Writers and aspiring writers, join us for a series of creative writing events at the Litchfield and Dassel libraries! In November and December, The Loft Literary Center will hold three seminars at the Litchfield Library for adults and one at the Dassel Library for children. Registration is required for the children’s program Make a Picture Book, but no sign-up is needed for the adult sessions. All are free to attend, with funding from Minnesota’s Arts & Cultural Heritage Fund.

Workshop details:

The ABC’s of Children’s Books. Thursday, November 12, 5-6:30 p.m. Litchfield Library meeting room. For adults & older teens. No registration needed. Learn the basic formats of children’s books and how children’s books get made, from ABC books to teen fiction.

Make a Picture Book. Saturday, November 14, 10-11:30 a.m. Dassel Library, held in the city hall meeting room behind the library. For ages 6-12. Registration required: call the Dassel Library at 320-275-3756 or stop at the Dassel Library to sign up.  Children will read picture books and discuss how the authors created the characters and plot. Then they’ll write and illustrate their own picture books to take home. Children younger than 8 must have an adult or teen caregiver with them to assist.

Beginner’s Guide to Starting Your Novel. Monday, November 23, 5-6:30 p.m. Litchfield Library, held in the meeting room. For adults and older teens. No registration needed. Bring a notebook and pen for a writing exercise. Learn how to use essential craft elements such as character, setting, plot, and structure to discover your story, establish a starting point, and get the right words on the page.

Narrative Healing. Monday, December 14, 5-6:30 p.m. Litchfield Library, held in the meeting room. For adults and older teens. No registration needed. This workshop is an opportunity to explore writing as a healing art. The instructor will teach about writing for healing, remembering, and connecting.

Dassel Library is participating in the Dassel business trick-or-treating event on Friday, October 30, from 3:00 to 5:00 p.m. Stop by the library in your costume to get candy or a small fun item that isn’t candy!

Libby, our e-book service, is now requiring users to enter a PIN. This will be required for signing into Libby, and you will occasionally be prompted to verify your account. It is the same PIN you use for Pioneerland’s online catalog.

If you’re a Libby user but don’t sign into your library card account on the Pioneerland catalog, library staff will be happy to help you set one up.

Pioneerland Library System protects your privacy according to state law and library system policy.

Per the library system’s Confidentiality of Patron Records policy:

The Library has the responsibility to protect each individual library user’s right to confidentiality and privacy relating to information sought or received and materials consulted, borrowed, or acquired.

All patron records are confidential. No library employee shall reveal the identity of a borrower to any requestor or make known in any manner any information contained in patron records.

The confidential information in these records includes, but is not limited to:

• Subjects researched
• Materials consulted
• Individual titles borrowed
• All information on the patron record
• The presence of a patron in library facilities or space

Check out a free state park pass at the Dassel Public Library! These seven-day passes cover the vehicle entrance fee to any state park or recreation area in Minnesota, making it easy to spend time outdoors and see nature at any time of year. To check out a pass, visit the Dassel Library and ask a staff member at the front desk. If one is available in the library system, you’ll be issued a 7-day vehicle pass, no library card needed. Passes cannot be reserved in advance. A limited number of passes are available each week in Pioneerland Library System.

Your state park pass should be clearly displayed on your vehicle’s dashboard. If you would like to camp, you will need to make and pay for reservations separately. When you are done exploring with your pass, just recycle it!

State park passes are provided through the Minnesota State Parks Library Program, a collaboration between our library and the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. Learn more about the state parks library program at mndnr.gov/librarypass

The October meeting of the Dassel Friends of the Library is cancelled.

The group is open to anyone wanting to fundraise for the future library space, advocate for the library’s needs, and help plan the next space. No formal membership is required.

The next meeting will be held on Tuesday, January 5, at 6:00 p.m. in the library.