ECRL PRESENTS: Fool in a Mask Productions !

From June 28th through July 9th the library will present Fool in a Mask Productions in "The Amazing Adventures of Stuart Lindman and Other Short Plays".

Four young actors will perform in four short plays commissioned for the "Minnesota's Greatest Generation Project". This program is made possible through the Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund and results from a new partnership between the Minnesota Regional Public Library System (MRPLS) and the Minnesota Historical Society.

Danielle Bronshteyn, Jacob Budnick, Tylinn Fahrni, and Marshall Sonsteby will entertain ECRL patrons in the following plays, all of which are based on oral histories and original historical documents:

"The Amazing Adventures of Stuart Lindman" by Joseph Scrimshaw

"Parachute Silk" by Carson Kreitzer

"The Secret Storm" by Sheri Wilner

"Swell" by Craig Johnson

Please check the ECRL homepage for the dates and times of scheduled performances. The theatre troupe will perform at all branch libraries in the ECRL service area.

This FREE program is suitable for the entire family!

Bob Gray

Reference and Interlibrary Loan Librarian

Library Online is open while branches are closed

East Central Regional Library branches are closed this week while we transfer our data to a new online library system. Just like road construction season, when sometimes the transportation department has to close a road in order to make major upgrades, we’ve closed all 14 of our branches in order to perform the migration of data. During this week, staff members are learning the new system so that when we re-open they’ll be ready to serve the public and help people use the new online catalog.

In truth, I think that many people will find that the new catalog is so user friendly that they will easily find what they need on their own. The menu screens are cleanly designed, and options are clearly described.

We’ve been testing the system for a couple months. All library records are transferring correctly, the hold lists are maintained, even fines and fees are transferred (sorry ).

In the meantime, all of our online resources are still available – our online branch never closes. For the Electronic Library for Minnesota (ELM) – use this link to MnKnows.


Newsflash! Find Encyclopedia Britannica in 3 editions (Academic, Public Library, and School editions). Select the MnKnows box above > select "ELM" > select "Databases, alphabetically" from the left menu > find "Britannica . . . "

Please note that you won’t be able to request through MnLINK during this time, because MnLINK relies on the ECRL system to authenticate your library card.

While the ECRL branches are closed, you might find AskMN especially useful. At AskMN, you can contact a librarian (in real time) to get questions answered that you would usually ask someone at an ECRL branch. AskMN is ready to help you 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.


Besides MnKnows, our other popular ECRL resources are still there: Chiltons, Learn a Test, NoveList -- find them here: http://www.ecrlib.org/database.html
The other resource provided by ECRL is Ancestry.com, which is only available in our branches (no remote access due to licensing restrictions).


We will re-open with our shiny new catalog the week of May 24th -- but then, we're really not completely closed!

Barbara Misselt, Director

It's TWELFTH NIGHT at Anoka-Ramsey!

William Shakespeare's Twelfth Night was first performed over 400 years ago on Candlemas night, 2 February 1602, in England. Some of the greatest names in 20th century English and American theatre have since performed in the play - Sir Ralph Richardson, Sir John Gielgud, Sir Laurence Olivier, Vivien Leigh, and Helen Hayes, to name a few.

Twelfth Night, one of the Bard's most accomplished comedies, is currently being performed on the stage of the Performing Arts Center at Anoka-Ramsey Commmunity College in Coon Rapids.

I was delighted to attend opening night on April 16th. Scott Ford's inspired direction, the stark yet effective scenic design, and the striking costuming made for a memorable evening.

The young actors, by and large, did a commendable job of interpreting Shakespeare's intricate and complex prose. A few struggled, others should remember that they must react to action and other actors on the stage, but Marcus Coker (Sir Toby Belch), Jacob Budnick (Sir Andrew Aguecheek), and Emily Moulds (Feste) gave diverting and entertaining performances in their comic roles. Neal Skoy was outstanding as Malvolio.

Mr. Skoy is a remarkably talented young man, and the audience was captivated by his exceptional performance from the moment he first appeared on stage. Malvolio is a complex and fascinating character that he handled with assurance and aplomb, especially through the use of his rich and eloquent voice - which filled every corner of the auditorium, seemingly without effort.

The actors cavorted about the stage in some of the most intriguing, if not startling, costumes I've ever seen in a Shakespeare production. Special kudos to Costume Designer Barb Portinga for combining vintage evening gowns, fright wigs, and red high-top sneakers with more conventional ensembles recalling the 16th century. Lauren Haven was lovely in everything she wore, Mr. Skoy bore a striking resemblance to the young F. Scott Fitzgerald in many of his scenes, and Mr. Budnick looked like an escapee from the Court of Versailles throughout. It was all very strange, but it worked.

The public can enjoy upcoming performances of Twelfth Night at 7:30 pm on April 22, 23, and 24. Tickets are $8.00 at the box office.

Bob Gray
Reference and Interlibrary Loan Librarian