DCTC Library

Friday, June 19th marks Juneteenth, a federal holiday commemorating the end of slavery in the United States. The holiday's name, first used in the 1890s, refers to June 19th, 1865, when the Emancipation Proclamation was finally enforced in Texas at the end of the American Civil War. Interested in attending events to celebrate Juneteenth? Check out this list of community events in the Twin Cities: https://www.visitsaintpaul.com/blog/juneteenth-in-saint-paul/

On this day in 1949, George Orwell's famous novel 1984 was first published in the United Kingdom. The novel depicts a totalitarian society and explores themes of mass surveillance, truth manipulation, and psychological control. Since its publication, the novel has become a classic example of dystopian and political fiction.

Happy Pride Month! Ever wonder about the evolution of the Pride Flag?

The first rainbow flag was designed in 1978 by artist, activist, and drag queen Gilbert Baker.

He had been urged by Harvey Milk, one of the first openly gay elected officials in the U.S., to create a symbol of pride for the gay community.

The first versions, all handmade, were flown on June 25, 1978, for the San Francisco Gay Freedom Day parade.

In 1994, Baker made a mile-long version of the flag for the 25th anniversary of the Stonewall riots, and the rainbow flag was solidly established as the symbol for LGBTQ pride.

NASA's Artemis II mission, gut simulations, spiders armed with claws, and saving the northern white rhino. Learn about all of this and more with AccessScience: https://blogs.dctc.edu/library/2026/06/02/accessscience-update-100/

On this day in 1917, John F. Kennedy was born in Brookline, Massachusetts. The youngest person ever elected president, Kennedy's presidency was marked by global tensions with the Soviet Union and New Frontier domestic programs in the United States. Interested in learning more about other US presidents? Stop by the library this summer or check out our online catalog: https://mnpals-dct.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/discovery/search?query=any,contains,us%20presidents&tab=LibraryCatalog&search_scope=MyInstitution&vid=01MNPALS_DCT:DCT&offset=0

The library's summer hours begin on Tuesday, May 19th and continue through Friday, August 21st. We'll be open from 9 am to 2 pm, Monday through Friday. Drop in and check out some summer reads!

On this day in 1858, Minnesota became the 32nd state to enter the Union. President James Buchanan had received the application for statehood in January of that year, but it had been delayed by the issue of statehood for Kansas and the expansion of slavery in that region of the country. Interested in learning more about the North Star State? Check out some of our resources at the library: https://mnpals-dct.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/discovery/search?query=any,contains,Minnesota%20history&tab=PHYS&search_scope=PHYS&vid=01MNPALS_DCT:DCT&offset=0

On this day in 1889, the Eiffel Tower officially opened to the public as the entrance arch to the Exposition Universelle (World's Fair) in Paris, acting as a celebration of the 100th anniversary of the French Revolution. Want to learn more about what books the library has about architecture? Take a look at our catalog: https://mnpals-dct.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/discovery/search?query=any,contains,architecture&tab=PHYS&search_scope=PHYS&vid=01MNPALS_DCT:DCT&offset=0

New books - check them out! https://blogs.dctc.edu/library/2026/05/04/new-titles-124/

Today marks the 100th birthday of American novelist Harper Lee. Born in 1926, Lee's 1960 novel To Kill a Mockingbird won the 1961 Pulitzer Prize and is considered a classic of modern American literature. Lee was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2007 for her contribution to literature.