Original article published in the Mower County Independent, Thursday, April 25, 2024. Reprinted with permission and gratitude.
By Gretchen Mensink Lovejoy
It’s happening @ and for your library.
Because the library is where it’s happening.
Anyone who may think that the public library is just a snore, a place where being quiet is the norm, where nothing ever happens may be completely surprised by the long list of noises and events that occur at that building down the street.
Take, for example, storytime. Oh, the excitement, the exuberance, the giggles. After everyone over 21 has had their coffee, but before 11:00 a.m. – kiddos rounding the story tree in the children’s section to hear a book being read to them, followed by an activity related to the characters of the book. Two more sessions left in May, on Friday, May 3 and 17 at 10:30 a.m. for the preschoolers in one’s life. And after that come preparations for the “Adventure at Your Library” children’s summer reading program from June 3 through July 26 – including Will Bjorndal appearing on June 5, Chad Lewis bringing Minnesota folklore on June 12, and the Eagle Bluff raptor naturalists presenting on June 26, with all programs scheduled for 1:30 p.m.
For the grownups, there’s local author Steve Harris visiting on April 30 at 6:00 p.m., children’s author Michael Hall stopping at SVPL on May 9 at 7:00 p.m. as part of the Minnesota Author Tour – the littles may certainly be interested as well, Nancy Vaillancourt presenting on the Hooded History of the Ku Klux Klan in southeast Minnesota in the 1920’s on May 21 at 6:00 p.m., and the library staff taking suggestions as to whom to host in the future through the Southeast Libraries Cooperating vetted presenter program.
What’s happening for the library? According to Friends of the Spring Valley Public Library President Sarah Hansen, there’s plenty. Like, plenty to do and learn. She and the Friends are going to offer classes for the public to enjoy as a fundraiser for the library, beginning with Beginning – she’ll be facilitating two enrichment classes, the first being Beginning Organic Gardening, which is set for the first two Saturdays in May from 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m., and Preserving the Harvest, slated for the first two Saturdays in June from 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. — and she anticipates that the Friends will continue to bring educational experiences forward throughout the fall, including an introduction to crocheting class that will allow anyone who’d like to be in the loop about looping to do so.
Furthermore, there’s what’s happening @ and for the library one Wednesday a month as summer arrives and evolves into early fall, as the library or the Friends will be seen downtown at a booth during Wednesdays on Broadway, with the Friends sometimes selling ice cream and other items to help raise money for the library’s needs and raise awareness of its available services. Wednesdays on Broadway, a town celebration and farmers’ market with information hosted on the Spring Valley Economic Development Authority’s website at https://springvalleyeda.org/wednesdays-on-broadway-spring-valley-mn/ or the Wednesdays on Broadway Facebook page, will be the place to find Hansen and Friends on June 19, July 17, Aug. 21 and Sept. 18.
For more information on library events, log onto the library’s website at www.springvalley.lib.mn.us, stop in at the library on Jefferson Street, or call 507-346-2100.
Courtesy of the Mower County Independent, 135 E Main St. LeRoy, MN 55951, (507)-324-5325
