Our best tips for better genealogy research

Getting started on the path to mapping your family history can seem daunting. A number of librarians at Washington County Library have dug deep into their own family histories and helped community members start building their own family trees. We talked t...

Unlock special deals and discounts with your library card

Washington County Library cardholders are used to presenting their library card to borrow a variety of great materials, but now they can show their library card at several Washington County businesses to get special deals and discounts.

Show Your Library C...

Our most popular teen reads of 2018 (so far)

Here at Washington County Library we celebrate Teen Read Month every October with our annual Book Ballots program. Since we've got young adult fiction on the brain all month, we thought it would be fun to take a look at our most popular YA titles 2018 (so...

Job fair concentrates on healthcare positions

Washington County Library, in partnership with the Workforce Center, will host a job fair on Tuesday, October 30, from 1 to 3 p.m. at R.H. Stafford Library in Woodbury. This is the third job fair the two organizations have collaborated on, offering a chan...

Techie teens invited to create the next big thing

Washington County Library invites teens to test and tinker with wearable technology at its first-ever Teen Hackathon on Saturday, November 3, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. in Central Park in Woodbury.

The hackathon is a free, all-day event for techies of all abili...

Our favorite mysteries to celebrate Mystery Series Week

Mystery Series Week is celebrated annually in the first full week of October. It seems somewhat appropriate to start off the spookiest month of the year recognizing the detectives, sleuths, and sidekicks that we love reading and revisiting in book after b...

Spotlight On...Genealogy

Perhaps the most interesting story you’ll ever encounter branches from your own family tree. Genealogy, or the study of exploring your family history, opens up a world of information specific to you as the researcher. Washington County Library has tools, ...

6 online tools for a better back to school

Many students (and parents) might think of the library as just a place to check out books or find a quiet place to study. 

And while we are excited about those offerings, Washington County Library also has a number of digital tools that can help s...

"Read" all 15 Teen Read Month books in under 2 minutes

We'd never encourage you to judge a book by its cover, so use this quick video instead! Our helpful micro-summaries give you a feel for the 15 great books that make up the 2018 Teen Read Month choices at Washington County Library. Start reading and vote b...

Library offers free, digital college test prep services

College test prep can be stressful and, at times, costly. But never fear! Washington County Library offers several free tools to help students prepare for college admission tests like the PSAT, ACT, or SAT – everything from tutorials to timed pr...

How much is your library card worth?

This post was submitted by Washington County Library’s social media specialist Kim Ukura, a voracious reader who recently unearthed her award certificate for reading 40 books during her library’s kids summer reading club in 1996.&n...

Our most popular checkouts of summer 2018

While reading is great during all seasons, there's something about summer reading that's extra special. As we looked back on the summer, we thought it would be interesting to calculate which books were most popular at each of our locations during June, Ju...

Peggy Orenstein to visit R.H. Stafford for Club Book

Washington County Library will host author Peggy Orenstein on Tuesday, September 25, from 6:30 to 8 p.m. at R.H. Stafford Library, 8595 Central Park Place, Woodbury. This event is part of Club Book, a program of the Metropolitan Library Service Agency (ME...

Your library card -- 3 ways!

There’s a famous catchphrase about another notable card that tells you “don’t leave home without it,” and that’s pretty much how we feel about your library card. In fact, we feel so strongly that ...

Smart Travel series kicks off Sept. 12

Washington County Library's Smart Travel series features knowledgeable presenters who will share their tips, tricks, and tidbits about a variety of travel topics: home security, Disney trip planning, exploring Italy, and journeying as a Road Scholar. Smar...

5 things you can get with your library card (that aren't books!)

It’s a pretty natural word association to think of ‘books’ when you hear ‘library card,’ but rest assured that a Washington County Library card empowers you with access to much more than just our physical ...

Spotlight On...Back to School

As you gather up your school supplies for a new year, don’t forget to grab your library card! Whether you’re starting a new grade, or you consider yourself a lifelong learner, Washington County Library has tools, events, and materials ...

What's in store for fall storytimes?

New this fall, Washington County Library will offer additional Saturday morning and weekday evening storytimes at select branch locations. Storytimes are a great opportunity to connect with your child and lay the foundation they will need to be a successf...

A librarian's perspective on Summer at Your Library

Alaina Johnson is a youth services librarian at R.H. Stafford Library in Woodbury. Now that summer is drawing to a close (and she has some time to think!), she's sharing her perspective on why summer at the library is such a big deal. 

There&r...

Nonfiction that blew our minds!

As summer winds down and the back-to-school season begins, we got to thinking about great true stories that have taught us something new. This month our staff shared some of the nonfiction we've read, loved loved, and felt like changed our perspective abo...

Park Grove Library Kid's Lab makes the movies

Elementary-aged directors used our Microsoft Surface GoLab! and LEGOs to create stop motion videos during Park Grove Library's weekly Kid's Lab. 

Participants are between 5 and 10 years old, and this was their first time trying stop motion video p...

WashCoLib Staff Picks: Apps to Simplify Your Life

WashCoLib staff compiled a list of apps they recommend to help you make your life simpler. These apps are used regularly by our staff, and have been put through their paces to make sure they do what the promise, so you don't have to worry about wasting ti...

Life Event Kits can help simplify your life

Libraries have always been places where people can get answers and find resources to make positive changes in their lives. 

Studies show 65 percent of Americans believe libraries help them grow as people. Forty-three percent think libraries can he...

Our most popular checkouts of July

We're going back to basics this month with a look at the most popular fiction and nonfiction for adults, teens and kids. Scroll down to see what books Washington County readers are checking out, then click through to put titles you're interested on hold. ...

Washington County Library hosts Karin Slaughter

Washington County Library will host author Karin Slaughter on Tuesday, Aug. 28, from 6:30 to 8 p.m., at R.H. Stafford Library, 8595 Central Park Place, Woodbury. This event is part of Club Book, a program of the Metropolitan Library Service Agency (MELSA)...

Spotlight On...Simplifying Your Life

Time is a precious commodity in today’s busy pace of life. Simplifying your life can help streamline your time, and give you some breathing room in your day-to-day activities or long term planning. You know you really should find ways to make li...

“Club de Lectura en Español” coming to Park Grove Library

Thanks to a patron’s suggestion and the keen eye of a Park Grove librarian, the library will begin hosting a Spanish book club, conducted in Spanish, and focusing on works by Spanish language authors.

The first meeting will take place August 11, from 10:30...

Weekly webinars help users get started with ReferenceUSA

Looking for accurate data about businesses in your state and community? The U.S. Businesses database available through ReferenceUSA has information on 52 million companies that can be used in job searches, business research, or planning and marketing for ...

9 books we want to see on the big screen

Conventional wisdom among book lovers is that the book is always better than the movie... but that doesn't stop us from wishing that our favorite stories could translate from the page to the screen. 

This year, staff around Washington County Libra...

Summer survival with smARTpass

If the last weeks of summer are going by a little too slowly for you (parents, am I right?!), add a little pizazz to your day by taking advantage of the smARTpass system to visit museums, nature sites, performances and more. It’s available throu...

A parent's perspective on Summer Adventure at Your Library

Even if you haven't grabbed a Summer Adventure activity card, there's still plenty of time to participate in our summer reading program. Washington County mom of three Elise Johnson caught our eye with her Instagram post, sharing that her youngsters had f...

VIDEO: Step into STEM Saturdays

Learning should be fun, especially when it sparks the opportunity to get exciting hands-on experience. STEM Saturdays are designed to give kids the chance to explore natural, scientific, and digital worlds in the encouraging atmosphere of the library. The...

You Scream, We Scream

We’d be hard pressed to find a more perfect summer scene than one that involves ice cream, live entertainment, and the Historic Court House in Stillwater, which is why we’re excited to take part in the 2018 Ice Cream Social on Thursday, July 19.

Stop by th...

How to use Lynda.com for free with your library card

You may have already heard of Lynda.com, an online education service that offers video tutorials for learning software, developing personal and professional skills, and creative art techniques. 

What you may not know is that you access everything ...

Our most popular checkouts of 2018 (so far)

Mid-way through the year is a great time to take a quick peek back at the most popular materials checked out from Washington County Library so far this year. The following list just includes the most popular titles in our physical collection (so no ebooks...

Bee-Bots causing a buzz at Park Grove Library

Did you know that Washington County Library has robots? Cate Triola is a library services assistant at Park Grove Library in Cottage Grove who has been working with our swarm of Bee-Bots! Here, she shares a bit about why they’re great teaching t...

Find encouragement and understanding at a Memory Café

Experiencing memory loss, or caring for someone with memory loss, can be overwhelming. A new monthly meeting held at R.H. Stafford Library in Woodbury aims to provide support to individuals with memory loss and their caregivers.

Stillwater-based FamilyMean...

Public computer upgrades underway

It’s out with the old and in with the new for the public computers at all Washington County Library locations. Work began in mid-June to replace the old desktop machines and monitors with newer versions for the public to use during library visit...

Spotlight On...STEM

The answers to meaningful questions about the world around us can often be found using science, technology, engineering, or mathematics – simply known as STEM. Using methods from these disciplines, people of all ages can ask “why?” and work to find the an...

Getting started with library audiobooks

June is Audiobook Month, which makes it a great time to give (free!) library audiobooks a try. 

Most library visitors know that we have an extensive collection of audiobooks on CD available to browse at every branch or search in our catalog.&n...

Paws...at the library

Let us be the first to wish you a happy National Take Your Dog to Work Day! While it’s rare (but not unheard of) that any of our library staff actually bring their pooches to work…

…it IS pretty common to see a furry, four-l...

Pop Up Library brings materials, technology to Arts in the Park series

Washington County Library will set up (temporary) shop at the Forest Lake Arts in the Park events with its Pop Up Library this summer, June through August. Arts in the Park is a free summertime community event which takes place every Tuesday from 5 &n...

Our favorite summer reading recommendations

Earlier this month, the Star Tribune gathered summer reading recommendations from librarians in Hennepin and Ramsey counties. We loved that idea so much we decided to borrow it, and turned to our own expert readers at Washington County Library for some of...

Washington County Library Events: June 19 to July 1

Curious what's happening at Washington County Library? Check out this list of select events coming up over the next two weeks, everything from kids character storytimes to learning about the art styles of the Cubist movement. 

For a full calendar ...

Community engagement events prove to be useful tool

Washington County Library offers many thanks to the community members who showed their support and interest during the spring community engagement events held for the library’s three building projects. The feedback and opinions shared allowed for the succ...

Most popular audiobooks of May 2018

Because June is Audiobook Month, we decided it would be fun to take a look at some of the most popular audiobooks of the last month! These lists include include both CD checkouts and e-audiobook downloads through digital apps like CloudLibrary and RBdigit...

Celebrate Summer at Your Library on June 9

Get ready to start celebrating Summer at Your Library at Washington County Library with kick-off celebrations at every library branch this Saturday, June 9. These events are open to all ages, and don't require registration. At the kick-off parties, you ca...

Spotlight On... Summer Learning

This month, we’re highlighting resources we have to help children and families to stay curious and keep learning throughout the summer.

We’re excited to be adding a new resource in our catalog – access to Lexile measures for o...

Underwater photos of the St. Croix on display at Valley Library

Underwater photographs of the St. Croix National Scenic Riverway will be on display at Valley Library in Lakeland through the end of June. 

“Under the Surface” is a collection of underwater photos from Wisconsin’s mos...

Get ready for Summer at Your Library!

With temperatures in the 90s in the forecast already, it can only mean that summer is just around the corner. (We're from Minnesota, of course we're going to start out talking about the weather!) 

This year, Washington County residents can celebra...

Take it from a librarian, it's all ok at storytime

While Washington County Library’s children’s librarians are taking a two week break from regular storytime to get ready for this year’s Summer Adventure at Your Library, Erica Myhre, children’s librarian at Hardwood...

Library resources to help better understand your health

Did you know the library has many great resources to help you find find reliable, accurate health information? Librarians aren't doctors, and therefore can't give medical advice, but can help point you towards resources with information on medical conditi...

Get free audiobooks this summer through SYNC

SYNC is back, which means teen readers can access free audiobooks all summer long!

Over the course of the program, which runs until July 25, SYNC will offer two free audiobook downloads each week consisting of pairs of high interest titles based on weekly ...

Our most popular DVDs of April 2018

Even though many people have access to more media than time to watch it, DVDs are still a popular item to check out from the library – especially newly-released titles that aren't available for free anywhere else. This month, we thought it would...

Share "One World, Many Stories" during Children's Book Week

Each year, libraries, bookstores, and schools across the country celebrate Children’s Book Week, a chance to commemorate great children’s books and the joy of reading. The 2018 slogan for Children’s Book Week is “One World, Many Stories,” highlighting the...

Spotlight On... Health

Don’t let your New Year’s resolutions to eat better, exercise more, or find new ways to relax fall by the wayside as the year has progressed – Washington County Library has a range of resources and programs to help you take c...

Job Corners help connect the library to the WorkForce Center

For the last year, Washington County Library and the Washington County WorkForce Center have been working together to provide better support for job seekers in the community, including plans for Job Corners at libraries in Woodbury, Cottage Grove and Oakd...

Minnesota libraries launch statewide author contest

Minnesota libraries are looking for the state's best self-published books in adult fiction and young adult fiction through the Minnesota Author Project. 

The 2018 contest kicked off on April 1, and submissions will be accepted through June 30. A p...

Finding the best business books at the library

This piece was submitted by Angie Noyes, collection development librarian for Washington County Library. She has worked at WCL since 2000 when she joined the staff as a librarian at Hardwood Creek Library in Forest Lake. 

Looking for books about j...

Join a conversation about the Vietnam War at Bayport Legion

Twin Cities Public Television, Washington County Library and Washington County Veterans Services invite you to a community conversation that explores the Vietnam War and its legacy from several points of view on Wednesday, April 25 from 6:30 – 8...

Celebrate National Poetry Month at the library

Ever wonder why “‘Hope’ is the thing with feathers”? Or who advised to “gather ye rosebuds while ye may”? Spend some time reading poetry, and you might be able to answer those questions! ...

Get started with Job & Career Accelerator

Washington County Library offers a number of databases and tools to help job seekers or career explorers get ahead. One popular database is Job & Career Accelerator, an online job search and training resource you can access using your library card.&am...

A Day at the Library: Kerri Maher, Hardwood Creek Library

Kerri Maher is a library services assistant at Hardwood Creek Library in Forest Lake. She has been working for Washington County Library since 2016.

Library Services Assistants, or LSAs, are the people who sit at the service desk, assisting with checkouts ...

A Day at the Library: Henok Fanta, R.H. Stafford Library

Henok Fanta is a library services supervisor at R.H. Stafford Library in Woodbury. He’s been working for Washington County Library since January 2018. Before coming to the library, Henok worked for the Washington County WorkForce Center.

11:45 a.m. | I che...

A Day at the Library: Kristin Jones, Park Grove Library

Kristin Jones is a librarian at Park Grove Library in Cottage Grove. She’s been working for Washington County Library since 2008. Before becoming a librarian, Kristin worked as a clerk and an assistant librarian.  

It’s 9 a.m. on a Monday, and bef...

Jobs, careers, and technology programs in April

As part of our April spotlight on the jobs and careers resources available at the library, we wanted to highlight the classes and programs we offer that can help you improve your job search, or just ad new skills to your resume when you go on the job mark...

Spotlight On... Jobs and Careers

Whether you’re considering a career change, job hunting, or just wondering what to be “when you grow up,” Washington County Library has tools, resources, and programs to help you navigate these important life decisions.

Tap in...

April community engagement events for building projects

In March, Washington County Library held the first round of community engagement meetings for projects at Park Grove, Wildwood and Valley libraries to gather community input on what residents hope to see in new library facilities.

Interested residents have...

Great reads for the armchair traveler in all of us

One of the great things about being a reader is that you can travel to exotic places (and times!) without ever leaving the comfort of your armchair. 

As part of our spotlight on travel resources this month, we’ve rounded up the lists of ...

Spotlight: Check out digital magazines and audiobooks

Save money, reduce clutter, or keep your carry on light the next time you travel by checking out digital magazines and audiobooks from the library using RBdigital. 

Washington County Library’s RBdigital magazine collection contains over ...

Spotlight: Use Transparent Language free with your library card

Getting ready to take a trip and want to learn a few simple phrases before you go? Need a refresher on the French or German you learned in college? Know a teenager who could use a little extra help in their high school Spanish class? 

Before you p...

Our most popular books of February 2018

February may be the shortest month of the year, but that doesn’t mean the readers of Washington County were any less active. Here are some of our most popular titles in romance, graphic novels, and children’s CDs from February 2018.&am...

ALLDATA is back!

Automotive do-it-yourselfers, rejoice. The ALLDATA database is back and available on library workstations once again to help you with your automotive repair and maintenance. 

ALLDATA is a comprehensive database resource that includes step-by-step ...

Spotlight: Explore the world with travel-themed storytimes

As part of our monthly spotlight on the travel resources available at the library, we'll be offering a number of travel themed storytimes this month. 

Join us at one of these fun programs to explore new places through stories and songs without eve...

Spotlight On...Travel

Washington County Library can help you explore new places, or prepare for a great adventure, all through tools and materials available to you as a library cardholder. If you plan to travel for an upcoming Spring Break, or just want to get away from it all...

Spotlight: New-ish book club becomes official

Nine members of the Friday Morning Senior Book Club gathered at R.H. Stafford Library in Woodbury on the second Friday in February to discuss their latest book, as they have for many years. But for the group that has been coming together since 2006, this ...

Spotlight: Book club picks available through Ebooks Minnesota

Book clubs interested in getting their next read through Ebooks Minnesota, an online ebook collection of more than 2,500 titles available to all Minnesotans, have a new resource at their disposal. 

Ebooks Minnesota has created Book Club Kits for t...

Community input sought on library building projects

Washington County Library is asking residents who live near or use the Park Grove, Wildwood, and Valley libraries for their input as the library system moves forward with individual building projects at each of these three locations. Community engagement ...

Spotlight: Why Ebooks Minnesota is a perfect tool for book clubs

Ebooks Minnesota is an online ebook collection for all Minnesotans. The collection covers a wide variety of subjects for readers of all ages, and features content from Minnesota's independent publishers, including some of our best literature and nonfictio...

It’s not too late to join in on Winter Reads

With two weeks left in our annual Winter Reads program, there’s plenty of time to add your book review to the entries for a chance to win a reward book pack. It’s easy to participate in the seasonal adult reading program. Simply stop b...

Spotlight: Checking out Instant Book Club Kits

Oh, book clubs. Love to be in one, hate to organize one? Well, look no further than the Washington County Library Instant Book Club Kits. Everything you need to get started for your own book discussion group is included in the kit’s canvas bag. ...

Our most popular books of January 2018

Curious what other readers in Washington County have been checking out so far this year? We’ve got you covered! Here are some of our most popular titles in nonfiction, audiobooks, and children’s fiction from January 2018. 

Nonf...

Spotlight: Finding book recommendations using NoveList Plus

Ever wonder how librarians are able to offer a perfect book recommendation in any genre you desire? In addition to being book lovers, many also rely on tools like NoveList Plus, a collection of read-alike recommendations that is also available to Washingt...

Read to Me totes offered to new and expectant parents

Thanks to a partnership between Washington County Library and Washington County Public Health and Environment, new and expectant parents utilizing the county’s Women, Infant, and Children (WIC) program will receive a tote bag full of useful reso...

Video games provide a gateway to the library

Last fall, Washington County Library launched a new addition to our physical collection – video games! When the games for PlayStation 4, Xbox 360, and Wii U began circulating in October, we hoped they’d be embraced by current library u...

New library cards designs unveiled

All Washington County Library patrons are invited to pick a card, any card from seven newly designed library card options (click HERE to see the designs up close). The recently redesigned library cards offer patrons a chance to choose a library card that ...

Spotlight On...Book Clubs

Washington County Library offers great resources to help you launch or sustain your book club. Our tools can suggest your next title based on your clubs’ preferences, or offer up books written by Minnesota authors. We have book club kits that do...

Behind the Scenes at the Library: Tech Services

This piece originally ran on Washington County's employee news site in December 2017.

They talk like a team, they work like a team, but, most importantly, they feel like a team.

Marti Nystrom, Char Haukom, and Luann Corcoran are the people behind the scenes...

County Board hires firm for Valley Library study

Read on...

Grand re-opening marks new chapter for Lake Elmo Library, Washington County Library

The hard work of many partners came to fruition on Saturday, Jan. 20, when the Washington County Library system opened the doors of Lake Elmo Library as its newest branch location.

Washington County Library conducted a grand re-opening to celebrate the tra...