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Libraries

Locations & Hours

 

Library

Youth Programming

June 2 - July 26

Enjoy a summer full of games, toys, puzzles, reading, and FUN at the library with our Summer Library Program: Level Up at Your Library! From story times to nature programs to special entertainment, there’s no shortage of exciting ways to make the most of your summer at the library.

Going on now:

Children (babies through entering grade 5) can pick up their Reading Records.

Online registration is open for Library Learners, Pokémon Extravaganza, and STEAM camp.

Creation Stations are up at all locations and the activities change weekly.

 

 

Summer Reading Program
Level Up at Your Library Reading Program

Grab a Reading Record, set your own reading goal... and READ!

Babies through entering grade 5. Pick up your Reading Record (one per child) in person or download a digital copy. New this year, receive a FREE coupon for a book from your library’s book sale when you pick up your Reading Record.

“Travel” around La Crosse County on your Record each time you meet your goal or complete an activity. When you complete your Record, earn a free new book of your choice and a ticket to the ice cream party.

Reading Records accepted Monday, June 16 through Saturday, July 26.

Teen Reading Raffle

Entering grades 6-12. In-person and online ticket submission available.

Each time you read a book and submit a ticket, your name will be entered into a Grand Prize Pack drawing of your choice.

Prize 1: Indoor Gaming Adventure

  • Play Station 5 and Nintendo Switch from Gaming Generations
  • Catan Dice Game, Costa Rica, Helios Expanse, Jetpack Joyride, Pandemic Hot Zone North America, Spellcaster, Ticket to Ride San Francisco, and Trash Pandas from Coulee Gamers 

Prize 2: Outdoor Gaming Adventure

  • Frisbee Golf Starter Set, Pickleball Set, Giant Yard Dice Games, and Kubb Yard Game

Prize 3: Money

  • $100 gift card to Target

Plus, EVERYONE wins a Reading Raffle Reader prize just for participating and a ticket to the ice cream party.

Raffle Tickets accepted Monday, June 2 through Saturday, July 26. Grand Prize winners announced Friday, August 1. All raffle prizes can be picked up Friday, August 8 through Friday, August 29.

Family events are 45-minutes long. No registration required; children under 8 must be accompanied by an adult. For more details on any of these events, please see our Events site.

BRUCE THE BUG GUY
Wednesday, July 2
10:30 a.m. West Salem
12:30 p.m. Onalaska*
3:30 p.m. Holmen

AUSSIE DIDGERIDDO AND YOU
Monday, July 7
3:30 p.m. Onalaska
Sponsored by the Ben and Floyde Sias Trust Fund

Tuesday, July 8
12:30 p.m. Holmen

DRAGON TRAINER PUPPETRY
Wednesday, July 9
12:30 p.m. West Salem
3:30 p.m. Onalaska*
6:30 p.m. Campbell

MOVEMENT AND GAMES
Wednesday, July 16
10:30 a.m. Campbell
12:30 p.m. Holmen
3:30 p.m. Onalaska

U.S. FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE
Wednesday, July 23
12:30 p.m. Holmen
3:30 p.m. Campbell
6:30 p.m. Bangor

Wednesday, July 30
12:30 p.m. Onalaska
3:30 p.m. West Salem

*Sponsored by the Friends of the Onalaska Library.

 

Photo of open notebook with word

 

DRIFTLESS ECO EXPLORERS

Mon, July 7 | 11 a.m. meet outside Holmen Library

Thurs, July 10 | 11 a.m. meet at Great River Landing in Onalaska

Enjoy nature walks, stories, and activities designed to foster eco-literacy and fun for youth and their grown-ups. Explore local trails as summer marches along. (~45 minutes) All ages welcome. No registration required. Weather permitting.


TINY STEAM

STEAM stands for Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math

Families can drop in on select Tuesdays and explore fun STEAM activities geared for babies and toddlers. No registration required. Geared for newborn-36 months, but all ages welcome. 

Drop in from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. on the following Tuesdays:
July 8 - Holmen
July 15 - Onalaska
July 22 - West Salem


FUN & GAMES AT CLEARWATER FARM

Sat, July 12 | Drop in between 9 a.m. and 1 p.m.
Clearwater Farm, 760 Green Coulee Rd., Onalaska

Visit Clearwater Farm in Onalaska for open barn events, Story Time at 11:00 a.m., food trucks, crafts and yard games. All ages welcome. No registration required.


BLUFF COUNTRY TALE SPINNERS

All events at 10 a.m.
July 1 | Campbell Library
July 12 | Onalaska

Come hear tales told by expert storytellers with the Bluff Country Tale Spinners and the La Crosse Storytelling Festival. All ages welcome. No registration required.


POKEMON EXTRAVAGANZA

Thurs, July 17 | 6:30 p.m. | Campbell Library
Mon, July 21 | 1:30 p.m. | Bangor Library
Tues, July 22 | 3:30 p.m. | West Salem Library

Calling all Pokémon fans (no cards required)! Sign up for an hour of Pokémon fun. Play Pokémon bingo, test your knowledge at Pokémon trivia, make your own Poké Ball replica, and more!

Geared for children entering grades 1 thru 8. Registration required; only one session per child. Onalaska and Holmen sessions full.

REGISTER

Image of calendar planner and office supplies

Teen nights are back this summer at our Holmen, Onalaska, and West Salem locations. No registration required.

TEEN BINGO

Bring your friends, play bingo, eat pizza, and win prizes... for free!

Show up at 5 p.m. to hang out and relax; Bingo starts at 5:30 p.m.

June 23 | Holmen Library
June 26 | Onalaska Library
July 1 | West Salem Library


TEEN MOVIES

Bring your friends, play games, eat pizza, and watch a movie on the big screen... for free!

Show up at 5 p.m. to hang out and relax; movie starts at 5:30 p.m.

Despicable Me 4 (PG)

June 30 | Holmen Library
July 2 | West Salem Library
July 3 | Onalaska Library

Sonic the Hedgehog (PG)

July 7 | Holmen Library
July 9 | West Salem Library
July 10 | Onalaska Library

The Wild Robot (PG)

July 14 | Holmen Library
July 16 | West Salem Library
July 17 | Onalaska Library

The Day the Earth Blew Up (PG)

July 21 | Holmen Library
July 23 | West Salem Library
July 24 | Onalaska Library


TEENS LEADING CHANGE (TLC)

TLC is our new teen leadership initiative designed to give youth ages 12-18 a greater voice in designing teen spaces and services at the library and a larger role in accelerating positive change. By participating in TLC, you can satisfy community service/volunteer hours, gain leadership and project management experience, and collaborate with other teens who want to make a difference.

Meetings will be held at 3:30 pm on the last Wednesday of the month at our Onalaska location’s Youth Services Program Room. Bring your friends!

Next Meeting:

Onalaska Public Library
Youth Services Program Room
Wed, July 30
3:30 pm

Tiny Tales

Tiny Tales web

 

Join us Thursdays for story times designed for our friends ages 0-36 months (but all ages welcome). We offer 20 minutes of caregiver and baby fun and bonding with books, bounces, songs, and rhymes followed by unstructured play and read time. No registration required. Does not meet the week of June 30.

June 12-26 and July 10-24

Holmen Library: Thursdays at 10:15 am

Library Learners
LibraryLearners web
Registration Recommended

Join us for story times full of books, movement, songs, and fun. Story Times last approximately 25 minutes and are geared toward youth ages 3 - entering first grade, but all ages are welcome. No story times the week of June 30.

Registration recommended; click the appropriate link below to go to the registration page.

June 9-27 and July 7-25

Bangor Library: Mondays at 10:15 am
Campbell Library: Thursdays at 6:30 pm
Holmen Library:  Mondays at 10:15 am, Tuesdays at 6:30 pm, Wednesdays at 10:15 am
Onalaska Library: Mondays at 10 am, Mondays at 6:30 pm, Thursdays at 10 am, Fridays at 10 am
West Salem Library: Tuesdays at 6:30 pm, Thursdays at 10:15 am

Bilingual web

Learn phrases, sing songs, and baila con amor! This program is geared toward families wanting to learn about Latin American culture, and for those who are missing home. Geared for ages 3 and up; no registration required.

Aprende frases, canta canciones, y baila con amor. Este programa está dirigido a las familias que quieren aprender sobre la cultura latinoamericana, y para aquellos que echan de menos su hogar. Edades 3 en adelante; no es necesario inscribirse.

Onalaska Library
Saturday, June 21 at 11:15 am
Saturday, July 19 at 11:15 am

1,000 Books Before Kindergarten

Image of field of wildflowers with text that reads

 

Grow a reader!

Caregivers, join us in nurturing a love for reading and building a strong learning foundation for kids ages 0 through Pre-K. As little readers make their way through their books, they’ll earn stickers, track their progress on our library display, and choose a FREE book when they finish!

Swing by any La Crosse County Library location to pick up your FREE book bag and reading log to get started!

Reader's Advisory

Image of three young girls looking at a book at the library


Request Lit Love Bundle

Complete Form


Reader's Advisory is a service to assist young people and their families, and those who work with children, in selecting reading materials. Stop by to talk with a youth services librarian at the Library’s youth services desks in Onalaska, Holmen, and West Salem, or before and after youth programs at any of the five County Library branches. They will be happy to recommend books and other materials for children and teens with regard to abilities, age levels, and interests.

We are pleased to offer a reader’s advisory service at our locations and online as an empowering tool to help connect you with books and resources that meet your needs! As with all of our reader’s advisory initiatives, we understand that you know best what materials will work for you. While we are happy to give suggestions based on our knowledge of our collection, your reading and checkout choices are always in your hands.

Lit Love Book Bundles

Curious about creepy crawlies? Robo-motion? How to introduce your preschooler to Hebrew and other languages with Sesame Street?

Cozy up with some literary love curated just for you by our Youth Services team. Just let us know what you're interested in, and we'll help you find it! Service also available for educators.

Booklists

Booklists are suggested reading in various categories provided by our Youth Services Librarians, New York Times Best-sellers list, etc.



Youth Services Staff travel to each of the five library locations to conduct programs, select and maintain books and other materials, conduct Reader's Advisory, and provide many other services for children, teens, and their families.

Youth Services has offices in Holmen, Onalaska & West Salem:

Holmen Public Library
121 W. Legion St * PO Box 220
Holmen, WI 54636
608-399-3385

Onalaska Public Library
741 Oak Ave S
Onalaska, WI 54650
608-781-9568 ext 3

West Salem Library
702 Industrial Drive
West Salem, WI 54669
608-786-1505