Welcome, artists! 
We're looking for art (not photos) of wild Wisconsin Birds. We want to display YOUR work-- and you might win a prize!
For more information, keep reading.
Want to download this information as a printable pdf? Click HERE.

Call for Art: Wisconsin Wild Bird Art Show

The Princeton Whooping Crane and Nature Festival, the Princeton Public Library, and Marsh Haven Nature Center are working together to hold a juried art contest and show featuring art inspired by the conservation of wild Wisconsin birds. It is hoped that this art show will inspire artists and the general public to become interested in bird and nature conservation. We also seek to promote the wonderful learning opportunities associated with each of the three organizations. Last, but not least, we want to promote local artists. We are seeking submissions from Wisconsin adults and high school students, whose work will be shown extensively in the local area. 

Prizes

Judges will award 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place in each age category (Adult and High School Students).
These prizes will be announced on stage at the Princeton High School. Prizes consist of:

1st Place in each category: $25 gift card for Hobby Lobby or a similar art supply store, AND a personal, up-close raptor experience at Marsh Haven Nature Center. Each winner and two guests of their choice will be invited to Marsh Haven (located in Waupun), where they will have an opportunity to attend a Hawk Talk program, which offers a close-up, casual setting to talk about all things raptors. Participants will be invited to sit in a roundtable format for a Q & A with our animal caretaker and one of Marsh Haven Nature Center’s hawks or owls. This is an opportunity to ask those questions you’ve always wondered about, delve into the philosophy of working with raptors, gain an insight into the care and training of the birds, and just be in the presence of these magnificent birds of prey. Scheduling this event will be discussed with Marsh Haven and the winners.

2nd Place in each category: $25 gift card for Hobby Lobby or a similar art supply store.

3rd Place in each category: $15 gift card for Hobby Lobby or a similar art supply store.

Prizes may not be exchanged for cash. After 1 week, prizes not claimed by the winners are forfeited.

How to Submit

All art pieces must be turned in to the Princeton Public Library by Friday, June 25th at 5pm. (Please do not drop off art sooner than June 17th.)
The Princeton Public Library is located at 424 W. Water St, Princeton, WI 54968. 

Art must be ready for wall mounting, with bracket or wire hangers. All art must be stable and secure enough to be moved to and from public locations.  Protective materials such as plastic sleeves and bubble wrap are encouraged in order to prevent damage during transport.

All art pieces MUST have a label affixed to the back of the art piece with the information below. Other than the artist's name and the title of the art piece, this information will not be shared with the public. It will only be used for art show organization and to ensure that art is returned.

Title of the Piece:  _____________________________
Artist’s  Name: _____________________________
Date Created: __________
Age Category: _____________________________
Address: _________________________________________
Phone Number: _____________________________
Email: _____________________________

After submission, art pieces will be displayed locally, including at the Princeton Public Library, Marsh Haven Nature Center, and other public locations. Art will be rotated between locations during July and August. Finally, all art submissions will be displayed at the Princeton Whooping Crane and Nature Festival at the Princeton High School on Saturday, September 11th.

Deadlines

All art pieces must be turned in to the Princeton Public Library by Friday, June 25th at 5pm. (Please do not drop off art sooner than June 17th.)
The Princeton Public Library is located at 424 W. Water St, Princeton, WI 54968. 

Awards will be announced at the Princeton Whooping Crane and Nature Festival at the Princeton High School, 604 Old Green Lake Rd, Princeton, WI 54968, on Saturday, September 11th.

Artists may take their art home immediately after the art show ends. If artists do not take their pieces home after the show, they will be transported to the Princeton Public Library. Remaining art MUST be picked up from the Princeton Library by 5pm on Friday, September 17th unless previously arranged. Any art not picked up before the deadline will be discarded or donated.

Rules

All art must somehow include the theme of wild Wisconsin bird conservation. This could include, but is not limited to, art featuring birds, bird watching, bird habitat, nests, migration, feathers, volunteer and professional people working to help birds, eggs, and symbolic representations of themes like migration, nature preservation, flight, endangered species protection, and the science of ornithology. 

All participants must be living in Wisconsin.

All participants must be either an adult, or of high school age. Each participant must enter their art in the appropriate age category.

Each artist may only submit one piece of art.

Photography is not accepted in this contest. We may hold a separate show for photography at a later date.

All art must be 2D. Sculptural, 3D, fiber arts, ceramics, video, and performance arts are not accepted in this contest. Examples of accepted mediums include charcoal drawings, paintings (oil, watercolor, or acrylic), pencil drawings, oil pastels, ink, colored pencil, chalk, marker, scratchboard, mixed media, etc. 

Absolutely no plagiarism will be tolerated. Any art found to be direct or partial plagiarism will be disqualified. When photographs are used for reference, the art should not simply be a reproduction of the photo in another medium.

All submissions must not have been previously exhibited at an art show. This rule is intended to keep the art show fresh, as well as accessible for amateur artists. It does not preclude art shown at high school or college events.

No sales are allowed during the show, but artists may give out business cards or brochures at the show and sell work privately. 

Judges are not allowed to submit art in the show.

Art must be ready for wall mounting, with bracket or wire hangers. All art must be stable and secure enough to be moved by library staff.  Protective materials such as plastic sleeves and bubble wrap are encouraged in order to prevent damage during transport.

Guidelines

Creativity combined with research is strongly encouraged. Various birds hunt, wade, swim, fly, dance, chase predators, and raise offspring. They have unique behaviors, personalities, and adaptations. Birds can be representative of wisdom, intelligence, freedom, and other qualities. They are found in many environments, in many weathers, in pairs or flocks. Birds have unique feather types and markings. Art which includes several of these elements will be judged as higher quality than a single bird sitting still on a plain background.

While we recognize that hunters and hunting play an important role, we hope that participants will chose to focus on other aspects of conservation.

We are looking for wild Wisconsin birds. This does not include peacocks, chickens, flamingos, parrots, etc. Artists are encouraged to research bird species. This does not mean that artistic interpretations aren't allowed, merely that some effort to portray a Wisconsin species is requested.  Example: a rainbow-colored Ruffed Grouse is preferred over a realistically colored Emperor Penguin.

To minimize the risk of damage, artists are encouraged to frame their work in a wood and glass frame, or at least to protect surfaces with an acrylic sealant. 

Attendance

Contributing artists are highly encouraged to attend the art show during the Whooping Crane & Nature Festival on Saturday, September 11th at the Princeton High School. Showing up to the event demonstrates respect for the sponsoring organizations and your fellow artists. 

Disclaimer

While all staff and volunteers will do their utmost to care for all art entries, none of the art show organizers or sponsoring organizations are responsible for any loss or damage before, during, or after the art show. 

Spending a lot of time at home? Learn something new!
We have great kits for you to check out to help you find a new hobby. They are all free to check out, just like a book. 

Check out our upcoming events!
Click HERE for a printable pdf of April Events.
 

The Princeton Public Library opened for normal service on Thursday May 21st, 2020. Our library board has discussed, at length, the need to provide our patrons with vital services while keeping our staff and patrons safe.

Vulnerable people should continue to stay safe at home.

Sick people should stay home.

We welcome those who wish to use the library, with the understanding that being in this public space carries some level of risk.

As is the case in many communities, our library provides the only free public computer access for homework, job searches, unemployment filing, and other vital activities. We also fax time cards, copy legal documents, and allow people to connect with others online. Finally, we provide information and entertainment to help people maintain their mental health, a particularly tough challenge for many in this time of uncertainty and isolation.

For these reasons, we believe that it is important to open our doors. We will work hard to ensure the safety of our staff and patrons, while providing materials and services that many people can't get elsewhere.
 

Library Safety FAQs:

What are our hours? Normal pre-pandemic hours: Mon-Thurs 9am-7pm, Friday 9am-5pm, Saturday 9am-1pm. 

Do we have Senior hours? Yes, we reserve Thursdays from 9-10am for seniors and vulnerable people. We ask other to stay out of the library during this time.

What is our maximum capacity at this time? 25 people including staff.

Do we allow meeting room use? Yes. The capacity of the small conference room is capped at 3 people. The capacity of the large conference room is capped at 6 people.

Do we allow children inside the library? Yes, but we do not have toys out at this time.

Do we allow PC use? Yes, but computers will be spaced six feet apart, Chromebooks will not be available, and gaming will not be allowed on computers—for any age.

Are bathrooms open? Yes. Bathrooms are sanitized regularly.

Do we take cash/card payments? Yes. Staff wear gloves or sanitize their hands frequently.

Do we require staff to wear masks? Yes, except when alone in the back office.

Do we require patrons to wear masks? No, but we recommend them.

What if patrons are not comfortable entering the library? We will still provide curbside service to those who want it.

What other safety measures are we taking?

• We will regularly sanitize frequently touched surfaces.
• Returned items are quarantined for 24 hours.
• Seating will be spaced six feet apart.
• The water bubbler will not be used (it will be taped off).
• There will be a sneeze guard at the circulation desk.
• Toys will be put into storage.
• Hand sanitizer will be provided to patrons and staff.

Signs posted in the entrance and inside the building will advise people:

- We are sanitizing surfaces regularly, but we cannot guarantee the library is germ-free. If you are extra-vulnerable, we encourage you to stay home and try our free ebooks and audiobooks on the Libby app.

- We recommend that you wear a mask and wash your hands regularly.

- Look, don’t touch, unless necessary. If you touch an item that you don't take, please put it in our book drop so we can quarantine it.

- If you are sick, stay home.

The Library Board meets on the first Monday of every month at 6pm.
Attendees can either come in person or attend via Zoom (online or call-in).

Public Notice:

The Princeton Library Board Meeting will be held at the library
424 W. Water St. Princeton WI 54968
6pm Monday April 5th

Agenda:

• Call to order
• Roll call of members
• Approval of minutes from March
• Friend's Report
• Review & approval of bills
• Director’s report
• National Library Week events
• Outdoor furniture purchase
• Pandemic precautions review
  • loosen or tighten restrictions?
• Adjournment

Join the Zoom Meeting online:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88973481505?pwd=NjJ4aGhiUkVQWDNzYi9aS1FGNkdHQ…

Join the Zoom Meeting via phone: 
1 312 626 6799

Meeting ID: 889 7348 1505
Passcode: 256725

The next meeting will be on Monday May 3rd, 2021 at 6pm.

You may need a library card to access some of our resources. If you don't have one right now, go here to get one, free: https://vulgus.winnefox.org/onlineregFAQ.html

The Alzheimer's & Dementia Alliance of Wisconsin have created free online classes to support to caregivers, families, and friends impacted with Alzheimer's and dementia. If you would like to sign up for any of the classes, click on this link:   ADAW.May_.VirtualEducationPrograms.pdf   (Under each class, you will see "Click here to register.")

Overdrive is our most popular online resource-- download ebooks and audiobooks for free!
If you have a smartphone or tablet, download the Libby App. 
All you need to do is sign in with your library card number and PIN. Your library card number is all the numbers on the back of your library card, with no spaces. Your PIN is four numbers, the last four numbers of the phone number you gave us when you signed up. Books are available for all ages, and we recently added many more titles. You may have to wait to download some books, but others are available 24/7. J.K. Rowling recently released the audio and ebook versions of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone for unlimited checkouts with no waiting until April 30th.

Need financial assistance? UW Madison has put together a great list of resources.

Do you have a young student at home? Check out Story Time Online, KidLit TV, Scholastic's Learn at Home, a list of 30 online "field trips" with live cameras or virtual walk-throughs, a sample daily schedule for kids, a great list of resources at Read Wonder & Learn, Live Learning videos with LivBits, Mystery Science lessons for grades K-5, and 1 Hour Coding for Kids for K-9th grades. Finally, here's a HUGE List of at-home educational entertainment resources, including live webcams, activities and more.

Do you have an older student at home?
Check out the Winnefox Tech Skills Center, where you can learn technology skills at your own pace by watching these video tutorials on popular software and computer basics.
You should also visit our Research Page for more great links, including homework help, genealogy resources, automotive repair guides, Consumer Reports, language learning, and lots more.

Want more free ebooks?
Sesame Street is offering some free ebooks for kids right now.
The Internet Archive's Open Library has textbooks, classics, and even some juvenile chapter books like The Giver by Lowis Lowry, The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan, and Matilda by Roald Dahl.
 Open Culture has a nice list of older classics.
The National Emergency Library is a collection of mostly older non-fiction books that supports remote teaching, research activities, independent scholarship, and intellectual stimulation.
Project Gutenberg has over 60,000 titles (mostly older).

Do you miss the Book Page magazine? Sign up to get a digital copy.

Need to connect with people digitally? Here are some resources for online meetings:

• Microsoft Teams https://products.office.com/en-us/microsoft-teams/group-chat-software
• Facebook Live https://www.facebook.com/facebookmedia/solutions/facebook-live
• Google Hangouts https://gsuite.google.com/products/meet/
• Zoho https://www.zoho.com/meeting/
• Zoom https://zoom.us/
• Join.me https://www.join.me/