News
Keep up with the latest news about Hennepin County Library building projects, events, people, services and resources. You can also follow us on Facebook, X, and Instagram.
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Celebrate AANHPI Heritage Month
Join Hennepin County Library as we celebrate Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) Heritage Month in May. Connect with the library to learn more about these cultures through art, literature, music, and film.
Category: Events
Youth leadership opportunity at Hennepin County Library
Hennepin County Library is accepting applications for a formal Library Youth Advisory Committee. Hennepin County commissioners will appoint a total of 14 youth – two for each district – for one-year terms.
Category: People
Volunteers make a difference
National Volunteer Week is observed annually during the third week of April. Hundreds of volunteers are making a difference in their communities by supporting learning, literacy, and enrichment at Hennepin County Library. In 2025, more than 400 volunteers supported youth programming alone, serving more than 11,200 hours across Hennepin County.
Category: People
Kanopy Subscription Ending May 11
Hennepin County Library will discontinue its subscription to Kanopy, an on-demand video streaming service, effective May 11, 2026.
Category: Services
Minnesota musicians: Be heard!
Hennepin County Library is searching for Minnesota musicians to feature on MNspin, the library’s free music streaming platform. The submission period is open April 13 through May 17, 2026.
Category:
Cargill Gallery presents: I am the Tree, the Tree is Me
Hennepin County Library announces its next Cargill Gallery exhibit, I am the Tree, the Tree is Me: Playing and Knowing, Imagining and Becoming, the Nature We Are. This exhibit celebrates the art and poetry by children in a New York City public school, as they discover and express their wondrous relationship to the natural world.
Category: Events
Maud Hart Lovelace and Star of the North Picture Book Awards
From March 1-March 21, children are invited to vote online for two book awards: Star of the North and Maud Hart Lovelace.
Category: Events
Cargill Gallery presents: Fondly thinking…
Hennepin County Library announces its next Cargill Gallery exhibit, Fondly thinking…, an exhibit that highlights the work of several Minneapolis based artists ranging in medium and thematics.
Category: Events
Hennepin County Library event receives national recognition from Urban Libraries Council
The annual Innovations Initiative from the Urban Libraries Council (ULC) recently recognized Hennepin County Library with an Honorable Mention for the 2025 Coming Home Reentry Resource Fair event.
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Cargill Gallery: I Wonder
Hennepin County Library announces its next Cargill Gallery exhibit: I Wonder, a collection of digital artwork created by youth artists at the Best Buy Teen Tech Center at Minneapolis Central Library.
Category: Events
Hennepin County Library’s most borrowed books of 2025
Before we turn the page to a new year, we’re celebrating the books our patrons loved the most at Hennepin County Library in 2025. “The Women” by Kristin Hannah and "James" by Percival Everett topped the print lists for adults while graphic novels once again dominated the juvenile print list.
Category: People
New music now streaming on MNspin
Hennepin County Library’s free music streaming service, MNspin, has released its 2025 collection of music. This year’s selection includes more than 75 new albums, growing the collection to more than 600 albums across 14 genres.
Category: Resources
Boxes: A celebration of public art at Arvonne Fraser Library
Join us at Arvonne Fraser Library to celebrate the installation of “Boxes,” a paint, tile, and mixed media piece by Kada Goalen, as part of Hennepin County’s One Percent for Art program.
Category: Events
Celebrate Prince with a Limited-Edition Library Card
Hennepin County Library is honoring one of Minnesota’s most iconic artists with a limited-edition Prince library card, available while supplies last at all 41 Hennepin County Library locations.
Category: Resources
Election information
To get ready for Election Day (November 4), use these recommended resources and tips to research the candidates on your ballot and prepare to vote.
Category: Events
Northeast Library reopening celebration
Join us in celebrating the newly renovated Northeast Library on Saturday, November 22 with a variety of family-friendly activities.
Category: Building projects
Hennepin County Library hosting Entrepreneur Expo at Minneapolis Central Library Oct. 4
Small business owners are invited to attend Hennepin County Library’s Entrepreneur Expo Saturday, Oct. 4, 2025, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Minneapolis Central Library.
Category: Events
2025 Artist Residencies
Hennepin County Library is excited to feature three unique artist residencies at select libraries this fall. Artist residencies will feature a collaboration between teaching artists and host libraries, creating opportunities for community members to explore creative expression, build artistic skills, and connect with local artists and other community members who share similar interests.
Category: Events
Survey Opportunity: Transforming Systems to Support Black Women, Girls, and Femmes
Hennepin County Library is partnering with Research in Action (RIA) to support a statewide survey focused on improving how institutions serve Black women, girls, and femmes in Minnesota.
Category: Services
Cargill Gallery presents SEEN: In the Stacks
SEEN, an exhibition featuring seven installations of collaborative work between currently-incarcerated and Twin-Cities-based artists, activists, and academics is the latest exhibit in the Cargill Gallery at Minneapolis Central Library.
Category: Events
Celebrate the Makoce Collection on August 9
Join us for a day of storytelling, music, and community on Saturday, August 9, at Franklin Library (1314 E Franklin Ave, Minneapolis) as we celebrate the Makoce Collection.
Category: Events
Progress update on Northeast Library project
Work continues on the Northeast Library facilities modification project.
Category: Building projects
Stay connected to news about the Southdale Library building project
Get project updates, photos, renderings, FAQs, project timeline, an opportunity to share your library story, and more.
Category: Building projects
Stay connected to news about the Westonka Library building project
Get project updates, photos, renderings, FAQs, project timeline, an opportunity to share your library story, and more.
Category: Building projects
Westonka Library closing July 5 for new construction project
Westonka Library will close July 5, 2025, to make way for a brand-new library. The project is expected to take around a year and a half to complete.
Category: Building projects
Cargill Gallery presents: The Binding is Just a Way to Keep It All Together
Hennepin County Library announces its next Cargill Gallery exhibit, The Binding is Just a Way to Keep It All Together, an exhibit that explores bookmaking, narrative, and sequence.
Category: Events
Northeast Library project moving along
Work continues to evolve on the Northeast Library facilities modification project.
Category: Building projects
Artist selected for Arvonne Fraser Library’s public art commission
As part of Hennepin County’s One Percent for Art Commissioned Public Art program, mural artist Kada Goalen has been selected to create installations for the two public stairwells at Arvonne Fraser Library.
Category: Events
Westonka Library project in procurement phase
The Westonka Library new construction project is in its procurement phase through late spring/early summer.
Category: Building projects
Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Heritage Month
Join Hennepin County Library as we celebrate Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) Heritage Month in May. Connect with the library to learn more about these cultures through art, literature, music, and film.
Category: Events
Calling all explorers!
Hennepin County Library has launched the Library Passport – a fun new way for residents to explore all 41 branches in the Hennepin County Library system!
Category: Services
Garden of Goodness art install complete at Sumner Library
Hennepin County’s latest public art installation, “Garden of Goodness,” a tile and glass mosaic created by Stacia Goodman, is complete. Goodman, a Minneapolis-based mixed-media artist, was selected to create public art for Sumner Library as part of the county’s “One Percent for Art” commissioned public art program.
Category: Events
Volunteers make a difference
In 2024, adult and teen volunteers gave more than 22,800 hours of service to their libraries. To our 755 valued volunteers, thank you!
Category: People
Minnesota musicians: be heard!
After a year-long hiatus, Hennepin County Library is again searching for Minnesota musicians to feature on MNspin, the library’s free music streaming service. The annual submission period is open April 14-May 17, 2025.
Category: Services
Augsburg Park Library will reopen Monday, April 21
Augsburg Park Library will reopen to the public Monday, April 21, 2025. The building has been closed for a planned renovation project.
Category: Building projects
Garden of Goodness: A celebration of public art at Sumner Library
Join us at Sumner Library to celebrate the installation of “Garden of Goodness,” a tile and glass mosaic, created by Stacia Goodman as part of Hennepin County’s One Percent for Art program.
Category: Events
Seeding the Stars: A celebration of public art and community
Join us on Saturday, February 8, 2025 at Hosmer Library to celebrate the installation of “Seeding the Stars,” two tile and glass mosaics, created by Olivia Levins Holden as part of Hennepin County’s One Percent for Art program.
Category: Events
Northeast Library closing for planned interior, exterior work
Northeast Library will close for planned interior and exterior work beginning Monday, February 24, 2025, and is expected to reopen in late 2025.
Category: Building projects
Work progressing on Augsburg Park Library building project
Contractors working on the Augsburg Park Library project have made some great progress in the past few months.
Category: Building projects
Timeline shifting for Westonka Library new construction project
The timeline for the Westonka Library new construction project has been adjusted. The building will likely remain open through mid-2025.
Category: Building projects
Recommended library apps
Download these apps to explore what your library has to offer, wherever you are.
Southdale Library closing January 6 for new construction project
Southdale Library will close Monday, January 6, 2025, to make way for a brand new Southdale Library. The project is expected to take around three years to complete.
Category: Building projects
Augsburg Park Library building project update
Progress on the Augsburg Park Library building project is moving along.
Category: Building projects
Southdale Library community meeting planned for December 7
Members of the public are invited to attend a community meeting at Southdale Library Saturday, December 7 at 10 a.m. to get an update on the project timeline, see the most recent design plans and renderings, and learn more about plans for the closure.
Category: Building projects
Updated timeline for Westonka Library new construction project
The Westonka Library new construction project is in the works. The timeline for this project has been adjusted slightly and the building will now remain open into early 2025.
Category: Building projects
Updated timeline for Brookdale Library remodeling project
Brookdale Library is scheduled to undergo a remodeling project in the coming years. The timeline has been adjusted to start in 2027 to ensure that Brookdale Library remains open while Southdale Library is undergoing construction, avoiding overlapping closures of two heavily utilized libraries.
Category: Building projects
Augsburg Park library closing for planned interior, exterior work
Augsburg Park Library will close for planned interior and exterior work beginning Sunday, July 14, and is expected to reopen in spring 2025.
Category: Building projects
Architectural firm selected for Brookdale Library project
The Hennepin County Board of Commissioners recently approved a contract with Gensler as the architectural firm for the Brookdale Library project.
Category: Building projects
Plans progressing for Westonka Library replacement
Hennepin County hosted a community meeting at Westonka Library Saturday, March 2, as part of a series of events to engage the public and share updates on the Westonka Library replacement project.Category: Building projects
Love local music? Check out MNspin, Hennepin County Library’s music streaming service!
MNspin is a free local music streaming service offered by Hennepin County Library. MNspin connects Minnesota artists with new audiences and offers listeners an ad-free exploration of our rich, diverse local music scene.
Category: Resources
Westonka Library community meeting planned for March 2
Plans for a new Westonka Library building are progressing and members of the public are invited to attend a community meeting at the library Saturday, March 2.
Category: Building projects
Brookdale Library remodeling project planning begins
Brookdale Library is scheduled to undergo a remodeling project in 2026.
Category: Building projects
Plans for new Southdale Library building progressing
Hennepin County hosted a community meeting at Southdale Library Saturday, January 20, as part of a series of events to engage the public and share updates on the Southdale Library building project.
Category: Building projects
County board approves funding for next phase of Westonka Library project
The Hennepin County Board of Commissioners approved the second phase of funding for the Westonka Library project November 2.
Category: Building projects
Southdale community meeting planned for Jan. 20
Plans for a new Southdale Library building are progressing and members of the public are invited to attend a community meeting to learn more about the project.
Category: Building projects
Southdale Library community meeting engages residents in planning for new building
Hennepin County Library hosted a community meeting at Southdale Library Thursday, August 31, as part of a series of events to engage the public in the upcoming new build project.
Category: Building projects
Osseo Library hours expanding Sept. 11
The hours of Osseo Library will be expanded with a new self-service model beginning Sept. 11.
Category: Services
Hennepin County Appoints New Library Director
Hennepin County has named Scott Duimstra as the next director for Hennepin County Library.Category: Services
Southdale Library community meeting planned for Aug. 31
A public meeting will be held at the library on Thursday, August 31, from 6-7:30 p.m.
Category: Building projects
Westonka Library engages community in planning for new building
Hennepin County Library hosted an open house at Westonka Library Tuesday, July 18, as part of a series of events to engage the public in the upcoming new build project.
Category: Building projects
Westonka Library Building Project Open House
An open house will be held at the library on Tuesday, July 18, from 6:30-8 p.m.Category: Building projects
Westonka Library project resumes
Planning for the Westonka Library project will resume in 2023.
Category: Building projects
Southdale Library planning will resume in 2023
Southdale Library planning will resume in 2023 and will include building on the existing site.Category: Building projects
Southdale Library project on hold
Hennepin County has paused its plans to relocate Southdale Library from the current 8-acre parcel on York Avenue in Edina.
Category: Building projects
Southdale Library facts and redevelopment history
Plans for a new Southdale Library are underway. Learn more about the project by reviewing the library facts and redevelopment history.Category: Building projects
Designer Selection Committee recommendation for Westonka Library
The Hennepin County Designer Selection Committee has recommended Gensler as the architectural firm for the new Westonka Library.
Category: Building projects
Cargill Gallery presents: Be Aware or Be Away
Hennepin County Library announces its next Cargill Gallery exhibit: Be Aware or Be Away, an exhibition of paintings and murals by Kushite Arts Team, a collective of extraordinary artists of East African heritage.
Category: Events
Youth leadership opportunity at Hennepin County Library
Hennepin County Library is accepting applications for a formal Library Youth Advisory Committee.
Category: People