Franklin Library Records

The Franklin Library began as the South Side Branch of the Minneapolis Public Library, located at 17th Avenue and Franklin Avenue from 1890 to 1914. Located in south Minneapolis, the branch served a large Scandinavian population, necessitating the need for a special Scandinavian language collection held at the branch.

In 1914, the Franklin Library branch was built using funds provided by Andrew Carnegie – the first of Minneapolis’ Carnegie branches. Franklin Library continued to serve the Scandinavian community of Minneapolis and became one of the busiest branches of the 1920s. Over the last century, the community surrounding the Franklin Library has become increasingly diverse, with a concentrated population of Native Americans, African Americans, and Somali immigrants living in the Phillips neighborhood nearby. In 2000, the library was added to the National Register of Historic Places; it was renovated five years later.

In 1988, the library opened the Franklin Learning Center. This provided a space for adult learners – with the help of library staff and volunteers – to come to the library and study various subjects, learn English, and prepare for the GED exam. As many of the center’s patrons are immigrants, there are also resources for those preparing for the citizenship test.

Franklin Library and the rest of the Minneapolis Public Library merged with the Hennepin County Library system in 2008.