Library Information
Threads of Our Community Quilt
View the Library's Community Quilt page. 
The quilt contains 55 blocks representing 40 different countries, cultures, and backgrounds. On this web page, you can find out more about the quilters who contributed blocks, by clicking on the individual blocks of the quilt photo.
Did you know...?
The "Threads of Our Community" quilt is on display at the top of the stairs on the 2nd floor of the library. The quilt contains 55 blocks representing 40 different countries/cultures/backgrounds. While you really need to come see it in person to appreciate how beautiful it is, you can get a preview of how it looks by looking at our Threads of Our Community web page. On this web page, you can find out more about the quilters who contributed blocks, by clicking on the individual blocks of the quilt photo. Books that contain all of the biographies are also available for sale at the Friends of the Library Bookstore.
Text A Librarian
You can now text message your questions to the Rochester Public Library. Just text your question to 507.722.1581 and we will text you back with an answer. If you text us during open hours, we will text you right back. If you text us after we are closed, we will respond the next day that we are open.
Search the Library Catalog on your iPhone
You can now search the Rochester Public Library's Catalog on your iPhone by downloading the free BookMyne app from the iTunes store. Browse the catalog, check your account and place reserves directly from your iPhone.
Our Mango online language learning service recently expanded to offer NEW Basic Courses in these languages: Arabic (Leventine), Farsi, Pashto, Urdu, Turkish, Hebrew, Korean, Vietnamese, Thai, Tagalog, Hindi, Irish in addition to more extensive courses in Chinese (Mandarin), French, German, Greek, Italian, Japanese, Portuguese (Brazil),Russian, and Spanish (Latin 
American).
English as a Second Language (ESL) Basic Courses are also available for native speakers of: French, Italian, German, Russian, Mandarin Chinese, Cantonese Chinese, Japanese, Greek, Arabic, Korean, and Vietnamese.
The library has several consumer tools to help you be a smarter shopper during the holiday gift giving season. The library has a Consumer Publications section (on the second floor near the reference desk) with current and past issues of Consumer Reports, 
Computer Shopper, and other periodicals/books evaluating a wide range of products. You can also use our online magazine databases to find product reviews (try searching the MegaFile database and use the word "evaluation" along with the name of the product type you're searching for). We also have a list of good Consumer Information websites you might to check out on the internet.
Need some investment information when you're away from the library? Now you can 
access the Value Line investment database online with your library card and PIN through the library's website. Value Line provides investment research on stocks, mutual funds, options and convertibles, and offers a family of no-load mutual funds. It has one of the largest independent research staffs of investment analysts and statisticians in the world. They collect data and analyze the performance of approximately 8,000 stocks, 15,000 mutual funds, 80,000 options and other securities.
One quick way to find information about the 
library (how to get a card, parking info, etc.,) is to use our Site Index page. You can search for what you need by looking at an alphabetical list of links to the most requested services and information on the library’s website. It is available on both the “Take Me To” pull down menu on the upper right hand side of every page of the website, and as a link at the very bottom of pages on our website.
Are you looking for a good book to read or a new DVD to watch? Are you overwhelmed by 
all of the choices available at the Rochester Public Library? Visit our Staff Picks Areas for suggestions by library staff for books and movies they have enjoyed. The Staff Picks Book Area is on the first floor (just to the right side of the New Books display near the mystery fiction). The Staff Picks DVD Area can be found on the first shelf of the “B” section in the movie DVD area near the Fiction, Movies & Music desk on the first floor.
Looking for a new career? Need to polish up 
your résumé or job interviewing skills? Thinking about going back to school? Need support during the current economic climate? Visit our new Employment Resources page for links to library resources (books, CDs, DVDs, CD-ROMs), local job training resources, helpful internet sites, employment opportunities from local businesses, and more.
To be or not to be....a Library Goose? The Rochester Public Library now features the "Bird as Bard" goose statue by the library entrance courtesy of artist Leisa Luis-Grill and sponsors Judy & Jim Sloan Foundation and Phil & Barbara Henoch. Read more about Rochester's latest flock of geese in this story in the Post Bulletin or see them all in this interactive map.
Book Group-in-a-Bag has come to the 
Children’s Division of the Rochester Public Library! Book Group in-a-Bag 4 Kids is available in 11 different titles. One person checks out the bag which contains 6 or 8 copies of the chosen title and a discussion guide. The bags are checked out for a six week period. Distribute the books to the kids in your book group and let the reading begin. Then meet and discuss the book. A great way to get kids reading this summer! Reading is a fun reason to get together. Click here to find out more.
The library now has the entire Microsoft Office 2007 suite installed on every adult internet computer on the second floor. Programs include Word 2007 (for word processing, résumé writing), Excel 2007 (for creating spreadsheets), Publisher 2007 (for creating posters and flyers) and PowerPoint 2007 (for creating slide presentations). There is also a digital scanner available at Adult Internet Computer "A".
- Reference librarians in the nation’s public and academic libraries answer more than 7.2 million questions
weekly. - There are more public libraries than McDonald’s restaurants in the U.S.—a total of 16,549, including branches.
- The national average annual cost to the taxpayer for access to this wide range of resources is about $31, the cost of one hardcover book. Try our Library Cost Calculator to figure out how much the library is worth to you...
Rochester Public Library support learners at all ages. As schools face difficult budget cuts, students can visit the 
library and receive Homework Assistance on Mon, Tues, and Thurs nights from 6:00 - 8:45pm from community volunteers. Students from grade school to college level may also use our BrainFuse online tutoring program seven days a week. The library also provides practice ACT, SAT, etc. tests and study books and online practice exams at Learn A Test. Visit the Children's section for early literacy support through materials, programs and storytime kits for parents and daycare providers. Let us know what we can do for you.
Public libraries are the number one point of online access for people without 
Internet connections at home, school or work. For job seekers, this can be vital because many businesses only accept job applications online (only 44% of the top 100 U.S. retailers accepted in-store paper applications in 2006). Job seekers also come to the library to read classified ads in our newspapers. Libraries make job-seeking books and other materials available for free. We also offer word processing computers for putting together and printing out resumes. Let us know what we can do for you.
Libraries are an even more vital part of our community during difficult economic times. Our free resources (computer access, books, DVDs, CDs, classes, and librarian expertise) help with job hunting, learning computer skills, and finding important information. The number of items checked out at Rochester Public Library was up 18% in December 2008 over the previous December. Let us know how we can help you.
Laptop users, if you are connected to the 
Rochester Public Library Hotspot (wireless) on your computer, you can now print documents using the color printer on the second floor of the library. In order to so do, you must first install a printer driver on your laptop. Visit our computer page for more details.
When you shop at Amazon.com you can support the Friends of the Rochester Public Library. If you click on the Amazon.com banner below (or on the one on the Friends of the Library homepage) to enter the Amazon.com website before you begin your order, the Friends will automatically receive about 5% of the purchase price.
Users of our popular Storytime Kits (big kits overflowing with books and other educational materials on a single "theme") and Book Group 
In A Bag kits (bags with ten copies of a single book and reading group guides designed to make book clubs easy) will now notice their bookings appear on their library account when they log into the My Account page on the library website.
You can now pay your library fees securely online with a VISA, MasterCard or 
Discover card. Just log into My Account with your library card and PIN number, scroll down to "Fees Owed" section and click on the "Pay Online" button and follow the instructions. In order to use this service, your total fees must be a minimum of $2.00. Any online payment must be made for the entire amount (partial payments can still be made by cash or check at the Public Service desk.) Please call 507-328-2304 if you have any questions.
The Rochester Public Library now has 
MP3 digital audio players available to check out! You can use our MP3 players or your own to download free audio books from the library's collection and listen to them while you're on the go. Browse our digital audio collection at digital.rochesterpubliclibrary.org. If you would like to reserve a player, click here to check the availablity or call the Fiction, Movies & Music desk at 507-328-2305.
Some of the best book buys in all of Rochester are available at the Friends of the Library Bookstore located on the main floor of the library building, just to the right of
the main entrance. This volunteer-run bookstore offers hundreds of quality used books and more. Most books are priced between $.25 - $5.00. Thanks the the generous donations of our community, the Friends Bookstore is stocked with a constantly-changing inventory ranging from best-selling fiction to Children's books to cookbooks and even some foreign language fiction. The store also offers a special collectible book selection in the shop which range from $10.00 to $50.00.
And if free is your favorite price, the Friends Bookstore offers a selection of books and magazines that are yours for the taking just outside the Bookstore door! Visit the Bookstore page for hours and more detail
Rochester Public Library is one of 
a handful of public libraries in Minnesota to participate in the new AskMN 24/7 reference service for library patrons in Minnesota. With AskMN, you can contact a librarian any time day or night. Just click on the AskMN link in the "Ask A Librarian" sections of our website (like the one in the section directly below this text), and you will be able to text message with a librarian immediately. Go to the AskMN page for more details
The wait is finally over! You can now download audio books from the library's digital collection to your iPod audio player! Audio bo
oks offered in the new OverDrive MP3 Audiobook format will play on hundreds of portable devices including iPods, iPhones, and other Apple devices. With a valid library card, you can check out and download an array of best-selling and classic titles from our Digital Library Catalog. For any questions, please call the Fiction, Movies and Music desk at 507-328-2305.
Out-of-town visitors have several options for using resources at the Rochester Public Library. Visitors may obtain a free guest pass to use 
the internet with a photo ID. Our wireless internet access and first floor word processing computers do not require a card for use and are open to everyone. Out-of-state visitors who want to check out materials may obtain a 2-month Visitor's Card for $10 at the Public Service Desk on the first floor. Visitors to Rochester who have library cards from other Minnesota libraries can register their cards here and gain the same library privileges as local card holders. Please call the Public Service Desk at 507-328-2304 for further details
The library has a variety of book discussion groups that you can join. 
These range from the Armchair Travelers (books that take you to a different time or place), Literature Into Film (books made into movies), Mystery Readers, Night Owl Book Group (books you just can't put down), and Plain Readers (books set in the Midwest or by Midwestern authors). Click on the name of a group to see the upcoming reading schedule. Sign up at the Fiction, Movies and Music Desk at the Library, or call 507-328-2305 for details.
You can sign up for library classes yourself using our online Events Calendar. Click on the 
"Events & Classes" link (from the lower menu bar), find the class you're interested in, click on the class name, fill in your name and contact information in the "Registration" boxes, click on the "Complete Registration" button and you're all set. If a class happens to be full, you will be put on a waiting list and contacted if a space opens up. If you have any questions or prefer to let our fingers do the typing for you, please call us at the reference desk at 507-328-2309!
In addition to the regular copies of current best
sellers in the library’s collection, the library offers additional rental copies of select 
bestsellers. If you need that new James Patterson (or Sue Grafton or Janet Evanovich) book right away, look for a copy with the distinctive green band on our rental book kiosk - located in the first floor entryway opposite the main desk. Rental books check out for 28 days and cost $2.00. Rental books are available on a first come, first served basis and cannot be put on hold.
You can bring your used inkjet and toner 
cartridges to the library to recycle. If you're coming into the library, you can deposit your empty cartridges in the plastic bin just to the right of the main doors on first floor. If you would rather drive up, you can bring them to the drive up area behind the library (on 1st Avenue SE) and drop them in the plastic bin to the left of the bookmobile garage door (next to the blue bin for Friends bookstore donations).
If you need instant storage space when 
you're downloading email attachments or photos, the library has some good news for you. We now flash drives available for purchase at the Public Services Desk on the first floor for $10. Call us at 507-328-2305 if you have any questions.
The library has three computers by the east windows on the first floor that have 
Office 2007 programs installed on them. Programs include: Word (for word processing), Excel (for making spreadsheets), Power Point (for creating slide presentations), and Publisher (for creating posters/graphics). There is also a scanner hooked up to one of the computers for scanning photos and documents and a printer nearby. These computers are available on a first come, first served basis.
If you give the library your e-mail address, you automatically get an e-mail reminder notice two days before your library materials are due! E-mail is also the quickest way for you to be notified if a reserve item is available for you. If you would like to change your library notifications to e-mail (rather than phone or postal mail), please stop by the Public Services Desk on the first floor or call us at 507-328-2304
Rochester Public Library has thousands o
f materials (such as books, magazines, and videos) in foreign languages. The Adult foreign language section is located on the 2nd floor and includes materials in Arabic, Chinese, French, German, Hindi, Hmong, Italian, Japanese, Khmer, Russian, Serbo-Croatian/Bosnian, Somali, Spanish, Vietnamese, and other languages. In addition to the materials upstairs, the Children’s section on 1st floor has books in languages including Spanish, French, Somali, Vietnamese, and more for younger readers.
Never miss a booksale or author program again! The library is now using GovDelivery, an email notification system used by the City of Rochester, to alert you to upcoming events and current news. Whenever you see a red envelope 
on a library webpage, you can click on it and subscribe to receive a notice when we update that page. Or if you want to visit a one-stop shopping place for all of the library's GovDelivery options, click on the red envelope at the top of the upper right column on this page to see all the options available (including other City departments). Let us know if you have any questions about this great new service at 507-328-2309 or email us.
The library has thousands of newspaper and magazine articles, encyclopedia entries, biographies, and other learning resources available online 24/7. If you have seen these billboards around town you know that you can learn Spanish, look up business resources, download audio books, find homework help (and much, much more) from your computer. Click here to find out more about the databases highlighted on our latest billboards or go right to the entire list of databases and see just what your library has available for you!
Our Sit...Stay...Read Program returns this December! This program 
allows school-age children, grades 1-6, to read aloud to one of several specially-trained Therapy Dogs. These dogs provide a supportive audience for kids to practice their reading skills. This program developed out of research that shows the benefits of the human-animal bond and offers a special chance to boost literacy. Advanced sign-up is required, so register now to reserve your chance to read to your favorite dog. Visit the Sit..Stay...Read Program page for more details. Your child will be pawsitively thrilled!
Your Rochester Public Library card "expires" every three years. The reason that we set cards to expire is so that we have a chance to double-check and make sure we have your most up-to-date contact information (address, phone number, e-mail) every few years. When your card is "expired" it needs to be renewed before you can use it again. You can renew your card in person at the Public Services desk on the first floor or call during open hours at 507-328-2304.
The Rochester Public Library has an adaptive computer workstation for people who are 
blind, have low vision, or reading/learning disabilities. The workstation is equipped with adaptive technology which allows people with visual disabilities to use the library's online catalog and surf the Internet. Find out more here.
In addition to downloading audio books from home, you can downlo
ad them directly to your MP3 player at the library's Download Station located near the Fiction, Movies and Music (FM&M) desk. From techie to newbie, the Download Station makes the process quick and easy. Our audio book format (WMA) is supported by manufacturers such as Creative, iRiver, Rio, and SanDisk. (iPods are not compatible at this time.) If you are unsure that your player will work, feel free to bring it in and test for compatibility right at the station. For any questions please visit or call the FM&M desk at 507-328-2305.
When you're stumped about what to read next, what movie you should bring home or what tunes you should listen to in your car on your next road trip, you can always stop at the 
Fiction Movies & Music desk on the first floor and take advantage of our Reader
s' Advisory services to match you up with the library resources you're looking for. Readers' Advisory services can range from helping you find a "read-alike" for your favorite author, to recommending a foreign film you might enjoy, to letting you know where to find all of that great polka music that you've been craving. T
he next time you're looking for what to read/watch/listen to next, stop by the Fiction Movies & Music desk and let us see what we can find for you.
The library now has online access to Morningstar.com, a powerful tool for helping make your investment decisions. Feat
ures include "screens" for matching investments to your personal needs, access to Morningstar's data reports covering over 20,000 financial products, and a comparison tool for multiple stocks and/or mutual funds. Access to Morningstar.com is available both inside and outside the library. Our current level of access allows up to two patrons logged into Mormingstar at one time, so please make sure to hit the "end session" button when you're finished in case someone else is waiting. To log in, visit our Business Resources page and click on the "Morningstar" link in the Business Links box on the right side of the page.
There is an “Express” Internet computer for adults 
on the second floor. If you only need to use the Internet for fifteen minutes or less, especially during a busy time where there may be a long wait for a regular Internet computer, you may want to consider using the Express Internet computer instead. Often there is little or no wait for these computers. To sign up for the Express computer, you need choose “Express Adult Internet” when you are making your Internet reservation. If you have any questions, be sure to ask at the Reference desk.
The library provides a wireless internet hot spot so that you can bring in your laptop with a wireless modem and surf the web. The best place to catch the connection is on the second floor near the magazine reading area. Stop at the reference desk for more details.
For those library patrons who live in the city of Rochester and are unable to travel to the library due to illness or disabil
ity, Rochester Public Library is proud to provide homebound delivery services. Once every month library staff and volunteers will deliver your books, audiobooks, videos, and other library materials right to your door! This service is provided at no charge for residents of Olmsted County.
Please call 507.328.2305 for more information.
more »
You can take a "storytime" home with you? The library provides storytime kits for you to check out. Children from two to six years old will love these kits for their own personal storytime. Kits check out for up to two weeks. They contain 10 - 15 books along with puzzles, puppets, and other items that will enhance a child's literary experience. Check one out today! more »
The first hour of parking in the CITY parking
ramps downtown
is free anytime! If you’re visiting the library
(or anywhere else in downtown Rochester) and leave the ramp
before one hour has expired, there is no charge for parking.
Also remember that you can park in the ramps or at the meters for free on weeknights after 5pm and all day on the weekends.
Have you seen this billboard around town touting our exciting online resources? From getting access to car repair information to test prep to genealogy to newspapers, you can get more online at your library! Most of these resources are available both at the library and on your home computer via the internet with your library card. Thanks to Think Credit
Union and Magic Media for partnering with the library to get the
word out about these valuable resources. more»
The Friends of the Library bookstore sells quality books including children's books, fiction, non-fiction and foreign language fiction.
Items range from $.25 to $5.00 for newer hardcover books. Most paperback fiction is $.50 with some newer ones priced up to $1.00. There are some collectibles books in the shop which range from $10.00 to $50.00.
The proceeds of the sales go to benefit the Rochester Public Library. Click here for more information.
Frustrated by a Google or Yahoo query? Not sure where the information is produced? Library recommended websites is a great place to start the hunt for quality information. These quality sites are well reviewed or often used by library staff to find information. Check out the health sites for the latest on the bird flu or pandemic influenza.
Popular items have shorter loan periods. If an item has 5 or more holds (people waiting for the item), the loan period is cut in half. Books with 5 or more holds have a loan period of 14 days and will not renew. Media items with 5 or more holds have a loan period of 7 days and will not renew. View New Materials Lists
To get a FREE library card, you need to bring in a picture ID and have
proof of your current address. If your ID does not have your current
address, you can bring mail that has been sent to you at your home, a check
blank, pay stub, or lease agreement to verify your address.
Library cards can be used at any library in Minnesota. With a card you can check out materials, use the internet, place interlibrary loans and use a variety of special databases like the magazine index, genealogy search tools and auto repair resource center from your home computer. Start the application process with this online form.
That the library comes to your neighborhood? The Rochester Public Library Bookmobile is dedicated to providing access to information, literature, and ideas to members of the community who are unable to use the main library due to geographic, transportation, economic or other barriers.
The Bookmobile regularly carries more than 4,500 items, including adult and children’s books, audiobooks, magazines and DVDs. It has the highest circulation of any bookmobile in the state of Minnesota; in addition to visiting neighborhoods and schools within the city limits, it also makes weekly stops in Byron,Oronoco and other locations in Olmsted county. View the Bookmobile schedule.
All library materials (even music, videos and DVDs!) can be returned 24/7 at the drive-thru book drop located on the west side of the building. If you ever experience technical difficulties with the mechanical book drop slot, please feel free to use the two manual slots located just to the right of the main book drop.
That a Fiction book is the
product of an author’s imagination. The book might mention
real people or real places; however, the story line, or plot,
is made up.
A Non-Fiction book is not made up. Non-Fiction
books include true stories about people, places, and things,
and also topics such as Cooking, Science, Technology, Music,
and Travel.
Rochester Public Library has both types in abundance and also in a variety of formats: in large print, on audiocassette, on compact disc, or downloadable for your Mp3 player.
We have Express Reserves. You can pick up your reserved books and audio books yourself. They are located behind the Self Check machines and shelved by the first three letters of your last name and the last 5 numbers of your library card. Pick them up, check them out and be on your way.
The Children’s area has Illustrated Fiction for Older Readers? The J-I collection has books that look like picture books but have stories and/or information suitable for 4th grade and up. Ask the children’s desk staff where they are located.
Rochester Public Library currently circulates about 1.7 million items a year. When you average that out for the days and hours that the library is open, that’s approximately 5,030 items/day or 527 items/hour!
Last updated: 7/31/10