"Our library was designed as a place people want to come to," New Richmond Alderman Mike Montello said in the Hudson Star-Observer's coverage of the library's Wisconsin Library Association honor. The building at 450 South Arch Avenue opened in January 2026. This is its first winter.
The Wisconsin Library Association's citation for the award points to the lending catalog, the programs and the people who gather there. In December and January those are the parts that get the most use. Coffee is poured two hours before the library opens. Snowshoes go out on one-week loans. Free rooms can be booked. The calendar runs right up to the hour the Hometown Holiday parade starts down Knowles Avenue.
What the award recognized
The WLA's 2026 awards announcement names New Richmond Community Library its Library of the Year and points to the library's service, innovation, community engagement and its commitment to creating connections for residents of New Richmond and beyond. According to the City's November and December newsletter, the judges scored impact on the local community, impact on the larger community, commitment to innovation, commitment to users, and supporting evidence.
Most of that evidence was about people. The WLA citation quotes a New Richmond parent who joined a group of parents and young children at the library after becoming a stay-at-home mom. "My son and I found friends in Babygarten at the library we are still close with today, eight years later," she wrote. Library trustee Lisa Naser described bringing her daughter's favorite stuffed animal to a library sleepover. Staff read the toys a bedtime story and later shared photos of their overnight "adventures" around the building. John Thompson, director of the IFLS Library System, said the library "exemplifies" the idea of a community gathering space. The association also noted that New Richmond staff share their expertise with neighboring libraries and host regional meetings and trainings.
The library was honored at the WLA Awards and Honors Banquet on Oct. 22 at the Madison Marriott West in Middleton.
The building made room for all of this. The new library has 30,000 square feet, more than three times the size of the old one. The old library stood in Glover Park, across First Street from City Hall. It was completed in 1963 and expanded in 1989. The new library sits on the former high school and middle school site, on land the School District gave the City in 2017. Construction began in September 2024. The City describes it as a $30 million public-private partnership with 360 Real Estate Solutions. ISG designed it, and the City's Community Development Authority owns the library floor. The library fills the first floor of Archway Residences, which has 69 apartments above it and nine more in a separate townhouse building.
The day starts at the coffee counter
The building's locally owned coffee shop is Jewelltown Cafe, the second location of Jewelltown Roastery, whose roastery is in Star Prairie. The Hudson Star-Observer has reported that Jewelltown was co-founded by siblings Quinn and Hana Wrenholt. In May, the St. Croix Economic Development Corporation named Jewelltown one of the first-round recipients of its Small Business Development Grant. Jewelltown planned to use the money to add staff.
The cafe and the library keep different hours, and the difference shapes the building's day:
| Day | Jewelltown Cafe | New Richmond Community Library |
|---|---|---|
| Monday–Thursday | 7 a.m.–8 p.m. | 9 a.m.–8 p.m. |
| Friday | 7 a.m.–6 p.m. | 9 a.m.–6 p.m. |
| Saturday | 8 a.m.–3 p.m. | 9 a.m.–3 p.m. |
| Sunday | 8 a.m.–noon | Closed |
From Monday through Saturday, both close at the same time. In the morning, the cafe opens two hours ahead of the library on weekdays and one hour ahead on Saturday. On Sunday, the cafe is the only one of the two that is open. The library asks patrons to call ahead for holiday hours, so check before any trip planned around Thanksgiving or Christmas week.
Gear that leaves the building
The WLA citation singled out the library's Library of Things. In winter, the most useful part of that collection goes outdoors. From the Library of Things page:
- Snowshoes. The library lends several sizes. Its own sizing note says heavier users and lighter, drier snow both need more surface area. Checkout lasts one week, and the library asks borrowers to return the snowshoes as dry and clean as possible so the shoes and carrying bag don't mold or rust.
- Park Packs. These themed backpacks hold gear for getting outside. Select packs include admission to Willow River State Park or St. Croix County Parks. Checkout lasts two weeks.
- Trekking poles. Adjustable Mountainsmith Rhyolite poles extend from 27 to 55 inches and come with removable baskets. Checkout lasts two weeks.
- Discovery Kits. Microscopes, telescopes, 3D pens, a lightboard, games and math manipulatives for kids, with a two-week checkout.
There are trails close to home for those snowshoes. According to its Parks & Trails page, the City maintains 270 acres of parkland and 19.5 miles of trails. Its work includes grooming cross-country ski trails and keeping up warming houses and ice rinks. For a night in, the same catalog lends Nintendo consoles and Roku streaming devices.
Free rooms on the first floor
Besides lending gear, the building also lends space. The library's room booking page lists Study Rooms 125 and 126, Breakout Rooms 122 and 123, Conference Rooms 119 and 120, and Multipurpose Room 124. All are free and can be booked online up to 24 hours ahead or in person on the day you need one. Conference Room 119 seats 14, and Multipurpose Room 124 seats 15.
For bigger groups, the City runs the RCU Meeting Room, which holds 100, and Conference Rooms 109 and 117. These rooms sit outside the library doors and are booked separately. The City's plans for the building also included a dedicated teen space with its own breakout rooms and a separate children's area. Wi-Fi reaches inside and outside the building, and public computers are available. The WLA mentioned that Wi-Fi in its citation, noting the students who rely on it.
Thanksgiving week through the parade
The programs the WLA highlighted run straight through the holidays. Kids Karaoke is on the December calendar. Here is the library's event calendar from Monday, Nov. 23, through the first Friday in December:
- Mon., Nov. 23, 1–3 p.m.: Adult Coloring & Crafts. The library supplies materials, and you're welcome to bring your own.
- Wed., Nov. 25, 3–5 p.m.: Brick Builders: LEGO Club, recommended for ages 6 to 12 with a parent supervising.
- Thu., Nov. 26, and Fri., Nov. 27: Library closed for Thanksgiving. It reopens Saturday, Nov. 28, which is also Small Business Saturday.
- Mon., Nov. 30, 10–11:30 a.m.: Little Explorers, with STEAM activity stations for ages 2 to 6.
- Tue., Dec. 1, 10–11 a.m.: CASEL Storytime with a school counselor, built around social-emotional skills.
- Tue., Dec. 1, 5:30–7 p.m.: Practical AI for Everyday Life, a hands-on adult class covering prompts, phone and computer problems, scams and trip planning. Registration required.
- Wed., Dec. 2, 10 a.m.–noon: Job Center of Wisconsin, with help on job searches, resumes and interviews.
- Wed., Dec. 2, 6–7 p.m.: Kids Karaoke on local DJ equipment. Singers and spectators are both welcome.
- Thu., Dec. 3: BabyTime at 10 a.m., Toddler Time at 11 a.m., and Crafty Adults: Origami at 2 p.m. and again at 5 p.m.
- Fri., Dec. 4, 10–11 a.m.: Little Learners Storytime, best for ages 2 to 5.
December 3 lines up with downtown
The Crafty Adults session teaches money-origami folds for making shapes and animals to give as holiday gifts. It is for ages 18 and up, and registration is required. The evening session runs from 5 to 6 p.m. That same night, Hometown Holidays runs downtown from 4 to 7 p.m. According to the New Richmond Area Chamber of Commerce, the parade starts at 6 p.m. Lineup begins at 4:30 on W. 5th behind Dick's Fresh Market, and the route heads north from 5th Street to 1st Street. The City's newsletter adds fireworks, hot cocoa stands and a nighttime parade down Knowles Avenue. The 5 p.m. origami class ends right as the parade is set to start.
Later in the month, the library and City Hall are both closed Dec. 24 and 25. City Hall at 156 E. 1st Street is also a Toys for Tots drop-off this season.
Places like the library on Arch Avenue are part of what a New Richmond home offers, and they belong in its story when it's time to sell. Jessica Johnson and the Platinum Real Estate Team bring that local detail into how we present every home we list. If you'd like to know how your home fits into today's New Richmond market, Request Your Complimentary Home Valuation and we'll walk you through it.
