The library has kept up with changing technology, providing Wi-Fi internet access for its 30 public computers and visitors’ smartphones or tablets.(Photo/Nancy Hanson)
Next week is the Moorhead Public Library’s time to shine – and to throw open its doors to show what makes it so special to the community, young and old.
The opportunity the festive annual event offers is especially timely in 2022, says library director Megan Krueger. In November, Moorhead voters will decide the fate of a measure to fund replacement of the rickety facility through a one-half cent city sales tax. If approved, the tax will generate an estimated $31 million over the next 22 years to fund construction of a new community-library center in the heart of a vibrant redeveloped downtown area.
The ailing library’s problems are not a new story. Built in 1962 and enlarged in 1988, the facility at 115 Fifth St. S. was identified as early as 2017 as a city-owned property in urgent need of attention. The HVAC, plumbing and lighting systems were cited at the time. Since then, substantial and persistent leaks in the rippling ’60s-style roof have moved to center stage. Exacerbated by melting snow, the leaks have saturated the ceiling in parts of the main floor, forcing the staff to relocate a large share of the books and media that had been shelved beneath the drippage.
The news, though, is not all bad. After a long closure and then partial recovery from pandemic-era restrictions, attendance is back to 500 a day – still about half of what it was pre-Covid, but recovering nicely. The twice-weekly Baby Bounce, Storytime and other popular activities are back full-force. Community groups are vying for dates to book the meeting rooms in the basements, and computer users again take turns on the library’s bank of 30 computers, along with accessing Wi-Fi for their own tablets and smartphones.
Library Week is celebrated with special activities to bring in patrons and celebrate the opportunities the library provides. And all are free. As one patron recently noted, libraries are perhaps the only place in our society that you can enjoy with no expectation of having to spend money.
Among the highlights:
Spring Social, 1-4 p.m. Sunday, April 3
The Friends of the Moorhead Library, a 100-member band of library supporters, hosts a Spring Social, including a small book sale, an art and book silent auction, light appetizers by Urban Foods Catering and live music by Max Johnk.
Midwest Cookbook Author Panel (virtual), Sunday, April 3, 7 p.m.
Two Minnesota cookbook authors, Zoë François (Zoë Bakes Cakes,Artisan Bread in 5 Minutes a Day) and Beth Dooley (In Winter’s Kitchen, The Northern Heartland Kitchen). Hear how these authors’ work has been influenced by the local produce, flavors, traditions, and the seasons of the upper Midwest. This virtual event will be moderated by Megan Myrdal, Food of the North co-founder and author of Midwest Mediterranean.
National Library Week Scavenger Hunt, Monday-Saturday, April 4-9
Learn how to navigate the library, explore different book genres, authors, and the Dewey decimal system. This fun activity is perfect for youth of all ages/ Stop by the Moorhead Library’s front desk to pick up a blank scavenger hunt worksheet and turn it in for a prize.
Quilled Bookpage Take-Home Art Kit, April 4-9
Pick up a kit from the library and learn how to transform discarded books into art you can enjoy. This event is made possible through funding from the Minnesota Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund.
For updates on the Moorhead Public Library’s events, collections and services, go to www.facebook.com/moorheadpubliclibrary/
