Grand Rapids Area Library

Plus: the first snowstorm of the season is expected to fall on the Northland on key Thanksgiving travel dates; and the United Way of Bemidji Area is coordinating two toy drives this holiday season.

Budget cuts are forcing the library to be open just Monday through Wednesday. But a new fundraising effort aims to offset the cuts in the future.

Tracy Kampa, children's librarian at the Grand Rapids Area Library recommends new books from Jashar Awan, Megan Maynor, Tiffany D. Jackson and Maryrose Wood. Plus a surprise collaboration between Stephen King and Maurice Sendak.

With a significant reduction in staff hours, Grand Rapids librarians must figure out how to maintain services and expectations with less time to do so.

The city is proposing a 14.5% cut, and the county is offering an extra $50,000. Both entities will likely discuss budgets at their meetings early next week, Sept. 22 and 23, 2025.

The two are no closer to an agreement as budget deadlines creep closer. The city asked for a more equitable funding arrangement for the Grand Rapids Area Library two months ago.

The city of Grand Rapids asked the county to enter a joint power agreement to discuss the future operations of the library. The County Board pushed it to a July 29, 2025, meeting.

The city and county are still in the early stages of crafting their budgets, so the extent of cuts remains unclear.

Erin Entrada Kelly’s “The First State of Being” is an exciting and meaningful story with well-crafted twists. Staff librarian Tammy Bobrowsky and children’s librarian Tracy Kampa dive into the Newbery Award winning novel in their latest Mini Book Club conversation.

The Grand Rapids Area Library is the busiest in Itasca County. But the city wants a more equitable funding agreement with the county, and cuts could be on the horizon if an agreement isn't reached.