Happy Birthday to the Ronning Branch!
Published on August 12, 2025
By Allie
It’s the big 3-0! This year, the Ronning Branch turns 30 years old, and we couldn’t be more excited to celebrate three decades of community, learning, and—of course—books!
The best part? We’re inviting YOU to party with us at the Ronning 30th Birthday Bash! It’ll be a hoot and a half with storytime, crafts, games, a scavenger hunt, and fun photo opportunities. We hope you’ll sign our memory wall to share some of your favorite library moments.
In the meantime, we’ve gathered our favorite Ronning Branch memories from 1993 to today. Enjoy!
1993
The land for the Ronning Branch is donated by the Ronning family. The branch is named after Harriet L. J. Ronning, specifically.
1994
On Thursday, June 1, 1994, the community holds a ground-breaking ceremony for the Ronning Branch. Students from John Harris Elementary used spoons to help us dig.
1995
The Ronning Branch officially opens on Sunday, September 17, 1995. It's the first location to open under the name “Siouxland Libraries.”
Earlier that year, the Sioux Falls Public Library merged with the Minnehaha County Rural Public Library—henceforth known as Siouxland Libraries. The complete history of our local library spans all the way back to 1875!
2004
Siouxland Libraries launches a new collection, Book Club To Go Bags, which are housed at the Ronning Branch. Each bag includes 12 copies of the same title as well as a discussion guide. When this collection began, it had 15 different bags; today, it’s grown to 176 titles.
2008
The Ronning Branch closes for recarpeting and painting. Here are a few snapshots of how the branch looked in 2009.
2011 (we think):
Ducklings are born in a planter outside of the Ronning Branch. The ducks were not available for an interview.
2018
The shelves are replaced at the Ronning Branch. This may not sound like a big deal—but for library staff, this is worth celebrating.
2022
The Ronning Branch undergoes renovation to incorporate study rooms, staff work areas, and a drive-up window. That’s right, you can use the drive-up window to pick up holds and dog treats.
We asked library user Toby to show us how it’s done.
2025
Siouxland Libraries celebrates its 30th anniversary, as well as the 30th birthday of the Ronning Branch. It’s been an honor to serve you and the Siouxland community for 30 years, and we look forward to new memories we’ll make in the years to come.
We hope you’ll celebrate with us at the Birthday Bash! Stop by anytime on Saturday, August 16 for festivities and fun.