In the news ...

From The Wisconsin Dells Events ...

Bookmobile adds WiFi

Contributed | Posted: Friday, June 25, 2010 2:29 pm | (0)

The staff and trustees of the Kilbourn Public Library announce the addition of new services and an expanded summer schedule for the Kilbourn Public Library Bookmobile.

The bookmobile now offers wireless Internet, make and take activities and the opportunity to participate in the summer reading programs to its patrons in the Wisconsin Dells and Lake Delton area.

With the help of a donation from the Lake Delton Lions Club, the Kilbourn Public Library Bookmobile is now a WiFi hotspot. Bookmobile patrons will be able to log onto the Internet with their own wireless enabled computers using the bookmobile's wireless signal. Up to five computers at a time will be able to use the WiFi and patrons must be within 50 feet of the bookmobile.

With the addition of several new summer stops in the Lake Delton area the bookmobile hopes to make finding an Internet connection convenient for their patrons. "Libraries today, including the bookmobile, continue to provide traditional sources of news and information through magazines and books, but the Internet continues to be the gate-way of choice for more and more people," said bookmobile driver Michael Dodd. "The capacity to bring convenient and free access to the Internet is another way that the bookmobile brings the resources of the full-size library to people who are not able to go to the main library."

Another popular library service that the Kilbourn Public Library Bookmobile will be adding is make and take library activities for children. Children who visit the bookmobile will not only be able to find books but will also find a make and take craft, coloring sheets or a library activity.

On Wednesdays, children are encouraged to visit the bookmobile at the Lake Delton School and participate in a summer library program story hour in the morning beginning at 10:15 a.m. or a school-age program in the afternoon beginning at 2 p.m..

The summer library program is under way at the library and bookmobile patrons can take part in the Summer Library Program reading programs on the Kilbourn Public Library Bookmobile also. Children, teens and adults can enroll in the special programs that reward readers for reading books of their own choosing over the summer. Sign up sheets, giveaways and prizes are available on the bookmobile.

Research shows that children who read over the summer enter school in the fall better prepared for their class work. Children who do not read over the summer have been found to lose ground with their reading skills.

"Our summer programs are designed to be fun for all the participants, including adults. At the same time, we have a special commitment to help our community's young people continue to improve the skills that will make them do better in school," said Dodd. "The Bookmobile visits Lake Delton and Neenah Creek Elementary Schools during the academic year, and many of the students use it regularly to supplement the resources in the school libraries. They are already familiar with the bookmobile, and we want to encourage them to continue to take advantage of what we offer during the summer months when the school library is not open to them."

The new bookmobile schedule began on June 8 and includes new summer stops on Tuesdays at Tower Park on Redbird Avenue in Lake Delton and on Fridays at Clara Avenue Apartments and Captain Bob's Park in Lake Delton.

The summer bookmobile schedule is as follows:

Tuesdays

10:30 a.m. - noon, Deer Run Estates

12:30 - 1 p.m., Tower Park

5 - 6 p.m., Woodland Park Apartments

Wednesdays

10 - 11:30 a.m., Lake Delton School

12:15 - 1 p.m. Ho Chunk Head Start

2 - 3 p.m., Lake Delton School

Thursdays

11:30 - noon, Village Glen Apartments

2:30 - 3:30 p.m. Colonial Apartments

Fridays

11:30 - noon, Clara Avenue Apartments

12:30 - 1:30 p.m. Captain Bob's Park

2:30 - 3:30 p.m. Neenah Creek School

2nd Saturdays

10 - 11:30 a.m., Lake Delton School