I am becoming a connoisseur of Hennepin County libraries. This one is a strange one, but still does the job. First, it seems to sit on stilts. You park next to or maybe under the building. Then, you have to climb stairs to get to the library action. However, once up there, it is a pretty big library and we like their kids section, too. There are just enough books to choose from and there is a pretty good play space for the kids to burn calories while you hunt for books. We find the staff to be helpful as well. Note - I just saw something that this location may be closing soon for a major construction/rebuild project, so if true, you may have to head to the Grandview location. read more

Pretty good selection of poetry, could be updated with newer collections though. Pretty good for older collections & classics though.

Best Library in the Twin Cities. You can sleep there and it's pretty comfortable. They also have rooms to be in by yourself, if you hate people as much as I do. The books are pretty decent though I don't know why people still read when you have YouTube. I go there when I can and nobody freaks out that I have sunglasses on, mostly... for the ambience. read more

I have to agree with some of the other reviewers when they say that the set up is odd. It is, but still a nice library and big! Stopped in before meeting a friend and walked up to the main part of the library and then up to another level to use the Wi-Fi. I didn't have my library card with me and didn't feel like waiting to sign up for a new one. It's a nice library- just kind of a strange lay out. Edina does have a lot of wonderful resources. read more

This is the primary location of meetings I hold on a regular basis. The location is central and the staff are usually nice. read more

omg omg omg omg omg omg im screaming!!! did i enter library heaven or what?!?? this library is a little hard to access because theres another parking lot next to this library and if you go there accidentally, its not connected to the librarys parking so you have to do a full 360 and enter this place. If you think the parking is weird, wait until you get inside, I don't know who designed this place but the layout of it is comparable to a greek labyrinth. Its so weird and kind of oddly built. As soon as you walk in its just stairs and an elevator, which goes up to the "second floor. That second floor is the actual main floor complete with a childrens/teen section. They have a reading nook here as well. Before you enter the library, on the outside theres 2 community meeting halls which you can hold meetings in. This floor also has a lot of books, and dvd collections. Now coming to my favorite part- you have to walk from the "second floor" up the magical stairs to a studying paradise. I decided to do a mini walk through of this floor since I'd never been there before and this place was everything i ever dreamed a library would be, i had to shed a tear because my happiness overwhelmed me! Theres desks and desks and desks sprawled over the entire place and comparmentalized based on need. When you first walk in, off to the side near the bathrooms theres a "teen area" where i saw a lot of high schoolers working after school and this place was next to the computers and a mini lobby area, which is meant for light conversations. They have a chess board here as well. The entire rest of the floor is filled with desks and although not all have outlets, the ones that do are specified, they are perfect for some serious studying. The absolute best part of this floor is the enormous quiet zone at the very back of the library. when they mean quiet zone, they MEAN quiet zone, not even a whisper and the view overlooks target. Some of the desks near the walls have outlets, but not the ones in the middle. they also have cell phone chargers. this place was heaven for me because it created the perfect atmosphere for serious,buckle down,cramming studying. and being around others who were busy doing their work really gets you into the zone as well. no one was "playing around or sleeping here". they were very courteous to take all their phone calls outside too. overall this quiet zone is everything i could dream of, someone pinch me! they also have individual study rooms but only a couple. the only downside is the really old bathrooms and the actual librarians are the only ones talking here, and obviously the weird layout. other than that i can't find anything to criticize. this place also has the longest hours i've seen compared to other libraries, 9-9 Mon to Thurs. The picture on one of the other reviews holds true about the long hours. read more

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I'm a fan of ALL libraries, although Southdale isnt my favorite. It's not easy in/out, and it's not especailly kid friendly. The kid section isnt set up for any extra entertaining of your little ones, and the librarian...yeah. I'm a storytime snob, but the librarian had trouble keeping control of the room plus she said things like spider and finger rhyme. Say those words out loud. The er is not enough. Not even close. This is a great place to have a meeting. They seem to have good sound systems and plenty of chairs and parking and what not. read more

Beautiful building and fabulous collection of books & DVDs, plus staff that can help you find what you want.

I have been coming to Southdale library (or the Big White Library as we used to call it) since I was very little. As a child, the long stretch of stairs and vast open spaces were intimidating in a fascinating way. Now as an adult, I trek the same stairs with a warm feeling that soon I will hold in my hands a cherished story, a nugget of wisdom, or even a tried and true recipe to take home with me. The librarians are always so kind and passionate about what they do and most passionate about helping you find the perfect book. I've never had a librarian here cross with me or rude, they have always treated me with respect and had a smile to go along with it. Happy to continue retreating to my favorite haven of literary adventure. read more

I have only been here to participate in a series of meetings for a group to which I formerly belonged. The meeting room has always been a good enough space and has always been clean for as long as we've needed it. No one ever came in to shoo us out or say we were causing a ruckus (which we would sometimes do!--LOL). This library also provides free WiFi, which is great, in the event that you're only there for a meeting and might need to access the internet or you don't have a library card, which is needed to use the library's computers for internet. The only thing I think that is slightly odd is, if you need to get to the third level, you have to take another elevator on the second level (instead of taking the elevator on the ground level straight to the third level). Not sure why it's like that, but it's just something I've always wondered about. read more

One of the worst libraries in the system. The parking lot is laid out totally stupid. It is hard to drop off a book in the drive through and then find a way to exit southbound. The bathrooms need work. In the summer there are nearly 0 audiobooks available. I tried donating an audiobook here that I owned at the library would not take it and shelve it, even though they own exactly 0 copies. This is one of a series, and they own others, and each has a waiting list. They did not own this one. I used it once and tried to donate it. They were going to sell it and not place it on the shelves for other patrons. Southdale needs a facelift, new parking striping that makes sense and training for their staff and a better inventory. What did I leave out? -- oh yeah, you have to walk up 2 levels to for the main level, and then there is a thrid level you might need to go to as well. What is that space on the ground floor used for? It isn't training! read more

You might miss it because it doesn't look like a typical library. The interior has 2 levels to the actual library. (Court house and offices are attached) The staff are helpful and the place is much more accessible than downtown. I love searching the on-line catalog and reserving books, they are always on the hold shelf for me within a week or so. Clean, quite, convenient and not crowded. Note: They also have a drive up book return! read more

Hennepin County Library - Southdale Library - Exterior View (Via Google) - Libraries Near Me - Edina, Minnesota

I love this library. The staff are so friendly and helpful. Disclaimer: back when I first started college, I worked here for 2 years. Things have changed since I've worked there. The drive up book return is computerized and they have self-check out so there's pretty much never a line. It seems like their collection has gotten smaller. I'm not sure if this is true, it just appears that way to me. However, it doesn't matter much because this library is part of the Hennepin County system so you can go on-line, reserve whatever you want and they'll e-mail you when it's ready for pickup at the library location of your choice. They even send you e-mail reminders 3 days before your materials are due. The library has an extensive cd/dvd collection, too, although the more popular dvds are almost always checked out so you have to reserve those. There's a new feature I haven't used yet -- e-book borrowing. You have to download software to use it. There are nice reading areas spread throughout the first floor where the fiction and children's materials are located. For the kids, there are computer kiosks where they can play games on kid-friendly websites like pbskids.org. There's no sign up - kids can just sit down and play, but they have sign ups asking that people limit time to 30 minutes if other children are waiting to use the computer. On the second floor, you'll find the reference and non-fiction materials. There are a few private study rooms and desk kiosks scattered around. Overall, the library has a welcoming atmosphere. I love the service it provides. read more

It is a strange little library in that you have to walk up a couple flights of stairs to get to the library itself. The first floor you walk up to has a station to return or check out books, along with some parts of the library including a place to sit and read the newspaper, and children's play areas. The second floor is where most of the books seem to be and also where you are allowed to use computers or study. There is a quiet room but I did not use it. I didn't use the resources (books, DVDs, etc.) they had available there but the librarians here are very nice. The facility seems well maintained, there is a lot of space, and has a welcoming vibe. I do have to say that people do answer phones and have tutoring sessions there so if you're looking for a super quiet place, like a traditional library, you'd best visit the quiet room. They have free wifi, although Macs sometimes have trouble connecting. They do have technicians around sometimes that can help fix that problem though. My problem was that I never noticed the additional window that popped up to get my permission - once I accepted that, online I went! read more

Only went to one story time here so can't speak authoritatively, but the event failed to wow us. I appreciate though that they have a separate room for story time. read more

Apparently we as a nation have gotten so up-in-arms about life that stairs in a library are a dealbreaker, if other reviews are to be believed. They're stairs. Most people could do to take more of them. And like all buildings compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act, it has elevators. Now, the reason why I give it a 4/5 and not a 5/5: As a former frequent patron of the Southdale Library, it's massive and has lots of space. However, it's showing its age in that it's not tech-accessible. The building's exterior blocks a lot of cell service, especially on the second floor. Power outlets are located in a few select areas and not evenly spread. Wifi is accessible and free through the entire library, and there are several reading areas. Overall it's a great place to study, get work done, hold a meeting/meet a client, or go to look at books and read. For those not in the know: Southdale is slated for massive renovations, so many of the issues hopefully will be addressed. read more

My computer has been down & I was very impressed with the 3rd floor computer area. Very quiet, headsets, printer, charging for phones...terrific! Yes, I took 2 elevators to reach the 3rd floor. Yes, I sometimes park far away. However, the book drop is very convenient & librarians are very engaged & helpful. Location is good for me, as I live in nieghborhood. Nothing is perfect, but with a couple of extra steps, I am grateful it is there. read more

I'm hoping this is still the case, but when I lived in Edina and the library was still where the monstrous new courthouse/police station now stands, there was a yearly sale where you paid five dorrah and got to fill up a grocery bag with books. Absolutely wonderful. Also possible that most libraries do this, but it kept me reading then and it gave me full bookshelves as I crossed over into adulthood. Now, of course, this sort of place has been made obsolete by an addiction to technology and ridiculous inventions like the Kindle (which I have), but even still, yay 5 dorrah book sale. read more

There are too many stairs. And they are steep. And there was what appeared to be a homeless man in the second floor bathroom washing something. I left before finding out what....definitely wasn't his hands. Man this area has gone downhill. I'll continue to go.here though for some reason half the libraries are closed Mondays. read more

I show up for the book sale on 4/19/13, buy some books for my young child, and during checkout the cashier encourages me to come back on 4/21 for the "bag sale" when a grocery bag of books will be $5. Great, I think, so I come back on 4/21 one hour before close and low and behold all the children's books are boxed up and marked "SAVE". None of the other books were treated this way as far as I can tell. I ask an attendant what is up and I am informed the children's books were selling too quickly and therefore were removed from the sale around one o'clock. They wanted to keep most of their inventory in reserve for their ongoing sale. This is the treatment I get after having been explicitly encouraged to come back for the sale. Thanks for wasting my time and gas money Southdale. We just moved to the area and intended to become both "Friends" and donators but there's little chance of that now. read more