Brandi Glaspie and Mikaila Mattheson working on Rebook Room mural on January 17th.

Below the surface there lies something magical at the Washington Public Library.

The Teen Advisory Board with Youth Services Librarian Jenisa Harris and Librarian and artist Brandi Glaspie have been adding much needed color and whimsy to their “Rebook Room” located on the lowest level, with a mural to feature a castle, dragon, fairies, and more, supported by a grant from the Washington, IA Betterment Foundation. Harris and the Teen Advisory Board have long been dreaming of revamping the room where they typically sell books to the public, “You can pick your price and then all the money goes back into programming for the library. So you’re helping support run these awesome programs, and sometimes this room is even used for a rollover meeting space for people. And so you could have used it for a meeting space and not even realize what it was.”

Harris says she and Glaspie worked with Washington High School sophomore Mikaila Mattheson on the timeless mural design, and Mattheson and other students have put in the time over winter break and other days off school to bring it to life. Mattheson is somewhat of an avid-mural artist herself as she has painted other works at places including her local church, “It’s really nice to know that you’re part of something bigger that will be here for a long time, and it’s really fun to pass my time and it’s relaxing and also makes a lot of people happy to look at.”

Harris says they have enough grant funds to expand the wall art throughout the Rebook Room, and they have received a grant from the Washington Walmart to purchase new furniture which she hopes to get moved in later this year.