10-3-2025

Burlington Public Library hosted a meeting this week for librarians in charge of adult programming. The meeting was interesting, filled with a lot of idea sharing and goodwill. More importantly, it gave me an opportunity to receive a fourth stamp in my Ink & Imagination Library Passport.

What is this Library Passport, you ask, and what forms of ID do you need to receive one?

It’s the core piece in a systemwide program designed to encourage people to visit all 22 libraries in the Prairie Lakes Library System. The passport, which can be picked up at any PLLS library, contains a page for each library with its logo, a few fun facts, and a spot for a sticker. Upon visiting a library, staff will “stamp” the passport by affixing a sticker picturing that library building. They are very well done and worth collecting them all. Neither ID nor passport photo is required to participate. Not even a library card.

Ink & Imagination was created by Kate Davis, Program Coordinator for PLLS, with much assistance from the Marketing Director Tovah Anderson. Tovah created the images including the stickers, yard signs, and Spotify campaign. Kate committed a fair amount of her budget to it. Participates earn an entry for a prize drawing for every five libraries visited and stickers acquired. There are a total of seven prizes with one reserved for library staff.

Patron drawings are divided into four age brackets. Ages 0-5 may receive a TonieBox. I had to look that up. It’s an audio device that will read stories, sing songs, or play other specific educational content. Ages 6-12 are entered in a drawing for a $100 LEGO Kit. Ages 13-17 have an opportunity to win a Nintendo Switch. The final prize category is Adult/Family with three possible prizes: Finders Seekers escape room game set, KODAK Mini Shot 3 Retro Digital Camera, or a Travel Blackstone.

The program started right after Labor Day. It continues until November 30, 2025 at which time staff of each library will gather their entries and send them to Kate at the PLLS office for the official drawing. Our regular van delivery service will transport the prizes to the winners’ home libraries for pick up.

We have enjoyed meeting people from all over, bragging about our Library of Things, sharing the East Troy Railroad Museum’s schedule and giving suggestions for good places to eat. Stop in soon to pick up passports for your family and join the fun.

Reading Now: Being Henry The Fonz…and Beyond by Henry Winkler (October Adult Book Club selection)

Listening to Now: Chapterhouse Dune by Frank Herbert (The last Dune book he wrote.)