Welcome to the Youth Services Department
Welcome to the youth area of the Matheson Memorial Library. We offer a wide variety of materials for circulation, a community space for families to gather, and programming for all ages.
What can you do in the library?
Browse and check out books, audiovisual materials, toys, maker kits, and STEAM labs. Many of our games and hands-on activities are now available for circulation.
Sign up for summer reading June 1st and pick up take home activities and stickers every week.
Attend in-person programs in June – registration is required and opens May 15th. Registration for Family Storytime with Pattie Woods will be on a weekly basis, starting June 7th.
What can you do outside the library?
Visit the library garden; stop by to play, have a picnic, and enjoy the sunshine or register for one of our outdoor programs in the garden or at Tasch Park.
What can you do virtually or at home?
How can you support the youth services department?
If you shop on Amazon, you can contribute to the library by selecting Friends of Matheson Memorial Library Corp and shopping through smile.amazon.com
If you would like to contribute directly, you can shop our wishlists for crafts and supplies and for books.
Jennifer Wharton, Youth Services Librarian, jwharton@elkhorn.lib.wi.us
Reading Colors Your World
A monthly collection of the best writing and art of Elkhorn students from preschool to middle school. Available to the public in the library each month, located above the early readers.
Submission guidelines
Who can submit?
– Kids in preschool through middle school.
What can they submit?
– Art, including photographs, and writing, both fiction and nonfiction. All submissions should fit
on an 8×11 sheet of paper and be no more than 10 pages long.
How do you choose what is included?
– Library staff will review submissions for quality, appropriate content, and space.
Don’t forget to proofread, edit, and turn in your best work!
We cannot return your submissions, so make sure you submit a photo of your art or a copy of your writing.
Bookaneers
Thursday, October 7, November 4, & December 2 at 4:30pm in the Story Room
Arr mateys, here be a treasure trove of books! If you are in first, second, or third grade you are invited to join Bookaneers; Whether you can read alone or need a little help, this club is for you. Join us for crafts, talking about our favorite books, and picking out exciting new books to read for the next month.
Aquanauts
Tuesday, October 5, November 2, & November 30 at 5:30pm in the Story Room
You’ve started your journey with the Bookaneers, now dive deeper with the Aquanauts! Kids ages 9-12 are invited to a book club full of hands-on activities, discussion, and diving into chapter books of all genres, from fantasy to nonfiction.
Read and Grow & Reading Explorer will be
coming back in the Fall of 2021!
Paws to Read
Mondays at 4:15pm in the Story Room
Starting Jan. 10 – May
Join some special furry friends and volunteers from the Lakeland Animal Shelter and take a Paws to Read some stories. All ages are welcome to interact and play, listen to stories, and read to the animals. Live animals will be present and confined to the Storyroom. This program is sponsored by the Lakeland Animal Shelter.
Pokemon Club
2nd & 4th Tuesdays of the month from 4-5pm
Jan. 11 & 25, Feb. 8 & 22, March 8 & 22, April 12 & 26, May 10 & 24
In the Community Room
Are you a fan of Pokemon? Bring your friends for an hour of crafts, cards, and movies in the Community Room. We’ll spend the first half playing and crafting and then watch some classic Pokemon shows for the second half. Kids are welcome to bring their own cards to play or share, but staff cannot supervise trading.
Family Storytime with Ms. Pattie
Wednesdays at 10am
Jan. 12, 26, Feb. 2, 9, 23, March 2, 9, April 6, 13, 27, May 4, 11, 25
In the Story Room
Join Pattie Woods from the EASD, library staff, and occasional special guests for weekly storytime. We’ll have half an hour of stories, songs and movement, followed by an activity.
Winter Wigglers
Wednesday, Jan. 19, Feb. 16, & March 16 at 10am in the Story Room
No 4k today? Keep your mind – and your muscles – jumping! Join Ms. Terri in getting your winter wiggles out with movement, interactive stories, and more. Families with children of all ages are invited to this active storytime.
Lapsit
Thursdays at 10am
Jan. 13, 20, 27, Feb. 3, 10, 17, 24, March 3, 10, 17, 24, April 7, 14, 21, 28, May 5, 12, 19, 26
In the Story Room
Join Pattie Woods from the EASD and library staff for half an hour of stories, songs, and discoveries followed by open playtime.
Resources for home learning and educational activities
For free ebooks, audiobooks, and streaming video, visit Hoopla, Kanopy, and Overdrive.
Looking for Books
Pinterest
Novelist
Caregivers Collection: Books to help in tough times
Activity Calendars
Early Literacy Activity Calendar (May/ June 2021)
STEAM Activity Calendar (May/ June 2021)
Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math projects for kids to do at home, school, or the library. Click here to access the calendar!!
Reading levels
Lexile Lists Browse
Browse Early Readers by Level
