Peter Blenski, or Mr. Peter as he’s known, has been a beloved children’s librarian in Lake Country for 6 years- 4 years at Hartland and 2 at his current position at Pewaukee Public Library. His combination of enthusiasm for stories and making storytime interactive and engaging has made him a big draw in the area, with some kids showing up in “Mr. Peter Fan Club” T-shirts. He also runs the educational blog “The Lego Librarian” legolibrarian.com, which gives programming advice to librarians and educators throughout the nation. Started in 2017, “The Lego Librarian” recently hit 1 million views. He has also served on the 100th Newbery Award Selection Committee, which gave the 2021 Newbery Award to “The Last Cuentista” by Donna Barba Higuera. He lives in Waukesha with his wife, who is also a librarian.
About Peter Blenski
Q: Please tell us a little bit about your family.
My family has lived in Southeastern Wisconsin for as long as I’ve known. My grandfather was a police officer in the area, my great-grandfather was a lawyer, and my great-great grandfather was a judge. So we’ve always been committed to the area and committed to service. My wife is also a librarian so it’s so great to continue that legacy of service.
Q: Please tell us about your life and what you do (whether working in our community, a business owner, volunteer, etc.). How did you choose that path?
I’ve been a children’s librarian for over a decade, I started out as a middle school teacher but quickly found out it wasn’t for me. Being a librarian has been a much better balance- I still get to educate but focus on other things as well.
Q: What do you love most about what you do?
It’s so great to be an integral part of kids’ lives. I have so many caregivers and parents come up to me and say “You’re all my kid talks about!” So it’s great to have an impact!
Q: What is the most rewarding part?
My job encompasses so many things I wanted to do with my life- I get to act during storytimes, and I get to teach during storytimes so I use skills I might not be able to in a traditional work enviornment.
Q: What are some of your future goals? Do you have anything exciting coming up that you would like to share?
We have summer reading coming up, so it’s always exciting to see so many people use the library. It can be exhausting but it’s great to see that the community appreciates and uses the space.
Q: What advice would you give to someone interested in doing something similar to what you have done/are doing?
I just recently had a librarian ask me this when they were experiencing burnout. I told them a couple things- find a way to make the job work for you. Don’t feel pressured to do things a certain way because someone else does it that way. Being genuine is a great way to be kind to yourself and embrace what you can bring to the table, not what you’re expected to bring to the table.
Peter Blenski & Our Community
Q: What is your favorite thing about our community, favorite thing to do, or something unique about our community that you love? (Feel free to share as much as you’d like!)
I love running on the Ice Age Trail, it’s so carefully maintained and cared for. And I love the many festivals like the Kiwanis Beach Party in Pewaukee or the Hartland Hometown Celebration.
Q: Do you have a favorite coffee shop, cocktail shop, or restaurant?
I love Beach Bum Bakery and I stop there at least once every other week. Triple chocolate chip cookie all the way. And Artisan 179 has the best grilled cheese I’ve ever had ever. Birch and Banyan is also a favorite coffee shop, and Tofte’s Table is a favorite date spot for me and my wife. There’s just so many great little hidden gems in the area.
Q: What 3 words would you use to describe our community?
Dedicated, generous, energetic.
For Fun
Q: What is something interesting that most people don’t know about you?
I help run the library’s Facebook page, so we always try to make funny videos or photos to promote different programs. Like for our “Wicked Sing-a-Long” program, I dressed up as the Wicked Witch and sang horribly and it was a hoot!
Q: What is your favorite book, TV show, movie, poem, or song? Why?
My favorite book ever is probably “The 7 1/2 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle” by Stuart Turton. It’s sci-fi, and mystery, but also a period piece so it hits everything so perfectly.
Q: Who inspires you to be better?
My wife Abby Armour definitely. She’s is so knowledgeable and capable, and she is such a great leader. The community and the families that come by also really inspire me to put on a great show , they are such a great support.
Q: If you were a drink (can be a coffee drink, alcoholic, non-alcoholic, etc.), what would you be?
Mocha latte- I got a lot of energy and I can get you through your day.
Q: If you could have lunch with anyone, who would it be with? Why?
It depends- are they paying??
Q: What makes you the happiest?
Being able to relax after a full week of work. It’s so great to serve the community, and it’s great to reflect on while I’m doing something just for myself- if that makes sense.
Q: Any general life advice you would like to share?
Just make sure to tell your community how much you appreciate them. Your police and fire of course, but also your Parks and Rec, your library, your DPW, and your school system. Everyone works really hard for you and for the community, so make sure you give them a high-five.
Where to Find Peter Blenski
Nice To Meet You:
I believe in positively impacting my clients and the community I live in, which is why I jumped at the chance to be an ambassador with “The Faces of Lake Country”. It’s a perfect blend of why I enjoy being a Realtor with Shorewest, Realtors, and everything I love about living in Lake Country.
I truly enjoy being a part of this community and helping others along the way. Prior to real estate, I was an Office Supervisor for the City of Waukesha Park & Recreation Department. During this time, I had the opportunity to work with many business owners and serve the general public. It was there that I realized that it really does take a village to make a community great and each and every one of us plays an important role.
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