Delano Herald Journal

Serving the communities of Delano, Loretto, Montrose, MN, and the surrounding area

Winsted librarian is grand marshal for Summer Festival



The gentle spirit of librarian Sharon Noerenberg will be celebrated during the Winsted Summer Festival, since she has been chosen as the grand marshal for the parade, which will take place 1 p.m Sunday, Aug. 12.

Noerenberg was surprised and very modest about the choice, saying that another could have been chosen other than herself. She has served the Winsted Public Library faithfully since 1975, seeing it through periods of change and growth.

As grand marshal, she follows in the footsteps of other prominent citizens who have been honored in the past, such as Ken Norman last year, Jack and Petie Littfin in 2005, and Tony Kielkucki in 2004.

When she started her position as a substitute librarian in Winsted in 1975, she remembers doing everything by hand. The library was then located across the street and down the road at the old Marvin Hirsch building (where the modern Duran’s Photography is located).

She remembers the move to the existing location in 2003, with help from the community at that time.

Nowadays, the library is online and books can be requested via computer. There are two computer terminals available for public use in the library itself, she said.

“We have a great summer reading program,” she added.

After more than three decades of serving the public, Noerenberg has seen the children’s children visit her library.

She appears particularly fond of young people, and is concerned that the future generation will keep the faith by reading.

Reading and writing are both critical for any job skill and necessary for all children to learn well, she noted.

All of her four children, who are grown now, learned the value of reading, as taught by herself and her husband, Louie. They live east of Winsted.

In fact, her youngest, Jonathan, applied for a job as city planner in Mankato, and was hired, but only after writing an essay during the interview process. Her oldest child is Clarisse, who works for Wells Fargo in Hanover; second oldest Sarah is married to Tim Smith and lives in Howard Lake; and second youngest Michelle, lives in Oregon and is into marketing.

Winsted’s link to the world

There is a world of information available through the Winsted Public Library, which belongs to the Pioneerland Library System, and can access all the statewide libraries.

The Winsted library offers more than books. There is free Internet access, a copier, and a fax machine. Internet usage is limited to a half-hour per patron per day; copies are 10 cents each, and faxes are $3.

The Winsted library also has story time each Wednesday afternoon for children ages 3 to 5 from 3 to 4 p.m. during the months from October through December, and February through March. Summer story time is during June, July, and August. There is also a summer program in the park in July.

The Winsted Library Board is very active, helping make the library a vital resource within the community. Current members are Lisa Ebert, Julie Guggemos, Irene Weinbeck, Karen Salo, and Kim Hausladen.

The board sponsors many activities during the year, which include an annual book sale, conducted during the Winsted Garage Sale Day in May; and a silent auction during the Winsted Winter Festival.

The library is located at 180 Main Avenue W., and is open six days per week. Hours are:

Monday and Wednesday, 2 to 7 p.m.

Tuesday and Thursday, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Friday, 2 to 5 p.m.

Saturday, 10 a.m. to noon

You can reach the library by telephone or fax at (320) 485-3909, or by e-mail at sharonn@winsted.lib.mn.us.

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