Washburn Library
| Washburn Library | |
|---|---|
 Washburn Library viewed from the northeast | |
 | |
| Former names | Washburn Community Library |
| General information | |
| Type | Branch library |
| Location | 5244 Lyndale Avenue South, Minneapolis, Minnesota |
| Coordinates | 44°54′26″N 93°17′19″W / 44.90722°N 93.28861°W |
| Opened | September 1970 |
| Renovated | 1990 |
| Owner | Hennepin County Library |
Washburn Library is a public library in the Hennepin County Library system. The library opened in September 1970. The library had 18,000 books when it was created. It is the main library in Southwest Minneapolis. The library was named after William D. Washburn.[1]
History
[change | change source]The Washburn Library was part of the original Minneapolis Public Library.
The library was more popular than expected. Staff needed books from other libraries to keep stocked. In the first year, 273,000 books were checked out. This was the most out of any Minneapolis Public Library at the time.
The Gratia Countryman Library
[change | change source]Before the Washburn Library was built, another library was proposed for Southwest Minneapolis.[2]
A Southwest Minneapolis Library was proposed in 1959. It was supposed to be the first neighborhood library since 1931. It was for 30,000 people who only had a Bookmobile.
The name of Gratia Countryman came from the most respected leader of the Minneapolis Public Library.
Updates to the library
[change | change source]
In 1989, the library was the buisiest neighborhood library in Minneapolis. It needed to be expanded to help for the quickly growing population.
In 1990, The library was expanded by over 28%. It added more use for children after-school. This completed technology that the library had needed.[3]
In 2014, new furniture, shelves, public computers, and more electrical outlets were added to the building.[4]
References
[change | change source]- ↑ Gold Medal Flour, "The Sign," https://historicminneapolissigns.wordpress.com/signs/gold-medal-flour/
- ↑ "The Gratia Countryman Library That Never Was".
- ↑ Washburn Community Library Expansion and Remodeling. Leonard Parker Associates. 6 August 1990. OCLC 23369991.
- ↑ Slupski, Brian (October 20, 2014). "Washburn Library Has Reopened". Southwest Minneapolis Patch. Retrieved November 29, 2019.