Petersburg Public Library
🏢 Petersburg Borough · Petersburg, Alaska
Petersburg Public Library
Rooted in the Norwegian fishing culture of ‘Little Norway,’ Petersburg Public Library has served Mitkof Island since 1932 — now housed in a bright 10,000-square-foot building where Tlingit oral histories, a century of digitized local newspapers, and 30+ STEAM Discovery Kits share the shelves.
🕑 Library Hours
| Monday | 11am–4pm |
| Tuesday | 11am–8pm |
| Wednesday | 11am–8pm |
| Thursday | 11am–8pm |
| Friday | 11am–6pm |
| Saturday | 11am–6pm |
| Sunday | Closed |
Hours may vary on holidays; check the library site before visiting.
📍 Location, Contact & Directions
Address: 14 South 2nd Street, Petersburg, AK 99833
Phone: (907) 772-3349
Website: psglib.org
Plus Code: 9489R26V+6Q (Petersburg, AK)
📱 Scan for directions
Point your phone camera at the code to open turn-by-turn directions in Google Maps.
👋 Use the Library Online
📖 About Petersburg Public Library
Petersburg Public Library has served Mitkof Island’s close-knit community since January 1, 1932, when Delia Sarff, Laura Johnson, and Bert and Myrtle Cornelius opened a small reading room in the Telephone Exchange Building with one-dollar annual memberships. After decades on the second floor of the municipal building, the library moved in September 2013 into a purpose-built 10,000-square-foot facility at the corner of Haugen Drive and Second Street, designed by MRV Architects and constructed by ASRC McGraw Constructors. Today it holds more than 41,000 items and circulates nearly 94,000 per year — a remarkable figure for a community of roughly 3,200 — reflecting the central role it plays in a Southeast Alaska borough where Norwegian fishing families and Tlingit Séet Ká Kwáan people have shared this land for generations. The library is a department of Petersburg Borough, governed by an elected seven-member advisory board.
⭐ What makes this library special
- Purpose-built 10,000 sq ft facility opened September 16, 2013 (MRV Architects, Juneau; ASRC McGraw Constructors) — replaced 50+ years in the municipal building
- 41,000+ items; ~94,000 annual circulations — among Alaska’s highest per-capita lending rates
- Digitized newspaper archive 1913–2021: Petersburg Progressive, Petersburg Press, Petersburg Pilot, and more — free and keyword-searchable at petersburg.advantage-preservation.com
- Two original podcast series: ‘Voices of Séet Ká Kwáan’ (Tlingit indigenous stories on KFSK / Apple Podcasts / Spotify) and ‘The Listening Project’ (community oral histories including Norwegian immigration and the origins of the Little Norway Festival)
- STEAM Discovery Kits lending program — 30+ hands-on kits across 12 subject areas (biology, coding, geology, green energy, knot tying, and more)
📱 Digital Resources — Free with Your Library Card
Petersburg cardholders access free statewide digital resources on and off site:
📚 Services
- Passport acceptance facility (by appointment Mon–Fri 9 AM–4 PM; call (907) 772-3349 or email passports@petersburgak.gov)
- Test proctoring ($25 fee; schedule via online request form at psglib.org)
- STEAM Discovery Kit lending (30+ hands-on kits; individual kit sponsorships available $100–$250)
- Meeting room rentals (bookable via psglib.libcal.com)
- Free public computers and Wi-Fi
- Interlibrary loan (ILL) — access to millions of items through the Joint Library Consortium
- Local art exhibitions and rotating display space
🎸 Programs
- Voices of Séet Ká Kwáan — original radio podcast series honoring Tlingit indigenous voices (KFSK / Apple Podcasts / Spotify)
- The Listening Project — oral history radio show and podcast preserving community stories (Norwegian heritage, fishing industry, Little Norway Festival origins)
- Petersburg Science Series — adult and teen lectures on topics such as Alaska tsunamis
- Yoga with Karen Malcom — weekly Saturday sessions for adults and teens
- The Lego Club — monthly hands-on building sessions for children
- Youth STEAM programming and summer reading
📍 Nearby Libraries in Southeast Alaska
Distances are approximate straight-line miles from this library.
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
Does the library have resources about Petersburg’s Norwegian heritage and the Little Norway Festival?
Yes. The library’s Listening Project oral history series includes interviews such as one with Vicki Curtiss recounting her family’s Norwegian immigration roots, the origins of the Little Norway Festival, and the design of Petersburg’s traditional Norwegian bunad. The digitized newspaper archive (1913–2021) documents the festival’s 1958 debut and decades of Syttende Mai celebrations. Staff can point you to additional local-history resources and the nearby Clausen Memorial Museum.
Can I research my family’s Petersburg genealogy at the library?
Absolutely. The library provides free access to digitized local newspapers from 1913 to 2021 — including the Petersburg Progressive, Petersburg Press, Petersburg Herald, and Petersburg Pilot — all keyword-searchable at petersburg.advantage-preservation.com. SLED (Alaska’s statewide digital library) also includes genealogy guides and databases. A FamilySearch Center in Petersburg offers additional genealogy support with volunteer assistance.
What is ‘Voices of Séet Ká Kwáan’ and why does the library produce it?
Séet Ká Kwáan means ‘People of the Fast Moving Waters’ in Lingit — the Tlingit name for what is now Petersburg. The library created this podcast series to bring indigenous voices to a wider audience. Episodes cover traditional foodways (including herring egg harvesting), Lingit weaving, dance traditions of the Séet Ká Kwáan Dancers, language, and civil rights history. It airs on KFSK Public Radio and is available on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.
Does the library offer passport services?
Yes — Petersburg Public Library is a passport acceptance facility. Appointments are required and available Monday through Friday, 9 AM–4 PM. Call (907) 772-3349 or email passports@petersburgak.gov to schedule. Bring your completed DS-11 form, proof of U.S. citizenship, a valid photo ID, and a passport photo.
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