Teen Internship Opportunity – Apply by May 9

Waukesha Public Library is seeking a Teen Community Engagement Intern for the summer! We’re looking for a candidate who works well with all kinds of people and understands the transformative value that a library brings to its community. The position is open to teens who are 16-19 years old and have not started college. The intern will work an average of 10 to 15 hours per week, with the possibility of evening and weekend hours, on a connected learning project that advances the Library’s mission and benefits the Waukesha community. The offered salary is $17.50 per hour, and the deadline to apply is Friday, May 9 at 4:30 PM. See the full job description and apply on the City of Waukesha’s website.

Take our virtual Library tour.

Step inside Waukesha Public Library from the comfort of home! Curious where storytime happens? Want to get a glimpse inside Studio 321? You can see it all on our 360-degree virtual tour. It’s the perfect way to get to know us better–whether you’re planning your first visit or just want to explore. Click HERE and start your virtual stroll through our state-of-the-art facility today.

WPL has added a Lucky Day collection!

Is it your lucky day? It might be! Waukesha Public Library has retired our Rental Collection and replaced it with a Lucky Day Collection. The Lucky Day Collection contains a variety of very popular Library materials with long waiting lists. If you find something you’d like, it’s your lucky day!

Here are the guidelines:

  • Lucky Day items are FREE! ☘️
  • Two Lucky Day items may be checked out per card.
  • Lucky Day items check out for 7 days at a time.
  • You cannot place holds on Lucky Day items, and we won’t hold them at the desk. You can only get them from the Lucky Day shelf.
  • Because these items are very popular, you cannot renew Lucky Day items.
  • Overdue fines are $1.00/day.
  • Each item from the Lucky Day collection is labeled with a green clover sticker on the spine and a green sticker with the guidelines on the cover.

We hope it will be your lucky day sometime soon!

The Lucky Day Collection replaced the Rental Collection in the Library lobby.

The Library is seeking to expand our Public Art Collection.

Waukesha Public Library is seeking to expand our Public Art Collection as part of our vision to inspire and engage the community. The Library currently owns 40 pieces of local artwork and hopes to find the next exceptional piece to enhance the cultural and visual aesthetics of our building. Read this document for details about submitting a proposal.

Hoopla Update

Beginning May 1, all libraries in the Bridges Library System will be reducing the number of Hoopla checkouts to two items per month. We know that Hoopla is popular, but the costs for offering it surpass our budget limitations. Reducing the number of checkouts was the best way to control the cost while still offering the service. Here are some other options for getting popular ebooks, audiobooks, and movies:

  1. Libby – Libby is the reading app by OverDrive and is loved by millions of readers worldwide. Borrow ebooks, audiobooks, magazines, and more with your library card. Use it on your personal computer or on a mobile device. Libby works much like your local library, so some titles will have a holds list.
  2. Hoopla’s Bonus Borrows – Hoopla now offers “Bonus Borrows” the last seven days of each month. They’re a way for you to access additional content when you may have already met your borrowing limit. Use them in addition to your two monthly items.

For more information, please see the Bridges Library System website.

Waukesha Public Library receives the “Partnering for a Purpose” award.

The Library was recently awarded the “Partnering for a Purpose” award from Literacy Services of Wisconsin. This award goes to an organization that “enhances the opportunities afforded to our students by combining and maximizing resources.”

From the award ceremony program:

“The Waukesha Public Library has been connected to our mission for decades through the Greater Waukesha Literacy Council. As a library, they are a champion of community and learning. We have always appreciated their willingness to share their space and serve as a location for students and tutors to gather. In the last couple of years, we have enhanced our partnership to better align with our respective goals and integrate programming in a way that creates the best outcomes for adult students in Waukesha County.”

Thank you to Literacy Services of Wisconsin for this great honor.

Explore our new digital resource – LOTE4Kids

The Library has added LOTE4Kids to our digital resource collection. LOTE4Kids was developed for libraries and schools to grow their World Language picture book collections and support kids learning a new language. Together, let’s give ALL children the opportunity to enjoy books and learn language through the magic of storytelling. Explore LOTE4Kids today!

Explore Udemy courses and Libby magazines.

Bridges Library System member libraries will no longer have access to Flipster or Gale Courses after January 1–but never fear! You can still access digital classes and magazines with your library card using Udemy and Libby. 😊 Udemy offers on-demand video learning courses, in more than 75 categories, that can be accessed anytime, anywhere. Need to kick back with a magazine? Libby offers digital access to over 4,000 popular titles. Make exploring Udemy’s free courses and Libby’s digital magazine collection a priority in 2024!

Tax Payment Box

The City of Waukesha has placed a tax payment box outside the Library near our outdoor return. If you choose to make your tax payment at the Library, please place it into that box. We are not able to accept payment at our Public Services Desk or through our outdoor return. If payments aren’t placed in the tax payment box, we cannot guarantee that they will get to the City. Click HERE to see the full list of options for paying your property taxes.