October 2024

LIBRARY NEWS

Medicare: What You Need to Know

We're excited to announce a new set of Medicare events at Stillwater Public Library designed to provide you with unbiased information about Medicare, Medigap policies, and Medicare Advantage plans.

Medicare 101

Wednesday, October 9, 6 PM

Whether you're a Medicare veteran or just starting out, this informative group session will cover the basics to help you make informed healthcare decisions. Register to attend.

Medicare Counseling 

First Monday of Month, 10 AM - 2 PM (Begins on November 4)

Get personalized answers to your Medicare questions in one-on-one counseling sessions. One-hour appointments will be available at the library from 10 AM - 2 PM on the first Monday of the month beginning on November 4. In-person sessions at other metro locations and phone visits are also available. Register to attend.

Special Thanks to Trellis

Our thanks to Trellis, our area's designated agency on aging and part of Minnesota Senior LinkAge Line, for providing these valuable educational sessions. Trellis offers free, impartial, and confidential information about Medicare, your options, and potential cost savings. As a non-profit service provider, Trellis doesn't sell any specific Medicare products. Interpreters are available upon request.

Authors on the Road to Publication

Hear from local authors as they share their writing journeys and insights into the publishing process. Click on the authors' names to browse their books in the library's catalog and place holds. 

Scott Dominic Carpenter is a renowned author and professor of French literature and creative writing at Carleton College. His award-winning works, including Theory of Remainders and French Like Moi: A Midwesterner in Paris, explore themes of culture, identity, and the unexpected. Carpenter's writing is known for its humor, insight, and compelling narratives.

Mindy Mejia is a CPA turned thriller writer. Mejia's passion for storytelling the began in her childhood journals and led her to pursue an MFA where she honed her craft, learned to finish books, and found mentors to guide her on the path to publication. Her captivating thrillers, including To Catch A Storm, Strike Me Down, Leave No Trace, Everything You Want Me To Be, and The Dragon Keeper have grabbed the attention of readers worldwide. Mejia's latest novel, A World of Hurt, is the second installment in her bestselling Iowa Mystery series. 

Kathryn Savage is a renowned writer and environmental advocate whose work explores the intersection of environmental justice and public health. Her acclaimed essay collection, Groundglass, has received critical acclaim. Currently an assistant professor of creative writing at The Minneapolis College of Art and Design (MCAD), Savage continues to inspire and educate through her writing and teaching.

Lindsay Starck is a writer, editor, and professor whose work spans fiction and academia. Her first novel, Noah’s Wife, was published in 2016 by G.P. Putnam’s Sons, and her second novel, Monsters We Have Made, was recently released by Vintage/Anchor Books. Starck's short prose has been featured in prestigious literary journals, and her academic articles have been published in leading scholarly publications.

Date: Wednesday, October 23

Time: 6-8 PM

Location: Stillwater Public Library

Registration is encouraged but not required.

Books by these talented writers will be available for purchase from Valley Bookseller at the event.

Round Up for the Library

Love books? Love the library? Round up at River Market Co-op to support the Friends of the Stillwater Public Library!

Throughout October, every penny rounded up at the Co-op will benefit the library. Your donations help fund essential programs, books, and resources that enrich our community.

So the next time you're grabbing your groceries, consider rounding up your total. It's a small gesture with big impact! Show your library love! 

Monday, Oct 14: Closed 10 AM - 2 PM

On Monday, October 14, the library will be closed from 10 AM - 2 PM for staff training. The library will open to the public from 2 - 8 PM.

FROM OUR ARCHIVES

Lakeview Memorial Hospital (1921)

Stillwater’s hospital owes its existence to the efforts of a group of benevolent-minded women who sought to provide care to the city’s “sick and destitute.” Before 1880, the city had no hospital, so in February of that year, a group of the city’s leading women met to discuss the need for a hospital. The women formed the County Benevolent Society and incorporated the Stillwater City Hospital the following month. As one of our Facebook followers commented, "Stillwater's pioneering women started the hospital and the library! An impressive group."

The hospital was the first community hospital in Minnesota outside of the bigger cities of Minneapolis, St. Paul, and Duluth, and the fifth hospital in the state. It was open to everyone regardless of age, race or sex. The hospital’s first location was in a rented home on Western Row (now Greeley) near Anderson Street. It remained there only a short time, as the City Council soon purchased a nearby property on the east shore of Lily Lake. The home on that property was converted for hospital use and opened on October 21, 1880.

The hospital operated out of the home for about 10 years when the home's poor condition prompted the building of a new hospital. In its place, a new brick hospital was built for a cost of $7,500 and opened in January 1892. This building served hospital needs for about 20 years, until, in 1912, plans for a newer, more modern hospital were undertaken. A “front” addition was built in front of the old hospital building at a cost of $90,000 and became the new hospital, opening in 1919.

The hospital’s name was also changed from Stillwater City Hospital to Lakeview Memorial Hospital at this time. This picture shows Lakeview Memorial Hospital as it stood in 1921, not long after the new building opened. The “old” hospital building from 1892 is just visible on the right side of the photo behind the new building. The home on the left side of the hospital housed nurses.

We believe the car parked in front of the hospital is a Ford Model T - perhaps a model manufactured between 1917 and 1920 - but we'd love to hear from any car experts out there.

This photograph is part of the John Runk Photograph Collection and can be viewed in the St. Croix Collection room anytime the library is open.

UPCOMING EVENTS

Featured Programs:

JOIN THE CONVERSATION

National Reading Group Month is here! Whether you're already part of a book club or thinking about starting one, we've got you covered with these engaging book recommendations. From thought-provoking fiction to captivating non-fiction, there's something for every reader. For more reading ideas, browse our selection of book club kits containing 10 copies of a title and discussion guide. Gather your friends, choose a book, and get ready for lively conversations and unforgettable literary experiences.

It's also the perfect month to announce the library's new book club - Shelf Indulgence. Attend our inaugural meeting on January 13, 2025, where we'll dive into Emily St. John Mandel's novel Station Eleven. Registration is required, so sign up today and reserve your copy of the book from our book club kit. Let's come together to share our love of reading and discover new favorites!

MAKE A DIFFERENCE

Apply to be a Library Trustee

Make a difference in our community! Apply to be a Stillwater Public Library Board Trustee and help govern the library, review policies, set goals, and advocate for library services. For more information, view the Trustee Job Description and visit the Board of Trustees page. Trustees must be residents of Stillwater.

Application Information: Apply online for the Library Board of Trustees through the city's Board and Commissions page. Although the library’s listing may indicate 0 current vacancies, two trustees will be leaving in December. Applications submitted now will be considered for the forthcoming vacancies. Interviews will be conducted in late fall with board terms beginning in January.