Discover some of the Twin Cities’ hidden library treasures (and other public and private buildings of note) during Doors Open Minneapolis on May 17 & 18. As the name suggests, Doors Open Minneapolis is a grassroots initiative to “explore the buildings that tell the city’s story.”

Unable to make the trek to Saint Paul? Don’t worry: You can watch the pronouncements and celebrate Minnesota’s rich literary tradition via a FREE livestream option, made available courtesy of program steward The Friends of the Saint Paul Public Library.

Congratulations to the Friends of the Blue Earth Community Library, Friends of the Pelican Rapids Library, and Friends of the Upsala Public Library. These three Minnesota groups are among the 50 recipients selected for a financial or in-kind gift through the inaugural United for Libraries & Random House Grants for Rural and Small Libraries program.

Is your Friends group hungry to “level up” its fundraising, but unsure where to start (or how to bankroll this kind of investment in your organization)? GiveMN is currently accepting applicants for the 2025 cohort of its popular annual RaiseMN Campaign Institute.  

World-famous writer and physician Benjamin Spock often opined: “You know more than you think you do.” We think the sentiment holds true for Friends of the Library. Even if your local work on behalf of the library does not feel out of the ordinary to you, others may find your activities remarkable and worth replicating. If you have a replicable program, new initiative, or ‘issue and resolution’ case study that could be of interest to fellow Friends, consider submitting a presentation proposal for United for Libraries Virtual (July 29-31, 2025).

ICYMI: MALF’s next lunchtime webinar is tomorrow, March 26. Join us – and fellow Friends from across the state – for “Read All About It: The Minnesota Book Awards.” Discussion will be led by The Friends of the Saint Paul Public Library, the long-time organizational stewards of this important program.

Friends of the Kasson Public Library - Linda Head In 2016, the City of Kasson finished construction on a new public library – a cutting-edge facility that undoubtedly makes Kasson Public Library one of the most unique in the Midwest. Built as a…

Each month, the CentraCare Birth Center in Monticello welcomes between 20 and 30 newborns. Thanks to Books for Babies, an outreach program from the Friends of the Monticello Library, every parent leaves with a generous gift of free books to start their newest addition on their early literacy journey. Two-time board member Jeanette Kallevig has stewarded this Friends program since 2021.

Minnesota is home to one of the longest-running and best reputed state-level literary recognition initiatives anywhere in the country. Most readers familiar with the Minnesota Book Awards know this program best for its spring announcements…

Minnesota’s robust community of nonprofits contributes meaningfully to our state’s high quality of life, but many of these admirable organizations tend to fly under the radar with little attention and even less praise. The Minnesota Council of Nonprofits (MCN) created the Minnesota Nonprofit Mission Awards with this disparity in mind.

Hot off the presses: The American Library Association has just launched Show Up for Our Libraries, a campaign and toolkit intended to help safeguard our libraries by harnessing our collective advocacy voice. Visit their website for creative ideas, talking points and messaging tips, various calendars relevant to state and federal policymakers, social media templates, etc.

ICYMI: Last month, the Minnesota Book Awards announced the finalist slates across ten literary categories (here). Whether you like to read mysteries, memoir, or a mix of everything, this list of standout books published in 2024 is sure to have something for your personal "TBR" pile.