1. ‘What does the library have to offer me?’
Co-written by Elizabeth Steans, Library Director and Ben Blegen, Library Assistant
SPRING VALLEY, WI - Visiting a library stocked wall-to-wall with books, media,
and internet access computers, you may not be certain where your hunt begins. True,
your conscious mission may not be known, but understand that every visit is indeed a
quest, whether you are aware of it or not.
Because whenever you walk through those doors, somewhere a treasure is waiting to
be found, calling out and challenging you to find it in its organized hiding place. This
mission may sound exciting, even a tad daunting. Have no fear; you are not without a
guide on this journey. Your librarian is here! Poised and ready to assist you, with
knuckles cracked and fingers aflutter, be prepared to join us in the discovery of a
wealthy world of knowledge. United we say, “Ready or not, here we come!”
Yes, it is truly exciting for us to uncover the treasures sought by our community
patrons. Patrons are prospectors who mine the vein of gold known as information. As
librarians, we are here to assist you in your search for knowledge. Still, the question
remains, what treasures might the library have to offer other than books? This week,
the answer to this question is this: resources for both researching family history and
supporting community literacy.
To start, did you know you have free access to ancestry.com at the library?
Ancestry.com is a global wide database covering 40 countries and enables the
creations of millions of family trees by reaching back into the late 1300s. Anybody
can access ancestry.com from home at the cost of $239.88 per year, but by utilizing
the library’s computers, and the assistance of your (eager-to-help) librarian, your
bill… free.
Using ancestry.com to uncover a family tree allows you access to census and voter
lists; birth, marriages and death records; military records; immigration and travel
records. All together, it’s a very helpful place, and yet our reach doesn’t end there.
The library also has access to seven different local county databases including the
Wisconsin Historical Society’s genealogy resources and images. You might find a
photo of an ancestor!
Not good with a computer or confused trying to navigate your research? Your
librarian is ready to help! Just give us a call at 715-778-4590 and we can set up a time
to sit with you at the computer to get you started or guide you through your journey.
This article continues next week...

2. ‘What does the library have to offer me?’ (Part 2)
Co-written by Elizabeth Steans, Library Director and Ben Blegen, Library Assistant
SPRING VALLEY, WI - Visiting a library stocked wall-to-wall with books, media,
and internet access computers, you may not be certain where your hunt begins. True,
your conscious mission may not be known, but understand that every visit is indeed a
quest, whether you are aware of it or not.
The library also advocates conversations surrounding literacy in the community.
When a group of readers joins together to discuss a book in a book club format,
benefits follow. A sense of community develops, participants experience intellectual
stimulation, diverse perspectives offer enlightenment, friendships develop, and
lifetime connections are made.
The library supports book clubs in many ways. We can order books for individual
readers or order a book kit containing multiple copies of the monthly book title at no
cost. We can help book clubs find discussion questions to start off an exhilarating
group discussion. If a book club is seeking outreach to more readers, bring us a poster
indicating meeting times, locations, and book titles… we’ll help spread the word. We
support book clubs and are thrilled to assist with anything needed to make the book
club successful, participation possible, and the experience memorable.
Upcoming Library Events:
April is national poetry month and to celebrate, the library is challenging Spring
Valley students to submit original poetry April 1 - April 20, 2014. Submissions can be
made via email tosteanse@svlibrary.org or directly at the library service desk. We
will include winning poems in our upcoming Sun-Argus articles following the
submission deadline.
Students grades K-5 submit a short poem including “library” in the poem. One winner
from each grade will be selected and presented with a certificate and small trophy on
Friday, April 25, 2014. The grand prize winner receives a book of their choosing and
bragging rights. Please include your name, grade, and teacher’s name.
Students grades 6-12 submit a poem for a chance to win a journal, pen, and $25
iTunes gift card. One grand prize winner will be chosen. The winner will be
announced on Friday, April 25 at the Teen Open Mic night at 5pm.
On Thursday, April 17, 2014, join us in our health and wellness program presented by
Cheri Dostal Ryba photo.jpg. During this public workshop Ryba presents "How To
Make Positive Changes for Better Health Now.” Founder of Evolve Wellness, Ryba

3. educates adults how to reclaim and re-inhabit their body and mind. She teaches
classes and large workshops, writes, and speaks about all-things-embodiment.
Certified in The Franklin Method, Cheri harnesses anatomy, imagery skills and
awareness to improve your motivation and health. Program runs 5:30 pm-6:15 pm.
Register to win 1 of 4 one-on-one 15 minute consultations with Ryba following the
program. Learn more about Cheri's services at livewellevolve.com.