While our building is closed to the public, we have plenty of resources to help you enrich your social distancing experience and stay connected to the library.

Virtual Programming

How to view live streams on Facebook Live

To watch our Facebook Live events, visit the South St. Paul Public Library Facebook page. To receive notifications when we are live, be sure to “like" South St. Paul Library on Facebook and enable notifications.

All Live Events are archived, so if you’ve missed one, don’t worry. Click on the Videos tab to watch anytime.

Virtual Storytime

Join Miss Amy on Tuesday mornings at 10:30 for a storytime full of songs, rhymes, and stories via Facebook live. 

Keep the music going at home with this Spotify playlist featuring some of Miss Amy’s favorite storytime songs for kids.

Enjoy a virtual storytime featuring Dakota County Librarians on Monday, Wednesday, or Friday mornings at 9:30 am via Facebook Live.

Book Snacks

Listen to the first chapter of children’s fiction books read aloud by Miss Amy. Two new videos are released every Thursday at noon, but you can view all the videos on the library’s YouTube channel.

Online Learning with RAD Zoo

Join Dakota County Library for an online series to learn about the lives of frogs, turtles, lizards, snakes and more — right at home. Watch live, up-close demonstrations of unique creatures from Minnesota’s Reptile and Amphibian Discovery Zoo. Geared for ages 3 and older. Presented by RAD Zoo.

Thu, March 26: Amphibians and Turtles, 10–10:45 a.m.
Thu, April 2: Snakes and Lizards, 10–10:45 a.m.
Thu, April 9: Australian Animals, 10–10:45 a.m.
Thu, April 16: Dinosaurs and Crocodilians, 10–10:45 a.m.

West African Storytelling: The Ancient Craft of Jaliyaa

Experience captivating stories and music through an ancient West African storytelling craft known as Jaliyaa. Each week will feature a different story and reflection presented by Baba the Storyteller, Master Teaching Artist with the Segerstrom Center for the Arts in California. A Minnesota Legacy program. Geared for ages 3 and older.

Facebook Video Series
Thursdays, April 23–May 14
Recordings posted at 10 a.m.

With Your Library Card

Using your library card, you have access to a variety of digital resources, including BookFlix, which pairs classic video storybooks with related nonfiction e-books! (SSP residents (those with library cards starting 22098) use the link in the free e-book resources section for access to TumbleBooks.

In addition to those digital resources, find e-books to download or read online in Cloud Library, Hoopla, and E-books Minnesota. RBdigital has issues of J-14 and National Geographic Kids to view, and thousands of e-audiobooks to listen to. Hoopla also has music and video content, but when the Library reaches its daily spending limit, you will have to wait until the following day to get your item

Don’t have a library card? Questions about your account or PIN? Call us: 651-554-3240 from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday through Friday to speak with library staff, or apply online anytime.

Free E-Book Resources (no card needed)

We are so happy to announce access to TumbleBooks! TumbleBooks has generously provided free access to their incredible library of databases through 8/31/2020.

Also available for free, unlimited use through 5/31/2020 are hundreds of e-books from KnowBuddy Resources. You’ll find fiction and nonfiction for grades K-8, as well as books in Spanish.

To help enable librarians, teachers, and educators to assist students with remote access and online learning, Lerner has made a selection of their digital products available for free through 6/30/20. Access their Distance Learning Library for Grades PreK-5, or their Distance Learning Library for Grades 6-12.

Resources for Coping

Wondering how to talk to your kids about COVID-19? PBS Kids has a post addressing strategies for having a conversation with young children.

This comic is a fun way to answer questions your kids might have, and you can print it out so they can read it as many times as they like!

Zero to Three has some ideas on how to approach the topic of facemasks with younger children, with tips on how to address common questions they might have.

Help your kids (and yourself) by creating safety, connection, and new routines with tips from Becky Bailey.