Ramsey County Library’s Roseville branch. Image via rclreads.org

You may be an occasional or a regular visitor to the Ramsey County Library, but how well do you know all it has to offer? Prepare to be amazed by some of these lesser-known services!

By June Damrow — Volunteer Contributor

In the 1920s, the extent of library books circulating in Ramsey County cities beyond St. Paul was limited to books loaned to its schools through the St. Paul Public Library’s extension service. Ramsey County established its own library system in 1951. Now, with seven locations, it is a rich resource for much more than books.

I recently spent some time with Andrea Hermanson, a children’s librarian, Carly Sanft, an outreach librarian and Rose Lindsay, Director of Communications and Public Relations for Ramsey County, at the Roseville location. What I learned was truly eye-opening

Instructions for access to these programs at rclreads.org appear at the end of each item. But if you have trouble accessing, don’t hesitate to call the library. (Phone numbers appear at the end of this article.)

Kids activities – much more than storytime

Most people are familiar with the Baby & Me and Family Storytimes, Baby Meet-Up and Fri-Yay!, but by accessing the library calendar, which can be filtered by date, location and age of child, you’ll see that there’s much more than story time. 

• Homework Help (Roseville) is available for grades K and up.
• Adventurer’s Guild (Maplewood) gives 8- to 11-year-olds the opportunity to explore the excitement of the tabletop game Dungeons and Dragons. All materials are provided and no experience is required.
• Tinker Time (New Brighton) offers a fun craft project each month. 
• Chemists in the Library (Roseville) is a volunteer effort by chemistry students, teachers and professionals and provides hands-on chemistry activities for children ages 5 and up and their families.

Search Events & Classes and put any one of the programs in the search box.

Additional highlights in the children’s and teen’s programs, most of which are requestable kits, include:

• STEM Kits for Kids, designed for ages 3-7, are available for checkout. With 12 themes, among them Counting and Numbers, Magnets, Shapes and Colors, and Volume and Capacity, there’s something for everyone. Search Catalog for “Stem Kits.”

• Shelf Help for Kids & Teens is available to give a child ideas for book titles they may not know about on subjects of interest to them. Filling out and submitting the online form will prompt a youth services librarian to put together a reading list and email it to you. Search the website for “Shelf Help.”
  
• Vox Books allow a child to read a book while listening to it at the same time, a great tool for children learning to read or needing reinforcement. Books have a built-in audio player, so you can play audio out loud or plug your earphones into the jack. Search the catalog for “VOX Books.”
  
• Storybags are by subject — chipmunks, fairies, and garbage trucks, — to name just three. The bags include two books and a toy. Search the catalog for “Storybag” for the complete list.
  
• The Decodable Book Collection is designed to encourage readers to sound out words, with each book building on prior skills. Search the website for “Decodables” or look for the Decodable sticker on the book. Decodables are also requestable on the Libby app.

•  The Paws to Read program allows a child to work on reading skills by reading aloud in a low-stress environment with a licensed therapy dog in 20-minute sessions. There are books in varying reading levels available or you can bring your own.
  • Paws to Read events happen periodically across RCL branches, and registration is required. Search Events & Classes for “Paws to Read.” Select the specific event to get the phone number to call for a reservation.

Adult and family activities go off the books

Winter Book Bingo is here! The program runs January 2 – February 28. Read a book guided by the suggestions on the Bingo card, which you can print at home or pick up at the library. When you’ve achieved a Bingo, bring the card into the library and you’ll be entered in a drawing for a $25 gift certificate. Search the website for “Book Bingo.”

And how about the Library of Things?! Let’s say you like to bake holiday cookies but don’t want to invest in seasonal cookie cutters that are used once a year. No problem. Check them out from the library!

What if you like to make ice cream in the summer, but don’t want to buy and store an ice cream maker? Check it out from the library!

How about a Coleman Fold n Go propane stove to take camping? A pickleball or bocce ball set to try out the sport? A wok for your specialized cooking skill? The Library of Things has it all, from family board games to a DeWalt drill set.

“Things” are available in categories of Crafts, Cooking, Games, Outdoors and Tools. They may be checked out for three weeks, are requestable and can be renewed if there’s no request for them.

Borrow instead of buy — it’s better for the environment and you’ll have less stuff! Search the website for “Library of Things.”

• Memory Minders: Kits for Caregivers are available to caregivers of people with memory loss. Kits are divided into high, middle and low activity levels. Each contains a book, a game, and a music CD, among other things. Search the catalog for “Memory Minders: Kits for Caregivers.”
  
• You can also explore the Maker Adult program. Equipment includes a 3D printer, photo and video editing software, sewing machines, digitization equipment, and a drop-in Sewing Circle for experienced sewists as well as those wanting to learn. Search Events & Classes for “Maker Adult.” 
  
• Do you think your house may be drafty and inefficient? Check out Xcel Energy’s Draft Check Meter to locate air leaks and temperature variations. Or, if you’d like to see how much electrical energy is used by the appliances in your home, check out their Power Check Meter. Search the catalog for “Xcel Energy.”
  
• Ramsey County Workforce Solutions has programs and presentations, such as Career Services, Virtual Interviewing Workshop, and Trainer of the Day, for job seekers and small businesses. Search Events & Classes for “Career Services.”
  
• Book Clubs are always popular, and there are several at the library. Search Events & Classes for “Book Club” to find:
  • North St. Paul Book Club
  • Shoreview Mystery Book Club
  • Maplewood Eclectic Book Club
  • Anti-Racist Book Club
  • Sleuth Mystery Book Club
    
• If you already participate in a non-library book club, you can take advantage of Book Club in a Bag. There are 10 copies of the book along with discussion questions, author information, and more. 
  • The 150-plus titles include adult fiction and non-fiction, young adult fiction, and children’s books. Access by searching the catalog for “Book Club in a Bag.“
    

• RCL’s Mail Out Service is free and available to Ramsey County residents who cannot visit a library because of health, disability, or transportation issues. Library materials are sent by the United States Post Office, and residents return materials with pre-paid postage. Call 651-724-6002, Option 2, for more information and to sign up.

• The Ask a Librarian reference service is available by email or phone if you have a quick question or need to find a fact. Search the website for “Ask a Librarian.”
  
• Inter-Library Loans (ILL): If the Ramsey County Library system does not have a book you want, you can almost always find it by using the wonderful ILL system via mnlink.org.

The wide variety of activities and services Ramsey County Library provides is just another great reason to live here. Take advantage!

• Roseville: 651-724-6001
• Maplewood: 651-724-6003
• Mounds View: 651-724-6004
• New Brighton: 651-724-6002
• North St. Paul: 651-724-6005
• Shoreview: 651-724-6006
• White Bear Lake: 651-724-6007