The Roosevelt Library is one of 41 community libraries in the Hennepin County Library System. It was originally part of the Minneapolis Public Library System because it is located in Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States.

Early years

The Roosevelt Library was first built inside Roosevelt High School, which was named after Theodore Roosevelt, in the Standish neighborhood of Minneapolis in 1922. It provided services for both high school students and adults in the area. During the 1920s, Standish’s population grew by 50%, mostly due to an increase in Swedish immigrants. Roosevelt Library helped these new residents by offering resources for learning languages and finding jobs. However, as the neighborhood grew, the library needed more space. In 1926, the Minneapolis Public Library bought land west of Roosevelt High School for $28,000. The firm Klarquist, S.M. and Son designed the new library building, which was made of brick and wood in the Tudor Revival style. The design was inspired by the East Lake Community Library, another Minneapolis library, but Roosevelt had a small front yard that East Lake did not. The library opened to the public on February 15, 1927, at 4026 28th Avenue South. At first, it was open from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. on weekdays and 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturdays. A quote from Theodore Roosevelt, included in a Community Bookshelf article, stated, “After the church and the school, the free public library is the most effective influence for good in America.” The article added, “We hope we may justify this statement in this new neighborhood, and that the people will use our equipment freely for their enjoyment and education.” The opening day staff included: Ada N. Whiting, Librarian; Eleanor Heimark, First Assistant; Volborg Sobba, Assistant; Lessley Chilson, Assistant; Wallace Petri, Page; and Mina Jacobsen, Janitress.

Later years

Roosevelt Library was open five or six days each week for most of the 20th century. Depending on how much money the library had, it sometimes stayed open on Saturdays and other times closed. Changes in the number of people living in the area and changes in the types of people living there also affected how many people used the library and how many hours it was open. During World War II, librarians at Roosevelt held special story times for children in the neighborhood. Many of these children had mothers working and fathers serving in the war in Europe or the Pacific. These story times helped children feel better about the war and also helped reduce the number of young people acting out in the Standish neighborhood. For the rest of the 20th century, Roosevelt’s hours and number of users stayed the same. In 1962, the library decided to try buying paperback books for teenagers. Roosevelt was chosen as the first place to test this idea because it was close to a high school. In 1973, the building received a parking lot and air conditioning.

Outlook 2010 options

Roosevelt Library was smaller than many other Minneapolis Public Libraries in 1999, which were at least 10,000 square feet (930 square meters) in size. It also did not have a public meeting room and did not meet the requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Voters approved a 2000 referendum that provided funds for library building improvements. A plan created in July 1999, called Outlook 2010, included four options for Roosevelt Library.

Option A suggested combining Roosevelt with the nearby Nokomis Community Library at an undetermined location. The new building would have been 25,000 square feet (2,300 square meters), and both libraries would have closed. This plan became impossible when Nokomis completed its own building upgrades.

Option B proposed moving Roosevelt to a larger building by itself, while keeping Nokomis at its current location or relocating it separately. The new Roosevelt building would have been 10,000 square feet (930 square meters).

Option C involved major improvements to the original Roosevelt building, such as adding ramps for wheelchair access and replacing the furnace and water heater.

Option D suggested expanding Roosevelt by 5,000 square feet (460 square meters), making it ADA-compliant, and greatly increasing the library’s collection.

None of the Outlook 2010 plans were carried out. However, the changes eventually made by Hennepin County Library resemble a mix of Options C and D. In 1997, the building was recognized as a local historic landmark. On May 26, 2000, Roosevelt was added to the National Register of Historic Places, which means it could not be destroyed or significantly altered with federal funding without a public hearing.

Outlook 2010 aftermath

In 2002, a new multi-purpose library near option B, located at 38th Street and 23rd Avenue, was approved by the neighborhood advisory group. However, uncertain economic conditions caused the project to be put on hold. Additional plans for library renovations were developed in 2005, but these were also delayed due to economic challenges.

Closure, reopening and renovation

In the early 2000s, funding cuts caused Roosevelt Library to close for all but three days each week. This situation continued until 2006, when funding cuts became even more severe. On December 29, 2006, Roosevelt Library and two other Minneapolis libraries closed due to complaints from patrons and neighbors. In 2007, the Minneapolis Public Library moved closer to merging with the Hennepin County Library, which promised to reopen Roosevelt if the merger was approved. The merger was completed, and Roosevelt reopened on January 3, 2008, with three days of operation per week as part of the Hennepin County Library System. The library closed in 2012 for renovations. Roosevelt Library reopened on June 1, 2013, with a new meeting room, a completely renovated interior, and updated mechanical systems. The new library includes more public computers, such as iPads for use inside the building, an updated collection, a new multi-purpose room, and improved operations with one customer service point.