Cornell Public Library celebrates 100!
Centennial Celebration
July 24-27, 2024
Celebrate with Us!
Cornell Public Library celebrates 100 years of service to Cornell, Wisconsin and it’s surrounding communities in 2024! Please join us to help us celebrate with a week of special events, July 24-27.
All Week, July 22 – 27
Silent Auction
Beginning Monday July 15, we will also have a silent auction going on inside the library. Patrons can come in, register for a number to bid on various baskets and gifts that have been donated to the library from businesses in our community. The silent auction will last for two weeks, ending Saturday July 27 and proceeds will go toward new and improved programming for the Cornell Public Library, as well as purchasing some much needed new shelving.
Read 100 Books/Hours and 100 Visits
This will be the time to get your last few books (or hours) read before this programming ends! Get ready to turn in those reading logs! Make sure you also get those last visits in to the library to get your 100 visits passport stamped! These will both be due by Saturday, July 27th!
In House Scavenger Hunt
Stop in throughout the week and ask us about our library scavenger hunt! Patrons can ask staff for a copy of our clues, and patrons can hunt around the library to find the answers and learn interesting information about our library in the process!! When you complete the scavenger hunt, turn in your answers for a prize! There will also be painted rocks hidden throughout the library for you to seek and find! You get to keep the rock and be sure to show one of our staff to claim a prize!
Wednesday, July 24
Open House, 1 - 4 PM
We will host an open House at the library from one to four PM. Past library directors, assistants, volunteers and board members are invited to attend for recognition and snacks! We will continue to be open to the public during our open house, so be sure to stop in and thank the many volunteers and staff who have kept this library open over the years! (100 years, to be exact!)
Thursday, July 25 - Children's Day
Songs with Phoebe, 10 AM - 12 PM
We will have songs with Phoebe at the library from 10am to 12pm. Phoebe Christenson is a music therapist who loves bringing joy to children and their families through music! Stop by with your family and join us for some fun!
All Day
We will have our story walk set up outside on the lawn and we’ll also have face painting available! We’ll have some fun in-library activities such as a painted rock treasure hunt! You won’t want to miss our Children’s Day!
Friday, July 26
Art Therapist Kathleen Sullivan
Art Therapist Kathleen Sullivan will be generously volunteering her talents and time to lead art activities for four different groups (for adults and children, alike!) in 1-hour segments from 10am-2pm. We hope you’ll stop in and take advantage of this great opportunity to get creative and make something special with your family! The first group will begin at 10am, the second group will begin at 11am, and so forth.
Family Fun Night
You won’t want to miss our Family Fun Night from 6-9 pm out on our library lawn! We will have various yard games set up as well as a food trailer available for families to purchase dinner and refreshments. We will have face painting available again, and all sorts of prizes for our game winners! We will also have the library open inside during this time and available for you to wander through and check out all the amazing books and resources we have to offer!
Saturday, July 27 - Local Authors
Mary Flood Carlson (in Collaboration with Mike Rivers)
9 am: Sharing about her book, A Ride Around the Park
Mary E. (Flood) Carlson is a native of Cornell and was educated in the Cornell Public School system before attending Saint Mary’s School of Nursing in Rochester, MN where she graduated with a Registered Nursing Degree in 1970. She and her husband raised two children together in Eau Claire, WI as she continued her nursing career at Sacred Heart Hospital and St. Joseph’s Hospital until 1999. She is the author of several histories of the Cornell area, including, Exhumed: The History of the Cornell Wisconsin Cemetery 1928-2019; Cadence: Marching Through the History of the American Legion Post 353, 1922-2012; several personal family genealogies, and Angel Wings, a history of her nursing school memories from 1967-1970. Her most recent publication, A Ride Around the Park: A History of Brunet Island State Park, Brunet Falls (Cornell), WI 1936-2023 was truly a work of the heart. Her life-long passion for the park and countless memories spurred her forward. Mike Rivers assisted with countless details and they look forward to sharing about this work of the heart with you all during our Centennial Celebration!
Mike Rivers is a former Brunet Island State Park Ranger and Manager and a lifetime Cornell resident who has a passion for the outdoors! He enjoys biking, paddling, cross country skiing, snowshoeing and golfing. In addition to his work as Park Ranger and Manger, Mike coached JV basketball in Cornell for 13 years. His wealth of knowledge and experience was of great assistance to Mary as she wrote her book A Ride Around the Park.
Jenny Blaisdell
11 am: Sharing about her books!
Jenny Blaisdell is a Christian author and speaker who lives with her husband and their 3 children in northwest Wisconsin. Writing is her most loved hobby, and faith is her favorite topic. She strives to lead readers of all ages to “slow down and look up,” even as she continues to seek and follows Jesus.
TBD
1 pm: To be determined!