After a massive solar storm wipes out power across the globe, plunging communities into chaos and isolation, Aubrey Wheeler must protect her neighborhood while also caring for her ex-husband’s troubled son. Meanwhile, her estranged brother Thom shelters in a high-tech bunker, as a global blackout forces them to finally face the past they’ve been avoiding. The story offers an interesting take on the aftermath of an electromagnetic pulse and the siblings’ contrasting perspectives add an engaging layer to the narrative.

-Laura, Fertile Public Library

Request Aurora today!

The City of Moorhead and the Lake Agassiz Regional Library (LARL) are excited to announce the Grand Opening Celebration for the Moorhead Public Library in The Loop, the community’s newest hub for learning, gathering, recreation and innovation. The celebration will mark an exciting milestone for a project designed to bring people together in a modern and welcoming space.

We hope you’ll join us for this exciting celebration:

• Ribbon Cutting: Saturday, April 18 at 9:45 a.m. at the building’s south entrance at Center Ave. and 5th St.
• Grand Opening:  Immediately following ribbon cutting with activities offered throughout the day
• Building Hours for Saturday: 10:00 am – 6:00 pm
  

More details coming soon!

Mark Your Calendar! Key Library Dates:

• Opening Day: The Moorhead Public Library in The Loop will be open to the public beginning Wednesday, April 8 at 9 a.m.
• Sunday Hours: Beginning Sunday, April 12, the Moorhead Public Library will be open from 1 – 5 p.m. on Sundays.
• Closure: The current library location at 118 5th St. S. will be closed Monday, March 30-Tuesday, April 7 to allow staff time to prepare the new space.
• Book Returns: Beginning Monday, March 30 book returns at the 118 5th St. S. location will be closed. Instead, books can be returned using either book return near the north and south entrances of The Loop at 450 Center Ave.

This bestselling, laugh-out-loud picture book by Neil Sharpson and illustrated by Dan Santat playfully warns readers not to trust fish. With silly reasons like their secret underwater lives, huge sizes and mysterious “schools.” The title alone makes me laugh, which is why it’s on my potential Story Stroll list for a future year. It could be especially fun for fishermen to read with kids and might even spark their interest in exploring more books about fish.

-Laura, Fertile Public Library

Request Don’t Trust Fish today!

From now through May 3, Minnesotans are invited to read the featured book selection.

How to get involved:

• Readers can access the ebook for free on Ebooks Minnesota. In addition to the digital format, hard copies of the book can be found in the physical collection here.
• Access to reading guides, and virtual book club discussions can be found here.
• Join the Virtual Author Conversation on Wenesday, April 29 at 10 a.m. This talk is free and open to the public but registration is required. Register here.

One Book | One Minnesota is presented by The Friends of the Saint Paul Public Library, as the Minnesota Center for the Book, in partnership with State Library Services and sponsored by Blaze Credit Union. Program partners also include AmazeWorks, Council of Regional Public Library System Administrators; Lerner Publishing; Mackin VIA; Minitex; and the Minnesota Department of Education. This program is made possible in part through an appropriation from the Minnesota State Legislature to The Friends of the Saint Paul Public Library as the Minnesota Center for the Book. 

Join us for a deeply moving program as we welcome Patty Wetterling and co-author Joy Baker to discuss their memoir, Dear Jacob: A Mother’s Journey of Hope.

For thirty years, the disappearance of Jacob Wetterling was a story that haunted Minnesota and transformed the nation. In this special author visit, Patty Wetterling shares the intimate, behind-the-scenes account of those decades – not just as a search for a missing son, but as a testament to a mother’s unwavering love and a community’s resilience. Together with Joy Baker, the blogger whose independent research helped lead to the breakthrough in the case, they will discuss the bond they formed and the power of never giving up.

Schedule

• Breckenridge Public Library
  Monday, May 11 at 1 p.m.
  • • Books will be available to purchase at the event.
• Moorhead Public Library
  Monday, May 11 at 6 p.m.
  • • Books will be available to purchase at the event curtesy of More Than Words Bookshop.
• Mahnomen Public Library
  Tuesday, May 12 at 3:30 p.m.
  • • Books will be available to purchase at the event.
• Crookston Public Library
  Tuesday, May 12 at 7 p.m.
  • • Books will be available to purchase at the event curtesy of Silver Dawn Books
• Bagley Public Library
  Wednesday, May 13 at 2 p.m.
  • • Books will be available to purchase at the event curtesy of Four Pines Bookstore.
• Detroit Lakes Public Library
  Wednesday, May 13 at 6 p.m.
  • • Books will be available to purchase at the event curtesy of Bluebird Books.

Find “Dear Jacob” in the library collection here.

–

Admission is free, thanks in part
to funding from the Minnesota
Arts & Cultural Heritage Legacy Fund.   

Join your library for a hopeful evening of storytelling featuring acclaimed author Ken Nerburn as he discusses his latest book, Lone Dog Road. Renowned for his deeply empathetic portrayals of Native American life and the American landscape, Nerburn returns with a haunting and beautiful story of a wanderer, a young boy, and a journey across the vast, wind-swept prairies of the Dakotas.

Don’t miss hearing this the Minnesota Book Award winner (Neither Wolf nor Dog, The Wolf at Twilight) share the inspirations behind his work, reflect on his decades of writing at the crossroads of cultures and explore the themes of healing and heritage that define his prose. Books will be available for purchase with a book signing following the presentation. Admission is free, thanks in part to funding from the Minnesota Arts & Cultural Heritage Legacy Fund.

Schedule:

• Detroit Lakes Public Library in partnership with the Detroit Lakes Library Club
  Tuesday, April 28 at 2 p.m.
• Moorhead Public Library
  Tuesday, April 28 at 6 p.m.
• Ada Public Library
  Wednesday, April 29 at 2 p.m.
• Crookston Public Library
  Wednesday, April 29 at 6 p.m.

Why did Minnesotans so deeply admire Colonel William Colvill, the 6’5” Civil War hero? Join your library for a presentation by Minnesota author and historian Steve Hoffbeck bringing the legendary deeds of the First Minnesota Regiment to life.

In his latest book, “Colvill Smiled,” Hoffbeck weaves together the powerful recollections, speeches and writings of William Colvill and Martin Maginnis, two officers from Red Wing who led their men through the smoke and fire of Virginia, Maryland, and Pennsylvania.

The program is offered free-of-charge thanks in part to funding from the Minnesota Legacy Arts & Cultural Heritage Fund. Books will be available for purchase with a book signing following the presentation.
About Author Steve Hoffbeck:
Our speaker, Steve Hoffbeck, is a self-described “old but lively” Minnesotan who grew up as a farmer’s son near Morgan. His first book, The Haymakers, was a Minnesota Book Award winner. Hoffbeck, a recently retired professor (Minnesota State University Moorhead), and his wife, Dianne, live in Barnesville, MN, and have four adult children and seven grandchildren.

Schedule:

• Fertile Public Library
  Thursday, April 9 at 2 p.m.
• Crookston Benedictine Living Community
  Tuesday, April 21 at 2 p.m.
• Detroit Lakes Public Library
  Thursday, April 23 at 6 p.m.
• Mahnomen Public Library
  Monday, April 27 at 6:30 p.m.
• Hawley Public Library
  Saturday, May 2 at 11 a.m.
• Barnesville Public Library
  Wednesday, May 6 at 6 p.m.
• Fosston Public Library
  Friday, May 8 at 2 p.m.
• Halstad Living Center
  Friday, May 15 at 2 p.m.
• Rothsay Baptist Church
  Tuesday, May 19 at 2 p.m.
• Moorhead Public Library
  Thursday, May 28 at 6 p.m.

All aboard for a high-energy trip through the heart of American roots music! Join The Skally Line, featuring the talented trio of Fred Keller, Bill Cagley and Dave Tousley, as they navigate the soulful curves and bends of early American melodies.

From the haunting echoes of Appalachian ballads to the driving rhythms of bluegrass and string band blues, this performance brings the past to life. The music is perfectly paired with forgotten, rip-roaring stories plucked straight from the wilder pages of Minnesota’s history. While this family-friendly program is geared toward adults, listeners of all ages will find something to tap their toes to.

Tour Schedule

• Hendrum Civic Center
  Monday, April 13 at 1 p.m.
• Climax Community Center
  Monday, April 13 at 7 p.m.
• Crookston Public Library
  Tuesday, April 14 at 2 p.m.
• McIntosh Public Library
  Tuesday, April 14 at 6 p.m.
• Hawley Public Library
  Wednesday, April 15 at 2 p.m.
• Moorhead Public Library
  Wednesday, April 15 at 6 p.m.
• Detroit Lakes Public Library
  Thursday, April 16 at 2 p.m.
• Frazee Cornerstone Community Center
  Thursday, April 16 at 5 p.m.

Admission is free, thanks in part to funding from the Minnesota Arts & Cultural Heritage Legacy Fund.

Unleash your inner artist and celebrate a beautiful rural tradition that defines Minnesota’s rural landscape! Join us for a hands-on workshop and paint your very own Barn Quilt under the expert guidance of Mary Jo Schmid from Crooked Lane Farm Folk School. 

As a retired Moorhead educator, Mary Jo brings a wealth of knowledge and passion to help you learn about this iconic folk art. Whether you are a seasoned crafter or a complete beginner, you’ll leave with a unique masterpiece ready to display. All materials are provided. Registration is required. Registration will open at 3:30 p.m. on March 17 for events held in April, on April 28 for events held in May and on May 12 for events in June. 

Schedule:

• Fosston Public Library (register here)
  Tuesday, April 7 at 2 p.m.
• Barnesville Public Library (register here)
  Friday, April 10 at 1 p.m.
• Bagley Public Library (register here)
  Saturday, April 18 at 1 p.m.
• Gonvick LINK Site (register here)
  Wednesday, April 22 at 12:30 p.m.
• Climax Public Library (register here)
  Thursday, May 21 at 3 p.m.
• Breckenridge Public Library (register here)
  Saturday, May 23 at 11 a.m.
• Crookston Public Library (register here)
  Wednesday, May 27 at 1 p.m.
• Mahnomen Fire Hall (register here)
  Saturday, May 30 at 10:30 a.m.
• Ada Public Library (register here)
  Tuesday, June 2 at 2 p.m.
• Detroit Lakes Public Library (register here)
  Saturday, June 6 at 10 a.m.
• Fertile Public Library (register here)
  Wednesday, June 10 at 5 p.m.
• Moorhead Public Library (register here) 
  Saturday, June 13 at 1 p.m.

Admission is free, thanks in part to funding from the Minnesota Arts & Cultural Heritage Legacy Fund.