Ortonville Public Library

05/14/2026

We hosted Mrs. Athey and Mrs. Miska and their 4th graders today for some more transplanting this morning! Despite the hurricane-force winds, the kids did a great job helping us establish this community garden space!

05/13/2026

Mrs Berdan and Mrs Radermacher’s 3rd Graders came to the library this morning to help us transplant some tomatoes, peppers and kale! This will help us establish community garden beds and a seed saver’s exchange at the library. The kids did a great job, and also got to bring home a pot with either beans or peas to germinate at home! Fourth graders are stopping by tomorrow!

05/09/2026

05/08/2026

Maker Lab next Tuesday:Popups and Zines! An afternoon of 3D paper crafting. Call to register!

05/07/2026

We have 4 art classes for kids scheduled at both libraries this year, during the first week out of school! There will be 2 classes taught by Meredith Semel, and 2 by Christy Puetz. Registration is now open! NOTE: please be sure your child can attend all 4 classes. Children under 8 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian. These classes are free, and funded by grants from the Minnesota Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund, the Friends of the Library, and the Carnegie Corporation of New York.

05/06/2026

Cherry Blossom Centerpiece Ornament Take & Make kits available now! An elegant, easy to learn craft for Mother’s Day; pick a stick, and make flowers out of tissue paper! 30 kits available while supplies last; limit 2 per person.

05/05/2026

Birding Field Trip this Saturday! Join us for a guided trip in search of the last and most colorful birds to arrive in the spring!

05/04/2026

Open Crafting: Tuesday, May 5, 4:00 to 6:00, stop by to make a cherry blossom centerpiece for Mother’s Day! We will use real branches and make the flowers out of tissue paper! Will also be available as a Take & Make kit this Wednesday!

05/01/2026

Some highlights from our Northern Lights painting class with Meredith Semel last night! Thanks again to Meredith for teaching this class!

04/22/2026

Call the library to sign up for our next birding trip, Saturday, April 25, from 10:00 AM to Noon! (320) 839-2494. We'll meet at the library, and then caravan to the Refuge, where large flocks of migrant shorebirds, waterfowl, raptors, gulls, and sparrows are arriving each day to rest, feed, and recharge on their journey north. This is a free guided field trip, with spotting scopes and binoculars provided! Pictured below are some birds I've photographed in the area recently: the Bald Eagle is nesting in the Refuge; below at left are 2 American Avocets, in the middle is a Common Merganser, and at bottom right is a rare Black-bellied Plover that spent the weekend racing through the surf at the foot of Big Stone Lake.

04/22/2026

Open Crafting is tomorrow from 4:00 to 6:00! We will have our Epic Circuits science kit available for experiments, plus paintable rocks, the big dragonfly puzzle, and felt bug puppets! Kids and families are welcome to stop by at their leisure and work on any of these projects until we close at 6:00 PM. No need to register, just bring your imagination!