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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Performance and Talk: “The Great Gatsby” 6:30 pm Performance and Talk: “The Great Gatsby” @ George Latimer Central Library - Magazine Room Feb 12 @ 6:30 pm – 8:00 pm 
The Great Gatsby: Performance & Talk by Literature to Life Wednesday, February 12 | 6:30 – 8:00 p.m. George Latimer Central Library – Magazine Room 90 W 4th Street, Saint Paul Literature to Life adapts… | ||||||
| Books & Bars: “Chain Gang All-Stars” by Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah 6:30 pm Books & Bars: “Chain Gang All-Stars” by Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah @ Sociable Cider Werks Feb 19 @ 6:30 pm – 7:30 pm 
Chain Gang All-Stars by Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah Wednesday, February 19 6:30 p.m. Discussion Sociable Cider Werks1500 Fillmore St. NEMinneapolis This event is FREE and open to the public. — Loretta Thurwar and Hamara “Hurricane Staxxx”… | ||||||
| Books & Bars: “Chain Gang All-Stars” by Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah 6:30 pm Books & Bars: “Chain Gang All-Stars” by Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah @ Urban Growler Feb 25 @ 6:30 pm – 7:30 pm
Chain Gang All-Stars by Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah Tuesday, February 25 6:30 p.m. Discussion Urban Growler 2325 Endicott Street St. Paul This event is FREE and open to the public. — Loretta Thurwar and Hamara “Hurricane… |
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.
Chain Gang All-Stars by Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah
Wednesday, February 19
6:30 p.m. Discussion
Sociable Cider Werks
1500 Fillmore St. NE
Minneapolis
This event is FREE and open to the public.
—
Loretta Thurwar and Hamara “Hurricane Staxxx” Stacker are the stars of the Chain-Gang All-Stars, the cornerstone of CAPE, or Criminal Action Penal Entertainment, a highly popular, highly controversial profit-raising program in America’s increasingly dominant private prison industry.
In CAPE, prisoners travel as Links in Chain-Gangs, competing in death matches before packed arenas with righteous protestors at the gates. If all goes well, Thurwar will be free in just a few matches. But CAPE’s corporate owners will stop at nothing to protect their status quo, and the obstacles they lay in Thurwar’s path have devastating consequences.
—
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.
Chain Gang All-Stars by Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah
Tuesday, February 25
6:30 p.m. Discussion
Urban Growler
2325 Endicott Street
St. Paul
This event is FREE and open to the public.
—
Loretta Thurwar and Hamara “Hurricane Staxxx” Stacker are the stars of the Chain-Gang All-Stars, the cornerstone of CAPE, or Criminal Action Penal Entertainment, a highly popular, highly controversial profit-raising program in America’s increasingly dominant private prison industry.
In CAPE, prisoners travel as Links in Chain-Gangs, competing in death matches before packed arenas with righteous protestors at the gates. If all goes well, Thurwar will be free in just a few matches. But CAPE’s corporate owners will stop at nothing to protect their status quo, and the obstacles they lay in Thurwar’s path have devastating consequences.
—
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.
The Great Gatsby: Performance & Talk by Literature to Life
Wednesday, February 12 | 6:30 – 8:00 p.m.
George Latimer Central Library – Magazine Room
90 W 4th Street, Saint Paul
Literature to Life adapts F. Scott Fitzgerald’s classic work as the newest title in their Signature Performance series. The novel touches on the treatment of different social classes, gender, race, environmentalism, and the price of the American Dream. Literature to Life Signature Performances are professionally staged adaptations of award-winning literary works performed by a single actor. Each performance is accompanied by pre- and post-show discussion.
To request ASL interpretation or other accommodations, contact [email protected] or 651-222-3242 at least seven days in advance.
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.
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.
The Great Gatsby: Live reading at the Minnesota History Center
Thursday, April 10 | 1:30 – 7:30 p.m.
The Minnesota History Center
345 West Kellogg Boulevard, Saint Paul
Celebrate the 100th anniversary of the publication of The Great Gatsby by attending a reading of the novel. Come and go as you please. You never know who you’ll hear reading!
While you’re there, check out the History Center’s Fitzgerald collection in the Gale Family Library.
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 2024 Series is called "Songs for Our Fathers: A Series to Celebrate Fatherhood" This series of three panel discussions and three writing workshops aims to bridge cultural, racial, and generational divides as single fathers, young married fathers, and grandfathers reflect on their unique journeys, share perspectives, and connect over the joys and challenges of fatherhood.
Panel Discussions
Event 1: In Praise of Single Fathers
Event 2: The Unsung Realities of Fatherhood
Event 3: For the Love of Our Grandfathers
Workshops
Workshop 1: Unpacking “Single” Fatherhood
Workshop 2: The Unsung Realities of Modern Fatherhood
Workshop 3: Father and Son