Another nice Hennepin County library! Tucked in just off 101S, nice selection of materials, books,…read moreand resources. Friendly help makes finding just what you need very easy!

I utilize various county libraries when need a quiet space with connectivity for work projects,…read moretypically early in the morning or later afternoon. Most of the Hennepin County Libraries in the western 'burbs fit my needs perfectly, but the Minnetonka Branch isn't one of them, being better suited to small children and perhaps picking up a loaner book. This is a very, very small library. The only table space supports big computer monitors, and as I needed access to power I was forced to sit in a somewhat comfy chair along the window. Now, there is a nice view of the wetlands outside the window, but as the chair faces the front door I didn't get to enjoy it. As this was late afternoon, a steady stream of toddlers and elementary kids paraded through the front door, with most of them headed to a small room reserved for kids where they weren't quite as noisy. To top it off, the library closed at 5 pm on a Friday (which was just as well as I wanted to hit happy hour at a local brewery!).

Beautiful building in a beautiful place! Newish facility is very well done. One of my be larger…read morefacilities in the area it offers a wide range of materials, resources, and services. A local historic society houses an archive in the building, but separate from the library facilities. This is definitely worth a stop!

The views here are amazing, love looking out to the lake. Actually not sure which bay of Lake…read moreMinnetonka it is, but stunning views overall. The staff were enthusiastic to stamp my library passport and asked me questions about some of my favorite locations so far. They told me about the unique features of this location - kids garden (which not sure it's been started just yet for this year) and there's a pollination garden on the lake view side. They had some seating options but generally felt a bit smaller overall compared to some other locations, so I love that they have areas outside to sit. Definitely worth checking out on a nice day!

Interesting geodesic shaped building, creating pods for areas of interest. Meeting and study rooms…read moreavailable, and individual reading areas scattered throughout. Not a lot of embellishment or art work, but an interesting space. Easy parking, well laid out, would make an interesting home library!

Since starting a small business, I've been going to the library weekly to take advantage of their…read morefree 50 print copies every week! Such a great community resource. The staff is friendly and the space is great if you're looking for somewhere quiet!

I've gone to this library a few times. I like that it is not huge but they have it divided up into…read moresections. The coolest thing is they have private rooms that you can use for free. I had to do this to rehearse for a Play I was in. Make sure you pay attention to hotel of operation though. Sometimes doors don't open until 12 on the dot, even if you have reserved a room for 12pm.

Lots of natural light, easy parking, nice areas for kids and reserved teen spaces. Nice…read moreperiodicals, magazines and newspapers and pickup area for borrowed materials. Reading spaces with lots of natural light are appreciated!

Browsing these aisles was an illuminating experience for me. I love libraries, and I've been…read morepleased with the number of queer works in my nearby Wescott public library (and I was even pleased with the number of queer works in my Buda public library back when I was stuck living in Texas), but being here shifted things strikingly into perspective... Cisheteronormativity stifles our collective voices and power. Our community has built so much, page by page, sharing our wisdom. With so much queer literature (both fiction and non-fiction alike), I could never hope to read it all in my lifetime, yet here it was surrounding me. Not a couple of shelves or a couple of rows, full AISLES reaching from my feet to above my head. Their collection of books pre-dating 1969 was also impressive, as was their periodicals. An absolute treasure trove of queer history sitting on those shelves. Anyway, I was here for a meet-up that was going on as a resource for trans folks, since I myself am trans. This place has a packed calendar of goings-on for everyone in the acronym. If it's open, there's probably something going on, which is just so amazing and awesome. Places like this matter deeply to the minorities they serve. The place was modern, clean, and maintained, while also feeling comfortable. A space towards the front with couches and chairs serves as a meeting place for book review clubs or to just sit and read while there. There's a multi-purpose room towards the back for gatherings that need a little more space to spread out or that need privacy. There's a computer you can access in the back as well. The restrooms were, of course, gender-neutral, and quite spacious for accessibility reasons too. There is a parking lot accessible off 13th street with 20+ parking spaces available, but if it's looking a little full, you can also easily parallel park on 13th like I did. At the entrance there's a drop box in case you need to return a book after hours (this is important because the library is fairly exclusive about its operational hours, being volunteer-run and all). They also currently have their front door locked (due to understandable concerns about I.C.E.), but if you knock loudly or call the desk, they'll let you in. While I was here, I applied for my Q library card (something I've been meaning to do for months). They had forms out with clipboard and pen, which made it a breeze for me to complete, and the volunteer staff member got it all inputted while I browsed, then found me to give me my card. Just holding it made me so excited! My reading rate has been in a bit of a slump the past few weeks, so I held off on checking anything out, even though the urge to grab 3+ books was strong. I'm sure to be back later to rectify that situation, because so many of the titles stood out to me! So much knowledge to acquire! I'm also likely to bring friends and family members by in the future to share this very special place. I think every queer person should see it at least once in their lifetime.

Truly a (national) gem ! We in the TCs are so fortunate to have this resource for its books and…read moreDVDs. I've yet to encounter a poor staff-volunteer. They also do a fine job, and I understand are trying to do more, community special educational events, eg: its upcoming seminar on 'Long Term Care Insurance.' And for 'mature' dogs like me, they still have many classic DVDs.... All this for only $25 a year of you're over 60, $40 if younger ! Come-out (again) and support this quality GLBTQ resource !

For a campus library, Magrath is huge, ugly, and has a good selection of everything you may want to…read morelook up. On the plus side, for those of us who go back and forth between the Minneapolis and St. Paul campuses, it is much less crowded than the main library on the Minneapolis campus. Yes, it gets a bit busy around finals, as expected. But otherwise it is a good option. The library is centrally located and an easy walk from about anywhere.

I love this library and the fact that it's paired with the Dakota county library systems! I grew up…read morein a small town so I was used to waiting 6+ months for a book to become available. Not the case with this library system. Their online system makes it so easy to get holds transferred from other libraries in the county. They are quick and efficient and it's easy to find where your holds are. The library is clean, welcoming, and overall very quiet. They have Toddler Storytime days and Storytime for 3-5 year olds. I used to love taking my toddler there and she had a great time. They sing songs, read books and have a play time after with the library toys. There is also a small sized selection of kids puzzles, a dollhouse, some magnet walls and magnetic tiles. There are also 4 small computers for kids 5+. Computers are also available for adults in a different section near the entrance. Overall it's not the biggest library, but it's beautiful, clean, renovated, and friendly! I love it and I'm glad to have it around.

This is my local library! There are several good places to sit and read or work, and a selection of…read morerooms for groups or individuals. A big open kids section, an iLab, and a sensory room (with tools for people with autism or sensory processing issues to regulate), and a fireplace in the back got added with the renovations that happened a year or two ago. The only thing I'd improve is they don't have many places for book displays, and some of the displays are hidden. The featured teen books are just on a small rotating book stand and some featured non-fiction books are on a wall that's kind of hidden. The best displays are the children's books and Librarians choice books, which are right up front in an open are. Sometimes there's also a table with a book display by the entrance next to all the new books, which is changed regularly, so that's nice. I just wish the book displays particularly for the teen and nonfiction sections were more visible and inviting.

I wanted review 2000 to be something really special and uniquely Minnesotan. July 26-28, 2024…read moreFriends of the Sherlock Holmes Collections, The Norwegian Explorers, and University of Minnesota Libraries put on an exhibition of Sherlock Holmes @50. This particular Library celebrated 50 years. People came from all over the world People donate their collections to this library. On the 2nd floor is a sitting room that is a replica of 221B Baker St. received from the estate of Allen Mackler. If you love Sherlock Holmes everything is here. I would recommend joining The Norwegian Explorers if you really want to dive in and meet real collectors and enthusiasts. There is a good size parking lot also. I've only been here the one time, but I should go back. It's a beautiful building.

Elmer Andersen Library holds the archives for the University of MN as well as the archives of a…read morenumber of other collecting units. The Performing Arts Archives hold the materials from several area dance and theatre groups. The Tretter Collection covers GLBT history and the Immigration History Research Center holds documents from immigrants in the area over the years. No matter what your topic is the archives in Elmer Andersen Library will have something. The primary sources are great for papers and projects.