Lead Library - Phoebe Apperson Hearst Library

10/22/2026

📚 A Friendly Reminder About Library Behavior

The Lead Library loves being a safe, welcoming place for kids to spend time after school, especially on early-out days! We want our library to be a place where children can relax, spend time with friends, explore books and feel at home in their community.

However, we also need to remind our younger patrons and their families that the library is a shared space, and everyone deserves to feel safe and welcome here.

Lately, we've had some recurring issues with items and even furniture being thrown, excessive noise and behaviors that make it difficult for other visitors to enjoy the library. Our staff address these situations as they arise, but we continue to see them happen.

We ask parents and caregivers to please take a moment to talk with their children about appropriate library behavior. This includes:
📖 Treating books, supplies, furniture and equipment with care.
🤝 Keeping hands, feet and objects to ourselves.
🔇 Using indoor voices and being mindful of others.
💛 Respecting library staff, fellow patrons and everyone's right to enjoy the space.

We are happy to have kids here, and we want them to feel that the library is a place where they belong! At the same time, we have a responsibility to provide a welcoming environment for everyone who walks through our doors.

Thank you for helping us keep the Lead Library a safe, comfortable and enjoyable place for our entire community. ❤️

10/22/2026

The Lead Library will be closed Friday, October 23rd so that staff may attend a professional development opportunity. The library will be open for its regular hours (9 a.m. - 12 p.m.) on Saturday, October 24th. All items that were supposed to be due have been automatically renewed, so please disregard any messages stating that items are due on the 23rd.

10/19/2026

Did you know that October is National Puzzle Month? 🧩 We have a great selection of puzzles that anyone can take home. We also always accept puzzle donations to share with the community.

10/16/2026

Save the Date: Thanksgiving Pie Sale

Our annual Thanksgiving Pie Sale is coming up on Wednesday, November 25, and we’re already looking for bakers! If you’re able to bake a pie (or two!) for the sale, we would greatly appreciate it. Last year, we sold out in under 30 minutes, so we’re hoping to have plenty of pies available this year!

The Pie Sale is an important fundraiser for the Lead Library and helps us provide programs, activities, snacks and supplies for for kids throughout the year. Every pie helps!

Pies will be $20 each and can be dropped off at the Library on Tuesday, November 24. We recommend using a disposable pie tin, as we cannot guarantee that regular pie tins will be returned. More details will be coming soon, but mark your calendar now and start thinking about what pie you’d like to bake!

10/15/2026

Our surprise egg has hatched! See what cool new things are now available in our "Library of Things".

10/10/2026

The Lead Library will be closed Monday, October 12 in observance of Native American Day. The library will be open for its regular hours (10 a.m. - 6 p.m.) on Tuesday, October 13th.

10/03/2026

We're a little late in sharing this, but better late than never!

Governor Rhoden has declared October 1, 2026 as South Dakota Library Association Day 🥳

Our conference theme this year is "South Dakota Strong," and as we meet in Pierre for the SDLA Annual Conference today and tomorrow, we are reminded that libraries, library workers, and information access make our communities stronger.

09/22/2026

🍂 Happy First Day of Fall! 🍁

There’s just something special about this time of year—cooler days, colorful leaves, cozy drinks and of course, a good book. ☕📚

We hope you have a wonderful first day of fall! Stop by the Lead Library and settle in with a book or enjoy a little cozy time with us this season. ❤️