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AAALibrary News and Events
JuNE Calendar of Events
Click here for our June calendar of events.Library Closures in June:
Please mark your calendars--library hours are affected twice in June.
- June 12: The library will open late at noon to accommodate a staff work session.
- June 19: Our library will be closed on Juneteenth to honor and reflect on the significance of this day in history. We stand in solidarity with the ongoing pursuit of freedom, equality, and justice for all.
summer reading program is here!
Going on June 9 - August 16, 2025
Kids and teens ages 0–18 are invited to LEVEL UP AT YOUR LIBRARY this summer with the 2025 Summer Reading Program.
Starting June 9, participants can pick up reading logs to track reading and learning activities in flexible ways, earning rewards like free books and treat coupons—no registration required!
Grand Marais Public Library is committed to supporting kids and teens year-round—and that includes helping prevent summer slide, the learning loss that can happen when school’s out. Our program is designed to keep young minds engaged through reading, creativity, and community events.
Watch for these related events:
- Brodini Comedy Magic Show on Tuesday, June 17 at 3:30 PM.
- Haiku with Sandra Hisakuni – Saturday, July 19 at 10:30 AM
- Dinosaurs with the MN Science Museum – Tuesday, July 22 at 1:00 PM
- Summer Reading Celebration Picnic – Saturday, August 16 (time TBD)Come read, play, and explore this summer at your library!
Brian malloy: writer in residence
Writing your Coming-Out Story - June 14, 11 AM, at the Hub
Write Your Coming Out Story
Are the ideas in your head not making it onto the page? Beginners and experienced writers are most welcome to this session of prompts and blockbusters to help launch your writing. We’ll go over the writing process like sculptors – gathering our clay (words) and building it into forms (stories).
Other workshops are coming up for the remainder of the year! All times are from 6-8 PM unless otherwise noted.
7/9: Funny Stuff
8/20: Work-in-Progress Reading | 7 PM
9/10: Point of View
10/22: Nature Writing
10/29: Personal Essay
11/12: Novel Structures
11/19: Novel Subplots
Brian Malloy is the author of novels The Year of Ice (St. Martin's Press), Brendan Wolf (St. Martin's Press), After Francesco (Kensington), and the young adult novel Twelve Long Months (Scholastic). His novels have been a New York Times New and Notable title, an Oprah Daily pick, a Women's National Book Association Great Group Reads selection, and a Book Sense Pick. His nonfiction has appeared in Minnesota Monthly, OUT, and the Lambda Award winning anthology, The Man I Might Become: Gay Men Write About Their Fathers (Marlow & Co.). Honors include the Minnesota Book Award, the American Library Association's Alex Award, the Bloomsday Award for Irish American Literature, the Loft Literary Center’s Excellence in Teaching Fellowship, and grants from the Arrowhead Regional Arts Council, de Groot Foundation, Jerome Foundation, and the Minnesota State Arts Board.
This activity is made possible by the voters of Minnesota through a grant from the Minnesota State Arts Board, thanks to a legislative appropriation from the arts and cultural heritage fund.
BRODINI COMEDY MAGIC SHOW!
June 17, 2025 at 3:30 PMFree, open to all ages
The Brodini Comedy Magic Show offers fun and exciting magic tricks that are so cool you won't believe your eyes! Magician Graylyn Morris will raise spirits and test kids' powers of concentration as he manipulates ropes, scarves, balls, and other props in a perplexing "now you see it, now you don't" performance! This free program is 50 minutes long and is a family-friendly program for all ages!
Brodini is well-attended every time he visits. Please come a little early to get a seat.
Now Hiring: Children's Librarian
Date Posted: Tuesday, May 20, 2025
Compensation: 23.66 per hour
Hours: 40 hours per week – Full Time
The Grand Marais Public Library is seeking a creative, community-oriented Children’s Librarian to join our team in a Librarian I capacity. This position plays a vital role in promoting early literacy and lifelong learning by providing inclusive, engaging library services for children and teens (ages 0–18), as well as their caregivers, educators, and families.
Duties and Responsibilities
Our Librarian I position supports the successful operation of the library by performing a broad range of services for the public starting with direct customer service at the front desk and leading up to assisting with long range planning. The Librarian I may develop and facilitate programs, purchase materials for the collection, maintain the library’s social media platforms, create publicity and marketing materials, and classify and catalog library materials within its focus area—in this case, youths services.
Minimum Requirements
1) Bachelor’s Degree. 2) One year of experience working with the public.
Desirable Training and Experience: Professional experience as a children’s or youth services librarian, or transferable experience in child-focused education and programming. Other work experience in public library environments; high level of computer and digital literacy, experience working with youths and families; experience classifying and cataloging library materials.
Cover letter and resume encouraged. Completion of the City's application forms is required and can be accessed at City Hall or the Grand Marais Library, or at ci.grand-marais.mn.us. Submit applications by 4:30 PM on June 13, 2025 for first review of applications. Contact: Amanda St. John at 218-387-1140 with any questions.
Your Three words
A public art projectPoet and artist Moheb Soliman is launching a public art project, supported by state grants and local collaborators, that begins in Grand Marais and circles the Great Lakes. The project starts by collecting three words from Cook County residents that capture what makes this place unique. As one of the project's community partners, Grand Marais Public Library is helping raise awareness and collect words from the community.
Moheb explains that the three most frequently mentioned words will form the core of an original poetic line, which will be embedded into a giant driftwood tree. This semi-permanent sculpture will be installed in the Grand Marais area. Made from locally sourced materials, the sculpture will reflect the area's special qualities while connecting the community to the larger Great Lakes region. Moheb's goal is to expand this project to over a dozen Great Lakes locations, creating a 'Poem of Sublime Proportion' that spans the entire region, one line at a time.
SHARE YOUR THREE WORDS WITH MOHEB HERE.
About the artist: Moheb Soliman is an interdisciplinary poet from Egypt and the Midwest. His work has been presented in literary, art, and public spaces across the US and Canada. This spring, you can find Moheb collecting words and sharing info through the library, Care Partners, Grand Portage National Monument, Grand Marais Art Colony, and other local hubs. Stay tuned for more project updates.
Book Bundles Available!
Just fill out one of the Google Sheets linked below, and one of our librarians will assemble 4-6 books customized for you.Donations of Books, magazines, and more
If space permits, the library accepts small donations of books, magazines and DVDs in good condition. Check in at the front desk with your proposed donation.
Do you have a box of books? A bag of magazines? We have suggestions! Call the library at 218-387-1140 to receive referrals on places that may be able to help give the materials a second life.
Please do not abandon unwanted materials in the library, but choose to take responsible action and deliver your items to places that can process them for you.
Self-service faxing, printing, photocopying, scanning
Grand Marais Public Library provides the public self-service access to a photocopier, printer, and scanner for small scale jobs.
- Send a fax for 50¢ per page w/ a maximum charge of $5.
- Scanning to your own flashdrive: FREE
- Black and white copies: 20¢ per side
- Color copies: 80¢ per side
Library Board of Trustees' meeting
The Grand Marais Public Library Board of Trustees convenes at 5:00 PM on the following dates. We are meeting in person at the library. The meetings are open to the public. Join us!
- Thursday, January 23
Thursday, February 27
Thursday, March 27
Thursday, April 24
Thursday, May 22
Thursday, June 26
Thursday, July 24
Thursday, August 28
Thursday, Sept 25
Thursday, October 23
**Thursday, November 20
**Thursday, December 18
creative bug resources
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Do you have an ALS library card and Internet acess? Great! You now have unlimited access to more than 1,000 award-winning arts and crafts video classes taught by recognized design experts and artists.
There are creative projects for every occasion with downloadable patterns, templates, and recipes. The easy-to-navigate website features classes on topics in art and design, sewing, paperwork, holidays and parties, knitting and crochet, quilting, jewelry, and more! Browse by skill difficulty levels, quick or multi-part classes, specialty techniques, or those video tutorials best suited for children.
state parks passes at your library
Through a partnership with the DNR, the library will be circulating two free 7-day vehicle parking passes to visit Minnesota's state parks. A library card is not required for participation.
The purpose of this program is to make state parks even more accessible to the public by eliminating the entrance fee. Passes are funded by the DNR’s Parks and Trails Legacy Amendment dollars. Folks who try the program will be encouraged to complete a survey. The data are needed to support the program’s continuation. For more information about Minnesota’s parks, visit mndnr.gov.
WOWBRARY email service
A welcoming way to see the newest additions to our collection
WOWbrary is a weekly email showcasing Grand Marais Public Library's newest books, audiobooks, movies, and magazines.
With WOWbrary, you can browse our latest arrivals from home or wherever you have Internet access. You'll learn about bestsellers, cookbooks, mysteries, science books, travel guides, histories, children's titles, health books, science fiction, and more. Read a summary of each title and screen consumer reviews. With links to our catalog, it's easy to place holds on the titles that capture your imagination.
mail-a-book program for county residents
County folks, we know it can sometimes be challenging to get to Grand Marais Public Library in person, or to return your items on time. Did you know you can borrow and return paperback books and other materials from the Arrowhead Library System via u.s. mail free of charge?
The Arrowhead Library System's Mail-A-Book (MAB) program is designed to supply library services to rural and homebound residents. Patrons who qualify may order materials which will then be mailed to them at no cost. Mail-A-Book is not an eBooks or downloadable materials service, and it is available to rural residents in Cook County. It is also available to all home-bound city residents, whether the situation is short-term or long-term. This tax-supported program provides library service directly to your home. ALS pays return postage for the items they own.
Find out more here, or call 218-741-3840 to speak directly with an Mail-A-Book librarian.
**To order books by mail, be sure to call the number above, which connects you to a librarian at the Arrowhead Library System office, which is set up to serve this mail-based program.**
Library Strategic Plan
On February 22, 2024, the Library Board of Trustees adopted the following strategic plan to be carried out over the next three years, or fiscal years 2024 - 2026.
Focus Area 1: The Library inspires robust community involvement.
- The Library attracts a wide range of stakeholders to participate in its vitality, by establishing relationships with the next generation of library users, strengthening relationships with communities and groups that have cultural or physical barriers to enjoying the library, and forging new strategic partnerships with local businesses.
- Library Leadership uses contributions in combination with levied funds to ensure the continuous development of services, supporting personal development of all Cook County residents. To honor public and private contributions the plan will include commitments to 3 key areas:
- Professional board training on their role in capital planning
- Regular review of contributions and levied funds to achieve strategic goals
- Publicize the plan and results
- The Library supports staff in providing quality service to the community by investing in staff training and development opportunities, as well as the facility, its furnishings, and technologies.
- Every community member feels welcome and encouraged to take advantage of library services that meet their needs.
Tutoring and Online Learning!
Library Hours
Monday, Tuesday, Thursday & Friday 10-5Wednesday 10-8
Saturday 10-2
