Happy New Year! May 2025 bring you joy and opportunities for reading.
January brings us the Americans and the Holocaust traveling exhibit. We will have several opportunities for folks to come and learn about some of our American history. We are also making some changes to our typical schedule.
Story Hour will be on Friday, January 3 and February 28 due to the exhibit being set up in the basement. Please still come and check out books with your preschooler during the exhibit.
First up with the exhibit is the Free Teacher Workshop. Teachers from around ND are welcome to join us for this free opportunity. Please scan the QR code to register!
We will open the exhibit on January 13 with an Opening Ceremony at 6:30pm. Everyone is welcome to attend.
We have Dr. Zahra Moss scheduled to be a Guest Speaker on Wednesday, January 15. She will share information on American Understanding of the Holocaust. She will look at American newspapers and magazines from the 1930s and 1940s. What were Americans being told? What did the propaganda look like?
We will offer an opportunity to look at the 1936 Olympics and racism in America with a book discussion on Saturday, January 18. This will be open to people age 12 and up. We’ll have three books to choose from along with ‘study guides’ for you to use while reading. The books are available now!
Heart of America Library is working with the Jewish Community Relations Council of Minnesota and the Dakotas to offer another opportunity for teachers and the community. Teachers will do a deep dive into ND Newspapers from the 30s and 40s with resources to bring back to their classroom from 6-6:40pm. Then everyone is welcome to join us as we listen to a 2nd generation survivor, Dr. Allen Kuperman from 6:40-7:30. Please scan the QR code to get a link for home use, or join us at the library to watch together.
The MinnDak JCRC is also helping us with an International Holocaust Remembrance Day ceremony on Monday, January 27. We will share more information as it becomes available.
Our last event for January is an opportunity to hear from Terry Jelsing about his father, Quentin Jelsing, a Rugby man who was part of the 42nd Infantry which was instrumental in the liberation of the Dachau concentration camp. Terry will also share his own experience with visiting the Dachau camp in the 1970s and the connections made. And when he was studying abroad in Vienna. If you attend nothing else, attend this presentation. Terry has a wonderful gift to share with our community about a local connection to the Holocaust.
We have several school tours scheduled throughout the month, mainly during the school day. Please come and tour the exhibit. If you’d like a guided tour for your group or family or yourself, please let the library know. We are open to after hours and weekend tours during the exhibit period.
Questions, Comments, Concerns? Please do not hesitate to reach out to the Heart of America Library.
Phone: 701-776-6223
Mail: 201 3rd St SW, Rugby, ND 58368
Email: heartofamerica@hotmail.com
Respectfully – Mandie, Robin, Jessica, Angela, Ron, and Collin
Heart of America Library 