The Houston Public Library will be CLOSED on Monday, May 29th in observance of Memorial Day. Have a safe and happy holiday, everyone. We will see you on Tuesday during our regular hours of operation!

Join us for great performances during the Houston Public Library’s 2023 Summer Reading Program, as we celebrate being “ALL TOGETHER NOW.”

• All events take place from 10-11 am. 
• In case of bad weather, city park performances will take place at the new Houston Community Center.
• For all outdoor events, please bring your own blankets/ lawn chairs to make your viewing experience more comfortable, as we will NOT be providing seating. 
• This year,  Meet Up & Eat Up will be distributing free bagged lunches to local kids ages 18 and under at the city park on FRIDAYS only, from 11 am to 12 pm, while supplies last.  Mondays through Thursdays, the school district will be providing free lunches.  Please contact them at 896-5323 for more information.
• Give us a call at 896-READ if you have any questions! 

Wednesday, June 7^th:  RAPTORS with Eagle Bluff Learning Center at Community Center

Have you ever seen a vulture up close and personal?  Now is your chance, as the Eagle Bluff Learning Center comes to town with a live vulture ambassador for kids to meet and learn about. 

Wednesday, June 14th:  DAZZLING DAVE, YO-YO MASTER at the city park

Dazzling Dave Schulte, yo-yo master, will be here thrilling us with yo-yo tricks and tips, all designed to entertain, educate, and illuminate the beauty of the growing sport of yo-yoing.

Saturday, June 17^th:  LACROSSE STORYTELLING FESTIVAL presents “Once Upon A Story.”

Stop by the library’s greenspace for a very special storytime featuring members from the LaCrosse Storytelling Festival.

Wednesday, June 21st:  AFRICAN DRUMMING with Brother Ghana at the city park

Don’t miss this amazing opportunity, as Brother Ghana, a master percussionist from West Africa, teaches us all about the fine art of drumming in this fun, hands-on experience.  We’ll learn about the origins and importance of drums in African culture, practice some rhythm exercises,  and try out the djembe, dun dun, sangba, and kenkeni drums as a group, with a few African songs and dances along the way. 

Wednesday, June 28th: NATIONAL EAGLE CENTER at the Community Center

Join us as the National Eagle Center stops by to help us learn about eagle biology, ecology, natural history, and cultural connections in an engaging and entertaining presentation by one of their naturalist interpreters.  This program features a live eagle ambassador! 

Wednesday, July 5th:   THE CREATURE TEACHER at the city park

Are you ready for a fun and educational one-hour presentation featuring live frogs, lizards, turtles, and snakes from around the world? Critter Camp Instructor and retired biology teacher, Tom Pederson from Lake City, MN, will be here with his menagerie of friends.

Wednesday, July 12^th:  THE MAGIC OF ISAIAH at the city park

Settle in for an hour-long show of fast-paced, interactive comedic magic for all ages, featuring Isaiah Foster.

Wednesday, July 19th:  RAD ZOO at the city park

Get ready for some Radical Reptile Adventures with the RAD ZOO. See, touch, and learn about different kinds of reptiles and amphibians. 

Wednesday, July 26th:  NATURE YOGA with Katie Kabat at the city park

Local yoga instructor, Katie Kabat, will take us all through an hour of fun nature-based yoga poses that encourage flexibility and strength during this all-ages family-friendly event.  Bring a blanket or yoga mat to make your experience more comfortable.

Wednesday, August 2nd:  TAIKO DRUMMING at the Houston Bandshell

Taiko is the Japanese word for drum, referring to a modern style of playing traditional drums. It is a heart- pounding, high energy, and dynamic combination of music, dance, culture, and athleticism.  This 45 minute program includes 3-4 songs performed by 3 musicians. Join us for an exciting cultural experience!

Wednesday, August 9th:  STARLAB at the Houston Community Center

Ever wonder about that mysterious big world up above us in the sky?  Join us for an exciting STARLAB program, featuring an inflatable planetarium that showcase 3,000 stars of different colors and sizes, as well as the constellations.  Space is limited to 50 kids, so don’t be late!

Wednesday, August 16th:  NATURE YOGA with Katie Kabat at the city park

Local yoga instructor, Katie Kabat, will take us all through an hour of fun nature-based yoga poses that encourage flexibility and strength during this all-ages family-friendly event.  Bring a blanket or yoga mat to make your experience more comfortable.

Wednesday, August 23rd:  SIAMA’S MUSIC FROM THE CONGO at the city park

On this very special musical journey to Africa, Siama plays the guitar and fascinating traditional instruments like mbiri and balafon, while Dallas Johnson encourages everyone to sing along to happy songs in Kikongo, Lingala, and English.  They’ll also share stories that bring Siama’s rural homeland to life.  In addition, kids will have a chance to play shakers and participate in a fun dance party.  Come ready to have a great time.

Wednesday, August 30th:  CELTIC MUSIC with Laura MacKenzie at the city park

Get ready for a delightful spectrum of Celtic music played on an extraordinary variety of traditional wind-powered instruments. In a program intriguing to both kids and adults, we’ll learn (and hear!) how air is transformed into music. 

We are also planning some visits by The Bookhounds, a program run by Touching Moments Animal Assisted Activities, which brings therapy-certified dogs and other companion animals to the library for reading sessions for emerging readers. Right now, Aiden and his human, Lynda, will be here on June 5^th at 6:00 pm, while Roxy and her human, Jill, will be here on June 12^th at 6 pm. Stay tuned for additional reading sessions!

There will be opportunities to win prizes throughout the summer! Stop in to find out more!

The Houston Public Library’s 2022 Summer Reading Program is sponsored by:

the American Legion Post #423, American Rescue Plan Act grant funds through the Houston School District, Friends of the Houston Public Library, SELCO Legacy grants from the Minnesota’s Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund, Thrivent Financial for Lutherans, Sub-Zero Pizza and Ice Cream, and generous donations from the public. Our thanks go out to everyone for making this schedule of events possible.

A big shout-out to our Wednesday partners, the Meet Up & Eat Lunch Crew!  It takes a village!

The City of Houston is searching for a LIBRARY DIRECTOR.

The City of Houston is seeking an energetic part-time Library Director. This position performs administrative and technical duties. The successful candidate will be responsible for planning innovative programming (i.e., summer reading, story time, author events, etc.) and expanding existing services to meet its mission: “Houston Public Library connects the people in our community to resources, each other, and our world.” They will also develop the collection to ensure it is and remains relevant to the population served. They will report to the Houston Public Library Board and Houston City Council. In addition, they will collaborate with SELCO. While a bachelor’s degree is preferred, a high school diploma with three years of library work experience meets minimum requirements. The library, located in Houston, MN pop. 979 serves both city residents and the surrounding township population. Salary range: DOQ w/benefits package. Call 507-896-4033 for an application or visit houston.govoffice.com. Application deadline Friday, June 2, 2023, at 4:00 p.m. AA/EEO Employer.

Due to a series of Strategic Planning Meetings between the Library Board and our Friends’ organization, the Houston Public Library will CLOSE EARLY, at 6 pm instead of 8 pm, on the following dates to allow staff to attend:
Tuesday, April 25th
Tuesday, May 9th
Tuesday, May 23^rd

Thanks for your understanding!

Join us every Saturday Morning for storytime in our children’s room from 10-11 am. Every week we focus on a different theme, with stories, songs, science, games, etc, geared toward young kids and their families. Here’s our spring schedule:

Saturday, April 1:  Colors

Saturday, April 8:  Wind

Saturday, April 15:  Baby Goats

Saturday, April 22: Baby Sheep

Saturday, April 29:  Baby Pigs

Saturday, May 6:  Butterflies

Saturday, May 13:  Families

Saturday, May 20:  Gardens

Saturday, May 27:  Rain & Rainbows

Saturday, June 3:  Hiking, Camping, Picnics

Saturday, June 10:  Beach Fun

Saturday, June 17:  LaCrosse Storytelling Festival: “Once Upon A Story”

Saturday, June 24:  Construction

What could be more fun (and educational!) for kids and their grown-ups than taking apart common household objects to see how they are made and how they operate? Join us at the Houston Public Library from 5-7 pm on Thursday, March 2nd for another session of our popular Breaker Space, run by resident STEM experts, Ann and Mike Markegard. Questions? Give us a call at 896-READ.

The Houston Public Library will be CLOSED on Monday, February 20th in observance of Presidents’ Day. Have a safe and happy holiday, everyone. We hope to see you on Tuesday instead.

Come enjoy stories along with crafts, games, music, or science experiments, all geared towards young children and their families. From 10-11 am in our children’s room!

Saturday, January 7:  Days, Months, Years

Saturday, January 14:  Yetis

Saturday, January 21:  Plenty of Penguins

Saturday, January 28: Shadows and Light

Saturday, February 4:  Stinky, Slimy, Messy

Saturday, February 11:  Love

Saturday, February 18:  Sniffles & Sneezes

Saturday, February 25:  Fun in the Jungle

Saturday, March 4:  Owls, of course!

Saturday, March 11:  Green

Saturday, March 18:  Spring

Saturday, March 25:  Mud

The Houston Public Library will be CLOSED on Monday, January 16th in observance of Dr. MLK, Jr. Day. Have a safe and happy holiday, everyone. We’ll see you on Tuesday.

The Houston Public Library will be closed on Saturday, December 24th and Saturday, December 31st. Have a safe and happy holiday season, everyone!