In Dakota County, public libraries rethink their role to meet needs beyond books
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Wentworth Library boasts a 3-D printer, a bay of public-access computers, a part-time on-site social worker, a wall of informational pamphlets connecting people to local resources and a community room used regularly by a local square dance group.
Yes, the books are still there.
These days, though, the public library is working to do whatever it can to meet the expanding needs of people in West St. Paul, Mendota Heights and Sunfish Lake, said Stacy Lenarz, manager of Wentworth, a Dakota County Library branch.
“Find help on the computer, use our study rooms — they are always full — use our children’s area. It’s a place where people come in and they can interact with the space, interact with each other, interact with others who are in the space,” she said.
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Minnesota libraries still hold books and host story time, but since the COVID-19 pandemic they’ve been tapped increasingly to satisfy public demands for digital titles, remote worker space, Wi-Fi and social services.
That’s the case in Dakota County, where officials are remaking their library system in real time.
“We’re seeing much more of an increase in individuals with insecure housing in the library. We’re also seeing more people who are experiencing crises of different levels,” said Margaret Stone, director of the Dakota County Library system and its 10 branches.
“We’re fine,” she added, “because libraries are safe places. We’re that community hub. We’ve always supported people. But it’s the sheer numbers that are starting to really have an impact on staff and on services.”
Study rooms, social workers, de-escalation training
Wentworth offers a focused look at the changes underway in public libraries across Dakota County, and it may offer a template for other library systems as they work to stay relevant in a digital world.
In-person visits are nearly back up to pre-pandemic levels at Wentworth Library. Librarians are seeing more remote workers come in to use Wi-Fi and senior citizens who need help navigating email and other basic online skills, like using email, said Stone.
Families and students remain at the core of the Dakota County system. On a recent Tuesday, Wentworth hummed with activity. Its desktop computers and printers were busy, as were the study rooms and table space in front of a panel of windows overlooking a nearby walking trail and tree canopy.
“When I have exams, I come in,” said Faduma Musse, a nursing student who visits Wentworth frequently to study. “It’s close to me and it’s always open … not a lot of noise, everybody’s doing their own thing.”
In the children’s section, Stacey Wechsler helped her children select books about Minnesota to take home as part of a summer project.
“We come into the library every week. We study different states throughout the week,” Wechsler said. “She really likes countries, so we pick up some books about countries too.”
Another parent, Holly House, sat reading a novel while her daughter curled up in a nearby chair reading a selection from the children’s collection.
“I like reading and my daughter, I like bringing her here so she can read too,” House said. “She likes to play the little scavenger hunts … and then we’ll go to Caribou after, kind of make a day of it.”
Increasingly, people are walking into branch locations looking for shelter, safety and food. Some sites have started hosting meals for kids and handing out snacks. Wentworth employees plan to make their location a naloxone access point in hopes of preventing overdose deaths.
Responding to the escalating number of crises patrons are going through, Stone has arranged for her staff to receive de-escalation training.
The library system also now has a team of social workers on call, including Corey Samuels, who holds on-site office hours at Wentworth once a week. He specializes in helping people find housing, employment and mental health services, although his work has become more difficult since the start of the pandemic.
“There’s just a lot of people who are experiencing homelessness and the population continues to grow. So, it’s hard to keep up with that, providing shelter spaces for everybody,” Samuels said. “The pandemic changed a lot. We used to have our congregate-setting shelter that you could get into immediately, same day. That is no more.”
Stone hopes to boost the social worker hours at Wentworth and at least one other Dakota County Library branch.
State lawmakers last year boosted funding to libraries — Stone said it was the first time since 2009. The money helped cover the cost of leasing digital titles that continue to grow in popularity with library users.
“The library is important because we can help people find or access things that they can't find themselves,” said Lenarz, Wentworth’s manager.
“The library is a place for you to go and say, ‘I don’t know what how to approach this,’” she added, “and we might not be able to find you all of the resources or even find you the book that you want, but we are a really great place to start.”
