Blog
In June 2024, a torrential downpour in northern Minnesota swelled the Little Fork River and flooded downtown Cook. The small Northwoods town remained inundated for the better part of a week, causing infrastructure damage so severe that one meteorologist termed it “a once in a generation event, at most.” The beloved Cook Public Library was not exempt. Flood waters saturated the carpets, compromised drywall, and wrecked wooden shelves. For many months thereafter, the City could offer only limited library services while waiting to learn if they would secure FEMA funds to restore the facility.
Bees and Trees took root (pun intended) after the Friends learned that the Pine County Soil and Water Conservation District (PCSWCD) hosts occasional tree and shrub sales. After crunching some numbers, the board realized that they could procure a significant number of saplings for a reasonable cost and host some kind of community giveaway.
Literary legend C.S. Lewis once quipped: "You can never get a cup of tea large enough or a book long enough to suit me." If you share that sentiment with the Narnia creator, you may want to look into the latest news from the Minnesota Book Awards.
With a population just shy of 3,500, the west-central Minnesota town of Benson faces a challenge familiar to many rural communities of its type: outside of school-sponsored extracurriculars, local youth have few recreational or social outlets. Benson Public Library has tried to step into that void.
United for Libraries Virtual 2026 is fast approaching. United is the umbrella division of the American Library Association devoted to Friends, foundations and trustees. Mirroring its member base, this online conference spans three days and dedicates one day of programming to each group.