The Library began contactless pickup of library materials on Monday, May 11. We received almost a hundred calls during the day from patrons setting up appointments to pick up library materials. We also had patrons looking for particular books and others who were looking for reading suggestions.

Using the Library’s online catalog, Encore: http://tds-mt.iii.com/iii/encore, you can select your own items. Log in to your account with your library card number and password. The online library catalog can filter to show what items are currently available at New Ulm Public Library.

You may request items from other libraries within the Traverse des Sioux Library System but availability of those items may not be prompt due to library closures and infrequent delivery throughout the region. At the current time we are not able to request items outside the Traverse des Sioux Library System as you may have noticed if you’ve tried to place a request through MNLink.

After you select your items, call the Library so staff can have your materials ready and an appointment can be made for pickup. Staff will pull the items, check them out, and place them in a bag with your first name and the last four digits of your library card number on a cart. The cart is located by what we call the book drop doors (the south door by the parking lot).

The outdoor book drop is currently open on Mondays and Thursdays from 8:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Please do not put returns on the contactless pickup cart. This is essential to maintain safe handling of all materials. You may also keep items until the library reopens! New Ulm Public Library does not charge late fees even in non-pandemic times.

The library building will remain closed to the public. We’re working with City and State officials to make plans to reopen the library when it is safe to do so. Please check www.newulmlibrary.org, the library’s Facebook page (New Ulm Public Library- City of New Ulm) and other local media outlets for future updates.

If you’re looking for new library materials, check out the latest additions to the library’s catalog through Wowbrary at https://wowbrary.org/nu.aspx?p=9674 Staff just finished processing additions that are available for check out!

On my radar is “My Wife Said You May Want to Marry Me” by Jason Rosenthal, a memoir of life, love, loss and new beginnings by the widower of bestselling children’s author Amy Krouse Rosenthal, who penned a Modern Love column for the New York Times titled “You May Want to Marry My Husband” ten days before her death in 2017.

I’m also eyeing “The Women with Silver Wings: The Inspiring True Story of the Women Airforce Service Pilots of World War II” by Katherine Sharp Landdeck. It’s a thrilling true story of the daring female aviators who flew during World War II.

There’s a couple of books that I have to finish in my Libby app before I can check out more books, or so I’m trying to convince myself.

If you’re on social media, our most up to date information is on Facebook. There is a staff member available Monday to Friday from 9 a.m. – 6 p.m. if you’d like to give us a call at 507-359-8331. You can always shoot us an e-mail as well.

As always, we look forward to seeing you in the library, safe and healthy, soon!