Duluth Library Foundation

Behold, The Picture Book! Let’s Celebrate Stories We Can Feel, Hear, and See with Mac Barnett
2026-05-20 18:00 - 19:00 (America/Chicago) | Mitchell Auditorium at The College of St. Scholastica, 1200 Kenwood Ave, Duluth, MN, 55811, United States
Award-winning author Mac Barnett is excited to share his passion for picture books with children and adults. The tradition of the picture book is a tradition of experimentation, just like childhood itself. Every page turn contains infinite possibilities – a journey of discovery and connections. On his nationwide tour as National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature, Mac invites readers of all ages to join him in celebrating what’s vibrant, joyful and inspiring about this quintessential American art form.
Join us for this very special evening open to the public on Wednesday, May 20 at 6 p.m. at Mitchell Auditorium at The College of St. Scholastica. Books will be on sale and Mac will be available to sign copies following the program. You may pre-order books through Zenith Bookstore here. Free tickets are available here by clicking the button below. Advance registration is strongly encouraged, but not required.
ASL interpretation will be provided during the program. Coloring sheets and activities will be available in the lobby.

“What excites me is the living, thinking, feeling kid who exists right now and needs a good story. Magic is
what happens at that moment in childhood.”
— Mac Barnett, National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature

Photographs and video will be taken and used for promotional and archival purposes by the National Ambassador program, the Duluth Library Foundation, and the Duluth Public Library. Please see a staff member with questions or if you prefer not to be photographed.

Pages and Pines: Where Books & Nature Come Together
2026-04-25 11:00 - 15:00 | Jay Cooke State Park, 780 E Hwy 210, Carlton, MN, 55718, United States
Presented by the Minnesota State Parks and the Department of Natural Resources, we are pleased to participate in Pages & Pines!
Join us during National Library Week for stories, fresh air, and nature fun! This free, all-ages event at Jay Cooke State Park brings books and the outdoors together. Meet your local libraries, explore stories inspired by nature, and discover how the park is full of stories waiting to be read. You can expects storytimes, story strolls, naturalist-led activities and programs, crafts and swag, and library card sign ups onsite.
This event is hosted by the Minnesota State Parks System in partnership with local public libraries.

Take Action for Libraries Day
2026-04-23 16:00 - 20:00 | The Depot, 506 W Michigan St, Duluth, MN, 55802, United States
Turn your love for the library into action with music, food, and colorful advocacy art!
Drop in at The Depot anytime between 4:00 and 8:00 PM. All activities will be in The Great Hall.
What to Expect:

Pick up (and decorate if you wish) a yard sign for FREE
Decorate posters for your home, office, or community space
Make a personalized button
Enjoy family-friendly crafts, coloring pages, and other library-themed activities
Food for purchase from Johnny B’s food truck
Cash bar provided by the Minnesotal Ballet
Enjoy a medley of tunes from Chris LeBlanc of the Crunchy Bunch DJ Collective
General library-themed swag
The first 20 people to visit the information booth will receive a custom pint glass from Lake Superior Art Glass

Yard sign reservations are now closed, but we will have signs available at the event on a first-come, first-served basis.

Images represent the pint glasses and yard signs available at the event.

Book Bingo at Wild State Cider
2026-04-22 19:00 - 21:00 | Wild State Cider, 2515 W. Superior St., Duluth, MN, 55806, United States
Join us for a classic game night—library style—with a cider in hand.
What you can expect!

Bingo with a book twist
Prizes
Door drawings for library giveaways
Library staff on hand to answer questions and sign you up for a library card
Library-themed goodies to take
Limited edition Lake Superior Art Glass pint glass given to the first 15 people to arrive.

Are You Smarter Than a Librarian? Trivia Night
2026-04-21 19:00 - 21:00 | Bent Paddle Brewing Co, 832 W. Michigan St., Duluth, 55806, United States
Last year’s reigning champions, the Dewey Decimators, will return to defend their title at this year’s “Are You Smarter Than a Librarian?” Trivia Night. We’re teaming up with Bent Paddle Brewing and Trivia Mafia for a friendly trivia competition with library-themed rounds and prizes. Library staff will be on hand to help with library card signups or a reactivation of your existing card. Plus, the first guests will receive a free, collectible library pint glass from Lake Superior Art Glass!
What to expect!

Trivia Fun
Door prizes
Trivia Prizes
Library Foundation & Library Swag
Library staff to answer your questions
Limited number of Lake Superior Art Glass pint glasses with a secret library logo stamped on the bottom
Celebrating the public library

Pre-registration is not required, but it will help us plan for your arrival.

Storytime & Crafts at the Great Lakes Aquarium
2026-04-19 10:00 - 12:00 | Great Lakes Aquarium, 353 Harbor Dr, Duluth, 55802
Help us kick off National Library Week with Storytime and Crafts at the Great Lakes Aquarium!
Join us for family-friendly crafts, storytimes at 10:15 AM and 11:15 AM, free library swag and prizes, and Library staff to sign up new library card holders and reactivate library cards. And of course, all the aquarium has to offer!
Admission to the Aquarium will be free during the event, and parking in the Aquarium lot will also be free.

Books & Buzzers Bash : A Live Game Show
2025-11-13 | DECC Harbor Side Ball Room, 350 Harbor Drive, Duluth, MN, 55802, United States
A Live Game Show Experience to Benefit the Kids at the Library
Registration for the in-person event is now closed, but you can still participate in the silent auction.
Register for a FREE virtual auction ticket, participate anywhere, and support the children in our community!
Register and learn more here!

The Great North Star Read Together
2025-09-20 11:00 - 13:00 | MN
Celebrate The Great North Star Read Together and show your appreciation for the vital role libraries play in our communities. Community members are invited to gather and read in support of all Minnesota libraries.
Join the Duluth Public Library for a Read-Together at the Downtown Library Plaza from 11:00 am – 1:00 pm, or at Chester Bowl Fall Fest from 9:30 am – 4:30 pm. Make sure to stop by the Duluth Library Foundation’s table for giveaways and advocacy opportunities.
Support the library, one t-shirt at a time. A limited supply will be available for purchase on Sept. 20th at the Foundation table a the Downtown Library Read Together and Chester Bowl Fall Fest.

William Kent Krueger at The Depot
2025-09-12 19:00 - 21:00 | The Depot, 506 W Michigan St, Duluth, MN, 55802, United States
Zenith Bookstore is delighted to welcome New York Times best-selling author William Kent Krueger to Duluth on Friday, September 12th at 7:00 PM at the Depot Theatre. He will discuss his latest novel Apostle’s Cove (Simon & Schuster). Apostle’s Cove is #21 in his Cork O’Connor mystery series. Kent is a wonderful and engaging storyteller, so this is sure to be a fantastic evening! Zenith Bookstore is proud to sponsor this event with the Duluth Public Library and the Duluth Library Foundation.
This author event at the Depot Theatre, 506 W Michigan St., Duluth, is free and open to the public. No tickets are required. Please invite your friends, family, and book club. Books are available for pre-order or purchase at the event.
About the book:
A few nights before Halloween, as Cork O’Connor gloomily ruminates on his upcoming birthday, he receives a call from his son, Stephen, who is working for a nonprofit dedicated to securing freedom for unjustly incarcerated inmates. Stephen tells his father that decades ago, as the newly elected sheriff of Tamarack County, Cork was responsible for sending an Ojibwe man to prison for a brutal murder that Stephen is certain he did not commit. Cork feels compelled to reinvestigate the crime, but that is easier said than done. The deeper Cork digs, the clearer it becomes that there are those in Tamarack County who are willing once again to commit murder to keep him from finding the truth. At the same time, Cork’s seven-year-old grandson has his own theory about the investigation: the Windigo, that mythic cannibal ogre, has come to Tamarack County…and it won’t leave until it has sated its hunger for human blood.
About the author:
William Kent Krueger’s work has received a number of awards, including the Minnesota Book Award, the Loft-McKnight Fiction Award, the Anthony Award, and many others. His last thirteen novels were all New York Times bestsellers. Ordinary Grace (2013) received the Edgar Award for Best Novel. The companion novel, This Tender Land (2019) spent nearly six months on the New York Times bestseller list. His most recent stand-alone, The River We Remember (2023) received an Edgar Award nomination for Best Novel.
Raised in the Cascade Mountains of Oregon, Krueger briefly attended Stanford University before being kicked out for radical activities. After that, he logged timber, worked construction, tried his hand at freelance journalism, and eventually ended up researching child development at the University of Minnesota. He’s been married for more than fifty years to a marvelous woman who is a retired attorney. He makes his home in St. Paul, a city he dearly loves.

Marble Hunt 2025
2025-07-18 10:00 - 11:30 | MN
We’ve lost our marbles—and a few other treasures, too. Want to help us find them?
Lake Superior Art Glass has partnered with the Duluth Public Library for the return of our summer
marble hunt! This year’s theme: The Great Lost Marble Hunt.
Starting at 10AM July 18th, visit any of the three Duluth Public Library branches to join the search (this
year it will be simultaneous).
Follow a series of clues released on Facebook. If you crack the code and find a prize—you get to keep it!
Prizes include:
Handmade glass marbles
Pendant necklaces
Custom stickers
And even Class Cash redeemable at Lake Superior Art Glass!
Where:
Duluth Public Library Main Branch (520 W. Superior St.)
Duluth Public Library Mount Royal Branch (105 Mt Royal Shopping Cir)
Duluth Public Library West Duluth Branch (5830 Grand Ave)
Who can play? Anyone! Kids, adults, families, curious bookworms. No purchase necessary.
When do the clues go live? 10AM July 18th on Facebook – Live updates will be posted there as well.
Come for the marbles, stay for the mystery—and maybe take home a piece of locally made art.
Marble Hunt Rules: Library Edition
To ensure everyone has a fun and safe time during our Marble Hunt, please follow these rules.
Remember, the library is a place for all to enjoy, so let’s respect the space and each other!
Library Etiquette: Keep your voices at a reasonable volume. This is a hunt, not a shouting match.
Respect those who are reading, studying, or quietly browsing.
Stay Grounded: Do not climb on bookshelves, furniture, or any other fixtures. All treasures are hidden
within easy reach.
Respect the Space: Do not move or rearrange library materials. Keep books, magazines, and other
resources where you found them. Feel free to look behind books on the stacks but please put them
back where you found them.
Stay Safe: Do not run or engage in horseplay. Walk calmly and safely through the library.
Cleanliness Counts: Dispose of any trash properly and leave no mess behind. Treat the library as the
treasure it is.
Ask for Help: If you need assistance, don’t hesitate to ask a librarian. They won’t give away hiding spots
but can help with general library navigation.
One Per Hunter: To ensure everyone has a chance to win, please limit yourself to one marble per
person. Once you find one, let others have a turn at finding the remaining treasures.
Enjoy the Journey: Remember, the fun is in the hunt. Whether you find a treasure or not, enjoy the
adventure and the joy of exploring the library.
By following these rules, we can ensure a smooth, safe, and enjoyable Marble Hunt for everyone.
Happy hunting, and may you find more than just marbles – may you discover the magic of the Duluth
libraries!

Movies in the Park: "Wicked" with the Duluth Library Foundation
2025-07-11 21:00 - 23:30 | Leif Erikson Park, 1301 London Rd, Duluth, MN, 55805, United States
Get ready to experience the magic of cinema under the sunset with Downtown Duluth 2025 Movies in the Park! Enjoy FREE outdoor movies in the picturesque Leif Erikson Park overlooking the shores of Lake Superior.
We’re excited to sponsor the screening of “Wicked” on July 11, 2025. The movie will begin at 9:00 pm, sunset time. Come early to visit Little Library Go (our outreach van), enter our prize drawing, and join us for some fun pre-movie activities.
Bring your blankets and popcorn for a special movie night under the stars! Don’t forget to take your family, pack a picnic, and join us for a memorable evening of film and community.
For more information about the Downtown Duluth 2025 Movies in the Park series, visit their website.
