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Behind the stacks

about how we manage the mountains of books, movies, and other resources you see lining the New Ulm Public Library shelves. It’s a complex balancing act, but one that ensures our collections stay relevant, engaging, and well-maintained. Let me give you a peek behind the curtain! First, there’s collection development. We consider what our patrons are interested in – from the latest bestsellers to local histories for New Ulm buffs. We analyze usage data, consider patron suggestions, and keep an eye on trends. It’s a constant conversation, ensuring our shelves reflect our community ...

Who wouldn’t want this gnome in their garden?

This time of the year, many of us have gardens on our minds, whether plans involve planting, pruning or decorating. Garden gnomes are some of the most popular garden decorations, and have been since the 1800s. They were first made in Thuringia, Germany, a region known for its ceramics. In German folklore, gnomes were said to guard against evil and sometimes help with garden tasks like digging and weeding when no one was looking. In fairy tales, gnomes often guarded treasure, so maybe there was a little wishful thinking along with the whimsy of keeping them in the garden. Today, ...

Adventure begins at your library

New Ulm Public Library’s summer reading program, “Adventure Begins at Your Library” begins on Monday, June 3, 2024 and runs through July 28, 2024. The summer reading program is open to ages from birth to those entering their high school senior year. This year reading logs will be available for pick up in the library starting Tuesday, May 28. Children up to the age of eleven can pick up a reading log in the children’s room. Read at least 20 minutes a day for six days of the week to fulfill the reading goal. Each week they can stop by the children’s desk to check in with their ...

Charm bracelets say a lot about their owners

A charm bracelet can be a thoughtful gift for Mother’s Day. Historically, they have been linked to motherhood and family. Queen Victoria, who made family and domesticity an important part of her image, wore a bracelet with lockets that held miniature pictures of her family. She would also give charms as gifts. Some modern jewelers sell charms for Mother’s Day gifts customized with children’s names, initials or birthstones. Of course, charm bracelets are never limited to one occasion. Look at the 14K gold bracelet shown here, which sold at Sloans & Kenyon for $1,206. It has 21 ...

Mental Health Awareness Month

May is Mental Health Awareness month, an opportunity to self-evaluate and to reach out to those around us. There are many types of mental health challenges. Some are manageable with changes to routine and behavior. Some can be handled with appropriate therapies. Others may require medication to correct a chemical or hormonal imbalance or deficiency. Regardless of the treatment method, understanding and support are always helpful. If someone you know got the flu or had a cancer diagnosis, you wouldn’t tell them to get over it, toughen up, or “physician heal thyself”. More than one ...

Bright, colorful flowers are never out of style

Talk about May flowers! The bright colors of the tulips on this charger could rival the real ones growing outside. And to think they’re over 300 years old! The charger was made in England in about 1690. Even with a few signs of wear, its age, craftsmanship and design brought its price to an impressive $3,997 at Brunk Auctions. It is a type of tin-glazed earthenware pottery called delft or delftware. The name “delft” may conjure up images of blue-and-white Dutch scenes, and it comes from a city in Holland that produced that type of pottery. Dutch immigrants brought the technique ...