Books

St. Paul: St. Anthony Park Library will close in June for remodel

By Staff, Park Bugle

Starting in early June, the St. Anthony Park Library, 2245 Como Ave., will close to begin facility upgrades that will include creating more community space by redesigning the customer service desk area and installing an automated materials handling system. Currently, the library is planning to reopen on Aug. 1.

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Leaning toward a new Columbia Heights library?

By Margo Ashmore, Northeaster

If one is counting votes, and if we’re reading the signals right as to what those votes might be, Columbia Heights taxpayers, owners of one of only four independent libraries in the metropolitan area, could embark on finding the money to replace the current library. And a Northeast resident whose job is to be her firm’s government—and particularly, libraries—expert, has helped lay the groundwork.

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Little Free Libraries: Merriam Park

By Karintha Lowe, TC Daily Planet

Out of the 3,000 Little Free Libraries worldwide, more than one hundred dot the front yards of Saint Paul residents. An initiative started in 2009, Little Free Libraries are a community movement that offers free books housed in small, outdoor bookshelves to members of the local community. "I chose to have a little free library because it connects me with the community," Little Free Library owner Mary Sorlie says, "and there really is something wonderful about sharing a great book." For more information on Little Free Libraries (and a map of all their locations) visit their website at littlefreelibrary.org.

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Dakota spoken here: Mni Sota's Dakota Indian heritage topic of Minnesota Book Award winner

By Allison Herrera, The Uptake

Uptake Editor’s note: “Mni Sota Makoce: The Land of the Dakota,” was the winner in the Minnesota category of the 2013 Minnesota Book Awards, which were announced Saturday. Congratulations to authors Gwen Westerman and Bruce White. — updated Sunday, April 14 at 8:07 a.m.

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Let's talk about librarians…

By Mindy Rhiger, Proper Noun Blog

Nothing seems to surprise people more about libraries than the librarians themselves.

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Proper Noun Blog

Community matters at your library

By Mindy Rhiger, Proper Noun Blog

No two libraries are alike.  I learned this young.  My family moved around a lot for my dad’s job when I was young, so we criss-crossed the country collecting library cards along the way–thanks to my mom’s deep love of reading combined with her frugal nature.

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Proper Noun Blog

When things go well

By Dwight Hobbes, You sure this is how Richie Havens got famous?

When things go well, it can make a hell of difference in life. You breathe easier more often, can pull together a little confidence and actually get a few things accomplished.

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You sure this is how Richie Havens got famous?

Our American nightmare: Detroit

By Emilio DeGrazia, Downstream

I didn’t want to pick the book up, but after I did I couldn’t put it down. Written by Charlie LeDuff, it is called Detroit: An American Autopsy. Detroit, in my youth the fourth largest city in the U.S., currently is on life support, casualty of a cancer in the American Dream.

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Downstream

Khary Jackson's "Any Psalm You Want": Moving multicultural mantras

By Jay Gabler, Front Row Seat

I spend a lot of time thinking about how creative writing will adapt to, with, and through the move from print to digital—but with Khary Jackson's Any Psalm You Want, I was presented with a book of poetry that feels fresh and contemporary despite being printed on old-fashioned paper (that is, on any paper at all).

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