Minneapolis is about to lose one of its oldest library buildings. After 112 years, Franklin Library is headed toward decommissioning as Hennepin County plans a replacement nearby.
Why the county says the current building no longer works
Franklin Library opened in 1914 as a Carnegie library and today stands on Franklin Avenue in south Minneapolis. Hennepin County says it is one of the system’s smallest branches, even though it is also among the most heavily used. That mismatch has pushed the building past what it can reasonably handle.
Inside, the strain is obvious on most days. Public computers are constantly in use, shelf space is so limited that books have to be rotated in and out, and seating is scarce enough that families and unhoused patrons often compete for the same spots. County Library Director Scott Duimstra said the current space is not letting the system deliver the services it wants to provide.
Security concerns have also added urgency. In spring 2026, protests erupted after private security contractors handcuffed a patron to a fence and pepper sprayed witnesses outside Franklin Library. County Commissioner Angela Conley said residents have been contacting her about incidents at the branch and about access to a welcoming public space.
Why Franklin matters so much to this part of Minneapolis
The branch sits in the American Indian Cultural Corridor and along 2 busy bus routes, which helps explain why demand is so high. The county’s 10-year master plan described Franklin’s service area as having the highest racial and economic disparities of any full-service library in Hennepin County. That made the building’s limits more than a facilities issue.
Franklin is also the oldest Carnegie library in Minneapolis. Of the 4 Carnegie libraries once built in the city, only 3 remain, and the lost one was demolished in 1970 to make way for Northeast Library. Architect Paul Mellblom called Franklin one of the few buildings of historic character on a long stretch of Franklin Avenue.
Even so, preserving it as a working branch appears unrealistic. Facility operations director Christi Duffy said expansion is not possible because the site is hemmed in by nearby neighbors, including an apartment building and offices used by multiple Indian tribes. The county also says the building needs major maintenance, including a roof replacement.
What happens next for the library and the building
Hennepin County has started the process of planning a new branch and is finalizing a contract with architectural and public engagement firms. Their job will be to figure out what services the next library should offer and where in the Franklin corridor it could be built. Officials have said staying in the existing building is no longer an option.
The county already spent about $1 million on interior changes in 2019, but those upgrades did not solve the deeper space and service problems. Duimstra pointed to days when a harm reduction nonprofit operates from the site, saying crowds can fill the basement hallway and make bathroom access difficult. Staff supervisor Aaron Albertson said workers have talked for years about needing more room.
A final decision to decommission the branch building would go to the Hennepin County Board of Commissioners. Conley said she wants the current building to be given to the American Indian community, though no future operator has been identified. Once the study is finished, the replacement project will be added to the county’s capital planning process, where costs will come into clearer focus.
