The Kenosha Public Library and You!
The Kenosha public library has a lot to offer our community, and we thought that it was time that we highlighted all the awesome things KPL has to offer.
The KPL system has several locations: The Northside Neighborhood Library, The Simmons Neighborhood Library, The Southwest Library and The Uptown Library. There’s also a bookmobile, and two lending libraries at the Boys and Girls Club of Kenosha and the Kenosha YMCA. Also, coming soon The Uptown Children’s Library!
So, what does our Kenosha Public Library have to offer?
Books (of course)
The Kenosha Public Library has tons and tons of books from children’s books, non-fiction, fiction, law books, manuals for cars, you name it they got it (and if they don’t they can find it for you). Also, did you know that KLP has an interlibrary loan program with the Salem and Twin Lakes Libraries? You can borrow a book from out in the county and return it to KLP and vice versa!
There are also audio books and ebooks available through the Libby app from KPL, you can also download the KPL app to search for books, ebooks and audio books anywhere you are! The app makes it easy to keep track of the books you are currently borrowing, when books are due, if they’re late, it will also alert you if a book you have on hold becomes available! The app has many more features to access, like: registering to vote, remote printing services, reserving virtual conference rooms and more!
Virtual Media
Did you know you can download and stream Movies, Music and video games, have access to MasterClass courses, prep for your driving test, get access to Linked-in Learning and gain access to the Office of Vocational and Adult Education (Division of Adult Education) for adult to learn English, basic education, secondary education classes!
You can do your own research at KPL from Geneology, world news, consumer reports, information about green energy, investments, gain access to the National Library of Medicine, local school data, and research papers with Ebsco! There’s also lifelong learning courses, job/career courses, business classes, language learning, Google Career certificates and much more! Just check out KPL’s Digital Library and start your learning journey.
And just like the books KPL has a wide variety of CD’s, DVD’s and blu-ray’s available to rent too! If you don’t know what to watch or listen to, just stop by KPL and have a look around, you’ll be sure to find something you like!
Library Rental
You may be surprised to learn all the neat things KPL has to offer in their Library of Things! Just to name a few: board games, children’s games, outdoor games, mobile hotspots, Digital Radon Detector, snow shoes, a karaoke machine, garden planting kit, pop-up canopy, rice cooker and so much more!
“For the Library of Things we also have lots of giant yard games, different tech cords and adapters, various shaped cake pans, a rice cooker, snowshoes, trekking poles, tennis and badminton sets, a portable movie screen and projector, board games for kids and adults … honestly there’s so much. We also have experience passes for things like free admission to the Milwaukee Art Museum or Betty Brinn, as well as WI State Park passes.- Tessa Fox-Pawlaczyk Early Literacy Librarian
KPL also has a Developmental Toy Collection for families to utilize and take home to grow their children’s gross motor, fine motor, communication, social emotional and problem solving skills. If parents are looking to entertain their little ones without cluttering their home with mountains of toys, or toys that their children get tired of 5 seconds after it’s opened, the KPL is the solution!
“For the Developmental Toy Collection there’s a variety of fun learning toys – things like puppets or play food, dolls, musical instruments, different sensory items, toys that focus on teaching concepts like sorting things by shape, color, size, etc. We also have lots of toys that are good for building fine motor skills and big full body movement things (like obstacle courses, a bean bag toss, a baby ball pit, a parachute, etc). Lots of board games, science kits, LaunchPad tablets, flash cards and more!” –Tessa Fox-Pawlaczyk Early Literacy Librarian
Services Offered
KLP just doesn’t have things to rent, it also provides the community with essential services: Notary Public, help with technology issues, renting the KPL’s available rooms, scan copy and fax documents, and 3D printing services!
There’s also the Kenosha Community Media Hub available. Kenosha Community Media is a “media resource and provider, engaged in the social good and built on relationships, education, awareness and the generosity of our producers, volunteers, donors and sponsors”- Kenosha Community Media Website. Kenosha Community Media provides training in all things digital media; production and post-production. They also cover local non-profits and the work that they do, as well as local school, community events, fairs and expos!
Activities/Classes/Events
They also offer tons of events in person or virtual: preschool and baby story time, legal advice from independent professionals, identity protection information, game nights, crafting workshops, writing workshops, robotics, book clubs, Dungeons and Dragons club, and so many more! Check out KPL’s Event’s page for more info.
With everything that was mentioned there’s still more that the Kenosha Public Library has to offer us as a community. They provide essential services to us; to all community members young and old and from every walk of life. KPL along with all libraries provide a window to the world and that, at times is an invaluable resource to those who need it most.
Don’t have a Kenosha Public library card? Well, it’s easy to get one! Just click HERE to get started and unlock all the exiting things KPL has to offer!