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Library Manager’s Report May 2026
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Community Conversations. Parents and caregivers in the Duluth area were invited to participate in online community conversations via Zoom last month. Three unique conversations were held, and 17 different parents and caregivers participated overall. The members of the Every Child Ready Duluth (ECRD) library team led the conversations which varied in length from 1 hour to 90 minutes. The responses provided by caregivers will help guide ECRD programs and services for coming years. Every call included overwhelming gratitude for the library and staff and the services for parents and young children. The ECRD team will attend the June Library Board meeting to give an update on their work.
Staff Development Day. All Duluth Public Library locations were closed on Friday, April 24 for DPL’s annual Staff Development Day. Staff gathered at the Main Library for a day of learning and team building. This year’s topics included how to facilitate satisfying and accessible meetings, an overview of the Arrowhead Library System presented by ALS Executive Director Mollie Stanford, and tips and tricks for merchandising library collections.
One Book Northland. This year’s One Book Northland project wrapped up at the end of April. A talk by featured author Marcie Rendon took place on April 16 at the Fond du Lac Tribal and Community College in Cloquet. Rendon spoke to over 100 attendees about her book Where They Last Saw Her, which won the 2025 Minnesota Book Award for Fiction. Other events took place at public and academic libraries throughout the region during the month of April.
Summer Hours. Beginning Saturday, May 23, the Main Library will be closed on Saturdays for the summer. Saturday hours will resume on September 12. Weekday hours at all three locations will remain unchanged. It is not unusual for public libraries in the state to reduce their weekend hours during the summer months. Historically, library usage tends to decline on summer weekends.
Department Restructuring. Library staff received news this month from Department Director Erik Birkeland that there will not be a restructuring of the Property, Parks and Libraries Department. A possible restructuring had been discussed late last year.
Staffing Update.
• Interviews for a .5 Library Safety Specialist have wrapped up. A total of 30 people applied for the position. An offer has been extended to the top candidate.
• A temporary Library Technician will be hired to fill in at the Mount Royal Branch over the summer while a staff member is out on leave.