Great River Regional Library — Waite Park (Al Ringsmuth Public Library)
🏢 Great River Regional Library · Waite Park, Minnesota
Great River Regional Library — Waite Park (Al Ringsmuth Public Library)
The Waite Park branch of Great River Regional Library — locally known as the Al Ringsmuth Public Library — sits at 253 N. 5th Avenue in this Stearns County city neighboring St. Cloud, giving central Minnesota residents access to a regional collection of nearly one million items, park passes for outdoor recreation, and statewide digital resources including the Electronic Library of Minnesota.
🕑 Library Hours
| Monday | 12pm–5pm |
| Tuesday | 10am–2pm |
| Wednesday | 12pm–6pm |
| Thursday | 10am–7pm |
| Friday | 12pm–5pm |
| Saturday | 10am–1pm |
| Sunday | Closed |
Hours may vary on holidays; check the library site before visiting.
📍 Location, Contact & Directions
Address: 253 N. 5th Avenue, Waite Park, MN 56387
Phone: (320) 253-9359
Website: griver.org
Plus Code: 86Q7HQ5G+FQ (Waite Park, MN)
📱 Scan for directions
Point your phone camera at the code to open turn-by-turn directions in Google Maps.
👋 Use the Library Online
📖 About Great River Regional Library — Waite Park (Al Ringsmuth Public Library)
The Waite Park branch is part of Great River Regional Library (GRRL), the public library system formed on September 25, 1969, serving Benton, Morrison, Sherburne, Stearns, Todd and Wright counties across a 5,000-square-mile service area in central Minnesota. The system operates more than 33 locations and holds nearly one million items accessible to all cardholders regardless of which branch they visit. Waite Park, a city of roughly 8,000 residents in Stearns County immediately west of St. Cloud, is the branch's home community. The Waite Park location is also known locally as the Al Ringsmuth Public Library and provides park passes, large-print collections, interlibrary loan and access to the statewide Electronic Library of Minnesota (ELM) databases as well as Libby, hoopla and Ebooks Minnesota through every GRRL card.
⭐ What makes this library special
- Part of Great River Regional Library, a 33-branch system formed in 1969 serving six central Minnesota counties with nearly one million items
- Also known locally as the Al Ringsmuth Public Library — named in honor of a community benefactor in Waite Park, Stearns County
- Park passes available for checkout — lending outdoor recreation passes for Minnesota state and regional parks
- Thursday evening hours until 7 pm and Saturday morning hours for varied community schedules
- Access to the statewide Electronic Library of Minnesota (ELM) plus Libby, hoopla, Ebooks Minnesota and more than 50 research databases
📱 Digital Resources — Free with Your Library Card
Every GRRL card opens the door to central Minnesota's regional collection and statewide digital resources:
📚 Services
- Park passes for Minnesota outdoor recreation areas — available to borrow at the branch
- Large-print book collection
- Public computers and free Wi-Fi
- Printing services (Print2Go)
- Interlibrary loan across all 33 GRRL locations
- Access to nearly one million items system-wide with a single GRRL card
- Homework help and research assistance
- Room reservation (check with branch)
🎸 Programs
- Beanstack reading challenges for all ages
- Author talks and book discussions
- Homework help sessions
- Community presentations and educational programs
- Educator collaboration and school outreach
- Summer reading program
📍 Nearby Libraries in Central Minnesota
Distances are approximate straight-line miles from this library.
All libraries in Waite Park · Browse all Minnesota libraries →
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Al Ringsmuth Public Library name associated with this branch?
The Waite Park branch of Great River Regional Library is locally known as the Al Ringsmuth Public Library, named in honor of a community member who contributed to the library's presence in Waite Park. It operates as a full branch of the GRRL regional system, giving cardholders access to nearly one million items across 33 locations in central Minnesota.
Can I borrow park passes from the Waite Park library?
Yes — the Waite Park branch offers park passes as part of the Great River Regional Library's lending collection. These passes provide access to outdoor recreation areas in Minnesota. Contact the branch at (320) 253-9359 or check griver.org for current pass availability and checkout details.
What counties does Great River Regional Library serve, and am I eligible for a card?
GRRL serves residents of Benton, Morrison, Sherburne, Stearns, Todd and Wright counties in central Minnesota — a 5,000-square-mile area. If you live, work or attend school in any of those six counties, you qualify for a free GRRL card that gives access to all 33 branch locations and the digital collection.
Are the hours at the Waite Park branch different from other GRRL locations?
Yes — the Waite Park branch keeps branch-specific hours: Monday, Wednesday and Friday noon–5 pm; Tuesday 10 am–2 pm; Thursday 10 am–7 pm; Saturday 10 am–1 pm; closed Sunday. Hours may vary seasonally, so check griver.org/locations/waite-park for the latest schedule.
✎ Notice something out of date? Suggest a correction and we’ll verify and update it.