The public is invited to comment on the consolidation of the Hennepin County Library and Minneapolis Public Library systems, as recommended by the Committee on the Future of Libraries in Hennepin County, at two upcoming meetings:
Hennepin County Library Board MeetingFeb. 28, 2007, 5:00 pm - 6:30 pm
Public comment portion of meeting begins at 5:15 pm
Brookdale Library
6125 Shingle Creek Parkway, Brooklyn Center
Information Session
Hosted by Hennepin County Library Board
March 7, 2007, 5:00 pm -6:30 pm
Eden Prairie Library
565 Prairie Center Dr, Eden Prairie
With a vision to be a premier library system in the country by building on strengths and talents of both library systems, the Committee on the Future of Libraries in Hennepin County approved a resolution on Feb. 15, 2007 to recommend a consolidation of the libraries. The two public library systems in Hennepin County include 26 libraries in suburban Hennepin County and 15 libraries (of which three sites are temporarily closed) in the city of Minneapolis.
The committee recommended that guiding principles to consolidate library services in Hennepin County into a united library system be forwarded to the Hennepin County Library Board for review and to the Hennepin County Board of Commissioners, the Minneapolis City Council and Mayor, and the Minneapolis Public Library Board for approvals. To read the guiding principles and other information related to the committee, or to comment, visit hclib.org/futureoflibraries or call 612-543-8500.
It is anticipated that the Hennepin County Board and other governing bodies will review the committee's guiding principles and other issues and take action some time in March. The committee was created by the Hennepin County Board of Commissioners last November to examine a possible merger of the Hennepin County and Minneapolis Public Library systems.
