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AAALibrary News and Events
August Calendar of Events
Click here for our August calendar of events.
The Grand Marais Public Library is pleased to host Amy Woschek Schmidt to teach the monthly poetry workshop on Wednesday, August 13, from 6-8 PM.
Amy Woschek Schmidt is a writer and an essayist who has been living in rural Panamá. Before moving with her family to Panamá, she homesteaded on a small acreage tucked among the tall pines and aspens of Lake Superior’s northern shore. Much of her work is informed by the years she spent working the land and walking the woods.
In the spring of 2024, Schmidt published a book of poetry entitled Given Days. This book of poems is the culmination of an ambitious, year-long project to write a poem every day.
“Amy Woschek Schmidt, in Given Days, sees the world as a wondrous gift from God (not just in the book but in her everyday life) and these poems portray that wonder, that gift, simply and exquisitely,” writes Vince Gotera, the Poet Laureate of Iowa. “She very subtly, but memorably, paints with the sounds of words: ‘fertile skies / vast as a farmer's field. . . . season of sun, hot and high, . . . jars of jewels on the shelf of my mind.’ Like me, you'll find yourself saying to friends, as I did again and again with my partner, ‘Listen to this one, so beautiful.’ Her poems are all delightful gifts. Lovely, lovely.”
The Cook County SCRAP Society poetry workshops typically involve direct teaching, poetic exercises—including forced inspiration prompts—and time to share the poetry that participants have been working on, either at home or at the workshop.
The workshop is free with no sign-up required and is geared to ages fourteen and up.
Take and create basketry kits
Going on now for as long as supplies last.
Stop in and pick up your own Beginner Basketry kit. Created by Erika LeMay, these kits are designed to introduce coiled basked skills to anyone ages 11 and up.
Instructions can be found here: https://vimeo.com/1101551902
Please note! Erika will present 2 sessions of Colorful Coiled Baskets at the library on Saturday, October 4. Details forthcoming.
The Geology of Cook County: Oceans, Volcanoes, & Glaciers, Oh My!
Geologist Al Trippel to present at the library on August 15, from 5-7 PM
The Grand Marais Public Library is excited to host geologist Al Trippel to present on the geology of the North Shore on Friday, August 15, from 5-7 PM.
In this presentation, Al Trippel will explain the geological and historical context to the rocks we find, whether washing up on the shores of Lake Superior or unearthing themselves on the Superior Hiking Trail. Cook County is home to a variety of rock types, some common and some extremely rare on earth. The presentation will show us where we sit in the regional “big picture” of the Canadian Shield “stable” craton.
The presentation will include a slide show, exemplary rocks, as well as digital and print resources about how and where to find agates and other fascinating rocks and minerals. A question and answer session and rock-identification segment will conclude the presentation. If bringing in rocks for identification, limit rock-ID questions to two rocks per person, for time will be limited.
This free program is for rock hounds of all ages.
Al Trippel lives in Grand Marais and grew up around rocks in the Midwest and Western US. From a childhood hobby, to a high school job, to a career in mining—and now a passion during retirement (actually he calls it “refirement”)—rocks continue to awe and inspire him. Much of his lapidary and jewelry making utilizes rocks and minerals found along the way.
power-up party
A Summer Reading Program Finale and Community PicnicSaturday, August 16 from 11:30 AM - 2:30 PM
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Join us for a summer reading celebration with free food, games, and live music!
The event honors Summer Reading Program participants and the many team players who went game-on to support them—encouraging kids as they explored books, tracked their reading, and discovered the joy of stories.
Starting at 11:30 AM, enjoy a free picnic lunch featuring meats, cheeses, fresh fruits and veggies, chips, and cookies. Weather permitting, there will be bubbles, hula hoops, and ping pong!
Then, at 1:00 PM, join us for a live performance of Will Sings Songs! Naturalist and children’s musician Will Bjorndal delivers an interactive, high-energy concert for PreK and elementary-aged kids and their families. His original songs blend laughter, learning, and joy—with plenty of audience participation.
The 2025 Summer Reading Program is supported by the Library Friends of Cook County and community partners including Drury Lane, Dairy Queen, Hungry Hippie Tacos, Java Moose, Superior Creamery and others. Special thanks to the Arrowhead Library System, sponsor of Will Sings Songs, funded in part or in whole by Minnesota’s Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund (ACHF).
Still have a reading log to turn in? Complete or not—everyone wins, bring it to the library by the end of August to pick out a prize.
Brian malloy: writer in residence
Writing-in-Progress - Into the Boundary Waters - August 20, 7-8 PM
Cook County novelist Brian Malloy will read the opening of his work-in-progress, entitled Into the Boundary Waters. While a work of fiction, Into the Boundary Waters is inspired by an actual 2007 incident in which dozens of campers were terrorized by six drunken, gun-wielding men from Ely, who used pistols and an AK-47 to fire off 60 rounds while speeding by in motorboats. They then went ashore and threatened campers with rape and murder, according to the 24-page criminal complaint.
FFI about Brian Malloy and his novels: www.malloywriter.com
Brian has five more workshops coming up this year! All times are from 6-8 PM unless otherwise noted.
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.
summer reading program is wrapping up
Turn in your reading log and claim a prize!
Dear readers, we're cheering you on as you enter the home stretch!
There's still time to wrap up your summer reading adventure. Whether you finished the log or made good progress, you've earned a reward. Bring your reading log to the library by the end of August to receive a book voucher to Drury Lane Books, where you can select your own prize book, AND choose a treat coupon or toy.
Everyone who participated is a winner--thank you for being part of Summer Reading this year!
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 -- Canceled; no quorum
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
