Get in Touch

4495 Town Hall Road
Phelps, WI 54554
Phone & Fax: (715) 545-2887 (call before you fax)
director@phelps.wislib.org

}

Library Hours

Mon/Tue 10am-4pm
Wednesday 2pm-6pm
Thur/Fri 10am-4pm
Saturday 10am-1pm
After Hours Pick-up Available

Programs for Adults

Write on writer's group. New members welcome!

Writer's Workshop

Writer’s Workshop meets monthly and is a FREE event. Watch below for dates and times.

Writers at any level of writing are invited to participate. Activities include group submissions, critiquing, sharing publishing possibilities as well as writing mechanics and more.

If you are interested in finding support fueled by inspiration or being that support to someone, come join us!

For more information, call the library at 715-545-2887

 Workshop Schedule

Wednesday, January 24th at 12:30pm 

Wednesday, February 21st at 12:30pm

Wednesday, March 20th at 12:30pm

Wednesday, April 17th at 12:30pm

Wednesday, May 15th at 12:30pm

Wednesday, June 19th at 12:30pm

Wednesday, July 24th at 12:30pm 

 

 

 

 

 

Next Chapter Book Club

Next Chapter Book Club

Meeting Dates and Times are varied, so watch here for the information or call the library…

Book choices are recommended and voted on by the whole group. The library will have copies of the monthly book choice available. Call if you prefer special formatting such as Large Print or Audio. 715-545-2887 We will have various facilitators each month.

Come join us for a relaxing and engaging discussion.

2024 Schedule: 

Wednesday, January 24th –  10:00 am –The Personal Librarian by Marie Benedict. Discussion facilitated by Karla Larson.   

In her twenties, Belle da Costa Greene is hired by J. P. Morgan to curate a collection of rare manuscripts, books, and artwork for his newly built Pierpont Morgan Library. Belle becomes a fixture in New York City society and one of the most powerful people in the art and book world, known for her impeccable taste and shrewd negotiating for critical works as she helps create a world-class collection.

But Belle has a secret, one she must protect at all costs. She was born not Belle da Costa Greene but Belle Marion Greener. She is the daughter of Richard Greener, the first Black graduate of Harvard and a well-known advocate for equality. Belle’s complexion isn’t dark because of her alleged Portuguese heritage that lets her pass as white—her complexion is dark because she is African American.

The Personal Librarian tells the story of an extraordinary woman, famous for her intellect, style, and wit, and shares the lengths she must go to—for the protection of her family and her legacy—to preserve her carefully crafted white identity in the racist world in which she lives.” ~ Amazon

Wednesday, February 21st – 10am – The Day the World Came to Town by Jim DeFede. Discussion facilitated by Lisa Volkmann.

“The True Story Behind the Events on 9/11 that Inspired Broadway’s Smash Hit Musical Come from Away, Featuring All New Material from the Author

When 38 jetliners bound for the United States were forced to land at Gander International Airport in Canada by the closing of U.S. airspace on September 11, the population of this small town on Newfoundland Island swelled from 10,300 to nearly 17,000. The citizens of Gander met the stranded passengers with an overwhelming display of friendship and goodwill.

As the passengers stepped from the airplanes, exhausted, hungry and distraught after being held on board for nearly 24 hours while security checked all of the baggage, they were greeted with a feast prepared by the townspeople. Local bus drivers who had been on strike came off the picket lines to transport the passengers to the various shelters set up in local schools and churches. Linens and toiletries were bought and donated. A middle school provided showers, as well as access to computers, email, and televisions, allowing the passengers to stay in touch with family and follow the news.

Over the course of those four days, many of the passengers developed friendships with Gander residents that they expect to last a lifetime. As a show of thanks, scholarship funds for the children of Gander have been formed and donations have been made to provide new computers for the schools. This book recounts the inspiring story of the residents of Gander, Canada, whose acts of kindness have touched the lives of thousands of people and been an example of humanity and goodwill.” ~ Amazon

Wednesday, March 20th – 10am – Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman. Discussion facilitated by Diane Blank

“In a peaceful retirement village, four unlikely friends meet weekly in the Jigsaw Room to discuss unsolved crimes; together they call themselves the Thursday Murder Club.

When a local developer is found dead with a mysterious photograph left next to the body, the Thursday Murder Club suddenly find themselves in the middle of their first live case.

As the bodies begin to pile up, can our unorthodox but brilliant gang catch the killer, before it’s too late?” ~ Amazon

Wednesday, April 17th – 10am – The War That Saved My Life by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley. Discussion facilitated by Tom Lamon.

“Ten-year-old Ada has never left her one-room apartment. Her mother is too humiliated by Ada’s twisted foot to let her outside. So when her little brother Jamie is shipped out of London to escape the war, Ada doesn’t waste a minute—she sneaks out to join him.

So begins a new adventure for Ada, and for Susan Smith, the woman who is forced to take the two kids in. As Ada teaches herself to ride a pony, learns to read, and watches for German spies, she begins to trust Susan—and Susan begins to love Ada and Jamie. But in the end, will their bond be enough to hold them together through wartime? Or will Ada and her brother fall back into the cruel hands of their mother?” ~ Amazon

Wednesday, May 15th – 6pm – Jesus Cow by Michael Perry. Discussion facilitated by Karen Moore.

“Life is suddenly full of drama for low-key Harley Jackson: A woman in a big red pickup has stolen his bachelor’s heart, a Hummer-driving predatory developer is threatening to pave the last vestiges of his family farm, and inside his barn is a calf bearing the image of Jesus Christ. His best friend, Billy, a giant of a man who shares his trailer house with a herd of cats and tries to pass off country music lyrics as philosophy, urges him to avoid the woman, fight the developer, and get rich off the calf. But Harley takes the opposite tack, hoping to avoid what his devout, dearly departed mother would have called “a scene.”

Then the secret gets out—right through the barn door, and Harley’s “miracle” goes viral. Within hours pilgrims, grifters, and the media have descended on his quiet patch of Swivel, Wisconsin, looking for a glimpse (and a percentage) of the calf. Does Harley hide the famous, possibly holy calf and risk a riot, or give the people what they want—and raise enough money to keep his land—and, just possibly, win the woman and her big red pickup truck?

Harley goes all in, cutting a deal with a major Hollywood agent that transforms his little farm into an international spiritual theme park—think Lourdes, only with cheese curds and t-shirts. Soon, Harley has lots of money . . . and more trouble than he ever dreamed.” ~ Amazon

Wednesday, June 19th – 6pm – Keeper of Lost Things by Ruth Hogan. Discussion facilitated by Diane Blank.

“Anthony Peardew is the keeper of lost things. Forty years ago, he carelessly lost a keepsake from his beloved fiancée, Therese. That very same day, she died unexpectedly. Brokenhearted, Anthony sought consolation in rescuing lost objects—the things others have dropped, misplaced, or accidently left behind—and writing stories about them. Now, in the twilight of his life, Anthony worries that he has not fully discharged his duty to reconcile all the lost things with their owners. As the end nears, he bequeaths his secret life’s mission to his unsuspecting assistant, Laura, leaving her his house and and all its lost treasures, including an irritable ghost.

Recovering from a bad divorce, Laura, in some ways, is one of Anthony’s lost things. But when the lonely woman moves into his mansion, her life begins to change. She finds a new friend in the neighbor’s quirky daughter, Sunshine, and a welcome distraction in Freddy, the rugged gardener. As the dark cloud engulfing her lifts, Laura, accompanied by her new companions, sets out to realize Anthony’s last wish: reuniting his cherished lost objects with their owners.

Long ago, Eunice found a trinket on the London pavement and kept it through the years. Now, with her own end drawing near, she has lost something precious—a tragic twist of fate that forces her to break a promise she once made.

As the Keeper of Lost Objects, Laura holds the key to Anthony and Eunice’s redemption. But can she unlock the past and make the connections that will lay their spirits to rest?

A charming, clever, and quietly moving novel of of endless possibilities and joyful discoveries that explores the promises we make and break, losing and finding ourselves, the objects that hold magic and meaning for our lives, and the surprising connections that bind us.” ~ Amazon

Wednesday, July 24th – 6pm – Agatha Christie’s Marple: Twelve New Mysteries by various authors. Discussion facilitated by Pat Lamon.

“Jane Marple is an elderly lady from St Mary Mead who possesses an uncanny knack for solving even the most perplexing puzzles. Now, for the first time in 45 years, Agatha Christie’s beloved character returns to the page for a globe-trotting tour of crime and detection.

Join Marple as she travels through her sleepy English village and around the world. In St Mary Mead, a Christmas dinner is interrupted by unexpected guests; the Broadway stage in New York City is set for a dangerous improvisation; bad omens surround an untimely death aboard a cruise ship to Hong Kong; and a bestselling writer on holiday in Italy is caught in a nefarious plot. These and other crimes committed in the name of love, jealousy, blackmail, and revenge are ones that only the indomitable Jane Marple can solve.

Bringing a fresh twist to the hallmarks of a classic Agatha Christie mystery, these twelve esteemed writers have captured the sharp wit, unique voice, and droll ingenuity of the deceptively demure detective. A triumphant celebration of Christie’s legacy and essential reading for crime lovers, Marple is a timely reminder why Jane Marple remains one of the most famous detectives of all time.” ~ Amazon

 

 

Eleanor Ellis Public Library, Phelps, Wisconsin

Eleanor Ellis Public Library

4495 Town Hall Road
Phelps, WI 54554

Phone: (715) 545-2887

director@phelps.wislib.org

Hours

Monday 10am-4pm
Tuesday 10am-4pm
Wednesday 2pm-6pm
Thursday 10am-4pm
Friday 10am-4pm
Saturday 10am-1pm

Curbside available.

Next Chapter Book

Library News

Click for programs, announcements, resources...