News & Events
November 2026 |  | Your Library Card Just Got You Into Wisconsin State Parks
Looking for your next adventure?
Thanks to support from the Friends of the Oconomowoc Public Library, your Library now offers library card holders the chance to visit Wisconsin State Parks and enjoy some of the most beautiful outdoor destinations in the state.
Whether you’re planning a hike, a family picnic, a day at the beach, or simply a chance to spend time in nature, your library card can help you explore Wisconsin for free.
Find out how to get your Wisconsin State Parks Pass
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 | New STEM Kits Bring Hands-On Learning Home
Families looking to explore science, technology, engineering, and math now have a new resource available through Oconomowoc Public Library.
The Library has officially launched its new STEM Kit Collection, a set of 20 themed kits designed to help children and their adults learn together through hands-on activities and reading. The collection covers a wide range of STEM topics, including electricity, simple machines, outer space, circuits, coding, math concepts, and more.
Learn more about the STEM Kit Collection |
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Regular Library Hours
Labor Day–Memorial Day Library Closings
The Library will be closed on Friday, November 6, for staff training.
The Library will close at 6 pm on Wednesday, November 25, and we will be closed on Thursday, November 26, for Thanksgiving.
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Udemy Discontinued
Bridges Library System member libraries will discontinue access to the Udemy online learning platform on December 31, 2026.
This decision was made after reviewing systemwide usage and costs over the past three years. The review found that the cost of the service outweighed the number of active users across the library system. |
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Tech Lessons
Need help with your phone, tablet, laptop, or other small electronic device?
Our free, one-on-one Tech Lessons are designed to help you build confidence with technology at your own pace. Get personalized assistance with:
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Setting up online accounts -
Downloading eBooks and audiobooks
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Using library digital resources -
Learning your device's features
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And more! Call Natalie at (262) 569-2193, ext. 211 to schedule a Tech Lesson appointment. |
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Library Whispers
Secret Summit! Library insiders suggest that — once each year—the Library closes its doors to the public for a mysterious event known only as Staff Development Day. What happens during those hours remains the subject of considerable speculation.
Some believe staff spend the day learning new skills, discussing ways to improve library services, and planning for the year ahead. Others insist the time is devoted to advanced shelving techniques, competitive office-chair racing, and determining the correct pronunciation of unusually named fictional characters.
Reports also indicate that staff from different departments gather in the same room, an event so rare that witnesses occasionally describe it as "team building."
Official sources claim Staff Development Day helps employees better serve the community. Unofficial sources suggest it is also the only day of the year when everyone can be found in one place long enough to finish a group photo.
As for what really happens behind those closed doors, the truth remains closely guarded. But when staff return the next day with fresh ideas, renewed energy, and no visible signs of chair-racing injuries, patrons can safely assume the training was a success.
Ancient Prophecy Tracker! Another month has passed without anyone attempting to feed the griffins. As a result, all James Patterson novels remain safely on the shelves, and Oconomowoc has been spared an entirely avoidable crisis.
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Monthly Reading ChallengesOur monthly reading challenges are here to keep the fun going all year long. In November, read 10 hours to earn a Beardie Buck worth $1 toward a Friends Book Sale item. Pick up your reading log at the New Children's Shelf and return your completed log during the first week of December to claim your reward. Open to all ages. |
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Join the Friends of the Library!The Friends of the Oconomowoc Public Library is a nonprofit group created to support the mission of the Oconomowoc Public Library by raising funds for the Library for special programs and purposes including Explore Passes, Clementine's care, and so much more.
Annual membership fees help support the Friends fundraising efforts and give members early access to book sales.
Learn more about the Friends! |
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| The Last Kingdom |
Bernard Cornwell |
The first book in Bernard Cornwell’s bestselling Saxon Stories series, the inspiration for Netflix’s The Last Kingdom, follows Uhtred, a Saxon nobleman captured and raised by Danish Vikings. As Viking forces threaten the last independent English kingdom, Uhtred is torn between his Saxon heritage and the people who raised him. Amid war, loyalty, and a quest to reclaim his ancestral home of Bebbanburg, he becomes caught in the struggle that helped shape England. An action-packed historical adventure set during the reign of Alfred the Great.
| Recommended by Anna |
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| Woman Down |
Colleen Hoover |
After a viral backlash derails her career, bestselling author Petra Rose retreats to a secluded lakeside cabin to finish her next novel. When Detective Nathaniel Saint arrives with unsettling news, he sparks the inspiration she's been missing. But as reality and fiction begin to blur, Petra discovers that her newfound muse may be far more dangerous than writer's block. |
Recommended by Bonnie |
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| Meddling Kids |
Edgar Cantero |
In 1977, four teens and a dog solved the mystery of Sleepy Lake, unmasking a seemingly ordinary culprit. Thirteen years later, Andy is convinced they got it wrong. Haunted by tragedy and the past, she reunites the surviving members of the gang to return to Blyton Hills and uncover the truth. This time, they're not hunting a man in a mask. |
Recommended by Natalie |
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| Starter Villain |
John Scalzi |
Charlie is a divorced substitute teacher whose biggest dream is opening a pub. Then he inherits his uncle's supervillain empire, complete with a volcano lair. Now he's caught in a war against ruthless corporate-backed villains, aided by unionized dolphins, talking spy cats, and an intimidating henchperson. Maybe being a supervillain isn't so bad after all. |
Recommended by Jennie |
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Your Library StoreGet fun Library accessories! Order your Library shirts, sweatshirts, bags, or coffee mugs online.
Shop Now! |
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