LIBRARIES

Minnesota libraries warn federal cuts may hurt library services

Elizabeth Shockman / MPR News — Tue, 06 May 2025 14:32:30 GMT

ST. CLOUD — For library staff in central Minnesota’s Great River Regional Library system, recent moves from the Trump administration are calling into question the future of beloved library services.

“Right now, we’re in a position of a lot of uncertainty,” said Karen Pundsack, executive director of the six-county system. “My staff are worried about how are we going to provide services to the public if there’s a funding shortfall … how can we do this well when we don’t know what’s going to happen tomorrow. Are our jobs safe?”

An executive order in March from President Donald Trump called for eliminating the Institute of Museum and Library Services, the main federal funder of museums and libraries.

The move threatened more than $3 million in federal funding of library services to Minnesota — money that pays for the interlibrary loan service, access to online databases, telehealth services, translations and materials for people with visual impairment and supports library storytimes for children and summer music programs.

A federal judge’s temporary restraining order last week to consider the case has stopped the process for now, but local librarians say it would be a significant financial hit if it came to pass.

‘Cautiously optimistic’

Most public library funding in Minnesota comes from state, county and city governments, and the state has a history of embracing libraries. That’s helped buoy library supporters here as they wait to see how the federal cuts play out in court.

“We are cautiously optimistic about this temporary restraining order, because it says basically anything that wasn't already dismantled prior to when that came out on May 1, things are paused,” said Sarah Hawkins, assistant director of the Anoka County Library system and legislative chair of the Minnesota Library Association.

“We’re in a different situation than some states, in that we have a strong ecosystem where the federal government isn’t the only player in providing strong library services,” she said. “We have people fighting for library services in Minnesota, bipartisan folks, people on both sides of the aisle, especially at our state Legislature, that care about Minnesota libraries.”

Hawkins said that support, along with the temporary court order, has her hopeful federal funding will remain the same through mid-fall, when Congress will look at appropriating money for the Institute of Museum and Library Services.

But in places like St. Cloud, where the Great River Regional Library system operates, there’s still a lot of uncertainty.

Pundsack said she’s thinking about the ripple effects of what federal changes will mean.

“Libraries historically see an increase in activity when the economy gets tight,” she said. “We see decreased funding when we have our highest usage, and that’s one of the things that I could see on the horizon happening if things don’t change at the federal level soon.”

At a recent Stearns County meeting, Pundsack said she listened to local leaders discuss what would happen to their budgets if state and federal plans move forward to slash spending on Human Services.

“The ripples are really wide and deep with what’s happening at the federal government, because so much of how Minnesota works is tied together collaboratively,” she said.

“It’s really important to realize that there’s a reason we have so many different funding sources,” she added. “It’s because we’re trying to maximize taxpayer dollars and provide services. And we do that very well, but when something happens at the federal level, the tails just go all across the state.”

Regardless of what happens, “Minnesota librarians are going to step up and do what needs to be done to do the best possible job they can with the resources they’re given,” Pundsack said. “But with less resources, will come less services, and I don’t know if people will realize that those services are important to them until they’re gone.”

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This story was originally published on MPRNews.org.

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Adventures in Lifelong Learning announces fall program schedule

Pioneer Staff Report — Fri, 20 Sep 2024 17:12:00 GMT

BEMIDJI — Adventures in Lifelong Learning begins its spring 2024 season on Sept. 24 and will continue from 10 to 11:30 a.m. each Tuesday through Nov. 12, at the Bemidji Eagles Club, 1270 Neilson Ave. SE.

The season kicks off with the presentation "Preserving the Public Land System: The Original Fabric of Land Ownership" with Kevin Trappe and staff from the Beltrami County GIS Department.

The Public Land Survey System is the surveying method that was developed and used throughout most of the United States to plat, or divide, real property for sale and settling.

Nearly 11,000 original land survey monuments were set from 1871 to 1899 to mark the corners of townships and sections in what makes up the present-day boundaries of Beltrami County, a release said.

A question and answer session will follow the program.

The remaining fall sessions will feature these topics:

Oct. 1: K-9 Police Officer Rachel will introduce her new partner K-9 Doc, a four-legged, furry yellow Labrador Retriever. Bemidji has not had a K-9 program since the early 1990s. Doc is trained in the detection of controlled substances, assists officers in locating evidence, and helps find missing persons and non-violent offenders.

Oct. 8: Lindsey Olding will discuss her new role as Executive Director at Village of Hope, a shelter for families experiencing homelessness. Her transition to this position follows her tenure as the �� Liaison for the Bemidji �� District. Attendees will gain an understanding of the challenges faced by those at risk of or currently without housing.

Oct. 15: Mary Sue Liapis Norenberg will present, "My Journey from Medical Devices into Corporate Life with Medtronic."

Oct. 22: Attendees can learn about the free market and business in China with Bill Scheela. Scheela will discuss his ongoing business angel field research project in China, which began in 2017. He will explain how Chinese business angels have developed effective investment strategies in high-tech new ventures, which is an investment model very similar to American business angels investing in Silicon Valley start-ups. He will also provide some observations about working in China.

Oct. 29: Janice Haworth will share stories and photos of her travels to Ecuador and South Africa, including the music, culture, scenery and animals. Community members who have been to either of these countries or who are looking for suggestions for a trip or travel "bucket list" are encouraged to attend, the release said.

Nov. 5: David Mather of the Minnesota State Preservation Office will present "The Grand Mound."

Nov. 12: Attendees can learn about the history of the regional library system during Bemidji Public Librarian Sheri Warren's presentation, "Libraries: More Than Books." Warren will cover library funding, services and the future of libraries.

All are welcome. Participants should park in the rear parking lot of the Eagles Club. Refreshments will be served starting at 9:30 a.m.

Programs are free; an at-will donation will be accepted.

For more information or weather cancellations, check the Bemidji Adventures in Lifelong Learning Facebook page.

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Walker Public Library seeks donations for new building

Pioneer Staff Report — Sat, 17 Dec 2022 19:03:00 GMT

WALKER — The Friends of the Walker Public Library are seeking donations to assist in the building of a new public library dedicated to Dale and Harriet Jones in Walker.

Considerable progress has been made for the new library’s design, and construction is slated to begin in 2023 on the south side of Tower Avenue, adjacent to the city of Walker’s twin water towers.

To donate to the Dale and Harriet Jones Walker Public Library fund, contact Kathi Cadmus, president of the Friends of the Walker Library, at (218) 547-6444, or donate directly to the city of Walker’s designated Library Building Fund by contacting Walker City Administrator Hope Fairchild at (218) 547-5501.

Community members with an Individual Retirement Account can also make a Qualified Charitable Distribution directly to the library’s efforts, which may offset the taxability of a Required Minimum Distribution.

Members of Thrivent can also financially assist the new library, potentially without any expense to themselves, by logging into their member account and using one of the programs offered by Thrivent to donate toward nonprofits.

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