Book Sale - August 9-26

The Friends of the Plattsmouth Public Library will be holding their next book sale in the library auditorium August 9-26 during the library's normal open hours. Books, audiobooks, CDs, DVDs, and other items for children and adults will be offered for great prices. This is a great time to stock up on your favorite reads.

If you're able to help move books on Saturday, August 27, please call the library at 402-296-4154 x24.

Summer Reading Fun for All Ages

Congratulations to the winners of the adult summer reading program - Bonnie Seyfer, Sherry Harrold, and Michelle Vulgamott. The winners of Session 2 of the children's program will be announced on August 10.

Friday Friends Playgroup, September 2

The Friday Friends Playgroup provides opportunities for children ages 0-5 years to play on indoor playground equipment and make new friends! The Friends meet on the first and third Fridays of the month, resuming in September. The next playdate will be in the library auditorium on September 2, 10:00-11:30 am. The activity is free, with no registration.

Closed Dates in September

Monday, September 5, for Labor Day
Friday and Saturday, September 9 and 10, for Harvest Festival

USDA Rural Development Office Day, September 8

Do you want to own a home? Does your home need repairs? USDA Rural Development holds an office day at the Plattsmouth Public Library on the second Thursday of each month from 9:30 am-4:00 pm.

Single Family Housing Specialist Jill Straight will be available to assist those who are seeking to own a rural home or already own a rural home that is in need of repairs. Schedule an appointment for Thursday, September 8, by calling 402-437-5736 or emailing This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Walk-ins are welcome, but appointments are encouraged.

Lauritzen

Fontenelle vertical

Free Passes to Area Attractions

The library has free passes to Lauritzen Gardens, Durham Museum, and Fontenelle Forest and Neale Woods. These library passes must be checked out and returned within one week. The only thing you need is a library card in good standing - no overdue fines or overdue materials.

Each pass is a little different. The Lauritzen Garden pass admits 2 adults and their children under age 18 for one use. The Durham Museum pass admits 2 adults and children within that household or up to 4 grandchildren.

The Fontenelle Forest and Neale Woods passes admit 2 adults and up to 5 children. Each pass is for a specific day of the week so, if you check out a Monday pass, you have to visit on a Monday. Visitors also receive $5 off a membership if purchased on the day you use the library pass. You can use the pass for a discount in the gift shop, attend special member-only events, and attend for free any programming on the day of your visit.

Sorry, but the library can't put a pass on hold, but you can call ahead to make sure one is available before you come.

Bingo! on September 21

Bingo is the name of the game on the third Wednesday of each month at 1:30 pm in the auditorium. Prizes will be awarded for a variety of games. Remember, happiness is calling "Bingo!"

Paws for Reading, September 28

Whether your children want to practice their reading skills, increase their confidence, or just love dogs, they can read to a certified therapy dog during Paws for Reading on the last Wednesday of the month. Bailey and Maggie regularly visit schools and hospitals in the area and have received AKC's Canine Good Citizen award. On Wednesday, September 28, 4:30-5:30 pm, one of them will be waiting for children to read to them. Children can read books found at home or check out books from the library to read. If you're looking for a specific title or books on a particular subject, call the library at 402-296-4154 x21.

Crafter-Noon Resumes in September

Enjoy Crafter-Noon family fun in September (date to be announced), 1-3pm. Various materials will be provided to make crafts designed for preschoolers, older children, and adults. Toys will be available to entertain toddlers. You can bring your own board games from home, too.

Gaming Resumes in September

Gaming will resume in the auditorium in September, after the book sale. Gaming is usually held every other Saturday, 1-3pm, in the auditorium on a brand new 75" smart TV! The library will set up its Xbox 360 and Wii gaming systems, and a Nintendo Switch is available. You’re welcome to use any of the games the library has available for checkout (like Call of Duty or Minecraft) or bring your own games from home. You can even set up your own gaming consoles to enjoy with friends. The library can provide additional monitors if requested.

Plattsmouth Newspapers Online, 1857-2021

The library recently converted the remaining backfiles of the Plattsmouth Journal to microfilm so all Plattsmouth newspapers from 1857-2021 are accessible and searchable on the Internet or in the library. University of Nebraska-Lincoln's website, Nebraska Newspapers, has hosted eight newspapers from 1865-1939 for about 10 years. Last year, History Nebraska turned over its backfiles to newspapers.com which now includes 31 Plattsmouth newspapers from 1857-2008. To complete the archive, the library now offers the 2009-2021 Journal issues for searching in the library. The project to make the 2009-2021 Journal issues available was made possible in part by a grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services.

Hot Off the Press!

In fall 2021, the library received a heat press and accompanying mug press! The library also has hundreds of shirts for children and adults, aprons, cloth bags, mouse pads, glass tiles, aluminum signs, coasters, and many more items to be imprinted with the presses.

Call the library for a 30-minute training or to make a reservation to make your own items. During training, you will be able to create your own design or use a sample design provided by the library. You can print one mug and one other item (shirt, mousepad, or any other material) for free. Beyond that, items cost anywhere from 25 cents to $4.

Made with a laser cutter:

Laser cutter user manual

Schedule Laser Cutter Training

The library has a laser cutter capable of etching on wood, glass, ceramic tiles, cork, metals, and many other materials. It can be used by anyone who has completed the one-hour training session. Call the library, 402-296-4154, ext. 24, to schedule training or to reserve time to work on your projects.

You don’t need to have a library card or even live in Plattsmouth to use it. It can be used for personal or business purposes, so think about how you might benefit from the opportunity!

laser train See some of the items we've made with the Innovation Studio equipment!

Break Up the Boredom with an Escape Room!

Library Supervisor Kenneth Turner has created an escape room to help kick the indoor doldrums. Try your luck escaping from a world turned topsy-turvy. Additional digital escape rooms, some for free, can be found in this Library Journal article.

Free Online Resources for All Ages

Charge Your Device While You Browse!

Now you can charge your phone, tablet, iPad, Kindle, or other device while you’re browsing or working on the computer in the Plattsmouth Public Library. You don’t even need a cord since the charger already has several different connectors for Apple, Android, and other devices. The charger is at the main circulation desk and can accommodate up to 8 devices at a time. The charger is plugged into an outlet, not a computer, so your data is secure.

The library also has a card reader that will allow you to read data from a camera memory card or other micro or mini SD card. The reader has slots for four different kinds of cards. It connects to the computer with a USB cord. You don’t need to have your own cord for your camera or other device. Just ask for the reader so you can download pictures or other files from your device while you're in the library.

Yearbooks, Newspapers Digitized

Read about the local newspapers and high school yearbooks that have been digitized and made available to the public.

Visit Our Patio!

The library has a patio in the back of the building! It was constructed in 2012 with bricks from Main Street and is shaded by a pergola. You can see how the patio took shape by looking at these pictures. It was made possible with a grant from the Cass County Visitors Promotion Committee and donations from the Plattsmouth Public Library Foundation and the Friends of the Library.