July 2025 News and Information
 
Join us for our 2025 Summer Reading Challenge - LEVEL UP AT YOUR LIBRARY!
It is for kids 0 to 18 years old, and includes many different activities and incentives. Sign up at your local library for fun events, books, prizes and more.
 
 
This July, we are highlighting Grab & Go kits in our collection.The kits contain 
four to six picture books and an activity sheet on a theme, all stored in a
backpack, making it easy to bring storytime home! 
 
 
Love e-books and e-audiobooks? Ebooks Minnesota is an online eBook collection for all Minnesotans featuring content from our state's independent publishers, including some of our best literature and nonfiction. No hold queues or waiting!
 
 
Art, music, games, and more! Search our list of Legacy-funded events at libraries across the region. These programs were made possible with Arts & Cultural Heritage Funds from Minnesota's Clean Water, Land, and Legacy Amendment.
 
 
Get to Know Your Library Staff
Kathleen Johnson: Library Associate
Celebrating 10 Years with Great River Regional Library! 
 
How did you start your career with GRRL?
After teaching band for almost 30 years, I decided to save what hearing I had left and work in a quieter setting. I applied for and got a full-time job as South Junior High's media paraeducator (librarian). I learned rather quickly that junior high students were anything but quiet! A year after taking that job, I decided I had way too much free time, so I applied for an aide position here at the St. Cloud Public Library. During my first six-plus years here, I worked on Wally. If you don't know who Wally is, let me know. Have I got stories!! I was later promoted to Library Associate and have since been living the life working both jobs.   
What book or movie are you currently recommending?
I'm into books that are part of a series. I like to get to know the characters in-depth. I can recommend Jonathan Kellerman's Alex Delaware series and the James Patterson's Alex Cross series. I just realized the protagonist for both series is named Alex!
What's a fun fact about you?
If you have ever been to the great town of Darwin, Minnesota, you will find the world's largest ball of twine made by a single individual. That individual was my great uncle, Francis Johnson. I played on that ball when I was a kid. Furthermore, my great-grandfather, Magnus Johnson, is the first and only Swedish-born United States Senator!
 
Staff Pick
Open season
by Jonathan Kellerman

The body of an aspiring actress is found, another victim is shot by a sniper, and then more bodies pile up, and psychologist Alex Delaware and homicide detective Milo Sturgis must face a highly complex
killer that will require all their skills to decipher.
 
Newest in the series
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