Book Sale Coming Up at Woodbury Library

The sale of library materials and donations at the R.H. Stafford Library is set for next month.

The R.H. Stafford Branch Library in Woodbury will hold a sale of library materials and donations April 12-14. The sale hours are 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on Friday and Saturday, April 12-13, and 1 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. on Sunday, April 14. The items are “priced to sell,” according to a release from Washington County Library, with $2 hardcover books and paperbacks at $1. Those who use scanners pay a $20 fee per day for scanning book sale merchandise. Also, donations—such as books, DVDs, and CDs—will be accepted at the library prior to the sale. People can bring donated items to the information desk. “Donations should be in good condition—please, no textbooks or magazines,” reads the release. “Gently used children's materials are especially …

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‘Brooklyn, Burning’ Author to Appear at Woodbury Library

The Feb. 16 event is part of the Teens Know Best Author Series.

Author Steve Brezenoff will visit the R.H. Stafford Library in Woodbury in mid-February to talk about the writing process and answer questions from those in attendance. Brezenoff, a finalist for NPR’s Best-Ever Teen Book feature, is the author of Brooklyn, Burning, a story about two homeless teenagers. The book was listed on the 2012 Best Fiction for Young Adults list by the Young Adult Library Services Association. The event—part of the Teens Know Best Author Series—is set for 1-2:30 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 16. “The Teens Know Best Author Series is the first region-wide author series to focus on writers for teens,” reads a release from Washington County Library. “Working in collaboration with the Teens Know Best Book Club, each of the eight …

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‘We’re Back’: Sunday, Monday Service Returns to Woodbury Library

Washington County libraries were closed on Sundays and Mondays during 2012.

Customers just wanted to say thank you or shake someone’s hand. That was the reaction from patrons at the R.H. Stafford Library following the news that Washington County would restore Sunday and Monday service at the library starting this year, said Chad Lubbers, manager of the Woodbury branch. The new hours go into effect this weekend. “Now, we’re back to where we should have been,” Lubbers said. “It feels like coming home after a long journey.” The Woodbury library will be open seven days a week until June, when it will close on Sundays through the end of August as part of a pilot program. Library officials will examine how that works and determine their options for hours in the future. One interesting note about the reduced hours in …

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Kris Janisch

9:47 am on Friday, January 4, 2013

For sure. I work up at Central Park sometimes and I can't tell you how often people would walk up to the doors on a Monday, grumble, and walk away.   more ›

Central Park/Woodbury Library 10-Year Anniversary Events

Here’s the rundown of events planned for Saturday.

The celebration of the 10-year anniversary of Central Park and the R.H. Stafford Library kicks off at 10 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 17. Here’s a rundown of events from the city and Washington County. Events are free and open to the public. Kenny Ahern will provide a physical comedy show in the amphitheater from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. From 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., a Tropical Ballroom dance lesson with Woodbury Royalty will be held in the amphitheater. The Name the Owl contest winner announcement will be made at 1 p.m. at the Lookout Ridge Indoor Playground, although that event is subject to change.         Related: Woodbury Kids! Name the Lookout Ridge Owl Home Free, an a capella group, will perform in the amphitheater from 2-3 p.m. Face painting, a …

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Kris Janisch

8:00 am on Sunday, November 18, 2012

Super cool Heidi!   more ›

Sunday, Monday Hours to Return to Woodbury Library in 2013

The R.H. Stafford Branch in Woodbury would still be closed on Sundays during summer months.

It might be a day to loosen the guidelines on being quiet at the library. Washington County plans to restore Sunday and Monday hours at the R.H. Stafford Library in Woodbury starting in 2013. Under a pilot program, the Woodbury library would be open from 1-5 p.m. on Sundays, except for summer months between Memorial Day and Labor Day. The concern was: “Is everybody going to swamp Stafford?” said Washington County Library Director Pat Conley. “We want to make sure we have good customer service—that’s why it’s a pilot (program),” she said. Last year, as part of a cost-saving measure, the county opted to eliminate Sunday and Monday service at all branches. Plans call for the R.H. Stafford, Cottage Grove, Oakdale, Wildwood and Hardwood Creek …

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Reduced Hours Prompts Likely Outcome for Woodbury Library

The R.H. Stafford Branch has seen fewer customers and fewer titles checked out since the elimination of Sunday and Monday service.

“This has been a very unpopular cut.” Those were the words of Chad Lubbers, manager of the R.H. Stafford Library, talking about the Woodbury branch being closed on Sundays and Mondays since January. “It’s definitely been an inconvenience,” Councilwoman Amy Scoggins said. Lubbers gave the Woodbury City Council an update of the latest happenings at the library during Wednesday night’s meeting. The 24 percent reduction in hours was reflected in a 13 percent decrease in circulation and 15 percent fewer people coming in through the first quarter of 2012, Lubbers said. The hope, however, is that Washington County can restore Sunday and Monday hours next year, Lubbers said, and now is the time to give the library system ideas. “The clay is still …

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Kris Janisch

3:38 pm on Thursday, April 19, 2012

Mark, just remember that Washington County set the library hours. The city didn't really have a say in it.   more ›

Letter to the Editor

Commissioner: County Libraries Adapt To Reduced Hours

Washington County Board member Dennis Hegberg discusses how the library system is working with a reduced budget.

The daily discussion and news stories about tough times for local governments usually center on one thing: what services or programs will be cut. In Washington County, several of our service models are looking at a different approach, which we could call "adapt." One of the most significant examples is the Washington County Library. The library is in an enviable position of having as its mission the delivery of information and directing customers to exploring new ways to learn about new things. With that in mind, the library is taking advantage of the explosion of new technology that delivers information to customers when, where and how they want it. That will help when the library will have an 8 percent cut in its budget next year because…

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Eric Berg

11:52 am on Tuesday, November 29, 2011

I can't imagine the "Express" service. To me, there's something about browsing the stacks and coming upon a book on a topic that you might not have ever considered before...or when I'm doing research. I like the ability to be able to skim the contents or the index to see if it's something germane...but, then again, during high school and college, I worked in two different libraries, so I'm just a…   more ›

County Board to Vote on Keeping Libraries Closed Sundays and Mondays

The Washington County Library Board is proposing the new schedule to cut costs.

The Washington County Board is set to vote Tuesday on keeping all county libraries—including Woodbury's—closed on Sundays and Mondays starting in 2012. The cost-cutting measure, first presented to the board in August, would allow the library system to eliminate the equivalent of five-and-a-half full-time positions. The library system lost more than $200,000 when the Lake Elmo City Council voted in June to pull out of the county library system and run its library at the city level. Both the Oakdale and Woodbury libraries are currently open on Sundays and Mondays. (See the photo section of this article for the proposed hours at all of the county’s libraries.) At its Tuesday, Nov. 22 meeting, which begins at 9 a.m., the board is also …

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Mark Wackerfuss

10:15 am on Monday, November 21, 2011

I think it's a lousy deal!! Many folks in the service industry work Tues-Sat. Sunday's and Monday's are their days off to go enjoy time at the library. Furthermore,, letting go librarians while retaining highly paid directors and administrators that contribute little, as these events suggest, means we should reduce at the top of the ladder not the bottom. The library employee's that actually help…   more ›

Get Out: What To Do In Woodbury This Weekend

Woodbury’s weekend entertainment guide to dance parties, football and culture.

Thursday, the one day Woodbury Patch loves telling you what to do. Family Dance Party When: Friday, Sept. 16 from 7-9 p.m. Where: Tropical Ballroom Why Go: All ages are invited for mini dance lessons and the opportunity to cut a rug. Price: $5 per person Lake Elmo Jaycees Punt, Pass & Kick Competition    When: Saturday, Sept. 17 at 9 a.m. Where: Lions Park (3235 Laverne Ave. N., Lake Elmo) Why Go: Kids from 6-15 years old are invited to participate in the 50th anniversary of the NFL Punt, Pass & Kick national skills competition for boys and girls. Registration begins at 9 a.m. and the competition begins promptly at 10 a.m Price: Free Somali Cultural Event When: Saturday, Sept. 17 at 2 p.m. Where: R.H. Stafford Branch Library Why Go: …

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Residents React To Plan To Cut Days At Library

The library system has to “share the pain,” manager of Woodbury library says, as the county trims its 2012 budget.

Woodbury resident Carol Mader comes to the R.H. Stafford Branch Library every couple of weeks. And she likes coming on Sundays. “That’s when I usually have free time,” said Mader, who has lived in the city for 20 years. With news that Washington County is likely to close its libraries on Sundays and Mondays starting Jan. 1, 2012, Mader said she was somewhat disappointed. “It’s a wonderful asset to our community, to have a library like this,” she said. The Washington County Board this week continued to look at ways to trim its budget in the wake of reduced funding from the state, and that includes the likely closure of libraries on Sundays and Mondays. “It’s really unfortunate,” said Chad Lubbers, manager of the R.H. Stafford Branch Library…

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Mark Wackerfuss

9:24 am on Thursday, August 18, 2011

There has to be a better solution than to close the public libraries.This is no legitimate solution. Lets start by examining the library administative expenses and the mismanagement of budgets by these directors. No one has to lose their jobs, the libraries can stay open Sundays and Mondays, and the folks of Woodbury and Washington County will benefit if our County Commissioners have the courage …   more ›