Beginning in 1905, the Minneapolis Public Library supplied 45 book stations located in factories and businesses to provide service to workers who might find it difficult to get to the Central or branch libraries. Minneapolis Public Library was founded in 1885 and merged with Hennepin County Library in 2008.
Contributing Institution:
Hennepin County Library, James K. Hosmer Special Collections Library
A typewritten note attached to the photo reads: "Workers Who Read -- Since 1905 the Library has given service to telephone operators, firemen, clerks, streetcar employees and many other groups who find it difficult to get to the Central or branch libraries. There are now 45 stations located in factories and business houses. Please return to Minneapolis Public Library, Publicity Office, Hennepin at 10th." Minneapolis Public Library was founded in 1885 and merged with Hennepin County Library in 2008.
Contributing Institution:
Hennepin County Library, James K. Hosmer Special Collections Library
The Technical Room in Minneapolis Public Library's original Central Library is shown filled with male patrons. In the foreground is a tray of volumes labelled "U.S. Boy's Working Reserve."
Contributing Institution:
Hennepin County Library, James K. Hosmer Special Collections Library
This shows the interior of the Camden Branch of the Minneapolis Public Library, which was housed in the John D. Webber Memorial Fieldhouse in Webber Park from 1910�1954. It was renamed Webber Park Library in 1954 and razed for a new library building in 1979.
Contributing Institution:
Hennepin County Library, James K. Hosmer Special Collections Library
Patrons fill the Reading Room of the Seven Corners Branch of Minneapolis Public Library, built in 1912 at 300 Fifteenth Avenue South and in use until 1967. The Seven Corners (Cedar-Riverside) area was teeming with new immigrants and the library was quite busy.
Contributing Institution:
Hennepin County Library, James K. Hosmer Special Collections Library
A class of schoolchildren are being taught how to use the library in the Franklin Branch of the Minneapolis Public Library. Opened in August 1914 at 1314 East Franklin Avenue, and designed by architect Edward L. Tilton, this was the first library building in Minneapolis to be built with funds from Andrew Carnegie. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2000.
Contributing Institution:
Hennepin County Library, James K. Hosmer Special Collections Library
Children and youth are gathered in a reading area of the Camden Branch of the Minneapolis Public Library, which was housed in the John D. Webber Memorial Fieldhouse in Webber Park from 1910�1954. It was renamed Webber Park Library in 1954 and razed for a new library building in 1979.
Contributing Institution:
Hennepin County Library, James K. Hosmer Special Collections Library
Exterior view of a small building housing the Long Lake branch of the Hennepin County Library. Library service to the Long Lake community in western Hennepin County began in 1913. For several decades, the library operated out of various locations in the community, until it settled in 1995 in a commercial storefront space at 1865 Wayzata Boulevard West.
Contributing Institution:
Hennepin County Library, James K. Hosmer Special Collections Library
Interior view of the Robbinsdale branch of the Hennepin County Library, showing the reference desk and patrons reading. The library was located at 4915 42nd Avenue NorthRobbinsdale library patrons are now served by the Rockford Road Library in Crystal, Minnesota.
Contributing Institution:
Hennepin County Library, James K. Hosmer Special Collections Library
Exterior view of the Robbinsdale branch of the Hennepin County Library, located at 4915 42nd Avenue North. Robbinsdale library patrons are now served by the Rockford Road Library in Crystal, Minnesota.
Contributing Institution:
Hennepin County Library, James K. Hosmer Special Collections Library
Interior view of the Robbinsdale branch of the Hennepin County Library, showing a librarian at the reference desk and patrons reading. The library was located at 4915 42nd Avenue North. Robbinsdale library patrons are now served by the Rockford Road Library in Crystal, Minnesota.
Contributing Institution:
Hennepin County Library, James K. Hosmer Special Collections Library
Exterior view of a small building housing the Long Lake branch of the Hennepin County Library. Library service to the Long Lake community in western Hennepin County began in 1913. For several decades, the library operated out of various locations in the community, until it settled in 1995 in a commercial storefront space at 1865 Wayzata Boulevard West.
Contributing Institution:
Hennepin County Library, James K. Hosmer Special Collections Library
Children play a game under the supervision of library staff at the Seven Corners Branch of Minneapolis Public Library. The Seven Corners (Cedar-Riverside) area was teeming with new immigrants and the library was quite busy. This branch, at 300 Fifteenth Avenue South, was in service from 1912 to 1967.
Contributing Institution:
Hennepin County Library, James K. Hosmer Special Collections Library
A woman in a fur coat peruses a book from the Hennepin County Library Bookmobile on a snowy day. Shown in the background is the Hennepin Hardware Company building.
Contributing Institution:
Hennepin County Library, James K. Hosmer Special Collections Library
A man holds the reins of a draft horse pulling a sledge through the snow. The sledge is loaded with a delivery box used to transport materials between library branches. Hennepin County Library started in 1922 as a horse-drawn "book wagon" to areas outside the core city of Minneapolis, and grew to incorporate many city and branch libraries as more residents moved to the suburbs.
Contributing Institution:
Hennepin County Library, James K. Hosmer Special Collections Library
The Hennepin County Library service began in 1922 and originally had its offices in the downtown Minneapolis Public Library (Old Main). County services continued to operate out of the Minneapolis Central Library downtown from 1961-1973, when the County's library services moved to the Southdale Library. They later moved to the Ridgedale Library building in 1981, where they continue today.
Contributing Institution:
Hennepin County Library, James K. Hosmer Special Collections Library
The Hennepin County Library service began in 1922 and originally had its offices in the downtown Minneapolis Public Library (Old Main). County services continued to operate out of the Minneapolis Central Library downtown from 1961-1973, when the County's library services moved to the Southdale Library. They later moved to the Ridgedale Library building in 1981, where they continue today.
Contributing Institution:
Hennepin County Library, James K. Hosmer Special Collections Library
Exterior view of the small, one-room Hamel branch of the Hennepin County Library. This library operated from 1922 to 1968 and the building is currently used as a local history museum for the town of Hamel.
Contributing Institution:
Hennepin County Library, James K. Hosmer Special Collections Library
The Music Department in Minneapolis Public Library's original Central Library. "Grace Nelson at desk, at table (back to front) Ruth Wedermann center table in fur coat, Sadie Fisher Petersen (singer); table far right, Frances Kelley (pianist)."
Contributing Institution:
Hennepin County Library, James K. Hosmer Special Collections Library
"Art Department of the Minneapolis Public Library, Dec. 13, 1926. Before the Music Department was moved from the front room. Leonora Mann (left) and Ruth Thompson (right) at the charging desk. Phot made by J.H. Kammerdiener and given by him to the Minneapolis Collection, April 1942."
Contributing Institution:
Hennepin County Library, James K. Hosmer Special Collections Library
Librarian Mrs. Elva Bailey, first head of the Minneapolis Public Library's Hospital Service, is shown bringing a cart of reading material to a Children's Ward in Minneapolis General Hospital in 1928.
Contributing Institution:
Hennepin County Library, James K. Hosmer Special Collections Library
"Mrs. Margaret A. Norton, 1912 Lyndale Avenue South, is pictured coloring slides in the Minneapolis Public Library Art Department. Making and coloring of slides is now part of the library WPA project. WPA workers have made 7,500 slides in recent years. In 1938, the lilbrary circulated 106,729 slides free."
Contributing Institution:
Hennepin County Library, James K. Hosmer Special Collections Library
A note on the back of the photo reads, " The business and municipal branch of the public library, 508 Second Avenue South, is a haven for business men and women who are too busy to hurry off to the main library to get help with their problems. R. E. Raymond, right is one of score of persons who drop in to receive the experienced at of Miss Maud Briggs (center) and Dorothy Ware (at left).
Contributing Institution:
Hennepin County Library, James K. Hosmer Special Collections Library
Librarian Ruth Kittel supplies books to children hospitalized in Minneapolis' General Hospital through the Minneapolis Public Library's Hospital Service.
Contributing Institution:
Hennepin County Library, James K. Hosmer Special Collections Library
A caption attached to this photo reads: "The lilbrary goes to the county -- Through the Hennepin Couty Library, 23 branches, 14 stations and 86 schools also receive library service in addition to the 300 neighborhood stops."
Contributing Institution:
Hennepin County Library, James K. Hosmer Special Collections Library