February 2026

LIBRARY NEWS

Still Time for Winter Reads!

Winter Reads runs through February, and there’s still time for adults to participate. Submit a book review—either at the library or online—and you’ll receive a participation prize while supplies last. This year’s prizes include book-themed candles, library due date card–inspired zipper pouches, reading notebooks, cozy ear warmers, and card decks.

Every review also earns an entry into our end-of-February drawing for Stillwater Public Library Foundation totes packed with books! Cozy up with a great read, share your thoughts, and let your winter reading count. Your next favorite book—and a chance to win—are just a review away!

Beyond the reading challenge, enjoy Winter Read Bags curated by librarians, free Take & Make Kits, and a variety of winter programs throughout the season. 

Winter Reads is sponsored by donors to the Stillwater Public Library Foundation and helps make winter a perfect time to read together.

FEBRUARY PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS

Literature Lovers’ Night Out Comes to Stillwater - With a Daytime Twist

Book lovers are invited to a special afternoon literary event at the library when Literature Lovers’ Night Out™ presents Jenna Blum in conversation with Nickolas Butler. This engaging discussion takes place Sunday, February 15, 2026, at 2 PM for a perfect “night out” experience, just during daylight hours.

Award-winning authors Jenna Blum, author of Murder Your Darlings, and Nickolas Butler, author of A Forty Year Kiss, will talk about their books, writing lives, and careers, offering insight into the creative process and the stories behind their work.

Attendees will have the opportunity to purchase books and have them signed, with sales provided by Valley Bookseller, Stillwater’s beloved independent bookstore.

This free event is presented by Literature Lovers’ Night Out™, Valley Bookseller, and Stillwater Public Library Foundation.

Registration is encouraged, and seating is limited. Complimentary coffee will be served by the Library Foundation on the lower level of the library, prior to the event. The Stillwater Public Library Foundation supports programs, materials, and services that would not be possible otherwise. Events like this one help strengthen the library’s role as a welcoming place for lifelong learning and community connection.

Since 2015, Literature Lovers’ Night Out™, hosted by Pamela Klinger-Horn, has brought nationally renowned authors to readers across the Twin Cities, creating lively conversations and memorable experiences—always in partnership with local independent bookstores.

Browse Library Classes & Programs 

Looking for more to do this winter? Browse our online Winter Catalog for programs happening January through March. From engaging classes and creative workshops to author visits and reading events, there’s something for everyone.

Here’s a sampling of February programs:

• February 5: Maple Syruping

• February 7: Family Book Bingo

• February 12: Family Engineering Night with the Science Museum of Minnesota

• February 18: Tween Crafternoon

• February 19: Introduction to FamilySearch

• February 23: History of American Popular Music — Motown & the British Invasion

• February 25: Artist Reception and Farewell for Karen Chan

BOOK PICKS

Stillwater Reader Picks

Winter Reads invites readers to explore new genres and embrace reading during the coldest months of the year. Submitted reviews span everything from literary fiction and classics to romance, history, and beach reads—most beloved, a few just completed, and all part of the winter reading journey. Here’s a look at some titles readers are recommending.

FROM OUR ARCHIVES

Stillwater’s South Hill Takes Shape: The C.P. Holcombe Home, 1894

This wintertime photograph captures the C.P. Holcombe family on the front porch of their home at 822 S. 2nd Street in 1894. Five adults stand bundled against the cold while a child poses proudly on a sled in the yard. It captures a quiet, everyday moment from Stillwater’s past.

At the time, the South Hill neighborhood was still a newer part of town. Open lots stretch to the right and into the background, with only a few houses visible in the distance, reminding us that this now-established neighborhood was once still taking shape.

The home belonged to Charles P. Holcombe, a prominent Washington County public servant. Born in Sweden in 1848, Holcombe immigrated to Minnesota as a child and spent nearly his entire life in Washington County. He served as deputy sheriff from 1874 to 1880, then sheriff from 1881 to 1890, earning a reputation as a fearless and effective officer. The new, at the time, Washington County Courthouse, where the sheriff and jail were housed, was just 5 blocks from his house. Holcombe also served as Clerk of the Supreme Court from 1891 to 1895.

Charles P. Holcombe was also the father of Frederick Holcombe, born in 1872, a banker and amateur award-winning photographer who captured life in Stillwater, MN, starting in the 1880s during an important period in Minnesota history. That connection adds another layer of meaning to this image; it’s both a family portrait and part of a legacy of local history-making.

This photograph is part of Stillwater Public Library’s Holcombe Historical Collection. You can view it, along with thousands of other historic images of Stillwater and the surrounding area, in the St. Croix Collection Room during library hours, or online through the Minnesota Digital Library.