Events for Adults
All events are free and some require registration. Online registration is available through the library calendar. For more information or questions call the library at 262-246-5181 or email info@phpl.lib.wi.us.
5th Annual Gingerbread House Decorating Contest
Rules & Guidelines will be available online on October 1. All gingerbread houses must be dropped off at the library by December 4. Visit the library from December 6-31 to view the gingerbread houses and vote for your favorites. Special Wisconsin-themed category this year! View the Rules & Guidelines for more information.
Memory Café
3:00-4:30 PM, Monday, December 15 (Registration opens 11/17)
A Memory Café is an informal social gathering for those living with early-stage memory loss and their care partners. Offered in partnership with the Library Memory Project. Registration is appreciated but is not required. REGISTER HERE!
24 Books Reading Challenge
January 1-December 31
Read 2 books a month (or 24 books total) in 2025! If you finish the challenge, you’ll receive an exclusive Pauline Haass Public Library bookmark and be entered to win a Books and Company Gift card. Visit the library or log into your Beanstack account to sign up.
Suicide Prevention Training
6-7:30 PM, Wednesday, January 7
Learn the myths and warning signs of suicide and how to get a person at risk of suicide the help they need, using the QPR (Question Persuade Refer) method. Free to attend, but Registration through the link below is required. Attending this training will give you QPR certification through NAMI. Please register at https://namisoutheastwi.org/community-education/qpr/
Presented by Bob Haugen, Crisis Training Supervisor with the National Alliance on Mental Health (NAMI) Southeast Wisconsin.
Book Edge Painting
10 AM, Saturday, January 10 (Registration opens 12/18)
Learn the beautiful craft of book edge painting! Gently-used books will be provided or you are welcome to bring your own book. This craft will involve sanding the book edges to prepare for painting, and masks will be provided for dust protection.
County F/I-94 Diverging Diamond Talk
6:30 PM, Wednesday, January 28
The County F exit on I-94 is an important gateway to and from our community. The Wisconsin Department of Transportation (WisDOT) is proposing to rehabilitate the bridges, extending their service life, and, converting them into a diverging diamond interchange to address operational deficiencies and improve safety.
Representatives from WisDOT will be on hand to present the project and answer any questions you may have. No registration required; presentation will begin at 6:30PM.
Crochet Basics: Dish Scrubbies
1 PM, Saturday, February 21 (Registration opens 2/4)
Learn the basic stitches in crochet while making a dish scrubby. No experience needed, supplies provided.
Book Mixer
6:30-8:30 PM, Friday, February 27 (Registration opens 2/2 | Must be 21+)
Join us for a classy after-hours event just for adults! Enjoy wine, non-alcoholic beverages, and snacks as you mix, mingle, and bond with other book lovers through games and activities. Registration is required and opens 2/2/25.
Because wine will be served at this event, all attendees must be 21+ and have a library card. If you don’t already have a library card, visit the library to sign up! Any Wisconsin resident can get a library card at PHPL for free.
All library events are free to attend. Book-themed tote bags and mugs will be available for purchase during the event. All proceeds support the Library Foundation.
Co-sponsored by Pauline Haass Public Library and the Village of Sussex Parks & Recreation Department.
Who Are the Amish? Presented by Badger Talks
6:30 PM, Monday, March 9 (Registration opens 2/16)
The Amish are known in popular culture for their traditional dress, their distain for technology, and their craftsmanship. But there’s more to them that meets the eye. In this Badger Talk, Dr. Mark Louden will separate myth from fact regarding the Amish and closely related religious groups such as the Mennonites, of which he is a practicing member. He will cover history, tenets of faith of the various branches, life style customs, and much more.
Dr. Mark Louden is a scholar of Germanic Languages at the University of Wisconsin and currently serves as the Director of the Max Kade Institute for German-American Studies. A fluent speaker of Pennsylvania Dutch, he serves as an interpreter and cultural mediator for Plain people (including Amish and traditional Mennonites) in medical and legal settings.
This presentation is made possible through Badger Talks, putting the “Wisconsin Idea” into practice by connecting local communities to University of Wisconsin faculty. For more information, visit https://badgertalks.wisc.edu/
Tiny Art Show – All Ages
Registration opens March 9
Public Display: April 13-May 15
The fourth annual Tiny Art Show is a month-long community art project. The twist? All art must be tiny! Canvases will be available while supplies last or provide your own. Rules and guidelines will be posted here on 3/9.
Memory Café
3:00-4:30 PM, Monday, March 16 (Registration opens 2/16)
A Memory Cafe is an informal social gathering for those living with early-stage memory loss and their care partners. Registration opens 2/16. Registration is not required but appreciated. This event is offered in partnership with the Library Memory Project.
Machine Sewing: Intro to Hemming
6 PM, Wednesdays, March 18 & 25 (Registration opens 2/27)
Join us in this beginner-friendly two-part lesson on how to shorten garments to your preferred length. Sewing machines are provided, but please bring your own garment (pants, skirt, dress), non-stretch items are preferred. Attendance at both sessions is required.
Make It!
6-7:30 PM, Monday, March 30: Perler Bead Craft
6-7:30 PM, Tuesday, April 28: Fairy Garden Jars
Location: Civic Center Community Room
Drop-in to get creative and socialize during our make-and-take programs, while supplies last!
Machine Sewing 101
6 PM, Wednesdays, April 15 & 22 (Registration opens 3/30)
Attend both sessions to learn sewing machine basics and complete a simple project. If you attended the September 2025 class, please do not register for this class.