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Upcoming Date – Book Bites
Wednesday, November 12
6:30 PM
Webster Room
Read about food! Talk about food! Cook food and eat food! ‘Book Bites’ is combined book and cooking club. Participants will read food-related titles such as chef memoirs or fiction titles that feature food. Every other month or so members will review a cookbook, with participants choosing a recipe to make and share with the group. Chef/readers will talk about their cooking experience—ease in following the recipe and obtaining ingredients, adaptations they had to make, what they’d do differently next time—and everyone who wants to will be able to sample their creation.
Stop by the library today to pick up your copy of next month’s book. For more information call Lisa at (920)793-7114.
Book Bites – Current Book
Blood Bones and Butter by Gabrielle Hamilton
Before Gabrielle Hamilton opened her acclaimed New York restaurant Prune, she spent twenty years trying to find purpose and meaning in her life. Blood, Bones & Butter follows an unconventional journey through the many kitchens Hamilton has inhabited through the years.
Book Bites – Upcoming Books
Solar Panel Project
Newspaper Index
Newspaper Index
Created by Lester Public Library staff and volunteers, this database contains obituaries, wedding, birth and adoption announcements and articles about Two Rivers.
This is now part of the regular Manitowoc-Calumet Library System catalog. To search, select Title as the field, then type the person’s LAST name in the search box . To limit results, you can use the advanced search page and add one of the Subject terms (marriages, births or obituaries) in the Subject box.
Event List
| Date/Time | Event |
|---|---|
|
13/12/2019 7:00 pm - 9:00 pm |
TR Teen Night @ the Library: Faux Stained Glass
Lester Public Library, Two Rivers WI |
|
16/12/2019 6:00 pm - 7:30 pm |
Chess Club
Lester Public Library, Two Rivers WI |
|
16/12/2019 6:00 pm - 7:30 pm |
Family Game Night
Lester Public Library, Two Rivers WI |
See All Events
LPL Discussion – 2020 Selections
LPL Discussion – Current Book
We Fed an Island
by Jose Andres
Chef José Andrés arrived in Puerto Rico four days after Hurricane Maria ripped through the island. Andrés addressed the humanitarian crisis the only way he knew how: by feeding people, one hot meal at a time. From serving sancocho with his friend José Enrique at Enrique’s ravaged restaurant in San Juan to eventually cooking 100,000 meals a day at more than a dozen kitchens across the island, Andrés and his team fed hundreds of thousands of people. At the same time, they also confronted a crisis with deep roots.
Upcoming Dates – Lester Book Discussion
Wednesday, Jan. 8
4:00 PM
Webster Room
Members of this book club for adults read both fiction and nonfiction. The group meets the first Wednesday of each month (except holidays). No registration is required, and you may attend as few or as many meetings as you wish. Pick up a copy of the current selection at the library’s front desk. For information, call Chris at (920)793-7113.
Strictly Fiction – 2020 Selections
Strictly Fiction – Current Book
The Calculating Stars
by Mary Robinette Kowal
On a cold night in 1952, a huge meteorite fell to earth and obliterated much of the east coast of the U.S. The ensuing climate cataclysm will soon render the earth inhospitable for humanity. This looming threat calls for a radically accelerated effort to colonize space. Elma York’s experience as a WASP pilot and mathematician earns her a place in the International Aerospace Coalition’s attempts to put man on the moon. But with so many skilled and experienced women pilots and scientists involved with the program, it doesn’t take long before Elma begins to wonder why they can’t go into space, too.
Strictly Fiction Next Meeting
Monday, Jan. 6
6:30 PM
Webster Room
This club for adults focuses on genre fiction like mystery, science fiction, fantasy and romance. It meets the first Monday of each month (except holidays). Pick up a copy of the current selection at the library’s front desk. For information, call Chris at (920)793-7113.
Home Page Programs Slideshow
Card Page – Library Information
Library Card FAQ
- I don’t drive and the bills at my apartment do not come to me; can I get a card?
- Yes, if no proof of address can be shown, we will mail the application to you. When you receive the application bring in the envelope it was mailed in, the completed application and a photo ID to obtain your new card. You may check out materials as soon as the card is activated.
- Can you check out items if you don’t have your library card with you?
- Yes, we will also accept a valid driver’s license or state ID. However, we will hold items for up to seven days until you come back with your card.
- What if I lose my card?
- When you lose your card please notify the library immediately! Replacement cards are $2.00.
- Can I use my Manitowoc Card at this library?
- Yes, we accept Manitowoc, Brillion, Kiel, Chilton, and New Holstein library cards to check out materials at the Lester Public Library. A Lester Public Library card may also be used at these libraries.
- I don’t live in Wisconsin, but I’m visiting for a while can I take out books?
- Yes, people from out of state must have a driver’s license with their correct permanent address to apply for a card. For long term visitors, a local address can also be added so that pick-up and overdue notices will be sent to the local address.
Library Card Application
To apply for a library card, download the form below, fill it out completely, and bring it to the library.
Library Card Requirements
In order to use the computers, check out materials, and access digital resources including e-books, a library card is required. Anyone who is a Wisconsin resident or long-term visitor to the Manitowoc County area may get a library card.
The only requirement to get a library card is identification with proof of current address. If your driver’s license does not have the current address, a tax receipt, utility bill, or checkbook may be used for verification. If you’re only in the area temporarily, please stop by the circulation desk to inquire about proof of address requirements.
Anyone under the age of 18 must have a legal guardian with a valid driver’s license present to sign for the card in order to complete the application.
Manitowoc County Historical Photos
Manitowoc County History Digital Resources
Manitowoc County Genealogy
This is one of the best places to start researching your Manitowoc County roots. Visit the site.
Neshotah: the story of Two Rivers, Wisconsin
Long out of print, this book by Evan Gagnon has become the unofficial history of Two Rivers, WI. The entire book is now freely available in digital format. Visit the site.
The Home Front: Manitowoc County in World War II
A digital collection of photographic images, oral histories, published sources, artifacts, and other resources which help to document the history and role of Manitowoc County, Wisconsin during World War II. It covers both the more universally shared home front experiences and activities as they played out in this specific county, and those more unique activities which especially defined the area during the War. Visit the site.
Benke Photo & Postcard Collection
A collection of images taken by local photographer Hermann C. Benke featuring scenes and buildings from Manitowoc and Two Rivers. From these photos, Benke then created hand-tinted postcards. Most of the photos date from the turn of the century. Visit the site.
Digital Histories of Manitowoc County
Fully digitized editions of local history classics.
- History of Manitowoc County by Falge Volume 1
- History of Manitowoc County by Falge Volume 2
- A History of Manitowoc County by Ralph Plumb
- Early Days in Two Rivers, Wisconsin by Arthur Lohman 1909
Manitowoc County Genealogical Society
Ancestry.com
Lester Public Library is now a subscriber to the library edition of Ancestry.com. You can access the information from the library’s computers at any time. Ask us how on your next visit!
Historic Two Rivers Photos
Historic Two Rivers Photos
Lester Public Library inherited a collection of photographs from a local photographer named Herbert Wentorf. His images focused on local landmarks, industries and institutions, and people going about daily life in Two Rivers. For reasons of preservation and protection, this outstanding collection spent many years housed in a locked cabinet at the library.
In 2011, the library applied for and received a grant to digitize the collection, making it accessible not just to local residents and visitors, but to anyone with an internet connection. To search or simply enjoy these fabulous historic photos, use the following link:
http://digital.library.wisc.edu/1711.dl/WI.TwoRiversLocHist
Using the Library
Using the Library
Need help with a computer? Looking for a specific book? Check through our FAQ to see if they can help.
Youth Services
Youth Programs
Find information on all the programs, classes and activities the library offers youths.
Teen Services
Teen Programs
Find information on all the programs, classes and activities the library offers teenagers.
Reader Resources
Reader Resources
Find information on all the programs, classes and activities the library offers patrons.
Library Information
Community Links
Welcome to Lester Public Library
Whether you are a life-long resident or new to Two Rivers, Lester Public Library is here to meet your informational and recreational needs. Our beautiful facility, located on the shores of Lake Michigan, makes us a destination for tourists and residents alike.
Once inside our doors you will find a dedicated staff to guide you through collections, services and maybe even recommend a good place for lunch. We want your experience at the Lester Public Library to be a good one. Local history, novels, movies, documentaries, research materials, magazines, Wi-Fi, internet access and much more are at your fingertips.
As a member of the Manitowoc-Calumet Library System you have access to library collections from Manitowoc, Brillion, New Holstein, Kiel, and Chilton. I encourage everyone to get a library card, take full advantage of our consortia and all we have to offer right here in beautiful Two Rivers.
See you at the library!
Jeff Dawson
Library History
In 1890, members of the Two Rivers Branch of the Chautauqua Reading Circle met to consider the establishment of a public library and reading room. Leopold Mann donated $500 and the land for the building and Mrs. Mary Mann donated an additional $1,000 toward the building on the condition that the new library be named after her late husband, Joseph.
On December 17, 1891 the Joseph Mann Library opened to the public. The total cost of the library including building, heater, furniture and the initial book collection was $3,363.73. Lizzie H. Yahnke was the first librarian.
In 1914, Two Rivers built its new Carnegie library, still called the Joseph Mann Library, but located across the street from the original library. Though extensively remodeled and expanded during the 1950s and 60s, community leaders recognized that a more modern and spacious facility would be needed.
On May 15, 1995, James Lester, Chairman of the Board and CEO of Eggers Industries of Two Rivers, and his wife Barbee offered the Two Rivers City Council $1 million toward the construction of a new library. The City Council readily accepted and on June 28, 1997 the Lester Public Library–named in honor of Jim’s parents, George and Marcia Lester–opened for business.
*Sources: History of the Joseph Mann Library Two Rivers, Wisconsin 1890-1979 by Bonita Burish Loeh (1980) and the Program for the Lester Public Library Dedication and Open House.
Library Staff
Library Board
Library Foundation
Reader’s Advisory
Adult Programs
Youth Programs
Lester Public Library Services
- Lester Public Library Services
- Researchers
- Youth Programs
- Teen Programs
- Adult Programs
- Foundation
Teen Programs
How Do I…
Research Resources
Discover tools you can use to start or improve your research from home.
Research
Donate
Whether a donation of a book, DVD or money, gifts are always appreciated.
Newsletter
Keep up to date with the news and events at LPL by registering for our eNewsletter
My Account Access
The problem with accessing your account from home continues to occur periodically. A software update to solve this problem has been scheduled to occur Thurs. 7/11, time yet to be determined. You will not have access to your account through the new catalog for approximately 30 minutes during the process. You can still access your account via the alternate method listed below. 7/8/13
If you need access to your account, and get an error message, switch to the classic catalog instead. You can do this by clicking on the link to the right for “Search the New Catalog,” then selecting the “Switch to Classic Catalog” link listed below the library websites.
Please feel free to contact the Help Desk at 793-7114 if you continue to have problems. We apologize for the inconvenience.