A library is often a pillar of the community, and the River Falls Public Library is no different. The City of River Falls is filled with residents focused on sustainability, and the library reflects that.

The library has undergone major renovations in recent months that are now seeing some finishing touches. The project has opened the doors for major sustainability opportunities.

“We’re excited to be exploring the potential impact of a solar roof while moving forward with plans for sustainable landscaping and community-centered outdoor spaces in 2027–including pollinator and rain gardens, a community garden and solar-powered furniture for charging devices,” Library Director Tanya Misselt said. “Together, these efforts will help reduce our environmental impact while creating welcoming, hands-on spaces that support resilience, biodiversity and everyday enjoyment for our community.”

Misselt said they are still evaluating the solar roof before they make a decision. The library estimates they could save $15-25,000 on energy costs per year, allowing them to potentially bring on a new staff member. If the solar roof is approved, it will likely go in during the fall to receive federal funding before the pool is dried up.

“We raised enough money to put a solar roof on the library. We’re exploring that right now. We want to make sure that it’s the right decision for the library and taxpayers,” Misselt said. “We do anticipate that, if we move forward with it, it will reduce expenses for the library that we can spend in other ways.”

A walkthrough of the library with UWRF Sustainability Coordinator Mark Klapatch-Mathias helped library staff envision a sustainable future. One idea that came from the meeting was sustainable landscaping on the south side of the building along the walkway.

“We’ll take the opportunity to learn along with the community with experts on how to create this environment,” Misselt said. “Hopefully students and the community will help us maintain it.”

The library is looking to make the community garden more accessible to people that cannot get down to their hands and knees. There will also be pollinator and rain gardens coming in 2027 when the renovation construction is complete.

A naturalist-in-residence program is coming to the library to lead nature-based programs, and an artist-in-residence program may be the next to follow when construction is complete. Misselt and Library Assistant Alice Olson said the art gallery has been missed by the community, and the artist-in-residence opportunity allows them to bring art opportunities back to the library.

At Earth Fest, the library is hosting a clothing mending station. Two years ago, the library purchased a pair of sewing machines to be checked out. To kick off the new purchases, they held a class where people could make reusable fabric bags, with leftovers being donated. During Earth Fest that year, a room was kept open for the bag making to continue.

“By the time we got to Earth Fest, we had a whole lot of bags donated that the community could roll the dice and have their pick of a beautiful collection,” Olson said. “We’ve moved on from that, but the community keeps asking what we are going to do for our project this year.”

Partnering with sustainable clothing events the Trashion Show and the Our Neighbor’s Place clothing giveaway, the library is hosting an apparel mending station where volunteers will patch up clothes using donated thread and fabrics to reduce waste.

“People can either sign up ahead and have a time slot, and send us photos of the project that they’re working on,” Olson said. “Or, they can just show up with a pair of pants that they would like to mend or need it hemmed.”

The focus is teaching people these skills so that they can mend their own clothes long after the festival.

“A lot of those old fashioned skills that went away for a while, and people are just excited about bringing back,” Olson said.

The list of sustainability efforts at the library are seemingly endless. With the HVAC system being updated as part of the renovations, energy use in the building will be more efficient, and the library will continue to serve as a cooling center for residents to get out of the summer heat.

“Sustainability falls under so many branches now,” Olson said.

Olson said the library is the perfect size to take on sustainability initiatives while still being a beating heart in the community.

Misselt said Gov. Jim Doyle (served from 2003-2011) set River Falls’ sustainability focus into motion by selecting UWRF as a university that would promote green energy.

“There was an expectation that within so many years, they would have built more sustainable green energy for communities,” Misselt said. “I think the fact that it’s a university town has everything to do with that value.”

With the river and surrounding nature, it was no secret why the rest of the community followed in the university’s footsteps.