The stunning Minneapolis Central Library is conveniently located in downtown Minneapolis between Hennepin Avenue, the city's arts and theater district, and Nicollet Mall, the backbone of the city's business and shopping districts.
Designed to reflect residents' civic pride and deep commitment to education and literacy, Minneapolis Central Library offers nearly 100 percent access to its collection, the center of the third largest per capita public library collection of any major city in America with a collection of more than 2.4 million items--including books, DVDs, music, government documents and more.
Architecture
• Designed by Cesar Pelli, the world reknowned architect
• Other projects by Pelli include Manhattan's World Financial Center and the Wells Fargo Financial Center in Minneapolis
Park in Underground Ramp
As of 1/01/2010 it is managed by Allied Parking.
Allied number at Central Library: 612-630-6375.
Their general number is 612-332-0391.
• The parking ramp entrance is on 4th St.
• Handicapped spaces are available on each level near the elevators.
• Drive through book drop: A drive-through book drop is available on the P-1 parking level. When you enter the garage, take a ticket, loop around the P1 parking level, and you will see a steel book return box before the exit. Return your books and continue to the exit gate to deposit your ticket to exit. This is free of charge as long as you exit the garage wihtin 15 minutes of entering.
• Tickets are issued from 5 am to 10 pm.
• Those who park in the ramp can enter the library atrium to retrieve their car at any time of the day or night.
• Cash, Visa and Mastercard are accepted by automated payment machines which are on each level of the ramp and also on the main floor, before the entrance to the elevators.
• Parking rates (subject to change without notice):
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| 1 hour | $3 | | 2 hours | $4 | | 3 hours | $5 | | 4 hours | $7 | | 6 hours | $8 | | 8 hours | $9 | | 10 hours | $10 | | 24 hours | $12 | | After 3 pm | $5 max. | | Weekend | $5 max. | | Monthly | $175 | Daily Special
(in by 9 a.m., out by 6 p.m.) | $9 | Structure
• 353,000 square feet with 140,000 square feet of underground parking. Enter the parking ramp on 4th street.
• Eye-catching canopy roof that projects over Hennepin and Nicollet entrances
• 8,140 square-foot atrium links two buildings that make up the library
• Combination of transparent and translucent glass with seasonal Minnesota imagery such as water, snow, trees and prairie grass
• 18,560 square-foot "green" roof planted with low-growing, sun- and drought-resistant ground cover
• Ninety-five percent of the old Central Library building was recycled; the pillars in the new building are from recycled cement
• Automatic lights, heating/cooling and other systems reduce expenses of operating the building
• Overall, projected 30 percent more energy efficient than required by energy code, including:
• Under-floor ventilation system that reduces cooling costs by 15-20 percent
• Light fixtures with light sensors and controls to minimize energy consumption
• Building materials with high recycled content, low VOC content and low life-cycle costs
• Dunn Brothers coffee and The Friends bookstore offer other amenities to customers
Collection
• Third largest per capita public library collection of any major city in the United States with a collection of more than 2.4 million items--including books, DVDs, music, government documents and more
• Nearly 100 percent of its collection is accessible to the public, compared to just 15 percent in the previous Minneapolis Central Library
Technology
• More computers with free Internet access for free public use than any single building in the state --300+ up from 75 previously offered
• Free public classes from basic office software to resume writing in the Best Buy Technology Center– Wireless Internet access throughout the building
Children’s Library
• Upper Midwest's largest public library collection of children’s books, including materials in more than 30 languages
• Designed to provide children from birth to 12 with room for exploration and fun, and to help parents, families, teachers and caregivers develop children's love of learning and reading
Teen Central
• Emma B. Howe Teen Central is one of the first spaces of its kind in the United States to be designed by and for teens
• Created to welcome teens, engage their recreational and personal needs, provide after-school help from tutors and support their educational goals
New Americans Center
• One in every five households in Minneapolis speaks a language other than English, and more than 6,000 new immigrants join the community every year
• New Americans Center has English Language Learner classes, workforce and business development programs, opportunities to practice English and study
Business Services
• Forty percent of customers, including job seekers, small business owners, investors and patent researchers, use the library for business purposes
• Minnesota's only complete U.S. patent collection and the most extensive collection of government documents of any Minnesota public library
• Serves as an engine for business self-sufficiency and growth
Meeting Spaces
• Twenty-five new meeting and study areas
• Pohlad Hall--a state-of-the-art auditorium
• Mary and David Doty Library Board Room
• Robins, Kaplan, Miller and Ciresi meeting room
Tours of Central Library
Search for upcoming tours of Central on the Events & Classes page by entering keyword "tours".
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