We’re in the middle of Spring Break for the Minneapolis and St. Paul public schools, and it’s been a blustery day indeed. If you weren’t lucky enough to travel to Colorado, Texas, or Florida, as some of our friends are doing for break, you may be getting a late case of cabin fever, made especially acute by the glorious weather we had at the start of the week.
Even though the wind and rain call for indoor rather than outdoor fun, there’s still plenty of fun to be had. My own favorite spot to visit on days like this is the library. Whether it’s my local branch, or one of the central libraries in downtown Minneapolis or St. Paul, there’s something warm and inviting about shelves stocked with books and comfortable seats for lounging and reading. And when you get to bring some of that warmth home in form of a stack of books, you’ve got the makings for an indoor day that will keep the cabin fever at bay and maybe even maintain your sanity.
In addition to books, all of the local libraries also let you borrow DVDs, video cassettes, and music CDs. Or take a look at the Museum Adventure Pass program, sponsored by Macy’s, that gives families up to two free admissions to places like the History Center Museum, the Bakken Museum, and the Firefighters Hall and Museum; it’s a great way to build on a library adventure.
Many libraries have special programs, too, from story time to naturalist visits to craft projects. Check out the St. Paul, Hennepin County, and Ramsey County event pages to find something that fits your interests; all three have a great filterable, searchable calendar.
If you have a library card with one of the metro area library systems, you can very easily register it with whatever library you’re visiting to become a member with full borrowing rights. With a card that gets you books at any library within striking range, there’s no excuse not to have a nice big stack of books for everyone in the family to read on a rainy spring afternoon.
