Rock County’s public libraries are collaborating on a unique program series that will benefit parents, teachers, and young students this fall. These programs will provide additional educational opportunities for families as they navigate this new learning environment.

Known as Library Shorts, this series will feature one 5-10 minute video lesson a day, for one week each month this autumn. Each video will tackle a different school subject with the week’s overarching theme in mind. This October, Library Shorts will be helping 4 to 10-year-olds learn about Fall with mini-lessons in Math, Music, Science, Wellness/Mindfulness, Writing, and Art. In November and December, Library Shorts will explore “Community” and “Celebration”.

“I think it’s great that the Rock County libraries are working together to offer something unique during these crazy times,” said Ashlee Kunkel, Director of Milton Public Library. “We hope that families, students, and teachers find Library Shorts fun and useful.”

Videos will be posted on the Library Shorts blog at 8:00 am Monday through Saturday, October 12-17 and can be completed at one’s leisure. Look for the link on your library’s website, find your library’s Facebook events, or visit the blog directly at https://www.als.lib.wi.us/site/pages-for-patrons/library-shorts.

 Some lessons may require supplies–many can be found around the home. The week’s supply list will be available on the Library Shorts blog and library Facebook pages beginning Thursday, October 8. 

Young Auditorium is a recipient of a full grant of $15,000 to host the National Endowment for the Arts Big Read in  Whitewater and its neighboring communities in 2021.

The NEA Big Read in Whitewater will focus on THE LATEHOMECOMER by KAO KALIA YANG. In addition to the featured title, Young Auditorium also selects a companion novel to help involve youth in this innovative reading program. The featured youth title will be A MAP INTO THE WORLD, also by Kao Kalia Yang. Local ‘Big Read’ activities will start with a kick-off event on April 3, 2021, and continue taking place throughout the remainder of April. 

Get involved.

Deadline is October 2, 2020.
Community libraries, businesses and organizations that are interested in working with Young Auditorium for The Big Read should  contact Keriann Kirkeng (262-472-1432/ kirkengk@uww.edu) for more information.