One way The Friends invests in the library is by connecting readers and writers statewide through a range of programs. For more than 30 years, we have offered programs that entertain, enrich, and nourish curious minds.
Our events are always open to the public and most are free. Browse our calendar below.
Captioning is provided for our livestream events; ASL interpretation is available upon request with at least seven days’ notice. To request ASL interpretation or other accommodations, contact [email protected] or 651-222-3242.
Full Calendar of Events
| Sun | Mon | Tue | Wed | Thu | Fri | Sat |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Exhibit: Gatsby & Fitzgerald Collection 10:00 am Exhibit: Gatsby & Fitzgerald Collection @ The Minnesota History Center Mar 20 @ 10:00 am – May 31 @ 4:00 pm 
Exhibit: Gatsby & Fitzgerald Collection at the Minnesota Historical Society March 20 – May 31 2025 The Minnesota History Center 345 West Kellogg Boulevard, Saint Paul View objects from Fitzgerald’s life and world on display… Featured Book Collection: Minnesota Women Authors of the 1920’s 10:00 am Featured Book Collection: Minnesota Women Authors of the 1920’s @ George Latimer Central Library May 1 @ 10:00 am – May 31 @ 5:30 pm
Minnesota Women Authors of the 1920’s – Featured Collection May 2025 George Latimer Central Library | First Floor Welcome Center 90 West 4th Street, Saint Paul Go beyond F. Scott Fitzgerald with these works… | ||||||
| Books & Bars: “The Ministry of Time” by Kaliane Bradley 6:30 pm Books & Bars: “The Ministry of Time” by Kaliane Bradley @ Sociable Ciderwerks May 21 @ 6:30 pm – 7:30 pm 
The Ministry of Time by Kaliane Bradley Wednesday, May 21 6:30 p.m. Discussion Sociable Ciderwerks 1500 Fillmore St NE Minneapolis This event is FREE and open to the public. — In the near future, a… | ||||||
| Books & Bars: “The Ministry of Time” by Kaliane Bradley 6:30 pm Books & Bars: “The Ministry of Time” by Kaliane Bradley @ Urban Growler May 27 @ 6:30 pm – 7:30 pm
The Ministry of Time by Kaliane Bradley Tuesday, May 27 6:30 p.m. Discussion Urban Growler 2325 Endicott Street St. Paul This event is FREE and open to the public. — In the near future, a… | Moving Words Writers Across Minnesota | Grand Marais 6:00 pm Moving Words Writers Across Minnesota | Grand Marais @ Grand Marais Public LIbrary May 28 @ 6:00 pm – 7:30 pm 
Author Discussion Wednesday, May 28 6:00 p.m. Grand Marais Public Library | 104 2nd Ave. W Grand Marais, MN 55604 Free event | Registration not required Enjoy a lively discussion with three multi-genre, Minnesota authors.… | Moving Words Writers Across Minnesota | Becker 5:30 pm Moving Words Writers Across Minnesota | Becker @ Becker Great River Regional Library May 29 @ 5:30 pm – 7:00 pm 
Moving Words: Author Discussion Thursday, May 29, 5:30 p.m. Becker Great River Regional Library |11500 Sherburne Ave, Becker, MN 55308 Free | Registration not required Enjoy a lively discussion with three multi-genre, Minnesota authors.… | Fathers Shaping the World: A Panel Discussion to Celebrate Fatherhood 2:00 pm Fathers Shaping the World: A Panel Discussion to Celebrate Fatherhood @ Rondo Community Library May 31 @ 2:00 pm – 3:00 pm 
FATHERS SHAPING THE WORLD: A Panel Discussion to Celebrate Fatherhood Event 1 of 2 Saturday, May 31 | 2:00 p.m. Rondo Community Library 461 Dale Street N, Saint Paul thefriends.org/father Join Imam Makram El Amin,… |
Ongoing Series
Books & Bars
With The Friends of the Saint Paul Public Library, moderator Jeff Kamin brings his unique take on a public book club show to our computer screen every first Wednesday of the month.
Even if you don’t like the featured book, he “guarantees a good time at our entertaining discussions.” All are welcome to try this moderated reinvention of the book club.
The Ministry of Time by Kaliane Bradley
Tuesday, May 27
6:30 p.m. Discussion
Urban Growler
2325 Endicott Street
St. Paul
This event is FREE and open to the public.
—
In the near future, a civil servant is offered the salary of her dreams and is, shortly afterward, told what project she’ll be working on. A recently established government ministry is gathering “expats” from across history to establish whether time travel is feasible—for the body, but also for the fabric of space-time.
She is tasked with working as a “bridge”: living with, assisting, and monitoring the expat known as “1847” or Commander Graham Gore. Forced to confront the choices that brought them together, the bridge must finally reckon with how—and whether she believes—what she does next can change the future.
—
With The Friends of the Saint Paul Public Library, moderator Jeff Kamin brings his unique take on a public book club show to Saint Paul. Even if you don’t like the featured book, he “guarantees a good time at our entertaining discussions.” All are welcome to try this moderated reinvention of the book club.
Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt
Wednesday, June 18
6:30 p.m. Discussion
Utepils Brewing Co
225 Thomas Ave N
Minneapolis
This event is FREE and open to the public.
—
After Tova Sullivan’s husband died, she began working the night shift at the Sowell Bay Aquarium, mopping floors and tidying up. Keeping busy has always helped her cope, which she’s been doing since her eighteen-year-old son, Erik, mysteriously vanished on a boat in Puget Sound over thirty years ago.
—
With The Friends of the Saint Paul Public Library, moderator Jeff Kamin brings his unique take on a public book club show to Saint Paul. Even if you don’t like the featured book, he “guarantees a good time at our entertaining discussions.” All are welcome to try this moderated reinvention of the book club.
Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt
Tuesday, June 24
6:30 p.m. Discussion
Urban Growler
2325 Endicott St
St. Paul
This event is FREE and open to the public.
—
After Tova Sullivan’s husband died, she began working the night shift at the Sowell Bay Aquarium, mopping floors and tidying up. Keeping busy has always helped her cope, which she’s been doing since her eighteen-year-old son, Erik, mysteriously vanished on a boat in Puget Sound over thirty years ago.
—
With The Friends of the Saint Paul Public Library, moderator Jeff Kamin brings his unique take on a public book club show to Saint Paul. Even if you don’t like the featured book, he “guarantees a good time at our entertaining discussions.” All are welcome to try this moderated reinvention of the book club.
Fitzgerald in Saint Paul
The Friends stewards F. Scott Fitzgerald’s legacy through programming that celebrates the life and literature of the revered author and inspires people to reflect on both his historical and contemporary significance. Learn more here.
Exhibit: Gatsby & Fitzgerald Collection at the Minnesota Historical Society
March 20 – May 31 2025
The Minnesota History Center
345 West Kellogg Boulevard, Saint Paul
View objects from Fitzgerald’s life and world on display at the History Center. Items from the collection will be on display in the Gale Family Library through May. Entry is free.
Gatsby at 100
2025 is the 100th anniversary of the publication of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s book The Great Gatsby. To mark this milestone, The Friends will convene a variety of programs that invite us to revisit the book and consider how its themes apply today. Learn more and browse programs here.
Minnesota Women Authors of the 1920’s – Featured Collection
May 2025
George Latimer Central Library | First Floor Welcome Center
90 West 4th Street, Saint Paul
Go beyond F. Scott Fitzgerald with these works by women authors of the 1920’s. Explore rare copies of books on loan from the Minnesota Historical Society (for in-library viewing only), and check out Saint Paul Public Library’s own jazz-age collection of women writers from across the country.
Gatsby at 100
2025 is the 100th anniversary of the publication of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s book The Great Gatsby. To mark this milestone, The Friends will convene a variety of programs that invite us to revisit the book and consider how its themes apply today. Learn more and browse programs here.
Beautiful Little Fools: Author Talk with Jillian Cantor
Tuesday, June 10 | 6:15 p.m.
Riverview Public Library
1 George St E, St Paul, MN 55107
Livestream also available. | Register for livestream here.
Author Jillian Cantor will talk about her book Beautiful Little Fools. The book tells the stories of the women of The Great Gatsby in the years leading up to the events portrayed in F. Scott Fitzgerald’s book.
Jillian Cantor is the best-selling author of 13 novels for teens and adults. Her work has been translated into 15 languages. She currently lives in Arizona.
To request ASL interpretation or other accommodations, contact [email protected] or 651-222-3242 at least seven days in advance. The livestream will be captioned.
Gatsby at 100
2025 is the 100th anniversary of the publication of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s book The Great Gatsby. To mark this milestone, The Friends will convene a variety of programs that invite us to revisit the book and consider how its themes apply today. Learn more and browse programs here.
Fireside Reading Series
Cozy up for four weeks of readings with great writers. In partnership with Saint Paul Public Library, Fireside Reading Series highlights some of Minnesota’s finest writers who have published new work. Events take place Wednesday evenings in January at 6:30 p.m. at Rondo Community Library and via Zoom.
January 15 | Jokeda “JoJo” Bell, Red Stained: The Life of Hilda Simms
January 22 | Naomi Cohn, The Braille Encyclopedia
January 29 | Pallavi Sharma Dixit, Edison
Captioning will be provided for all four Zoom livestream events; ASL interpretation will be provided for the 1/31 event and is available upon request for the other events with at least seven days’ notice. Contact [email protected] or 651-222-3242.
These programs are made possible in part through an appropriation from the Minnesota State Legislature to The Friends of the Saint Paul Public Library as the Minnesota Center for the Book.
Previous Seasons:
Watch the 2024 recordings here.
Watch the 2023 recordings here.
Watch the 2022 recordings here.
Watch the full playlist of events from 2020.
Listen to podcasts from previous years.
Read Brave Saint Paul
Read Brave is Saint Paul's annual citywide book club hosted by Mayor Carter and Saint Paul Public Library. Read Brave taps into the power of books to bring residents together to read and talk bravely across generations about an issue critical to Saint Paul and its future. The 2024 Read Brave book pick is the young adult novel Man o’ War by Cory McCarthy.
Sign up for the Read Brave e-newsletters or visit the Library's Read Brave webpage to learn how to access books and events.
More Than a Single Story
More Than a Single Story is a series of panel discussions/public conversations where writers of color discuss issues of importance to them in their own voices and in their own words.
The 2025 Series is "Songs for Our Fathers: A Series to Celebrate Fatherhood" This series includes two panel discussions that aims to bridge cultural, racial, and generational divides as single fathers, married fathers, stepfathers, and grandfathers gather to explore the songs and silences passed down by our fathers, and the stories we’re crafting now as we raise, support, and stand beside the next generation.
Moderators: Suleiman Adan and Ben Weaver
Panel discussions will be posted soon.
FATHERS SHAPING THE WORLD: A Panel Discussion to Celebrate Fatherhood
Event 1 of 2
Saturday, May 31 | 2:00 p.m.
Rondo Community Library
461 Dale Street N, Saint Paul
thefriends.org/father
Join Imam Makram El Amin, Larry (Lars) Morris, Josh Tecumseh Wabaunsee, and Long Vang as they explore how fathers leave a legacy that lives on – through their labor, their lessons, and sometimes, through their absence.
Co-Moderators: Suleiman Adan and Ben Weaver
These events are part of More Than a Single Story: Our Stories Our Selves.
THE GLORY THAT IS FATHERHOOD: A Panel Discussion to Celebrate Fatherhood
Event 2 of 2
Saturday, June 7 | 2:00 p.m.
Rondo Community Library
461 Dale Street N, Saint Paul
thefriends.org/father
Join Alexei Casselle, Nick Metcalf, Abdirahman Mukhtar, and Mohamud Nur as they explore the struggles, joys, and fears fathers face as well as where they are finding inspiration, support, resilience, and fortitude in this complicated time to raise children.
Co-Moderators: Suleiman Adan and Ben Weaver
These events are part of More Than a Single Story: Our Stories Our Selves.