Exterior view of the St. Bonifacius branch of Hennepin County Library. The fa ade of the small building is decorated with two square columns with an ornamental frieze and pediment. St. Bonifacius Library opened in 1931 in the former People s State Bank Building which was donated to the Village of St. Bonifacius for use as a library by local landowners Mr. and Mrs. Edward C. Gale. The building, which was constructed in 1916, had no running water, restrooms or central heating and cooling until 1987. The library was renovated in 2006. It serves residents of St. Bonifacius, Mound, Minnetrista, Waconia and Westonka.
Contributing Institution:
Hennepin County Library, James K. Hosmer Special Collections Library
Staff from Minitex and the Minnesota Digital Library at a Scan for Keeps event. From left to right: Jolie Graybill, Carla Urban, Greta Bahnemann, and Elizabeth Baus in front of the Northtown Library. Scan for Keeps is a program developed by the Minnesota Digital Library for the purpose of loaning digitization kits for community scanning events. Kits are available for libraries, historical societies, and other organizations to encourage community engagement and foster preservation education.
Left to right: Ruth Dukelow (CLIC Director, 2012 - 2019) and Mary Parker (Minitex Associate Director for Reference, 1989 - 2012) at the Minitex MnLINK Conference in 2012.
Exterior view of the Rogers branch of Hennepin County Library which opened in 1980 at 21300 John Milless Drive, Rogers, Minnesota. THe building was later renovate in 2005. Library service to the Rogers area dates back to the 1950s and a book station in Ahlstrom s Hardware Store which held 400 volumes. The Hennepin County Library bookmobile served area residents in 1970-80.
Contributing Institution:
Hennepin County Library, James K. Hosmer Special Collections Library
Exterior view of the Rockford Road branch of Hennepin County Library at 6401 42nd Avenue North, Crystal, Minnesota. Rockford Road Library opened in 1972 and was renovated in 2013. It serves the cities of Crystal, New Hope and Robbinsdale. For several decades prior to 1972, library service was provided to area residents out of various locations in the community. The library is named for one of the most historic roads in Hennepin County.
Contributing Institution:
Hennepin County Library, James K. Hosmer Special Collections Library
Children's area of the Rockford Road branch of Hennepin County Library at 6401 42nd Avenue North, Crystal, Minnesota. Rockford Road Library opened in 1972 and was renovated in 2013. It serves the cities of Crystal, New Hope and Robbinsdale. For several decades prior to 1972, library service was provided to area residents out of various locations in the community. The library is named for one of the most historic roads in Hennepin County.
Contributing Institution:
Hennepin County Library, James K. Hosmer Special Collections Library
Exterior view of the main entrance of the Plymouth branch of the Hennepin County Library. Built in 1995 at 15700 36th Avenue North, this was the first free-standing library for the City of Plymouth. Space needs led to an expansion in 2010.
Contributing Institution:
Hennepin County Library, James K. Hosmer Special Collections Library
Exterior view of the main entrance of the Plymouth branch of the Hennepin County Library. Built in 1995 at 15700 36th Avenue North, this was the first free-standing library for the City of Plymouth. Space needs led to an expansion in 2010.
Contributing Institution:
Hennepin County Library, James K. Hosmer Special Collections Library
Exterior view of the main entrance of the Plymouth branch of the Hennepin County Library. Built in 1995 at 15700 36th Avenue North, this was the first free-standing library for the City of Plymouth. Space needs led to an expansion in 2010.
Contributing Institution:
Hennepin County Library, James K. Hosmer Special Collections Library
Exterior view of the main entrance of the Plymouth branch of the Hennepin County Library. Built in 1995 at 15700 36th Avenue North, this was the first free-standing library for the City of Plymouth. Space needs led to an expansion in 2010.
Contributing Institution:
Hennepin County Library, James K. Hosmer Special Collections Library
A banner says, ""National Library Week. ECRL Automation - a look to the future."" Money jars were introduced in all East Central Regional Library branches during National Library Week in 1994, part of a fund-raising program for $100,000, offering library users the opportunity to contribute to East Central Regional Library's automation project. Founded in 1959, ECRL is the oldest existing regional public library system in Minnesota. Headquartered in Cambridge, it is a consolidated library system with 14 libraries and Outreach Services and serves residents in Aitkin, Chisago, Isanti, Kanabec, Mille Lacs, and Pine counties.
MJ Rossman, Assistant Director for OCLC and Reference, 1986-1996. MJ joined the Minitex staff in 1980 as Head of the Minitex Reference Service. She became Assistant Director in 1986 with responsibilities for directing the OCLC and Reference Units. Direction of the MULS Program was later added to her responsibilities. For a more complete description, see the Minitex Messenger, v. 14, no.1 (Aug. 28, 1996).
Minitex staff gather in the atrium of Elmer Andersen Library for a group photo, Minneapolis, Minnesota. Back row, left to right: Tim McCluske, Matt Lee, Sara Ring, Bob Francis, Scott Hreha, Paul Swanson, Terry Beseman, Kyle Triska, Anne Hatinen. 3rd row, left to right: Michelle Penna, Jared LaBounty, Bob Fredrickson, Carla Urban, Beth Chekola, Adam Johnson, Obinnaya Oji, Agnes Lee, Sally Dinsmore, Jennifer Hootman, Tim Peters, Mary Garcia. 2nd row, left to right: Beth Staats; Valerie Horton; Carla Pfahl; Molly Huber, Nicole Masika, Joy Knoll, LaReina Adams, Kate Brownrigg, Sarah Anderson, Dana Kocienda, Jolie Graybill, Becky Ringwelski. Front row, left to right: Joan Wollenberg, Tammi Halverson, Greta Bahnemann, Mary Parker, Rita Baladad, Nick Banitt, Chau Nguyen. Seated left to right: Matt Niehoff, Link Swanson.
Valerie Horton, (Minitex Director, 2013-2019), with Scott Hreha, Nick Banitt, and Anne Hatinen in Elmer Andersen Library celebrating the launch of Ebooks Minnesota in February of 2016.
Becky Ringwelski, Mark Wilhelmi, Sarah Anderson, and Joy Knoll at the Try Cool Tools @ Your Library exhibit at the Minnesota State Fair, St. Paul, Minnesota.
Carla Dewey Urban and Becky Ringwelski at the Minnesota Library Association Annual Conference. Celebrating 40 years of Minitex with an inflatable cake, Duluth, Minnesota.
Kevin Lian-Anderson, Jean Silverberg (Dakota County Library), and Sara Ring at the Try Cool Tools @ Your Library exhibit at the 2005 Minnesota State Fair.
Mike O'Rourke holding the painted boxes that Minitex staff drove down to the Greyhound bus station every day. Before using local couriers, the fastest way to transport interlibrary loan items to areas like Duluth was through Greyhound.
Mary Parker (Minitex Associate Director for Reference, 1989 - 2012) and Kristen Mastel at the Try Cool Tools @ Your Library booth at the 2005 Minnesota State Fair, St. Paul, Minnesota
Mark Eckes looks up information for sending interlibrary loan requests to other participating libraries. Mark Eckes worked at Minitex from 1974 to 1984, managing the Minitex staff (payroll, vacation, sick leave) and was responsible for office purchasing and OCLC billing.
Exterior view of the entrance to the Long Lake branch of the Hennepin County Library. Library service to the Long Lake community in western Hennepin County began in 1913, when the library was housed out of the Long Lake Bank Building. For several decades, the library operated out of various locations in the community, until it settled in this commercial storefront space in the Long Lake Town Center Mall in 1995.
Contributing Institution:
Hennepin County Library, James K. Hosmer Special Collections Library
Microfiche readers, shown at the Aitkin Library, replaced East Central Regional Library's card catalog in the branches in 1988. The fiche cards were updated every six months. Founded in 1959, ECRL is the oldest existing regional public library system in Minnesota. Headquartered in Cambridge, it is a consolidated library system with 14 libraries and Outreach Services and serves residents in Aitkin, Chisago, Isanti, Kanabec, Mille Lacs, and Pine counties.
Group photograph taken at the Ivy Hotel in Minneapolis, Minnesota for Edward Swanson's (Manager, Contract Cataloging) retirement lunch. Back row, left to right: Mark Wilhelmi, Carlos Portillo, Mark Ehlert, Sara Ring, Edward Swanson, Bill DeJohn (Director). Front row, left to right: Kay Beaudrie, Sue Zuriff, Renee Johnson, Virginia Dudley, Susanne Nevin, Sue Weigand, Carla Urban.
From left to right: Tom Shaughnessy (University of Minnesota Libraries Director, 1989-2002), Kathi DeJohn, Wendy Lougee (University of Minnesota Libraries Director 2002-2020), and Bill DeJohn (Minitex Director, 1984-2012).
A computer lab funded with a grant from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation opened in a portion of the meeting room at East Central Regional Library's Headquarters, Cambridge, Minnesota, December 2001. Founded in 1959, ECRL is the oldest existing regional public library system in Minnesota. Headquartered in Cambridge, it is a consolidated library system with 14 libraries and Outreach Services and serves residents in Aitkin, Chisago, Isanti, Kanabec, Mille Lacs, and Pine counties.
Marcia Ledin, Acquisitions/Registration Aide, and Mark Ranum, Reference Librarian, are testing the new automation system at the circulation desk of East Central Regional Library's headquarters in Cambridge, Minnesota, April 1, 1996. Founded in 1959, ECRL is the oldest existing regional public library system in Minnesota. Headquartered in Cambridge, it is a consolidated library system with 14 libraries and Outreach Services and serves residents in Aitkin, Chisago, Isanti, Kanabec, Mille Lacs, and Pine counties.
Exterior view of the front entrance and flagpole of the Eden Prairie branch of the Hennepin County Library. This building was located at 479 Prairie Center Drive, Eden Prairie, Minnesota.
Contributing Institution:
Hennepin County Library, James K. Hosmer Special Collections Library
View of the information desk and reference area of the Eden Prairie branch of the Hennepin County Library. This building was located at 479 Prairie Center Drive, Eden Prairie, Minnesota.
Contributing Institution:
Hennepin County Library, James K. Hosmer Special Collections Library
East Central Regional Library headquarters staff wear their ""Treasure Your Library"" Summer Reading Program theme t-shirts and pose with a pirate figure and decorations, 1999. From left: Anne Malinowski, Katherine Hovland, Kathy Gardner, Barb Nord, Marcia Ledin, and Vickie Sorn. Founded in 1959, ECRL is the oldest existing regional public library system in Minnesota. Headquartered in Cambridge, it is a consolidated library system with 14 libraries and Outreach Services and serves residents in Aitkin, Chisago, Isanti, Kanabec, Mille Lacs, and Pine counties.
East Central Regional Library bookmobile visiting Cloverton, Pine County, Minnesota. Founded in 1959, ECRL is the oldest existing regional public library system in Minnesota. Headquartered in Cambridge, it is a consolidated library system with 14 libraries and Outreach Services and serves residents in Aitkin, Chisago, Isanti, Kanabec, Mille Lacs, and Pine counties.
The Children's Readmobile, jointly operated by the Hennepin County Library and the Minneapolis Public Library. The first Readmobile was purchased in 1991, with a second added in 2003.
Contributing Institution:
Hennepin County Library, James K. Hosmer Special Collections Library
A young reader in the children's section of East Central Regional Library, Cambridge, Minnesota, enjoys the opportunity to listen to a book on cassette while he reads along. By 1974, audio cassette players were available in all of the branch libraries for loan, with a $20.00 refundable deposit and a $2.00 per day charge. In the mid-1990's, East Central Regional Library lent audio cassettes of recorded books. Within a few years, books on compact disc became the format of choice for listening to recorded books. Founded in 1959, ECRL is the oldest existing regional public library system in Minnesota. Headquartered in Cambridge, it is a consolidated library system with 14 libraries and Outreach Services and serves residents in Aitkin, Chisago, Isanti, Kanabec, Mille Lacs, and Pine counties.
A banner celebrating the Minneapolis Public Library's 1985 centennial. Founded in 1885, the Minneapolis Public Library grew to include a Central Library and fourteen branches. In 2008 the library was merged into the Hennepin County Library system.
Contributing Institution:
Hennepin County Library, James K. Hosmer Special Collections Library