Hennepin County Board Approves Plan to Reopen 24 Additional Libraries

The Hennepin County Board of Commissioners on Tuesday approved reopening an additional 24 libraries in some capacity in the Hennepin County Library system.

The additional libraries include Brookdale in Brooklyn Center and Rockford Road in Crystal. You can see the full list here. The county is moving quickly to restore some services at these libraries, possibly this week or early next.

“I know we’re working quickly, but it’s been a long time,” said District 1 Commissioner Mike Opat, whose district includes six cities in the northwest suburbs.

Opat described the resolution as a “little thin on dates.”

Golden Valley Library would remain closed in 2020 under the plan.

“People are wondering when we’re going to get the libraries open because we’ve done a lot of talking” Opat said at Tuesday’s meeting. “This resolution sets up a menu, but it doesn’t tell us what’s on it though.”

Eight libraries in Hennepin County are currently open for curbside pickup, including Brooklyn Park, Maple Grove, Plymouth and Ridgedale libraries. They also began accepting book returns on Monday, as seen in this CCX News story.

According to the reopening plan, libraries will continue the reintroduction of limited in-person services that meet the county’s standards for safe, sustainable service. Upcoming phases include expanded curbside pickup, expanded book returns, computer use by appointment, and grab-and-go services that accommodate short duration visits.

Nine County Libraries to Remain Closed in 2020

The nine libraries that remain closed for the remainder of 2020 include the Golden Valley and Osseo libraries. District 2 Commissioner Irene Fernando, whose district includes Golden Valley, was not supportive of the plan to keep the Golden Valley Library closed.

County commissioners requested a better timeline for when the closed libraries would reopen in 2021.

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