The Reading Room is an excellent space for an intimate wedding. There were about 150 guests and the ceremony took place in the front of the room, with elegant tables behind for the plated dinner reception. Waitstaff circulated with hors d'oeuvres as we waited in the receiving line, keeping everyone engaged. I loved the library theme, from the Save The Date library book cards to the tables identified by famous authors. We were seated at Dickens, our dinner preferences printed out on beautiful bookmarks. The three-story ceilings are reached by massive bookshelves with upstairs hallways for reaching those high books. The flowers were gorgeous and organic and the catered food was delicious from salad to dessert. It's not an inexpensive venue, but it is warm and intimate once you get here. We ran into detours, slow trains, and closed roads so we had our Uber let us out about a 1/4 mile away because we were about to be late. We literally made it in as the ceremony started. Road construction, closed roads, detours, and slow freight trains don't show up on your travel map! read more

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A stunning interior historic space and building. If I were doing research here, I think I'd find it very enjoyable. Using it as a meeting space wasn't the greatest, since the speakers had power point presentations with lots of writing, and because the seating had to be deep and narrow, it was hard for those in the back. Sound also was splotchy, and the bathrooms are small and at the front, so you have to walk in front of everyone to reach them. As a stop to see something beautiful--it's a must if you're in this city. read more

James J Hill Center - It's a #lookup wonderland - Libraries Near Me - Saint Paul, Minnesota

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As other reviews have mentioned the space is gorgeous. Even after living in Minnesota for most of my life I never ventured to visit this library but I am so happy for my friends who decided to get married here. There were only 3 stalls for the women's washroom, maybe there were other restrooms but these were closest to the dance floor. The dance floor wasn't that big but not everyone wanted to dance so it worked out. I noticed the DJ from Midwest Sound had a Numark DJ Controller so it looks like the venue allows flexibility in music choices. For some reason they never refilled our waters when the pitcher was exhausted. Not sure if that had to do with the caterers or the wait staff for the night. There was an open bar and a huge bowl of punch though so maybe that was why. Overall I had a good time. So glad to have been a part of their very special day. read more

James J Hill Center - Such a unique wedding venue - Libraries Near Me - Saint Paul, Minnesota

This place is ancient! And did I mention, it's really pretty! I like how vintage it looks and would love to do a photography session here but everything is literally off limits. Can't climb the stairs, can't touch books, etc. I get it though, they're trying to preserve the books and all the books. The librarian lady was really welcoming and help my business partners and I with our research. We found a ton of information and spent our entire day there. The one thing that I wasn't really fond of is parking. Parking sucks big time but there is a ramp and for xyz hours, you can park for some change. I only wish hours were better so I can go after work instead of taking PTO to visit this place. Would still highly recommend it! Go early and stay long, you won't regret it! read more

This might be my very favorite place in St. Paul. Alex and I stopped in randomly a few weekends ago (for a palate cleanser after an event rightfully named BRO FEST), and I fell completely head over heels. It's a library, yes, but it's also probably the closest I've felt toward feeling religious in a long time. The ceilings are high, the design is Scandinavian, the chairs are begging to be curled up in to read the Sunday newspaper, and the sense of calm and serenity there is like no other. The staff is incredibly helpful and eager to help you find anything you're looking for, but I got the most pleasure out of sitting in one of the overstuffed armchairs, looking around, and just BEING. read more

My friend had her wedding here on Friday and I have to say the library is a great space for a fancy event. Located in the middle of downtown St. Paul, it had a smidge of Harry Potter mixed with Downton Abbey feel. The staff we worked with was great and accomodating. There was a strict schedule to follow in order for everything to go smoothly and they were great in executing that. We had a rehearsal the day before so that all of the bridal party knew what they were doing. They provided rooms for the boys and girls to get ready before the wedding. My friend brought in all of her decor for the tables. They had quite a few long wooden tables in the middle and everything was surrounded by levels and levels of old books. It was great for pictures, too. Tons of places to shoot inside and outside. I'm pretty sure the only parking was garage space a few blocks away. This worked out fine and we were provided vouchers on the day of. A great space with high ceilings and a lot of potential for event planning. read more

This is the perfect place to check out to get your local st.paul history fix. You get to see the Hill family's living quarteres as well as the servent's down below. The architecture is spectacular! I heard you can check out the "nooks and crannies" tour to get the full effect. read more

Two years ago I traveled from New York to St. Paul in order to research primary resources at the James J. Hill Center and other archival organizations for a book I am writing. The staff was very accommodating and the reference librarian was extraordinarily helpful. The Center is a comfortable place to work and as a seasoned New Yorker, I felt fine using the ladies room without securing my laptop or taking my purse. It felt that much like working in my home office. Regrettably, the Center had to close as of July 3, 2019 due to budget challenges. I only hope they garner enough support to reopen. It is truly a research gem. P.S.: for the reviewer who complained about the difficulty of viewing power point slides in the space, the presenters failed to follow the first rule of PP presentation:" Less is more" - PP works best when bullet points, or a graphic is displayed on each slide while the presenter delivers a full presentation, either directly or by synchronized voice-over, for each slide. read more

The event I went to was a double book launch for Twin Cities Irish Ambassadors, Erin Hart and Paddy O' Brien. As you walk in there are plenty of coat racks out. It is beautiful inside as well as the view outside, and the outer stairs aren't too steep. The St. Paul plowing doesn't allow for the best parking, so you are forced to pay for event parking, no matter. It's not the fault of the building, but you have to work to get there. The bathroom is right off the main room, of course that's a big deal for me. I'm more the mansion than library type. read more

Such a beautiful space to hold an event. Though I've never actually been here for the reason it was built a century ago, I have been to a few events here such as the event the friends of the St Paul Library puts on "Loud at the Library" fundraiser where they host music trivia and one of the area's local "up and coming" bands (i.e. Rougue Valley, Grey Coats etc.) all in the name of keeping up the library system. This is one of the grand old architechturally significant buildings St. Paul has to offer and stands as a monument to the old "Empire Builder" himself. I believe they give tours during the week. read more

James J Hill Center - "Loud at the Library!" an event put on by "friends of the St Paul Library" group. - Libraries Near Me - Saint Paul, Minnesota

Our company recently had its holiday party at James J. Hill Library, and it couldn't have been more of a perfect setting. Its location in the heart of downtown Saint Paul's historic Rice Park neighborhood provides the perfect ambience, with light-adorned trees, the nearby ice rink, and snow blanketing the grounds. Then you step into the library and are greeted by the most regal and elegant space in the region, with marble floors that announce your entrance, multistory walls of bookshelves and dark wood panels, and columns and balconies that evoke a sense of aristocracy. From the winter wonderland outside to the richness inside, the Library turned out to be the perfect place to celebrate the holidays with coworkers, and Beth, the Library's event coordinator, ensured there was no pressure planning the event. We would definitely recommend James J. Hill Reference Library for anyone seeking a unique experience, especially something that is uniquely Saint Paul. read more

I recently got married and had my reception at the James J. Hill Reference Library. After seeing a multitude of other event venues, the moment my fiancé and I walked into the library we knew this was the place for us. We are from Chicago, so when we decided to have a Minnesota wedding, we wanted a space that felt like it was a reflection of us - and wouldn't require a lot of extra planning/thinking on our part. Not only is the library beautiful on its own, Beth O'Connor - the event coordinator - made things so smooth for us by being incredibly responsive, hugely positive, extremely focused and very easy-going about everything. One of the best things about the library in comparison to other venues is that there aren't extra-itemized things to think about - like chairs, tables, decorations, security, etc. All of this is included in their price, which we also found was quite reasonable since we were planning and paying for the wedding on our own. There were no hidden costs and no 'surprises' as we planned it. The only difficult part about choosing the library is it fills up FAST on Saturday nights, so if you're open to having a Sunday night wedding (like we did), you'll have a lot more flexibility in planning the best weekend for your wedding. All this being said, early on in our planning, Beth kept us posted on certain Saturdays that would open up in case we wanted to switch to a Saturday. Their beverage service is through Mintahoe, but you have the flexibility to choose your caterer. We stuck with Mintahoe and are so happy we did - it kept things easy having one contact for both our beverages and food - plus the food was awesome - and the drinks were pretty great too. ;) The Library is also right by the St. Paul Hotel (1 block) which is a beautiful hotel for guests to stay at - it was nice to have everything so close together for our guests - and for us. I highly recommend the Library for your wedding ceremony and reception - I know a lot of people say they'll never forget their wedding day, and I feel the same way - but I will also never forget the level of professionalism and ease of our planning thanks to Beth, the Library staff and our vendors. Cheers! read more

My husband and I just had our wedding at the James J. Hill Reference Library two weeks ago, and it was perfect. We had about 100 people in attendance, and it was the perfect size. The venue is so beautiful and the library staff is more than accommodating. Melissa, the coordinator, is so incredibly flexible, responsive, helpful, and just generally on top of things. She remembered details that I would have forgotten, and made planning so smooth. She worked with the vendors to coordinate everything, and she was always available. Also, most of the vendors were familiar with this venue, which also made things easy. I could not have asked for a better experience or a more beautiful venue. read more

What an awesome location for a wedding. I really liked how the place was setup and impressed with the architecture. The acoustics were great for the live music, and just a pleasant space to spend the wedding service and reception. If you are visiting in town, and there are now events I suggest you stop in. read more

I've never done any actual research at the Hill Reference LIbrary so I can't rate that seemingly important part of it BUT it is great to walk through. Make sure and walk up the stone corner stairways that take you to the glass-floored catwalks that overlook the library. It feels like you're trespassing and doing something you shouldn't, especially in that big quiet chamber, but it's all perfectly legit. read more

We had our ceremony and reception at the James J. Hill Library and I am so glad we chose it. The location was breathtaking, unique, and fun. Our guests could not stop talking about it. I truly wish I did not stress so much about the little decorative details and flowers because the venue itself and the up lighting were more than enough. The staff was awesome. I loved working with Katie and their security staff for the night was very thorough. They made sure our gift/ card room was locked at all times and didnt let random people in. I appreciated that with all of the recent issues with people stealing gifts. They were very prepared and organized. My only advice to future brides is to make sure you read your contract very clearly because there are a lot of restrictions due to the historical aspect of the library. We loved being able to get ready in their rooms, especially because the hotels near JJH Library had later check-in times, BUT we were told that we couldnt have any drinks in the rooms before the ceremony. It would have been nice to toast with the girls with a glass of champagne as we had planned. I was under the impression that the library was going to set up our DIY stuff (signs, guest book, etc) but was told we needed to take care of this when I sent them instructions the week of the wedding. The earliest we could get into the venue was 2 pm and our guest s started arriving at 5 pm so it was stressful to get it all set up and ready for pictures. I wished I would have hired a day of coordinator due to the time crunch. The higher cost of the library, in my opinion, should warrant more set up. Again, I would never consider changing our venue and realize I should have read the contract more clearly as the wedding approached. read more