Cottage Grove library board approves McFarland MOU, names authors to consider for 2027 community read

The Cottage Grove Library Board approved several routine items and began planning its 2027 All‑Community Read during a hybrid meeting at Village Hall.

The board voted to approve the minutes from its May 20, 2026 meeting, then approved a memorandum of understanding with Ed Locke Public Library (McFarland) to provide story times on the first and third Friday mornings; the chair said the library will pay $100 per session. A proclamation recognizing Cindy Kelm Nelson for her service to the library board was also approved, and the board authorized non‑payroll vouchers and operating expenses.

Why it matters: The All‑Community Read is a major annual outreach event for the library that brings an author to the community and coordinates programming across local partners. Decisions about author selection, timing and logistics will determine the event’s reach and whether it meets the board’s goals for local engagement.

Robin Schmeichel, president of the Friends of the Cottage Grove Library, told the board the Friends want to continue the practice of inviting a Wisconsin author and offered a short list of candidates, including Kathleen Ernst, Jennifer Chiaverini and Amy Pizzi. “We have really just enjoyed this partnership for the last few years of planning the community read and hosting that for our community,” Schmeichel said.

Board members proposed additional candidates — including Geneva Rose and Annalise Ryan — and discussed audience and genre considerations. Several members urged the group to consider diversity among authors and to include options that appeal to families and younger readers. One member suggested adding a middle‑grade or tween read alongside the adult selection to increase intergenerational participation.

Logistics dominated the discussion: past events used Granite Ridge School’s library and gym; the board discussed using a facilitator (past sessions used Maggie Ginsburg) or someone provided by an author’s publisher; and members agreed to avoid scheduling conflicts with school concerts. The chair set a deadline for board members and residents to submit author suggestions by Friday, July 3, so staff can begin outreach and order books with enough lead time.

Staff reports (read by the chair because staff member Monica was absent for a family emergency) highlighted a series of upcoming programs: a Jump Start to Summer Reading on June 19 at Granite Ridge School, a story walk installation in mid‑July, a youth book swap on July 12 and a Badger Talk collaboration with the Cottage Grove Historical Society that will include a July 29 program about farming in Cottage Grove. The chair also reported the program tracker shows more than 2,200 attendees at library programs so far this year.

Board members flagged waning live attendance for virtual “lunch and learn” sessions and suggested clearer promotional messaging and stronger topic descriptions; the board noted recorded sessions remain available on YouTube.

What’s next: The board will revisit author nominations at its July meeting and finalize event assignments and vendor outreach. The next regular meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, July 15 at 6 p.m., with a hard stop before 7 p.m. to allow the plan commission to begin its session.

Attributions: Quotes and attributions are drawn from meeting remarks by Robin Schmeichel (Friends of the Cottage Grove Library) and the board chair, read from the meeting record.