Fond du Lac Public Library announces July programs

Buffalo Bill, freed prisoners and more: Attend History at Home to learn about what early Fond du Lac sheriffs faced

Learn about the remarkable men and the challenges that they faced while serving as sheriff in the early days of Fond du Lac during July’s History at Home program.

On Thursday, July 11 at 6 p.m. in the library’s McLane Room, local historian Tracy Reinhardt will recall the days when Fond du Lac was just a fledgling village and the duties of the county sheriff often seemed mundane. They had to live at the jail, and their wives had to feed the prisoners. Their main business seemed to be serving notices for bankruptcies and evictions.

The men were also from many walks of life, owning farms, saw mills, iron foundries and small businesses. One sheriff was a banker, and one sheriff was the Grandson of an English Duke.

In their brief, two-year terms in office, they experienced many events, including a visit by Buffalo Bill Cody, the arrival of 70 freed slaves after the Civil War, and the scandal surrounding the “Tin Soldier” monument at the courthouse.

Other notable incidents included:

· One sheriff had his arm amputated

· One sheriff had a son who opened all the jail cells before he ran away from home

· One died in office after only serving six months

Learn more about these remarkable men and the challenges that they faced while serving as sheriff in the early days of Fond du Lac during History at Home. History at Home programs focus on stories about the area’s past every month.

Watch this program either in person on July 11 at the library or watch from home via the library’s Facebook page at facebook.com/FDLPL. No registration required to view the program.

Get creative in July in the Idea Studio at the Fond du Lac Public Library

Bring your ideas to life during July in the Idea Studio at the Fond du Lac Public Library.

On Wednesday, July 17 at 6 p.m., join the Idea Studio’s meetup to learn about the “Boomerang Bag” project that began in Australia in 2013. This program is about connecting communities, making reusable bags, diverting waste, starting conversations, fostering sustainable behavior, and having a bit of fun. To participate, register at calendar.fdlpl.org.

Then, join any of the three Let’s Make events scheduled for July:

· On Monday, July 15 at 6 p.m., earn a badge for use of the Idea Studio’s Sublimation Printer and Heat Press, plus you get to make earrings to get home. For ages 13+. Register starting July 1 at calendar.fdlpl.org.

· Or, on Monday, July 22 at 6 p.m., get badged on the Idea Studio’s Silhouette Cameo 4 and make your very own heat transfer vinyl design tote bag. For ages 13+. Register starting July 8 at calendar.fdlpl.org.

· Then, on Tuesday, July 30 at 6 p.m., get badged and make 3-D printed charms using the Prusa i3 MK3S. The library will provide chain links and other jewelry accessories. For ages 13+. Register starting July 16 at calendar.fdlpl.org.

Enjoy creating collages? Stop down to the Idea Studio on Wednesday, July 24 at 6 p.m. for the monthly Cut & Paste Club meetup. For July, use various paper and ephemera to create a one of a kind simple sketchbook. After the sketchbooks have been assembled, patrons can add whatever they want to fill them. Open to anyone but youth under the age of 13 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian. No registration needed.

The Idea Studio is open for walk-in visits Monday through Thursday from 3 to 8 p.m., Friday from 3 to 6 p.m., and Saturday from noon to 4 p.m.

Create something special during July at the Fond du Lac Public Library

Love to create? The Fond du Lac Public Library is introducing a new art experience in July to complement its slate of crafty programs.

Hands-On History is perfect for individuals who have an interest in history as well as making. On Thursday, July 25 at 6 p.m., join library staff in the McLane Room to create your own bit of history during the first installment of the new series. View the library’s historic postcard collection, then create a postcard art that will tell its own story. No special skills necessary; registration will be open July 11 to 21 (or until the program is full).

Other events planned this month include:

· Revel in campy and tacky art during Bad Art Night on Monday, July 1 at 6 p.m. in the McLane Room. This month, the theme is Cat Scratch Art. All supplies will be provided; register now at calendar.fdlpl.org.

· Join library staff Monday, July 8 at 6 p.m. in the McLane Room to create Sand Bottles during Evening Craft Class. All supplies will be provided. Register now at calendar.fdlpl.org.

· Need new supplies to feed your at-home crafting itch? Drop into the library on Saturday, July 20 from 10 to 11 a.m. in the McLane Room for a Craft Swap. Items may be donated to the swap July 8 to 18 at the library’s Help Desk, but anyone may attend the pick-up event on July 20.

Fond du Lac Public Library will show documentary ‘The Right to Read’ as community groups grapple with literacy in the FDL area

No single factor influences a child’s future success more than the ability to read, and too many children cannot read at even a “basic” level.

Learn more about this serious concern during one of several upcoming showings of an award-winning documentary titled “The Right to Read” as local organizations begin to grapple with how to increase the literacy rate in the Fond du Lac community.

Free showings will be held at the Fond du Lac Public Library on:

· Wednesday, July 24 at noon

· Wednesday, Aug. 21 at 6 p.m.

Each event is open to the public and will include an opportunity to discuss what viewers learned while watching “The Right to Read.”

Executive produced by LeVar Burton, “The Right to Read” shares the stories of an NAACP activist, a teacher, and two families who fight to provide America’s youngest generation with the most foundational indicator of life-long success: the ability to read. The documentary has been selected nationally at multiple film festivals, including the 2023 Milwaukee Film Festival.

Thirty-seven percent of fourth-graders in the United States read “below basic,” according to the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP). As defined by the NAEP, the term “below basic” denotes performance that falls below the lowest performance level. More information may be found at nationsreportcard.gov.

The showings at the Fond du Lac Public Library are one step in a larger movement in Fond du Lac toward improving the community’s literacy rate. Community members are encouraged to become a part of this effort; no registration is required to attend these showings.

THELMA Visual Artists return to Langdon Gallery for annual members exhibit

Creations by members of the THELMA Visual Artists (TVA) group will be on display in the Langdon Divers Community Gallery throughout July as a part of the annual members exhibit.

From Wednesday, July 3 through Tuesday, Aug. 6, stop by the gallery at the Fond du Lac Public Library to see a selection of their works.

TVA is a collective of local artists promoting the Thelma Sadoff Center for the Arts’ mission of enriching the Fond du Lac community through the arts while advancing personal and professional development. Members of TVA include Nancy Donohue, Linda Fabry, Casey French, Sue Hoehnen, Trista Holz, Larry Kent, Roxine McQuitty, William Nettelhorst, Dennis Ninmer, TJ Schultz, Michael Sergi, Sandra Uecker, Renee Louise Waters, Mary Wehner, Wanda Yuhas Weller and Arianna McCormick-Wilson.

The group was founded in 2010 at the Fond du Lac Visual Artists but is now a non-profit group under the Thelma Sadoff Center for the Arts.

A public reception will be held Thursday, July 11 from 5:30 to 7 p.m.

The Langdon Divers Community Gallery is open seven days a week, whenever the Fond du Lac Public Library is open at 32 Sheboygan St. The gallery may be found off the atrium at the south entrance to the Main Library.

For updates on Langdon Divers Community Gallery, follow the gallery on Facebook at www.facebook.com/langdondivers. Kolstad may be contacted at mel@kolstad.net.

Win prizes throughout July during Summer Reading at the Fond du Lac Public Library

Exciting activities, amazing prizes, and great books: It’s time to jump into Summer Reading at the Fond du Lac Public Library.

Throughout July, the Fond du Lac Public Library continues to invite users of all ages to “Read, Renew, Repeat,” the outdoorsy theme of Summer Reading @ FDLPL 2024.

Activities for all ages will be held throughout the program.

Adults can join the library for its popular Craft Swap program on Saturday, July 20. From 10 to 11 a.m., visit the library to pick up new materials to feed a crafter’s passion for creating. Items may be donated to the swap between July 8 to 18, but donating is not required to participate in the July 20 event. Or, visit calendar.fdlpl.org to see any of our other regular programs, such as Bad Art Night (July 1), Evening Craft Class (July 8), History at Home (July 11), or Hands-on History (July 25).

Kids, meanwhile, have tons of activities to join to keep them from getting bored, including a Taylor Swift Party on Saturday, July 13 at 1 p.m. Come dressed in a favorite Taylor Swift eras outfit, make friendship bracelets, enjoy refreshments, and dance to favorite Taylor Swift songs. No registration required.

Then, on Wednesday, July 24 from 10 a.m. to noon, drop in at the favorite activity of the summer, Touch a Truck, at Lakeside Park. Get close to the big “things that go” and even get inside some of the vehicles. From 11 a.m. to noon will be sensory-friendly with no horn honking allowed (though families are encouraged to bring their own noise-canceling headphones or other sound-blocking devices).

Other youth activities scheduled for July include Renew Yourself (a mindfulness program) July 3, Create Your Own Fairy or Gnome Garden on July 10, Art Camp on July 17, and Messy Garden Science on July 31.

Teens also can drop into favorite events such as Anime Afternoon (July 2), Mischief and Magic (July 11), and Ready, Set, Roleplay! (July 18). Or, they may join our new monthly program, Play With

Your Food (July 16), which features a new activity each month with a food theme. In July, they will carve a potato to make stamps and generally appreciate all things potato. No registration needed for any of these teen events.

Teens are also invited to participate in Renew Yourself July 3, the Taylor Swift Party July 13, and Art Camp July 17.

Meanwhile, through Aug. 11, kids, teens, and adults may read their favorite books to earn prizes. Returning in 2024 is an online logging option: users can hop on the Fond du Lac Public Library’s online portal, Beanstack, to record their minutes of reading. A link to Beanstack is available at fdlpl.org/summer2024. Participation is easy, and earns readers instant rewards along the way as well as a chance at a grand prize at the end of the summer. All reading counts, and reading aloud counts for both the reader and the listener. Instant prizes include the popular Faris Popcorn.

Learn more about Summer Reading at the Fond du Lac Public Library by visiting fdlpl.org/summer2024