Source: Minot Public Library Annual Report

More than 24,000 people attended a program or outreach event at Minot Public Library in 2025, according to the library’s 2025 annual report, released to the public and presented to the Minot City Council June 1.

The library held 591 programs and had attendance at those programs totaling 24,377. Youth, both children and teens, accounted for a large share of the program usage. Also, 1,433 people participated in Summer Reading in 2025, and more than 400 children were enrolled in the library’s “1,000 Books Before Kindergarten” reading challenge.

The annual report added that nearly 30,000 eBooks and eAudiobook items were checked out and nearly 95,000 people stepped through the library’s doors. The community rooms saw 1,261 hours of use during 2025.

“It seems like every day the library fills up with new people for a new purpose,” said Josh Pikka, who became library director during 2025. “Now is a good time to remind everyone about summer reading and how important reading is to children, and adults as well.”

On the subject of funding, MPL received about 2.2% of the total property tax collection for city residents, which accounted for about 86.5% of its annual budget. MPL has calculated that with the funding received it was able to return to the community $17 million in services. It means for every dollar the library received, it was able to give services that amount to $7.83.

“The library is a great asset to our community,” Board President Christine Cherry said. “Seeing the value that the library delivers to the community in dollars and cents really makes that feeling tangible.”

In 2025 the Friends of the Library, a nonprofit fundraising arm of the library, gave $29,512 to the library.

“I really can’t thank the Friends enough for what they do,” Pikka said. “The Friends make this library possible as they help us with program supplies for almost all of our programs, and are there for us when an unexpected need arises.”

In 2025, the library added security cameras, updated security hardware, revamped the children’s library speaker system and completed the second year of a three-year savings plan to purchase a new library roof in 2027.

The library remains busy in 2026 as it looks forward to future endeavors, according to Pikka.

“But we also have our eyes on the 2027 budget and if the City/County Library Committee will put forward ballot language to see if the community would like to merge this library with the Ward County Library,” he said.