This year’s summer reading program theme at the Dassel Library for ages 18 and under is Read, Renew, Repeat! The Read, Renew, Repeat theme encourages summer reading program participants to carefully use the resources they have and think about ways to treat nature kindly, while reading and participating in activities at the library.

Summer Reading will kick off on Monday, June 3! Every child or teen who signs up for the summer reading program will receive a folder, a bookmark, and a game sheet or reading log. They will also be able to pick out a book to keep, thanks to donations from the Dassel Community Chest and other local community members.

For ages 11 and under, the program consists of doing the Read, Renew, Repeat game.  Children will earn “library loot” for reaching spots on the game board by reading, attending library events, and being active all summer long.  They can use their play money immediately to get a very small prize, or they can save up for slightly larger prize they want. Each time a child turns in a completed game sheet, their name will be put into a drawing for additional monthly prizes as well as prizes at the end of the summer.

Participants age 12 and up will keep track of the number of hours they spend reading. They will receive library loot for every 16 hours spent reading.  These participants will be in monthly prize drawings as well as an end of summer reading program drawing.

The library’s outdoor story hours will start on Friday, June 7, at 10 a.m. at the Dassel Bandstand. Outdoor Story Hour will run through Friday, August 23. In case of inclement weather, Story Hour will be moved into the community room of the Dassel City Hall behind the library. The library has several special guests planned throughout the summer who will help teach us all about nature, gardening, farming, and birds!

Remake It Wednesdays will occur in the community room in the Dassel City Hall behind the library on Wednesday, June 12 and Wednesday, July 17 at 1:00 pm. Children ages 5 and up can come to the library and choose between several types of crafts using common items from home that can be made into something new! Children under the age of 8 should be accompanied by a caregiver over the age of 12. The class is free, but registration is required.

A special Stuffie Sleepover will happen at the library June 14-15. Children can bring their stuffed animal to Story Hour in the morning or to the library during library hours on Friday, June 14. They can then follow along on the Dassel Library Facebook page to see the antics their stuffed animals get up to throughout the evening. On Saturday, June 15, they can pick up their stuffed animal during library hours, and they will receive a commemorative photo and certificate of participation for their stuffed animal.

Join Science Heroes on a treasure-hunting adventure deep within the jungle on Tuesday, June 18 at 2:00 pm in the community room in the Dassel City Hall behind the library. Along the way, the audience helps the performer conduct exciting science experiments that bring this story to life. Experiment with chemical reactions, air pressure, physical explosions, and more! Thanks to Dassel Community Chest for the funds to sponsor this unique STEM program!

The Science Museum of Minnesota will be bringing a program to the Dassel Library on Monday August 5 at 2:00 pm. A museum educator will present an interactive program about the history of water on earth and the life cycle of a drop of water in Minnesota. The program is designed for older elementary and middle school students, but all ages will be welcome!

The library has two programs planned for the summer thanks to funds from the Minnesota Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund:

On June 21 at 10 am, CLIMB Theatre will present “County Mouse & City Mouse: Adventure in the Suburbs” at the Dassel Bandstand. In this short play for children, a pair of mouse cousins visit the suburbs. Country Mouse wants to explore the new area, while City Mouse wants to read, renew, and repeat for a relaxing vacation. Will conflict tear apart their relationship, or will they learn to “compro-mice” and celebrate their differences. This interactive show is designed for kids under age 10 and will be in place of regular Story Hour programming that day. No registration is required.

On July 11 at 3 pm, students ages 8 & up can register for an Upcycled Art class with local artist Aina Jane. Children will be invited to repurpose items from home as they create their own work of art on canvas. Registration is required as class space is limited.

There will be many in library activities as well as weekly curbside crafts that families can pick up on Fridays.

Stay up to date with all the library’s activities by visiting www.dassel.lib.mn.us.

Dassel Library will offer curbside service indefinitely. Call the library at the number on the sign, 320-275-3756, if you’d like your materials brought outside. Have your library card number ready.

Library staff can hand your bag of library materials to you on the sidewalk or bring it to your vehicle in front of the library. Let us know where you’d like us to bring it when you call.

Curbside service may be useful if you have mobility issues or a sleeping child in the car, or because of illness. Regardless of your reason, you are welcome to use the service!

by Beth Cronk, Meeker County Librarian

Here are some useful facts about the library in a Frequently Asked Questions format. I hope you learn a little something you didn’t know before!

How much does it cost to get a library card?
A library card is free! It’s part of the public services available to you as a resident of Minnesota. Once you have a library card, it’s also free to check out anything in the library collection, both ebooks and physical items. If you had a library card and it’s lost, there is a $3 charge for a replacement card.

How many books are in the Dassel Public Library?
The Dassel Library has about 8,400 books. It also has about 1,200 DVDs and about 400 CDs.

What if I want to check out something that the Dassel Library doesn’t have?
You can request things from other libraries in the Pioneerland Library System, which has a collection of about 620,000 physical items. If Pioneerland doesn’t have something, you can often request it from another library in Minnesota, using the MNLINK catalog. You can search both the Pioneerland and MNLINK catalogs online and request things yourself, or library staff can help you and place those requests.

Does it cost money to order things from other libraries?
No, the service is free to you as part of the interlibrary loan network in place in Minnesota. Our state is outstanding at providing access to library materials! Dassel Library gets two deliveries of those interlibrary loan materials each week.

How long can I keep a book?
Most books are loaned for four weeks. Some bestsellers are limited to just two weeks while they’re new; you’ll recognize these by the sticker on the spine that says “14 day loan.”

How long can I keep a DVD I’ve checked out?
DVDs are now loaned for two weeks.

Can I check out magazines?

Yes, magazines can be checked out for two weeks.

A book I checked out had a due date coming up soon, but now I found out that it’s not really due for a few more weeks. What happened?

Automatic renewals! This is a brand-new service our library system is offering. If no one has a hold on an item that you have checked out, and you haven’t renewed it before, the library’s computer system will automatically renew it for you once, three days before its due date. If you are signed up for email updates about your account, you’ll be notified by email when those renewals happen and when you have items that will be due soon.

I’m late returning a library item. How much will I be charged?

There is a charge of ten cents per day for late items, although there is a three-day grace period before those start being charged. Materials for children and teens no longer have late fees. If your item is a month overdue, you’ll get a bill for the replacement of that item. If that happens, once you return the item the charge will drop to a $3 late fee (or to $0 for materials from the kids’ section). If an item is damaged or lost, talk to library staff about how you can resolve that charge.

Can I use my library card in other libraries?

Yes, you can. Your Pioneerland library card will work in all libraries in the system. Our system stretches from Graceville to Glencoe and from Canby to Dassel. If you want to use a different library system in Minnesota, you can do that, too. Bring your card to them, and they will help you register as a reciprocal borrower in their system.

If you have more questions, stop in or call the library, and we’ll be happy to answer them.

What are the hours at the Dassel Library?

Monday 2:00 pm – 6:00 pm

Tuesday 2:00 pm – 6:00 pm

Wednesday 10:00 am – 1:00 pm

Thursday 2:00 pm – 6:00 pm

Friday 10:00 am – 5:00 pm

Saturday 10:00 am – 1:00 pm

Pioneerland Library System has a subscription to TumbleBooks!

https://www.tumblebooklibrary.com/Home.aspx?categoryID=77

Our library has a subscription to TumbleBookLibrary, and your family can access it from home! It’s unlimited, and it’s FREE for you to use.

TumbleBookLibrary is an online collection of e-books for children.  They are a great way to encourage tech-savvy kids to enjoy reading!

There are over 250 animated, talking picture books. The site also features Spanish and French books, read-along chapter books, non-fiction books, and exciting games and puzzles.

We hope that you will get the chance to check out the collections with your child!

You can use your computer, tablet, or mobile phone. All you need is an internet connection. There are no downloads: books are streamed right to your device at the click of a button.

Happy Tumbling, everyone!

Pioneerland Library System has online magazines available for your use through the Overdrive e-book service. Access them here: https://pioneerland.overdrive.com/library/magazines