This hand-built house held Dr. W. W. Mayo’s first medical practice, witnessed events of the US-Dakota War of 1862, and eventually served as the family home for another giant of Minnesota history — the Cosgrove family of the Green Giant Company. Celebrate this history and read a book with a medical storyline. In our show notes for this episode, we link each book to a couple of our state’s great independent bookstores: Drury Lane Bookstore in Grand Marais. It gives you a description, so you can get more information about the book to help you make a decision about your reading or recommendations ..read more

Experience the story of farming, food and agriculture — past and present! Explore the original 1860s working farm, and get an up close view of the animals and gardens. Celebrate this farm by reading a book about farming plants or animals. In our show notes for this episode, we link each book to a couple of our state’s great independent bookstores: Drury Lane Bookstore in Grand Marais. It gives you a description, so you can get more information about the book to help you make a decision about your reading or recommendations ..read more

Step into the Harkin Store, once the social center of the community where townsfolk and farmers gathered to buy groceries, barter for supplies, and exchange news. Many of the store’s original goods remain on the shelves. Get in touch with this history and read a book about a store or selling things. In our show notes for this episode, we link each book to a couple of our state’s great independent bookstores: Zenith Bookstore in Duluth and Drury Lane Bookstore in Grand Marais. It gives you a description, so you can get more information about the book to help you make a decision about your readi ..read more

“People have long relied on the forests for food, shelter, and building materials. Today we also include recreation and enjoying the beauty of forests in that description. The Forest History Center tells the story of this changing relationship with the land.” To celebrate this relationship, read a book about trees. In our show notes for this episode, we link each book to one of our state’s great independent bookstores: the Red Balloon in Minneapolis, MN. It gives you a description, so you can get more information about the book to help you make a decision about your reading or recommendations ..read more

Minnehaha Depot, famous for its intricate “gingerbread” canopy, was an integral part of the first rail line out of Minneapolis. Known as the “Princess” by rail workers of the time, it served both local Minneapolis residents as well as visitors from “out east.” Read a book with a princess.   In our show notes for this episode, we link each book to one of our state’s great independent bookstores: Magers and Quinn in Minneapolis, MN. It gives you a description, so you can get more information about the book to help you make a decision about your reading or recommendations.   Find all of ..read more

This week we remember the Birch Coulee historic site. This location was the site of one of the deadliest battles of the US-Dakota War, over 150 years ago. To commemorate this tragedy, we suggest that you read a book about a tragedy.   In our show notes for this episode, we link each book to one of our state’s great independent bookstores: Drury Lane Books in Grand Marais, MN. It gives you a description, so you can get more information about the book to help you make a decision about your reading or recommendations.   Check out our show notes page here, for all our links and informati ..read more

We will share six book suggestions to meet that prompt, to get you started on reading new books. You can also take that prompt and find any other book to meet the challenge!   This week we admire the Alexander Ramsey House. Alexander Ramsey held many offices in Minnesota, and he helped to found the MN Historical Society. To celebrate this, we suggest that you read a historical fiction book.   In our show notes for this episode, we link each book to the local Red Balloon bookstore description, so you can get more information about the book to help you make a decision about your readin ..read more

Check out this week's show notes right here! This week, to wrap up the series, we are looking at a potpourri of different kinds of programs. As has been true all season, there probably isn’t anything too wild and radical here - just suggestions for things to try. Once you see that other people have tried some different kinds of programs, you may be more inspired to do the same! Your library needs programs - they can be a great way to fulfill your main mission: connecting your community with information, ideas, and entertainment ..read more

This week we are feeling a little mushy from the effects of Valentine’s Day! Of course, we do not limit ourselves to some forced idea of romance - how dull. Instead we take the expansive definition of relationships and love and happiness! We love libraries and books so much; but other readers and library people are also pretty great. So this week, let’s look at some programs you may want to try in your library to build some relationships in the library. Check out our show notes page here, to get all the material we discussed today and links to everything ..read more

This week we are discussing the tasty program of cooking in the library! This is another set of programs that you can easily do either in person or virtually. (It is, of course, best to make all of your programs available virtually; this week just lends itself to that pretty well.) Check out our show notes page here, with links to all the programs. We will insert a blanket disclaimer here that food sensitivities, allergies, and religious restrictions are important to people. So be sure you are sharing ingredients and preparation methods with people as freely as possible; and to the extent poss ..read more