Linden Hills Library Records

The Linden Hills Library opened in 1911 at 2740 43rd St. W in Southwest Minneapolis. The library rented out the ground floor of the Lake Harriet Commercial Club building until 1928 when it lost its lease to the U.S. Post Office, forcing the library to move upstairs. Elderly patrons found it difficult to climb the stairs to the library and circulation faltered. In 1930, the branch received funding to build its own building in the Linden Hills community.

At a cost of approximately $42,000, a new building was constructed and opened in 1931 at 2900 43rd St. W. A children’s library was located in the basement of the building with the adult library on the main floor. The library was popular, setting a record for circulation in the summer of 1961 of 1,500 books – an average of 3 books per minute. When the library opened in 1931, it held about 10,000 books, a holding that increased to over 25,000 by 1981. In 1993 an Advisory Committee was organized recommend renovations and expansion of the library. In 2000, the Linden Hills Library building was placed on the National Register of Historic Places. Renovations and expansion of the building were completed in 2002. Linden Hills and the rest of the Minneapolis Public Library branches were merged with the Hennepin County Library system in 2008.