30 Ways to Celebrate 30 Years of Siouxland Libraries!

Published on February 25, 2025

By Pete H.

Siouxland is turning 30! That's 30 years of fostering a love of reading, providing access to information, and building community.

You may have some library memories that really stick with you, and for me, it's storytime. There's something so special about seeing a room full of kids completely mesmerized. If you're a parent or caregiver (their first and most important teacher), you know how exciting it is to do those fun action rhymes and activities with your little one. Honestly, it's a free pass to unleash your inner child and connect with your kids through reading, writing, talking, singing, and playing.

Children age birth to five years old working on a spaceship craft at a space themed sensory program.

I'm a big fan of learning, and my library card makes it so easy, both professionally and personally. I've used LinkedIn Learning exclusively through Siouxland, and I've picked up new skills and perspectives that I can use directly in my work. Plus, I've gotten insights from professionals on personal projects like acrylic painting and music recording—the LinkedIn Learning app makes it super accessible.

Board games are a huge deal at our house, but finding the right game is key. It can be tough to introduce a five-year-old to the world of gaming, and the risk of buying a game that leads to table-flipping mayhem is real, to say the least. Luckily, Siouxland's board game collection is amazing, for both adults and kids. We've been able to try out new games at home, and we've found some absolute winners (my family highly recommends Outfoxed if you're playing with kids—so much fun!).

To celebrate this milestone, we've compiled 30 amazing things you can do at your library. Whether you're a long-time library user or a first-time visitor, there's something for everyone!

First things first:

1. Library Card: Number one on this list is sign up for a library card if you don’t have one. If you’re a cardholder already, get a replacement if you fancy. Choose from four fun designs!

Hand holding 4 different library card designs. Designs feature a sloth, a llama, multicolored circles, and a collage cartoon animal figures.

Get Lost in a Good Book (or 10!):

2. Start a Book Club: Gather your friends and dive into a literary adventure with our convenient Book Club to Go bags.

3. Reading Program Fun: Join our annual, all-ages Summer and Winter Reading Programs for exciting challenges and prizes.

Children ages Kindergarten to 5th grade playing with bubbles at the Summer Reading Program party.

4. Storytime Magic: Bring the little ones for engaging stories, songs, and crafts at Storytime.

5. Outreach Services: Can't make it to the library? We'll bring the books to you with our outreach services for qualifying customers.

Child checking out books on the bookmobile. Bookmobile parked in a parking lot for a school visit to Tri Valley. Mother, daughter, Father, and son sitting on a bench int he bookmobile reading books together.

6. Expanded Access: Need your next read, but staffed hours don’t fit your schedule? Get an Expanded Access card to visit rural branches before and after staffed operating hours.

7. Find Your Next Read: Explore our extensive collection and get personalized recommendations using the Novelist database.

8. Interlibrary Loan: Can't find what you're looking for? We can borrow materials from other libraries.

9. Suggest a Purchase: Help us grow our collection by suggesting a new item we should add.

10. One Book Siouxland: Join our community-wide read and connect with others through shared literary experiences.

Lou Raguse and Kim Koblank standing next to a poster size book cover of Vanished in Vermillion for the One Book Siouxland title announcement.

Explore our tech offerings:

11. E-Newsletter Signup: Stay up to date on library news, events, and resources by subscribing to our newsletter.

12. Mango Language Learning: Learn a new language with our free online resource, Mango.

13. LinkedIn Learning: Expand your skills with online courses, from digital photography to certification prep for Microsoft and Amazon Web Services.

14. Tech classes at the Library: Learn about library apps, computer basics, and more.

15. JobNow: Craft the perfect resume and practice your interviewing skills with JobNow.

16. Download Libby and hoopla: Access eBooks and eAudiobooks wherever you are with the Libby and hoopla apps.

17. Free Wi-Fi: Enjoy complimentary internet access throughout our libraries.

18. Public Computers: Browse the web, check email, or print documents using our public computers.

Public computers available for customer use at the Ronning Branch.

19. Self-Checkout: Experience the convenience of our self-checkout machines.

Customer using kiosk to self-checkout library items.

20. Scanning Station: Digitize your documents by scanning them to your email or USB drive.

Connect with community:

21. Meeting Room Reservations: Host your next meeting in one of our library's meeting rooms.

22. Support Your Library: Give back to the community by volunteering to shelve books, prep program supplies, or deliver materials.

23. Follow Us: Stay connected on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, or LinkedIn.

24. Therapy Dog Reading: Register your child to read with a gentle therapy dog as a part of Tail Waggin’ Tutors.

Therapy dog and handler reading with a child at the library during a tail waggin' tutors program.

25. Play in the Children's Section: Let the little ones explore and play with the toys in our vibrant children's areas.

Explore even more:

26. Movies at Home: Discover how to access movies through DVDs, Roku, and hoopla.

27. Study Rooms: Find a quiet space to write, study, or take a proctored exam.

Customer working on their laptop while using a study room at Prairie West branch.

28. Sioux Falls High School Yearbooks: Take a trip down memory lane with our collection of yearbooks at the Downtown Library.

29. Special Collections: The library has long been more than just books. From board games to learning tablets, you may be surprised what you find at the library.

30. Celebrate with Us! Join us for special events and activities throughout the year as we celebrate our 30th anniversary.

We can't wait to celebrate with you! Come explore all that your library has to offer.