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The trio of new library branches in Chisago County is nearing completion, and North Branch’s library will be the first to open-- Monday, October 24. The Wyoming Branch Library opens in about four more weeks and the Chisago Lakes Area Branch is slated for opening the month after Wyoming opens.

There’s a grand opening taking place at the North Branch facility on Saturday, October 29, with the official ribbon cutting at 9:30 a.m. Authors will be featured speakers during the day and refreshments and tours will be available.

Sue Monroe, North Branch’s librarian, felt the move-in was going well, the day the Press visited. She made special note of all the help and support she’s gotten from the North Branch Friends of the Library group.

Some people lending a hand Tuesday this week with stocking books and hauling stuff had simply stopped by when they noticed all the action, and Monroe wanted to also acknowledge their help.

The Friends of the North Branch Library meet the second Saturday of each month at 9:30 a.m. at the library. Come and get acquainted with the library and learn about ways you can lend your support, everybody’s welcome.

Linda Prince, President of the Friends of the Library, said the group might raise money, help coordinate events; whenever there’s a need identified they try to pitch in.

East Central Regional Library Executive Director Bob Boese said the North Branch Library is the largest of the three built this summer, at 14,000 square feet.

The Chisago Lakes branch will be 12,000 square feet and the Wyoming facility (on a smaller site) is 10,000 square feet.

The new North Branch Library will finally have space for presenting numerous activities that had stressed the old facility. Prince mentioned children’s events sometimes were moved down the block to the senior center in the Uptown Maple Commons site because there just wasn’t any room for the patrons in the former North Branch library location.

The new North Branch library also has computer stations for youngsters and adults to use. There’s a juvenile section with lots of floor space for large reading groups and other events. The library has two good-sized rooms sectioned off for meeting space and for silent enjoyment of a newspaper and other printed material. The fireplace on the east wall has arm chairs at its hearth and greets visitors as the focal point of the central entryway.

Boese pointed out that the library now has an actual delivery door and staff have office space and storage, and there’s a protected book drop. The North Branch community should be proud to finally have a library that is worthy of the citizens, and has the room to accommodate East Central Regional Library system materials, he added.

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