Marvelous May Events for All!
Ripon, WI – The Ripon Public Library is pleased to spring into a fresh slate of programming for all ages. Keep reading to discover all that May has to offer! Thanks to the Friends of the Library, and other generous partners, programming is always free! Unless noted, events take place at the library and registration is not required
STORYTIME + STAY & PLAY | THURS @ 10 AM | MAY 1 & MAY 8 | FOR KIDS & CAREGIVERS
Storytime features active learning and fun! Early literacy & STEM concepts come to life through stories, music, movement, and enrichment activities.
STAY AND PLAY in the Romper Room after Storytime. Kids release excess energy and advance their social and physical skills while adults connect.
MONDAY MATINEE | MON MAY 5 @ 2 PM | ADULTS
Enjoy a new release movie on the library’s big screen, stereo sound, and complimentary popcorn.
View a recent Academy Award nominee in which a young Bob Dylan shakes up the folk music scene when he plugs in his electric guitar at the Newport Folk Festival in 1965.–Swank
D&D GAME TIME | SUN MAY 11 @ 1-4 PM | AGES 11 + UP
Join us for an afternoon filled with Dungeons and Dragons, along with other role-playing games! Dive into a fantastical world where you can embody unique characters, engage in problem-solving, and collaborate with fellow players!
No experience necessary, beginners are welcome at this recurring event hosted on the second Sunday of each month.
KIDS TO PARKS DAY | SAT MAY 17 @ 10 AM | At Ripon Senior Activity Center – 338 Murray Park Drive | For KIDS & CAREGIVERS
Plant, learn, play, and enjoy yourself along way! Ripon Public Library and Ripon Parks and Recreation are offering a morning of active fun with an array of activities. Enjoy outdoor lawn games, a Storywalk, and garden exploration including peat pot plantings to take home. Dress for the weather and dirt! This event is offered in recognition of Fond du Lac United Way’s 15th annual Kids to Parks Day!
MONDAY CLASSIC MOVIE | MON MAY 19 @ 2 PM | | ALL AGES
Join us for an iconic film that has passed the test of time! Complimentary popcorn available.
In this 1950 classic an American actor, impersonating an English butler, is hired by a rich woman from New Mexico to refine her husband and headstrong daughter. The complications increase when the town believes the actor/butler to be an earl and President Roosevelt decides to pay a visit.—Swank (1950) 1h 32m
BOOK CLUB | MON MAY 19 @ 6:30 PM | Surviving Savannah by Patti Callahan Henry
Enjoy a friendly and thoughtful discussion with other book lovers! Books are available for check out prior to the discussion date. Stop at the library to get your copy. Join us in person or online for a lively discussion! A Zoom link for online participation can be found on the library website.
SYNOPSIS: When Savannah history professor Everly Winthrop is asked to guest-curate a new museum collection focusing on artifacts recovered from the steamship Pulaski, she’s shocked. The ship sank after a boiler explosion in 1838, and the wreckage was just discovered, 180 years later. Everly can’t resist the opportunity to try to solve some of the mysteries and myths surrounding the devastating night of its sinking.
Everly’s research leads her to the astounding history of a family of eleven who boarded the Pulaski together, and the extraordinary stories of two women from this family: a known survivor, Augusta Longstreet, and her niece, Lilly Forsyth, who was never found, along with her child. These aristocratic women were part of Savannah’s society, but when the ship exploded, each was faced with difficult and heartbreaking decisions. This is a moving and powerful exploration of what women will do to endure in the face of tragedy, the role fate plays, and the myriad ways we survive the surviving.–Amazon
ADULT GAME NIGHT | WED MAY 21 @ 6 PM | AGES 16 & UP
Stop in and learn a new game with the guidance of library staff! Enjoy modern board games that test your strategy and luck. In May, we’re featuring Harmonies, a 30-45 minute game where players create their own landscapes and habitats to welcome animals (and score points). We’ll have a variety of games on hand from the library’s extensive collection. Adult Game Night currently meets the 3rd Wednesday of each month.
HOLIDAY CLOSURE | MAY 26 ALL DAY
Please note the library will be closed in observance of Memorial Day, Monday, May 26. This also marks the beginning of Summer Hours, which run Memorial Day to Labor Day, as follows: Monday through Thursday 9 AM – 8 PM, Friday 9 AM – 6 PM, Saturday 9 AM- 1 PM, Sunday CLOSED.
SAT | MAY 31 | 1:00 PM | GENEALOGY 101 WITH LARA GRANT | ADULTS
Ever wonder about your family history? Who was your grandmother’s grandfather? What did he do for a living? When did my family come to America? Who is that man wearing a military uniform in the photo I found in the old trunk in the attic and how am I related? What part did my relatives possibly play in historical events? These questions are some of the pieces of the large puzzle called genealogy. As with any puzzle, the pieces can be put together in any order, but putting some pieces together first makes the whole puzzle easier to complete.
Join us for a program that will help you learn to navigate genealogy resources and introduce you to the library’s newest resource, Ancestry Library Edition as well as a more detailed look at online sources.
Seating is limited. Call the library at 920-748-6160 to register for this session on Saturday, May 31. Please note that the library closes at 1:00 PM on Saturday, May 31st so all attendees need to be in the building before 1:00 PM.
DROP-IN BOREDOM BUSTERS
- Come play in the Romper Room. Physical activity and human connections are important for healthy, happy human beings, and the Romper Room facilitates both! Focusing on active play, the room features trikes, foot-to-floor vehicles, a balance bike, tunnels, tumbling mats, balance beams, and more. The Romper Room, which is open during regular library hours, is most engaging for ages 2-6 years, though younger/older kids are welcome.
- Enjoy the always-available board games, toy library, and activity sheets located in the youth department.
- Visit the community table where there is always a puzzle in progress! Stay for a bit and place a few pieces or settle in for a longer session.
Visit the library’s website or follow Ripon Public Library on Facebook and Instagram for detailed information and the latest library news on programs and resources, or call a friendly librarian, 920-748-6160.
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