St. Charles Public Library

🏢 Southeast Minnesota Library System · St. Charles, Minnesota

St. Charles Public Library

Tucked in the Whitewater River valley between bluffs and farmland, St. Charles Public Library has served this Winona County community since the city's early settlement days, offering a welcoming hometown branch for readers of all ages.

📞 (507) 932-3227🌐 stcharlespubliclibrary.org🧭 Get directions
🕑 Hours & visit📖 About⭐ Highlights📚 Services📍 Nearby❓ FAQ

🕑 Library Hours

Monday 10 AM – 6 PM
Tuesday 1 PM – 8 PM
Wednesday 10 AM – 6 PM
Thursday 1 PM – 8 PM
Friday 1 PM – 6 PM
Saturday 10 AM – 1 PM
Sunday Closed

Hours may vary on holidays; check the library site before visiting.

📍 Location, Contact & Directions

Address: 125 W. 11th Street, ST. CHARLES, MN 55972

Phone: (507) 932-3227

Website: stcharlespubliclibrary.org

Plus Code: 86M9XW9M+4V (ST. CHARLES, MN)

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👋 Use the Library Online

&🔍Search the Catalog →&🌐ELM — Free eBooks & Databases →&📄MNLink Interlibrary Loan →

📖 About St. Charles Public Library

St. Charles Public Library stands at 125 W. 11th Street in a city often called the "Gateway to Whitewater" for its proximity to Whitewater State Park. The library is a member of the Southeast Minnesota Library System, giving cardholders access to a shared network of collections across the region. Founded to serve the agricultural and small-business community along the Whitewater River valley, the library today delivers books, digital downloads, and community programs to Winona County residents. Evening hours on Tuesdays and Thursdays make it accessible to working families, and Saturday morning sessions draw readers of all ages. St. Charles itself is notable as the self-proclaimed "Gladiolus Capitol of the World," a legacy of the area's horticulture heritage that the library honors through local history collections.

⭐ What makes this library special

  • Member of the Southeast Minnesota Library System — shared catalog with regional branches
  • Evening hours Tuesdays & Thursdays until 8 PM for after-work and after-school visits
  • Free library card for Winona County residents and statewide cardholders
  • Access to ELM (Electronic Library for Minnesota) — free eBooks, audiobooks, and databases
  • Serves the "Gateway to Whitewater" community near Whitewater State Park

📱 Digital Resources — Free with Your Library Card

Your free library card unlocks statewide digital resources through ELM — Electronic Library for Minnesota.

&📚 ELM — Electronic Library for MinnesotaStatewide portal for free eBooks, audiobooks, magazines, and research databases — available 24/7 with your Minnesota library card at elm.lib.mn.us.
&📺 Libby by OverDriveBorrow eBooks and digital audiobooks on any device through the Libby app with your St. Charles library card.
&📄 MNLink Interlibrary LoanRequest titles from libraries statewide through the MNLink network when a title isn't in the local collection.

📚 Services

  • Book lending & renewals
  • Interlibrary loan (MNLink network)
  • Computer & internet access
  • Printing and copying
  • eBook & digital audiobook checkout (Libby/ELM)
  • Children's story time programs
  • Meeting/community room

🎸 Programs

  • Children's story time
  • Summer Reading Program (all ages)
  • Adult book discussions
  • Youth reading activities

❓ Frequently Asked Questions

Is the St. Charles Public Library part of a regional library system?

Yes — St. Charles Public Library is a member of the Southeast Minnesota Library System. Your library card works across member libraries, and you can request titles from across the region through the MNLink interlibrary loan network.

What are the evening hours at St. Charles Public Library?

The library is open until 8 PM on Tuesdays and Thursdays, making those the best days for after-work or after-school visits. Monday and Wednesday hours run 10 AM–6 PM, Friday 1–6 PM, and Saturday 10 AM–1 PM. The library is closed on Sundays.

Can I access eBooks and audiobooks with my St. Charles library card?

Yes. Your free library card gives you access to Libby (powered by OverDrive) for eBooks and digital audiobooks, and to ELM — the Electronic Library for Minnesota — which includes additional databases and digital magazines, all available 24/7.

What is the closest library to St. Charles if the branch is closed?

Chatfield Public Library, about 10.5 miles to the southwest in Fillmore County, is the nearest neighboring branch. Rushford Public Library (18.5 miles) and Preston Public Library (20.7 miles) are other options in the region.

🖨 This library offers printing, copying & fax. See how library printing, copying, scanning and fax services work — costs and mobile printing — and find other libraries that offer them printing & fax by state.

📅 This library has meeting & community rooms. See how library meeting rooms work — booking, policies and fees — and find other libraries with meeting or community rooms meeting rooms by state.

👶 This library runs story times for kids. See how library story times work — ages, what happens and that they are free — and find other libraries with story-time programs library story times by state.

✓ Hours & details last verified from official sources in September 2026.

✎ Notice something out of date? Suggest a correction and we’ll verify and update it.

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