Take the 30 sec. speed test!

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The Minnesota Rural Broadband Coalition is conducting a statewide crowd-sourced internet speed testing initiative.“For years we’ve been relying on incomplete data to make big decisions on broadband infrastructure in Minnesota,” said Nathan Zacharias, Project Manager for the Minnesota Speed Test Initiative. “Most broadband maps stop at the census block, township, or county level. The Minnesota Speed Test Initiative will give us house-by-house data that just isn’t available anywhere else. We’re very excited to get this project in the field.”

The speed test can be taken with any device that has an internet or cellular connection and takes less than one minute to complete. No personal information will be collected. Testing data will be statistically valid and provide a map of what service levels are for any given area in the state. This information will be an important tool for communities that are planning a broadband expansion project through the FCC, USDA, or MN Borderto-Border Broadband Grant Program.

COVID-19 has shown us how important access to broadband is for every Minnesotan now that we’re being asked to work, learn, or receive care from home. Broadband is no different than any other basic utility that people need. It is an essential part of our daily lives.

Virtual Programs available to you

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Click on any of the titles below to access virtual programming.  There is something for every age!

mississippi journey with Doug Ohman Journey Down the Mississippi with Doug Ohman

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

JollyPops musical group  The Jolly Pops Virtual Summer Concert

  National Eagle Center Program 

Please fill out a short survey online if you watched any of the programs listed above.  They were made possible with money from Minnesota’s Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund and the people of Minnesota for Library Legacy activities.  Your input is crucial to our completion of required final reports.  Thanks!!

 Science Tellers present … Dragons: Return of the Ice Sorceress!

Our Science Tellers program was made possible with funding from the Friends of the Chatfield Public Library.

 

Journey Down the Mississippi with Doug Ohman!

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If you have been to any of Doug Ohman’s programs (we have hosted him at least 3 times and have all of his books) you will remember what an incredible photographer, historian, and storyteller he is.  His programs are always wildly popular and incredibly enjoyable.  Don’t miss your chance to enjoy this kayak adventure down the Mississippi River right from the comfort of your own armchair!  You can access all 3 parts of his virtual journey below.

Part 1:  Doug will take you from the river’s headwaters at Lake Itasca to the central Minnesota town of Little Falls. Along the way you will experience wilderness, large lakes and interesting towns in this 400 mile journey. Doug will share Minnesota history and stories that relate to this upper section of river.

Part 2:  Continue Kayaking with Doug through the heart of Minnesota from Little Falls to St. Paul.  This 130 mile stretch of the river is sure to entertain and educate as he travels through some larger urban centers such as St. Cloud and Minneapolis.  You will experience going through three river locks and Doug shares more historical information about two very important explorers of the Mississippi River.

Part 3:  Doug paddles from the river city of St. Paul all the way down to the Iowa border, completing his trip down the entire Mississippi River within Minnesota.  This final stretch of nearly 200 miles of river takes you into some of the most picturesque scenery on the trip so far.  You will also experience some of the most charming river towns in the state, such as Red Wing and Wabasha.  When Doug finally reaches the Iowa border, he will have traveled approximately 720 miles of this incredible American river.

This virtual program is made possible with money from Minnesota’s Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund and the people of Minnesota for Library Legacy activities.  We would be very grateful for your opinions of this program.  Please leave a comment or send an email to monica@selco.info.  Your comments will be extremely helpful as we fill out a required final report detailing the success of this program.  Thank you!

All of the virtual programs we have posted so far will be available at least until August 31, 2020.

Please fill out the survey below before July 27th. Because this is a Legacy funded program, we need to submit a final report. And we need your comments in order to fill out this report! Thank you!

Now Hiring: Part time library cleaner

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cleaning materials

The Chatfield Public Library seeks a responsible, self-directed individual who prides themselves in doing a thorough job.

Responsible for cleaning the library at least 2 times a week. Schedule negotiable, 8 hours/week, $14/hr.  Experience preferable.

Full job description and application available upon request from the library (507-867-3480), online at www.chatfieldpubliclibrary.org, or via email monica@selco.info.  Please send application to the library at 314 S. Main St., Chatfield, MN 55923. Position will remain open until filled.

 

Science Tellers present … Dragons: Return of the Ice Sorceress!

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A long time ago, in a faraway land, two brave villagers go on a daring journey to release the dragons and save the kingdom from an evil Ice Sorceress. When things don’t go as planned, however, the kids might need to look to themselves — and to science! — for the answer.

Don’t miss this fun fantasy adventure featuring awesome dry ice experiments as special effects!

A virtual program brought to you by a generous contribution from the Friends of the Library.

You can access this program as many times as you wish until the end of August.  Just click the photo above.

Interested in doing your own experiment involving ice?  Learn how to make “sticky ice” in this bonus experiment here …

Team of young prodigies conducting scientific experiments

All you need is a cup, water, an ice cube, string, and salt.   Share photos with us if you do the experiment!

 

The Jolly Pops Virtual Summer Concert

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Get ready to dance to your favorite Jolly Pops tunes at their virtual summer concert.  The Happy Dads bring family music fun in this 35 minute video along with animations, your favorite puppet characters (like Bacon and Chompy) and so much more!The Jolly Pops virtual concert

Watch as many times as you like all summer!

Please fill out the survey below before July 27th. Because this is a Legacy funded program, we need to submit a final report. And we need your comments in order to fill out this report! Thank you!

Curbside Pick-up Now Available

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We are pleased that we can now offer Curbside Pick-up on the Patio!

1) Request the titles you’d like through one of the following options:

2) When you are notified that your items are available, please schedule a time to come pick them up.

Tuesday          10am – 6pm
Wednesday     10am – 6pm
Thursday         10am – 6pm
Friday                9am – 5pm

3) Come to the library at your scheduled time and pick up your items from the patio area out in front of the library.  Your items will already be checked out to you and waiting with your name on them.

If it happens to be raining, your items will be in a bag leaning against the building under the overhang by the front door.

Building Closed

The library building remains closed to the public.  You may see workmen coming and going as construction and renovation work continue inside.  We can’t wait until it is finished and it is once again safe enough for you to come in and enjoy.  We miss you!

Stay safe!

Free Online Resources

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Coloured Dice Showing Org, Biz, Info, Int, Net, Com, EduSOME ONLINE RESOURCES   (Updated daily)

LISTS OF ONLINE RESOURCES

SELCO compiled a great list, complete with links, to a wide variety of electronic resources for education and entertainment. Be sure to scroll all the way down; there are many resources for all ages on their page:  https://tinyurl.com/whfnfbd

All resources provided HERE are free. Some sites do not require a login, but some may require you to create a free login.

Amazing Educational Resources has a public spreadsheet available detailing the ever growing list of available resources.

Google Arts and Culture Collection provides links to museums that offer free virtual resources and tours.

The Link Library is a new & growing initiative begun during the COVID-19 crisis by Minnesota’s BEST field trip destinations, independent providers & entertainers. Enjoy FREE access to linked videos & media they have produced for the benefit of schools, families, distance learners, daycare providers, group leaders and activity coordinators. Content includes standards-supporting educational classes, experiential learning (field trips, projects, classes, and activities), tours, and just-plain-fun entertainment in 6 simple categories for all ages: students, youth, active adults & seniors.

FOR YOUTH

Audible  For as long as schools are closed, they’re open. Kids everywhere can instantly stream an incredible collection of stories, including titles across six different languages, that will help them continue dreaming, learning, and just being kids.  All stories are free to stream on your desktop, laptop, phone or tablet.  Explore the collection, select a title and start listening.  It’s that easy.

Cosmic Kids Yoga offers free yoga resources for kids on their YouTube channel.

Dav Pilkey at Home The author of the youth book series, Dog Man and Captain Underpants has teamed up with Scholastic Books to bring you weekly activities, exciting videos and much more.  Every Friday a variety of activities will be uploaded to the Scholastic website for young fans to enjoy.

Draw Everyday  Author and illustrator, Jarrett J. Krosoczka, offers a ‘Draw Everyday’ tutorial on his YouTube channel.

Fun Family Crafts offers free educational crafting ideas from toddler to teen including crystal egg geodes and coffee ground fossils.

Go Noodle is offering free short videos to get kids moving and dancing.

Imagineering in a Box  Enjoy a series of interactive lessons in theme park design and engineering, designed to give a behind-the-scenes peek into Imagineering’s development process. It combines 32 videos of actual Imagineers, real-world case studies, and lots of interactive activities to give you the opportunity to dream and design your very own theme park experience!  It’s available to all and completely free. Created in partnership with the Khan Academy and Pixar.

Junior Library Guild Now offering FREE access to the JLG Digital online reading platform.  With JLG Gold Standard eBooks for Elementary, Middle School and High School students, JLG Digital gives you unlimited access to read books online from any device. No passwords necessary and no limit to the number of users who can access the books at the same time. Titles enter and exit the digital stream regularly, so there are always new picks available!

Operation Storytime is offering read-alouds from enough authors to fill a virtual library. This site has a spreadsheet with a schedule and links.

Rochester Writing Lab  Attention Young Writers: If you’re spending some of your free time with your fingers on the keyboard writing the next best seller, a few RWL local authors are offering to read and edit your work to keep you headed in the right direction. There’s no need to be on this journey alone. Writers must unite!  Contact info@rochesterwritinglab.com and they will send you instructions on how to upload your file to their File Share. They have lots of writing prompts on their blog if you need something to help you get started!

Scholastic Learn at Home is offering free “day-by-day projects to keep kids reading, thinking and growing.”

Storyline Online: The SAG-AFTRA Foundation’s award-winning children’s literacy website, Storyline Online, streams videos featuring celebrated actors reading children’s books alongside creatively produced illustrations.  It is available 24 hours a day for children, parents, caregivers and educators worldwide. Each book includes supplemental curriculum developed by a credentialed elementary educator, aiming to strengthen comprehension and verbal and written skills for English-language learners.

Vidcode is a coding platform for 3rd grade and up. They provide free curriculum, highly visual coding platform and teacher support. The curricular approach enables students to create video filters, simulations, augmented reality, and other creative projects — all while learning the fundamentals of computer science & web programming.

FOR ADULTS

Great Courses Enter code FREEMO at checkout to watch free for a month.  Listen or watch on your TV, laptop, tablet and smartphone.

Longform offers a wide variety of new and classic non-fiction articles from around the web.  Longform is a free website sponsored by the Writing Program at the University of Pittsburgh.  Longform adds new articles daily and also offers a weekly podcast with authors on how they tell stories.

Longreads is dedicated to helping people find and share the best storytelling in the world. It features in-depth investigative reporting, interviews and profiles, podcasts, essays and criticism.  Longreads has been nominated for three National Magazine Awards, and Longreads.com has been cited for digital excellence by the Online News Association and Peabody Awards. Their stories have been featured in the Best American anthology series, and their series “Bundyville,” with Leah Sottile and Oregon Public Broadcasting, was named one of the best podcasts of 2018.

Open Culture has free textbooks, movies, audiobooks and links to free online courses from professors.

VIRTUAL TOURS FOR ALL

You can Google just about any location, along with the words “virtual tour”, and find free online tours, but here is a list of some you may want to start with:

 

 

What to know about the library’s closing

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A posted sign that says, "Sorry we are closed."In order to help prevent and mitigate the spread of Covid 19, the library closed on March 17th.  The well-being of staff, you, and all the members of the community are of utmost importance and will guide our decision regarding when the library will re-open.

 

CONTACT INFO

Please rest assured that we are still here for you.  You can reach out to library staff for assistance by calling 507-867-3480 and we will do our best to respond to any messages you leave as soon as possible.  For more immediate assistance, email staff at monica@selco.info.

DUE DATES

Due dates for all physical materials have been extended to May 11th.  No new overdue fines will be assessed on anything checked in during the library’s closure.  You may return library items in the drop slots on the front of the building at any time.

HOLDS

To the best of our knowledge, items that are presently on hold for you at the library will still be available to you for at least a week after we re-open.  You may continue to request materials online, but the library is not receiving any library deliveries while closed.  Your requests through SELCO should remain active until they are filled, up to a year from when they are placed.

EBOOKS & DIGITAL AUDIOS

Have you been putting off exploring the process of checking out ebooks and digital audiobooks?  Well, there is no better time than now to give it a try!  Libby is a free app you can use to borrow ebooks and digtal audiobooks from your public library.  You can stream books with Wi-Fi or mobile data, or download them for offline use and read anytime, anywhere.  All you need to get started is a library card.  To get a free library card, learn what your library card number is (the 13-digit number below the barcode on your library card; be sure to enter it with no spaces) or what your PIN number is (usually the last 4 digits of the phone number the library has on file for you), please contact the library.  Go to help.libbyapp.com for more help in getting started accessing digital reading materials for all ages and interests.

WI-FI

Please remember that open wifi access is available to you at all times from most locations right outside the library.

UPDATES

Check back here or our facebook page for updates, dependable information, and links to a variety of online resources available to you.

LIBRARY IMPROVEMENT PROJECT

Our library improvement project has kicked into high gear since we closed.  A silver lining to our unfortunate need to close is that some of the improvements we have planned may be completed sooner than originally planned!

ONLINE RESOURCES

In the post above we have listed some online resources you might find helpful or interesting.  We’ll add more as we become aware of them.

WE ARE HERE FOR YOU

With so many services needing to close their doors so abruptly, we hope that you will never feel as if you have no one to turn to during this unpredictable and trying time.  Though our front door is closed, we are still here to help you find answers that you need.

Advice Help Support And Tips Signpost Shows Information And Guidance

The library is often the place people turn to when they do not know where to turn; never doubt that we are still that place.

Please feel free to reach out to us.

 

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Library closed

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In compliance with the Executive Order from Governor Walz, the Chatfield Public Library is closed to the public.

All fines will be waived upon check-in during this period. Feel free to drop materials off through our 24-hour drop slots on the front of the building and just to the left of the front door.

We do not know at this time how long the library will be closed to the public. We apologize for the inconvenience, but fully support these measures to be mindfully proactive to ensure a healthy environment for our community.

 

Storytime cancelled Tuesday, March 17th

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Due to unforeseen circumstances, storytime is cancelled this Tuesday, March 17th. We apologize for the inconvenience!

Little girl reading to her teddy bears.
For some storytime fun your children can enjoy right from home, take a look at the SAG-AFTRA Foundation’s award-winning children’s literacy website, Storyline Online (www.storylineonline.net). You can stream videos featuring celebrated actors reading children’s books alongside creatively produced illustrations.

The library will be open, so feel free to come check out books for your own storytimes at home.

Census help available at the library …

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Because Librarians believe that everyone counts.

The Chatfield Public Library is partnering with the US Census Bureau to support the 2020 Census.  As a partner, we’ll be working to ensure that our community is accurately represented.

For the first time, beginning in mid-March 2020, the U.S. Census Bureau will accept responses online. The process will be quick and secure.  We offer assistance, public computers, and free internet access to help make sure you are counted.

To learn more about what to expect, visit 2020census.gov.  If you need help … come to the library.

 

Tax Time

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FEDERAL:  Forms and instructions for 1040 and 1040-SR are available free at the library.

Post-Release Changes to Tax Forms, Instructions, and Publications can be found here: https://www.irs.gov/forms-pubs/changes-to-current-forms-publications

The  most up-to-date forms and instructions are available at www.irs.gov

STATE: The State no longer provides the library with forms or instructions.  As a courtesy, the library has printed 2019 M1, Individual Income Tax and M1PR, Homestead Credit Refund and Renter’s Property Tax Refund forms for the public to take.  If you need more than one copy of each, you can make copies for 25 cents a piece.

The library has printed instructions for the Minnesota Individual Income Tax and Property Tax Refund that you may check out if you wish.  Please ask at the circulation desk.

State forms and instructions are available at www.revenue.state.mn.us.

If you would like to file online, you are welcome to come do so using the library’s computers!