Resources on race for readers of all ages

In light of recent events in Minnesota and the difficult, necessary conversations they have prompted, staff at Washington County Library have assembled a series of lists highlighting books for all ages to help with this work.

As our colleagues at Saint Pau...

The top 10 ebooks we're reading while we stay home

Since mid-March, WashCoLib has seen a 41 percent increase in ebook checkouts on OverDrive and CloudLibrary. We thought it would be fun to take a peek at the ebooks that WashCoLib readers are downloading during quarantine.

Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia O...

Computers available by appointment at Washington County Library branches

Washington County Library branches will reopen with limited capacity on Monday, June 26. At that time, visitors will no longer need to make an appointment to use a computer. Learn more at WashCoLib.org/COVID19. 

Beginning Tuesday...

5 ways to celebrate Children's Book Week

Children’s Book Week celebrates books for young readers across the book world. This year’s Children’s Book Week, celebrated May 4-10, invites you to "Read. Dream. Share." the love of reading across your community.&a...

Check out popular magazines digitally with RBdigital!

While many users may only be familiar with RBdigital for audiobooks, the site also has a huge selection of digital magazines that are available with unlimited checkouts for new issues and previous titles. Digital magazines can also be checked-out as long ...

An update from Library Director Amy Stenftenagel

On Friday, March 27, Library Director Amy Stenftenagel sent the following message to all Washington County Library cardholders. You can learn more about the library’s response to COVID-19 and get an update on current services at WashCoLib.org/Co...

Beating cabin fever during COVID-19

Feeling a little cabin-fever? Kaylin Creason, a librarian at Lake Elmo Library, put together these free resources to keep you entertained and mentally healthy while you’re at home. Download or share the full infographic here!

Catch the opera (and...

Get library materials using curbside pickup!

Beginning Monday, June 29, Washington County Library branches will be open with limited capacity and reduced hours. Visitors can come to our buildings to pick up holds, browse materials, and use computers without an appointment. Learn more.  

A sm...

Modified services available during library closure

Update

On Tuesday, March 24, the Washington County Board of Commissioners voted to suspend all public-facing services at libraries and other county facilities through Tuesday, April 7. The library’s modified services, outlined below, will continu...

WashCoLib has a new mobile app!

We’re so excited to share that we have a new mobile app! With this new app, you can access your library account no matter where you are. The app also makes it easy to browse the library’s collections, check out or place a hold on items...

Our top checkouts of January and February

It’s time to look at some of our most popular checkouts of the year so far. The books that emerged as our most popular titles of 2019 continue to lead checkouts for the beginning of 2020, but one kids series was particularly dominant this month....

Nonfiction for fun! 14 librarian-recommended reads

This post was written by Cate Triola, a librarian at Park Grove Library in Cottage Grove. When she’s not matching readers with a great true story, she enjoys cooking and reading about ghosts. 

Just as with fiction books, what each nonfic...

Comic memoirs? Graphic biographies? 6 true stories to check out!

Comic memoirs? Graphic biographies? Many readers are familiar with the idea of comic books or graphic novels, but it can get a little trickier when you’re talking about true stories. But whatever you want to call it, illustrated memoirs and biog...

Newbery, Caldecott, and other award winning books

When it comes to picking the best books for kids, the number of choices can be a little overwhelming. Enter, the ALA Youth Media Awards!

The winners of these awards are announced each year at the American Library Association’s annual midwinter co...

Write, craft, learn at the library in February

Don’t let the wintry weather keep you inside all month –  February is a perfect time to get out of the house and learn a little something new. This month, we have a full slate of programs for adults that focus on writing, craf...

Discover and preserve your family history at the library

Do you have photos or memories from loved ones that you want to make sure are preserved for generations to come? Maybe you want to more about your family history but aren't sure where to start? Washington County Library has the equipment, technology and k...

Spark memories and conversation with Memory Minder Kits

Memory minder kits are now available to check out from libraries in Washington County! Designed for people experiencing memory loss and their caregivers, kits include a collection of materials and activities to trigger memories of life experiences. This h...

Our most popular adult nonfiction of 2019

This post is the final in our end-of-the-year peek at 2019's most popular tiles. We've already share our most popular adult fiction and books for kids and teens, which means we're closing it out with adult nonfiction! 

This list includes the 15 mo...

Our most popular kids and teens titles of 2019

This post is the second one in our end-of-the-year peek at 2019's most popular titles. We've already shared our most popular adult fiction. 

Today we have an epic list of 30 books that were popular among teens and kids. The list is split into teen...

Our most popular fiction of 2019

As 2019 winds down, we're taking a peek back to see the year's most popular titles among Washington County Library users. Over the next three weeks we'll look at popular adult fiction and nonfiction and titles for kids and teens. 

This week we're ...

Reserve an iMac at R.H. Stafford Library

Our Create Space at R.H. Stafford Library in Woodbury is now open! The Create Space has four iMacs available for reservations or walk-in use. The iMacs are loaded with the full Adobe Creative Cloud, which includes programs like Illustrator, Photoshop, InD...

Try our favorite cookbooks this Thanksgiving

If you're hunting for good recipes or looking to impress your Thanksgiving guests, check out these cookbook and recipe recommendations from our staff.

Plus, you won't have to buy something brand new - all these books are located in our catalog and are just...

Bienvenido – Welcome to Park Grove Library!

Park Grove Library is no stranger to making sure their programs reflect their community. In response to community feedback, they’ve added numerous language programs, including Spanish Book Club, Spanish Play Date, and Adult English Learner Book ...

Libraries oppose new eBook restrictions from Macmillan

Beginning November 1, Macmillan Publishers will only allow libraries to purchase one copy of new eBook titles for the first eight weeks after a book's release.

That means we will have just a single copy of new, popular titles by authors like Louise Penny, ...

Calling all kids, join a book club!

Reading just got more fun! Kids in Washington County Library book clubs have saved mythical creatures with the Unicorn Rescue Society, brought books to life with mini-plays, and have even met the real-life authors of the books they read.

(Plus, they streng...

Our most popular checkouts of summer 2019

The leaves are turning and the air feels a little crisp, which can only mean one thing: fall is here! But before we dive into cozy reads and pumpkin spiced everything, we thought it would be fun to take a peek back at our most popular books of the summer....

Get more for free with your library card!

When you think about using your library card, it's natural to think about what you can check out by coming into the library – books, magazines, video games, and more. But your library card also grants you access to digital tools and collections that can t...

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...

Our favorite back to school books for kids and teens

The slight chill in the morning air and the aisles of notebooks and pens at your favorite retailer can only mean one thing – it's almost time to head back to school! In honor of this change in season, we looked to our expert children's librarian...

New longer checkouts and auto-renewals at WashCoLib!

Beginning August 1, we're updating our loan periods and renewal policies to let you keep materials longer and make using the library more convenient! 

Under our new loan periods, books, audiobooks, magazines and CDs will be checked out for three w...