asked why she uses the library as a study space, she said, “It’s quieter and I just like being in a quiet area and getting my work done.” So we quietly tiptoed away and let her finish her work!
Ralph is a regular at the Menomonee Falls Public Library who likes to come in and use the computers. “I’m on the Cubs network right now. I have the Internet at home but I come here because the service is better. I do a little finance work, Dow Jones, Cubs stuff.” After telling some jokes and funny stories, Ralph said, “I’ve been like this my whole life. When I was at work, you had to be so serious, but now I don’t have a care in the whole world! I don’t have to pretend. I’m happy-go-lucky.”
“We moved to Waukesha in 1974 and my daughter was born in 1978. I would take her to the library starting at 18 months old; every week we would go to the library and get this whole bag full of books. Well, now she’s 41 and she is the Assistant Director of the Arts Library at Yale. She’s a librarian! I thought when she was little, “Maybe you’ll want to work in the library when you’re older,” and she said “Nooo.” But that’s what she ended up doing. She loves her job as a librarian at Yale.”
“Besides the growth in this library and the wonderful changes that have taken place here, one of the most exciting things here is seeing all the kids go in and I just watch. I think we’ve had some really wonderful opportunities for the young people here in Mukwonago. The teen tech tutors come in, to shine and share their skills and teach us how to use the library and how to use technology and how to use the things they’re good at. Yet I see them pick up a book and hold it dearly. I know about 10 of the teens that are part of the Teen Group here and they just love it. I asked the young girl awhile ago, “What do you like best about the library and the technology?” because she works in technology, but she said, “The books,” and she just hugged herself. I said, “Why?” and she said, “Oh, the smell and the feel and the touch.” I feel that way about books too.'”
Paige and Abby were busy making crafts at the Space Lab at Waukesha Public Library when we met them. Their mom, Vicky, told us that their family comes several times a week. In fact, this was their second time that day! “We come for fun and educational activities,” Vicky said. “I’m impressed with everything the library has. On the schedule pamphlet, we have the programs highlighted and circled so we don’t miss them. We came here from Baltimore, which is a bigger area, but not nearly as many programs.”
Elizabeth lives with dementia and attends memory cafes at several libraries with her daughter Marie. Marie: “We go to the memory cafes because we like them a lot. She does get bored, so I am thankful that they have places like this to go to. And actually, I’m finding so much more to do with the libraries, like movie nights, cards, learning about your computers, financial things. Most of that is free. I could not afford to do everything I do if I had to pay 5 dollars here, 5 dollars there. So that’s a godsend for us because we need to keep busy and I think it’s good for her health to keep busy as well.” Elizabeth: “I’ve got you. You’re my mother and father and uncle and aunt. I don’t know what I’d do without you.”
Our amazing Dwight Foster Library has been a staple in my life since I had my daughter almost 12 years ago! The Baby, Toddler and Preschool Story Times were absolutely essential for us! It serves as a learning environment, a social gathering place, a change of scenery when the weather was not so ideal for outdoor activities, as well as a fabulous place to get books, magazines and numerous other materials! The Staff are ALWAYS so very welcoming and helpful! We have also utilized their internet and copy services available for various personal and fundraising projects! The ways our local library can help others is truly endless! THANK YOU for being here for us ALWAYS!
Jon does freelance work for commercials and TV shows and comes to the Menomonee Falls Public Library to get work done. We asked why he likes coming here and he said, “I just wanted a different space to work in. It’s quiet, it’s calm, it’s relaxing, and I like being around the books.”
“The library is great for digital help. Things keep changing and they have a nice variety of classes here for digital topics. I had never expected the richness of this resource! The digital resources here are really practical and now I can really use them.”
“My mom was a children’s librarian so I grew up with books. It’s been a part of my life, so it’s going to be part of their lives. Hazel is three-and-a-half and she’s already reading, so we were able to find all the materials we needed to get her started reading here. They have a lot of Early Readers packets that help kids begin reading, so we’ve been doing that… On Fridays, for much of the year, they have a playtime for two hours where kids can just come in and play with whatever toys they set out. It’s nice because my kids don’t go to daycare so this gives them an opportunity to socialize and interact with other kids and develop those skills.”
“I was doing stem cell research for orthopedic treatment. There was a researcher in Panama but the book wasn’t available anywhere in the country. The Mukwonago library went out and purchased it, and notified me that they had the book on hold for me. They never told me they were going to buy the book, but all of a sudden it was there.”
On February 21 of this year, Isaac Hou became a United States citizen. He brought treats for the staff of the Watertown Public Library the next day to celebrate. “For the last two years, I have come to the library quite often because I work for myself and conduct most of my business online. I also read a lot. So the library naturally has been the best place for me to work and study. Besides, people working here are wonderful and have made it a very friendly atmosphere for our community. Since I get to see them so often, it feels as if they were all my colleagues. That is why I wanted to share the joy of my special day with everyone. Whenever people congratulated me on this milestone of mine and asked about my journey and the very process of naturalization, I got to relive the sacred and emotional memory of my oath ceremony every single time by characterizing the procedure and showing the photos of my fondest moments. I’ve been impressed with people’s genuine and kind wishes for my citizenship.”
When Erika first came to the Alice Baker Library, “I was handed a jar of jam. Because they had extras and they wanted to welcome me. And the caveat was to just return the jar…I walked home and I’m like “Where did I move to??!!” “[I got] stacks of information about programs and activities in our community, plus an additional welcome from some stranger, who as a patron, also wants to connect to their community and it was very unifying. It was like ‘I’m home.’ I’ve had other libraries in my community that I’ve utilized, but for us, to have this place of knowledge so easy to access within minutes from my home- a bike ride for my kids- and to be welcomed like that, it spoke volumes of specifically what this Alice Baker Library is like.”
Ellie was busy working on her second unicorn hat with her grandmother, Robin, at the Menomonee Falls Public Library when we met them. “We just started coming last month,” Robin said. “She loves climbing in and out of the tree window. We get books and DVDs. Strawberry Shortcake is her favorite so far.” They had just watched Mary Poppins at the library’s movie program. Ellie excitedly said, “I got three popcorns. They were good. We don’t even have to buy any!”
Duane comes regularly to the Dwight Foster Public Library as a tutor with the Jefferson County Literacy Council. “Reading and learning is a lifelong pursuit,” he said. “That’s part of why I volunteer with the Jefferson County Literacy Council, because it’s an opportunity for me to give something back as well as learn something.” The JCLC tutors meet at the library because it was a central place for the students and tutors to meet. “It just made more sense to meet here than anywhere else,” Duane said.
“When I was about 12 years old, we moved to Oconomowoc. I was really involved in my old library and I was looking for that sense of community again. On my first visit here, Ms. Caitlin came out and recommended a book that is actually one of my favorite books today. She invited me to join the Teen Advisory program, which I did, and ever since then, I’ve been volunteering. I’ve met some of my friends and my boyfriend. I also come here often to write and to do homework. It’s been a really great space and there’s a lot of really great people here. It means a lot to me.”
Jill: “Why do you like to come to the library?” Them: “Just for fun.” “I like to come here because of the interesting books. I like to read.” “Yeah, I go on the computers a lot. We play a lot of Roblox.” “When I have free time, I’ll spend like three hours reading.” “Reading is fun. I used to stink at it until second grade and then I went to the reading area. I used to be able to read two Diary of A Wimpy Kid books in two days because I used to read one a day.” “I can read the whole series of Dogman in one day!” “Yeah, he’s done it like five times.” “And there’s like 10 books.” Jill: “Do you come here a lot in the summer?” Them: “Yup. We’ve been here like every day in the last two weeks.”
“We sponsored exchange students when the kids were growing up…so as we’ve had young people, we bring them to the library. I don’t sign up for a lot of newspapers and I’m transitioning my company, so I come over here and I get to read in a beautiful part of the library. To let folks know just how outstanding the library is…It’s just a second to none resource.”
Sue brings her two grandchildren to storytime at the Dwight Foster Public Library in Fort Atkinson. “I try to bring them every week or every other week. We try to get here on a pretty regular basis,” she said. “I volunteered in the Summer Reading Program, so we’re a fan of this library. I know it, so I’m comfortable with it, so if I want to get a book, I know where things are!”
“I’ve been volunteering here since I was going into seventh grade and I’m now a senior in high school. It’s meant a lot because it’s given me a lot of different opportunities, things to do on the weekend. It’s made me meet a lot of people I wouldn’t have met without the library, like all the other kids in the Filmless Film Club, because I don’t go to school with a lot of them. And it’s given me a lot of volunteering opportunities and leadership opportunities too, which is really important.”
Covid-19 continues to have a significant impact on all of us and the impact has not all been negative. For example, I’ve taken advantage of working from home, cooking dinner each and every night, and enjoying a slower pace in life.
That being said, I would be remiss if I didn’t comment on the one negative that I’ve had a really difficult time accepting. That negative is not having access to the Eagle Library to browse through the new book section or wandering through the fiction section for something that catches my eye. My days always ended by reading a best seller, something recommended, or something written by a favorite author. I’m absolutely delighted to hear that curbside service will begin. Looking forward to ending the night by losing myself in a good book.
“A big thing that I love about the library is the social aspect of it. I met two of my very best friends in town- I call them my “mom friends”- at storytime when our now-12-year-olds were one and a half. We were here for storytime and we just started talking. And we’re best friends now. Some of my friends and I will come to the craft nights together. A lot of the social things that I do revolve around the library, whether it’s a craft night or a movie night or something like that. I love the feeling of community here.”
Amanda: ”She loves the library! Today is her birthday so we had to come to the library.” Adelynn: “I’m 4!”
“I’m planning a backpacking trip in England so I’m getting ideas and refining my ideas for the trip. The library is like the third place. It’s not home, it’s not work, it’s a special place. I love the whole community idea and it’s quiet.”
“When my first son was born, we were at the Fort hospital here. We got a little book from the library in our bag to take home. It was a copy of Old McDonald Had a Farm in Spanish and it said, “Read to your baby every day.” And I said, “OK. I will.” I live a couple blocks away, so I put him in the stroller and I walked over to the library. On my third visit to the library, I ran into Ms. Minetta, the librarian and she said, “You should come to storytime.” I said, “Well, he’s only a couple days old.” She said, “That’s fine. They’re never too young.” So he went to his first storytime when he was 10 days old. That was already his fourth visit to the library. After the Toddler Time class would end, a bunch of us moms would just hang out. We would just be moms together, let our kids play, and just learn from each other. It was very valuable. So the friendships that were forged were gigantic. It was a wonderful community. Ms. Minetta really fostered that environment by encouraging people to come and stay.”
“I read a ton of books. I get CDs, DVDs. I like the system because you can get almost anything. That to me is terrific…..People meet in churches, they meet in school, but the library is a place where everybody comes. Sometimes that’s the only place people meet- people from other cultures, [people who are] younger or older. Everybody has a tendency to stick in their own groups so that’s one of the best things about a library, I think.”
Our family had the chance to go up north for Thanksgiving. We looked at the weather and they were expecting 9-13 inches, so we decided to get some board games for some inside activities. Then I remembered that the snowshoes were an option, so we checked at the Watertown Public Library. It was a nice thing because it’s not something we own. When you’re trying something new, you don’t know if you necessarily want to spend the fees…so it was a really great way for us to try snowshoeing again. Now we’re like “Yeah, that was fun. Maybe we should look into getting some for ourselves.” It was a neat way to try something new that we wouldn’t have necessarily done otherwise. There were lots of good memories made. That was something we are going to remember.
Ashley is a nanny and brings her charges to the library in Fort Atkinson for storytime. “This is only my second week on the job so this is my first time bringing them. But storytime was awesome. He loves it and was really getting into it!”
Ronan’s mom is a librarian so he gets to spend lots of time at the library. When I asked him what he loved at the library, his answer was short and to the point: “PLAYING!” Then he turned the interview around on me. “What do YOU like to do at the library, Mama?”
As an avid reader, I created a reading challenge for myself to read 52 books in 2019. At the same time, I implemented a book-buying ban since I already have overflowing bookshelves, so it was the library to the rescue! Thanks to the interlibrary loan system, I was able to save hundreds of dollars while completing my challenge and reading the books on my list. I’m back at it in 2020 by reading 52 books. I’m always open to giving and receiving book recommendations.
For me, the library has opened the door to books and people in the community. Being a board member has also opened me up to all kinds of people. Just knowing there’s so much a small community can offer, it’s been quite a journey for me. And being able to share it with them is awesome.
The Town Hall Library had a bookmark contest for the children. They could design one with the summer theme of “A Universe of Stories.” So my 8 year old designed a bookmark and we got a phone call a couple months later saying that she was one of the selected ones that they turned into actual bookmarks! She got to come pick them up and we handed them out to people we know, like family members. We even mailed one out to cousins in Philadelphia. That was super fun. She was tickled pink; she thought it was awesome!
I remember going to the library with my mom and siblings. Now I can share my love of books and libraries with my son. I almost always leave a library with at least 10 books, books from all different genres and sometimes in different languages. I’ve saved so much money by getting books from the library instead of Amazon, and printing at the library instead of a print shop. Recently I fulfilled a lifelong dream and a book I’ve written is in the Pauline Haass Public Library [in Sussex]. I love how libraries connect authors and book lovers for free.
Soon after we moved to Johnson Creek in 2004, I discovered the Johnson Creek Public Library. It didn’t take long to fall in love with out little library because it’s clearly the social hub of our community. They have something for everyone whether you like new books or the classics, music or movies, programs for all ages. And, I found my niche with the Friends of JCPL as an active group of people who care as deeply about our library & promoting literacy as I do. It was love at first sight.