Cosmos' new public library

One, cold February morning in 2011, Cosmos, a small town in rural Meeker County, Minnesota, suddenly lost their public library. At 5 a.m., a passerby reported smoke coming from under the building’s eaves; moments later, the fire department (conveniently located next door) arrived to find the basement engulfed and the first floor burned through. By 7 a.m., flames shot through the roof, and it collapsed into what was left of the building.

Although the volunteer fire department (joined by firefighters from nearby Grove City) were able to save nearby buildings - the library ended up a total, devastating loss. The small community lost its main gathering space, its only public internet access point, 9,000 books, a scrapbook archive, and a collection of Cosmos’ weekly newspaper, the Cosmos Sun/News (fortunately, there was another archival copy kept in City Hall).

The Cosmos Public Library (part of the Pioneerland Library System) was insured for the loss of books, media, and building, but it would be a long time before the community would again have its own library.

I interviewed Beth Cronk, Cosmos Library’s head librarian of (now one of four libraries she manages, as Meeker County Librarian), about the town that lost far more than its access to books.

What did you do in the interim?
There was no other public WiFi in town at that time; the library was the main access point.
I wasn’t head librarian then. Cosmos’ head librarian had just retired the month before the fire.

Lake Lillian’s head librarian managed library services in Cosmos that first year. She put together a summer reading program for the kids in the school building, June through July (the next year, I took on that program). The summer reading program is the one most Minnesota libraries already participate in. In this case, it was the town’s only intervening service. Staff from neighboring libraries (in that region, a “neighboring library” is 9 miles or more away) came in to lead storytime, crafts, and games... and help kids find books.  

There were also bins of donated kids books for children could take home and read. That was about it for the next five years; no public internet access, no local book, DVD, or audio access. Patrons went to libraries in neighboring towns (such as Litchfield, Hutchinson, or Lake Lillian) for their needs.

Five years is a long time. What took so long to get a new library?
Funding. It took a few years to acquire sufficient state funding. Our State Representative, Dean Urdahl (Republican, District 18A) was able to obtain funding for the library in 2014, the last day before the Minnesota State Legislature adjourned. Representative Urdahl procured funding for a shared facility (including a new city hall and community room) so this was not an LSTA (Library Services and Technology Act) Grant, but funding from the State for the City to build a new city hall and library... across the street from the old city hall.

How did you go about re-stocking the new Cosmos Library?
The library has an almost entirely new collection (200 items from the 9,000 piece collection happened to be checked out at the time, so they survived the fire). We now have 8,500 new books, movies and audiobooks. It’s amazing to have a brand new collection; built from scratch. You don’t see that every day! I collaborated with the Children’s Librarian at the Litchfield Library on procuring the collection the last half of 2016.

You must be grateful to have access to internet and computers again.
Cosmos Library now has three public computers, a laptop, and an iPad for in-library use, only. City Hall set up a computer lounge: two additional public computers, as well as library newspapers and magazines located in a room adjacent to the library. This arrangement, (offered by the city as a service, and a way to better utilize the library’s WiFi) extends computer and media access well beyond library hours. Patrons pay a fee to use the lounge.

People are glad to have a library in their community again; a place to go. It’s a long drive to get to another library or even to get a movie! The nearest movie rental location is 20 miles away.

Yes, we use MNLINK. Most of our ILL is done through the Pioneerland system. Cosmos Library users are just getting started with MNLINK; we’ve only been open two weeks.

The Atwater-Cosmos-Grove City School District has a four-day week with no school on Mondays. We keep longer hours that day - when kids are out of school.

For more information about the new facility, visit the Cosmos Public Library website.

Why is the town named Cosmos?
According to the Minnesota Historical Society (and Cosmos’ town website): “The Township, organized January 25, 1870, has a name proposed by Daniel Hoyt (one of its first settlers), who came in 1867, was a surveyor, and was elected the first township clerk.

'Cosmos' is an ancient Greek word meaning 'order; harmony,' thence - the universe as an orderly and harmonious system."