Wauwatosa Public Library
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Special Collections
Did you know the Wauwatosa Public Library has a circulating art collection? Check out a piece of artwork or a statue to spruce up your space.
With a generous donation from the Wauwatosa Junior Women's Club in 1967, the Wauwatosa Public Library (WPL) was able to curate a circulating art collection. The collection, consisting of art reproductions and sculptures, is available for loan to library patrons. WPL is currently the only library in Milwaukee County that has art and sculpture available for patrons to checkout. Our art collection has 100+ items available to loan.
Items from the Art Collection checkout for 6 weeks. Artwork can be requested, but must be picked up and returned at the Wauwatosa Public Library. Artwork may be renewed twice.
Leading your next book discussion? Checkout one of our book discussion kits containing 10 books, a large print edition, an audiobook, and questions to help you facilitate a meaningful discussion.
Each kit contains 10 copies of the book, a large print copy, and an audiobook, as well as a discussion guide including background information on the book's author and questions to help foster a meaningful conversation. Our book discussion kits checkout for 6 weeks.
Book discussion kits are available for the following titles:
- A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles
- Circe by Madeline Miller
- Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman
- Just Mercy by Bryan Stevenson
- Lilac Girls by Martha Hall Kelly
- Nickle Boys by Colson Whitehead
- Normal People by Sally Rooney
- The Great Alone by Kristin Hannah
- There, There by Tommy Orange
- Unsheltered by Barbara Kingsolver
Books First bags are available in a variety of interests to aid in children's literacy development. Each Books First bag contains five titles revolving around a specific subject or theme. The bag also contains a resource sheet with more titles to check out as well as an activity, song, poem, etc.
Books First bags are available in a variety of interests to aid in children's literacy development. For example, Cinderella Around the World is designed to gain literary knowledge of a very familiar story, through a more informed perspective of cultures around the globe. Another Books First bag, Two Voices, is a collection of stories with two main characters whose dialogue carries the majority of the story. Stories with two voices may aid readers in their fluency (prosody) when paired with another reader.
Each Books First bag contains five titles revolving around a specific subject or theme. The bag also contains a resource sheet with more titles to check out as well as an activity, song, poem, etc.
The current themes/subjects are:
- Analytic Reading, 4th-6th
- Autism Spectrum Disorder, Social Emotional Learning
- Cinderella Around the World
- Circular
- Community
- Cumulative
- Dinosaurs
- Farm
- Financial Literacy
- Fractured Tales: The Three Little Pigs
- Jane Addams
- Postmodern
- Social Emotional Literacy
- Solar System, K-3rd
- Solar System, 4th-6th
- Two Voices
- Windows, Mirrors, and Sliding Glass Doors
You may find the entire Books First collection listed in our catalog, where you may also place them on hold.
Books First bags may be checked out for 3 weeks, but are non-renewable.
The Wauwatosa Public Library is excited to offer Explore Passes to various Milwaukee-area destinations. Explore Passes are available on a first-come, first-served basis. Holds cannot be placed on Explore Passes. If available, Explore Passes will be located at the Circulation Desk.
Check out the Explore Pass with a staff member at the Circulation Desk. You will then sign the Explore Pass Lending Guidelines and Agreement. Borrowers must have a valid Library card in good standing within the Milwaukee County Federated Library System.
Return the Explore Pass to the Circulation Desk within three days. Do not return the pass in the book drop. There is no grace period on Explore Passes. Late fees are $10 per day.
Be sure to check the hours and parking information for each destination to plan accordingly.
Betty Brinn Children's Museum:
The Library has two passes to the Betty Brinn Children's Museum. This pass allows up to 6 guests, per visit, admission. Children must be accompanied by an adult (18 years or older) at all times. Adults must be visiting with a child or call to make an appointment. A parking discount can be redeemed for the Museum Center parking garage.
The Library also has four passes available to the Milwaukee Art Museum. These passes are good for up to 8 guests, with a maximum of 4 adults. Please note that parking is not included with the pass.
The Library has two passes to the Mitchell Park Domes (good for up to 2 adults and minor children).
From STEM learning aids and activities to paper crafting to tools, the Wauwatosa Public Library has a variety of items in its Library of Things. The Library of Things can be found on the first floor near the Circulation Desk. Take the case to the Circulation Desk to check an item out. These items check out for three weeks.
MAKE Items:
Step away from your inspiration boards and turn your best intentions into action with a little help from Cricut Joy. This smart little cutting and writing machine is ridiculously easy to set up and use, so you'll find endless excuses to personalize, organize, and customize every single day. Cut custom vinyl decals for water bottles or your wall. Make labels for your kitchen or office. Bust out a custom card or a birthday banner. It's also compatible with Cricut Smart Materials™, for super-easy, super-long cuts without a cutting mat. Just load & go! With plenty of projects that take just 15 minutes, Cricut Joy makes it possible to make something unique for you – or anyone – at a moment's notice
Knit Quick Round Knitting Loom
Use this perfect starter kit to learn how to knit. Quickly make scarves, hats, and socks with this knitting loom kit which has three different size looms. Add finishing touches to your design using four different size pom pom makers.
With essential utility stitches, simple set-up, and robust heavy duty stitching power, this Singer sewing machine is a durable and reliable for sewists at any skill level. With a full metal frame and 69 stitch applications, this powerful mechanical sewing machine is well-equipped to handle a wide variety of project types, from heavyweight fabrics like denim and leather to lighter, dress-weight fabrics.
STEM Items:
These solid wood building planks simply require balance, friction and your child's unlimited imagination! These simple stacking blocks don't need magnets or connectors of any kind! If you can THINK it, you can BUILD it! Brain Blox building toys inspire everyone to think creatively, embrace challenges, and be persistent.
Creating stable compounds and gases is the goal in Ion: a compound building game. Up to seven players pick and pass cards representing cations, anions, and noble gases to assemble chemical bonds. Players must balance their interest in grabbing lucrative cards against disrupting opponents' plans. Skillful timing and optimal choices score greater rewards. After three rounds, the player with the most points wins!
It’s a maze game. It’s a marble game. Actually, its a gravity-powered logic maze game that builds reasoning skills and visual perception. Use the challenge cards to strategically place towers and create a path for your marble to reach the target. With 60 challenges to test your skills, this fun maze game is definitely a marble run for brainiacs!
Even more challenges to train the brain with KEVA planks! Deluxe Brain Builders combines 75 KEVA planks and 40 puzzle cards with a 2-D challenge shown from different angles on one side and its 3D solution on the other. Difficulty increases from beginner to master. As each build becomes more challenging, patience and confidence is gained through trial and error. Also includes 8 inspirational design cards with building tips to foster creativity. From snowmobiles and space rovers to hammerhead sharks and bridges, you will be amazed what your brain will build!
K'NEX 100+ Model Imagine Building Set
K'Nex 100 model building set consists of plastic rods and connectors which can be built into cars, planes, sea creatures, and more. The illustrated instruction booklet provides 100 building ideas. This set comes with 863 classic K'NEX rods and connectors. These pieces can be attached to one another in different ways. It allows children to create a multitude of shapes, figures, and structures with ease. The snap fit pieces stick together securely and can be easily reassembled into other creations. K'NEX allows kids to create unique models that actually move. Kids can make interactive toys using K'NEX parts whether its wheels, rotors, wings, and tracks. Making rolling cars, working amusement park rides or a transforming animal.
The K’Nex building system is composed of plastic rods and connectors that easily join with a satisfying “click”! These pieces can be combined to create real working vehicles, animals, moving structures, tall buildings, and just about anything your child can imagine. With over 70 building ideas, the included instructional booklet helps guide budding engineers to constructing amazing creations. This educational toy not only provides hours and hours of fun but also helps your child better understand STEAM (science, technology, engineer, arts, and math) subjects.
30 Days Lost in Space: Sci Fi Adventure Kit Teaches You Circuits and Coding
Your shuttle is trapped underwater on an alien planet. Use the kit components and instructions from the website to complete a variety of coding and wiring projects. Completing 30 missions in 30 days will enable you to repair your shuttle and escape.
Magnets are a great hands-on learning tool. They spark curiosity and creativity while demonstrating basic physics concepts along with cause and effect. Our Magnet Movers kits come with eight different magnets.
Turn everyday objects into touchpads and combine them with the Internet. It's a simple Invention Kit for Beginners and Experts doing art, engineering, and everything in between.
With 130 pieces of wooden blocks and 24 designs to choose from there are plenty of shapes for kids to recreate a fun tangram design or use their imagination to build their own.
Explore math and science concepts with our scale and weight kits. Each scale comes with two deep pans and a set of brass weights. Let your curiosity guide you while learning concepts of mass and comparison.
Make dozens of cool electronic gadgets - all from one box! A safe and fun way to introduce children ages 8+ to the basics of electrical engineering! Build exciting projects and toys using the included colorful instruction book.
Snap Circuits Light Electronics
Build over 175 exciting projects with included 55 parts that come together in a snap! Create your own light show using fiber optics and attach your smartphone to watch your lights change to the beat of the music.
Three and Four Letter Word Spelling Puzzle
This bright collection of puzzles aimed at children ages 4 and up is a perfect introduction to three letter words. The colorful pictures help your child associate words with objects and are designed to teach early reading skills. The cards are a mix of sight words and CVC (consonant, vowel, consonant) words.
Learn foundational engineering concepts by designing and building prototypes. With its approachable design, easy-to-handle parts, and supporting content, Blueprint Build makes engaging with mechanical and structural engineering hands-on, fun, and accessible to aspiring engineers of all abilities.
Sphero BOLT is a programmable robot ball that you can drive and code, providing endless opportunities to be creative and have fun while learning. BOLT’s 8x8 LED light matrix allows you to program your robot to display characters, vector graphics, sensor data, or play games on the matrix itself.
This bright collection of puzzles aimed at children ages 4 and up is a perfect introduction to three letter words. The colorful pictures help your child associate words with objects and are designed to teach early reading skills. The cards are a mix of sight words and CVC (consonant, vowel, consonant) words.
TOOL Items:
Hontry binoculars are designed for the everyday users. We focus on binoculars with "shared" attributes that allow users to use it together and start a new conversation. Whether it's a short trip with friends or a weekend picnic with kids and parents, Hontry binoculars can help you connect with the world around you.
This compact cutting mat is sized for easy transport, convenient storage or cutting fabric in small workspaces. It features a self-healing mat with measuring grid that outlasts other cutting mats. Included square and bias lines make cutting perfect squares, shape cutting, and cutting at angles a breeze.
Fiskars Food Prep and Floral Design Kit
From start to finish, Fiskars has the ideal garden tools for every job. Choose from our multi-use, pruning and harvesting garden snips to set up a healthy foundation, trim your plants and flowers to encourage healthy growth, and reap the rewards of your harvest.
Refreshing the look in every room just got a little bit easier with this Fiskars Home Décor Kit complete with a hammer, level, tape measure, and more. Built to last, these tools are engineered to help you work smarter.
Fiskars Kid-Friendly Paper Crafting Kit
With a banner creation and confetti-making set, paper edgers, kid-friendly scissors, and a kids and baby party decoration stamp kit, this kit has everything you need to create party decorations, make invitations, or have a creative afternoon with your little ones.
With this paper crafting kit, use the paper lantern template to make party decorations or use the paper crafting tools included in this kit to work on your own paper craft project.
Fiskars Sewing and Quilting Kit
Inspiration doesn’t always fit a neat form, pattern or project. We relish in the energy of creating. Fiskars helps manifest that creative spirit, because even the wildest ideas call for precise, smart and easy-to-use sewing and quilting tools.
The Infant CPR Anytime Kit contains everything you need to learn the lifesaving skills of infant CPR and infant choking relief in about 20 minutes.
Designed for gems, jewelry, coins, stamps, rocks, and more, this jeweler’s look makes it possible for you to distinguish and see objects clearly. Lens is 30x22 and 60x12.
Transfer video to your Mac or PC from a VCR, DVR, camcorder or any other analogue source. The easy-to-use software assists you through every step, from connecting an analogue video device to capturing video and choosing how you will watch and share it.
Host an outdoor movie night, a photo presentation at a party, or a slideshow at a meeting with this easy to use projector. Compatible with Apple, Android, and Windows devices, this projector has an auto focus giving you a clear picture.