Trick or Treat
Saturday, October 28, 10 AM – 1 PM
St. Charles Public Library

Celebrate Halloween with the St. Charles Public Library!  Drop by the library on Saturday, October 28 to pick up a piece of candy.

Friends of the St. Charles Public Library
Annual Bake & Book Sale
Thursday, October 19 – Tuesday, October 31

Looking for an opportunity to purchase used books and tasty treats, while supporting a good cause?  The Friends of the St. Charles Public Library will be holding their annual bake and book sale from Thursday, October 19 through Saturday, October 21.  The book sale will continue through Tuesday, October 31.

In addition to books and baked goods, the Friends’ sale will also include puzzles and games.  The final days of the event will have an “End of Sale Special.”  From Friday, October 27 to Tuesday, October 31, people will be able to buy a bag of items for the low, low cost of $1.

The annual sale is the primary fundraiser for the Friends of the St. Charles Public Library, generating close to $1,000 every year.  These funds allow the Friends to support library purchases and projects that would not have been otherwise possible.  In the past, Friends funds were used to purchase shelving, library card lanyards for the first graders, books for preschool screening, pizza for the St. Charles Elementary reading lock-in, a barcode scanner, a bike rack, DVDs for the library’s collection, a tablecloth for the library’s booth at WOW, and VOX Books, just to name a few.  In January 2024, the Friends will be sponsoring a visit of Minnesota author Lorna Landvik to the library.

The Friends welcome any new members that would like to join.  The time commitment for the Friends of the Library is low – Friends only need attend the fall annual meeting and assist in the book and bake sale.  If interested in becoming a Friend of the St. Charles Public Library, contact current Friends President Terra Lidbom at terralidbom@yahoo.com.

Please support the Friends of the Public Library and either shop at or donate to the annual bake and book sale.

Parents and other caregivers are always looking for ways to make reading fun and engaging for kids. Thanks to a new offering from the St. Charles Public Library, they won’t need to look far!  Due to a grant through MiEnergy’s Operation Round Up program and support from the Friends of the St. Charles Public Library, the library was able to purchase a collection of VOX Books in both English and Spanish.

VOX Books include embedded audio, allowing readers to listen to the book while they follow along. VOX Books don’t require CDs, tapes, batteries, devices, or internet access; just press a button and you’re listening and reading! VOX Books can also be used with or without headphones, making them perfect for both solo and group enjoyment.

St. Charles area residents can borrow these engaging VOX Books for free. All they need is a library card!

VOX Books have won awards from parents’ groups, including the 2021 National Parenting Product Award in their Best Books for Kids and Families category, and a 2021 Mom’s Choice Award. A recent review in School Library Journal noted that “Narrators are lively and will keep readers engaged. Educators can use VOX Books to help early or struggling readers learn to pronounce words, hold a book, and turn pages, and practice tracking text from left to right. This is a valuable tool not only for libraries but also for teachers to use in the classroom and for parents to use at home.”

Friends of the St. Charles Public Library
Annual Bake & Book Sale
Thursday, October 20 – Friday, October 28

Looking for an opportunity to purchase used books and tasty treats, while supporting a good cause?  The Friends of the St. Charles Public Library will be holding their annual bake and book sale from Thursday, October 20 through Saturday, October 22.  The book sale will continue through Friday, October 28.

In addition to books and baked goods, the Friends’ sale will also include puzzles and board games.  New for this year, the final date of the sale, Friday, October 28, will have an “End of Sale Special.”  People will be able to buy a bag of items for the low, low cost of $1.

The annual sale is the primary fundraiser for the Friends of the St. Charles Public Library, generating close to $1,000 every year.  These funds allow the Friends to support library purchases and projects that would not have been otherwise possible.  In the past, Friends funds were used to purchase shelving, library card lanyards for the first graders, books for preschool screening, pizza for the St. Charles Elementary reading lock-in, a barcode scanner, a bike rack, DVDs for the library’s collection, and a tablecloth for the library’s booth at WOW, just to name a few.

The Friends welcome any new members that would like to join.  In fact, for the next year, the group will be waiving membership dues.  The time commitment for the Friends of the Library is low – Friends only need attend the fall annual meeting and assist in the book and bake sale.  If interested in becoming a Friend of the St. Charles Public Library, contact current Friends President Terra Lidbom at terralidbom@yahoo.com.

Community members can also help out the Friends and their local library by donating books, DVDs, audiobooks, puzzles, and board games for the bake and book sale.  Simply drop off your donations to the St. Charles Public Library anytime after October 1.  Local bakers can donate their tasty creations for the sale on October 19 and October 20.

Please support the Friends of the Public Library and either shop at or donate to the annual bake and book sale.

Unfortunately, due to unforeseen circumstances, Brian Freeman’s May 24 visit to the St. Charles Public Library has been postponed.  We will reschedule his visit for a later date.

We want to hear from YOU! SELCO is conducting a broad-based community needs assessment on behalf of the 37 public libraries in its service area – which includes the St. Charles Public Library. Findings will guide library services, programs, and other priorities in the years to come. Your input into the process is important, because your local library’s end goal is to serve you – effectively and fully.

Fill out the survey here: www.surveymonkey.com/r/NM7K3S5

Unfortunately, due to health issues Anne Ursu had to cancel her visit to the St. Charles Public Library.

As part of SELCO’s Minnesota Author Tour, the St. Charles Public Library will have visits from three different authors in May.

Kim Todd – May 2, 6:30 pm

Kim Todd, Ph.D., is known for her award-winning storytelling about science, nature, and history.  Her most recent publication, Sensational: The Hidden History of America’s “Stunt Girl Reporters,” is a MN Book Awards Finalist.

Anne Ursu – May 16, 6:30 pm

Anne Ursu is the author of many acclaimed novels including 2022 MN Book Award Finalist The Troubled Girls of Dragomir Academy, and The Real Boys, which was longlisted for the National Book Award.

Brian Freeman – May 24, 6:30 pm

Brian Freeman writes psychological thrillers that have been sold in 46 countries and 22 languages.  He has won Best Hardcover Novel in the annual Thriller Awards and his novel The Deep, Deep Snow was a finalist for the Edgar Award.

The Friends of the St. Charles Public Library will be holding their annual bake and book sale on Thursday, October 21 – Saturday, October 23.  Help out the Friends of the Library by donating books, puzzles, and board games for the sale, starting October 11.  You can also donate baked goods for the sale on October 20.

Bake Sale
Thursday, October 21: 1pm – 8pm

Book, Puzzle & Board Game Sale
Thursday, October 21: 1pm – 8pm
Friday, October 22: 1pm – 6pm
Saturday, October 23: 10am – 1pm

Saturday, October 2, 2021
St. Charles Public Library
10:30am – 1:00pm

Welcome back to school!  The staff and board of the St. Charles Public Library would like to invite you for a FREE cookie!  Check out everything your local library has to offer and enjoy a cookie.