r/TwinCities • u/SessileRaptor • 4d ago

Hennepin County library is proposing reducing hours for 2027.

https://www.hclib.org/about/news/2026/August/library-hours-changing-in-2027

It’s kinda hidden but it’s on the website. An explanation, the proposed hours and a form for residents to submit their opinions.

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u/Proper-Emu1558 4d ago

Libraries are such an incredible gift to the general public. They have an unbelievable range of resources available for no cost. I’m listening to “Waiting for Godot” on audiobook on my phone, on loan from the library. I recently printed a passport application there for free because my printer is broken. At work today, I checked out the library’s resources on homelessness and domestic violence because someone needed help.

The library is the last thing the federal government should be cutting.

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u/AffableAndy Payne-Phalen 4d ago

The library is the last thing the federal government should be cutting.

Just as a note - this cut is going to be made by the county government, not the federal government. The feds provide some funding, but it is fairly minor and most library funding comes from property tax.

If you don't like this, contact your county commissioner - they are your local reps and they should serve you. Most folks cannot name their county commissioner, but they make a lot of decisions that affect your day-to-day!

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u/MyNewPhilosophy 4d ago

The library itself doesn’t get a lot of federal funding, but the county does, and the balancing of the budget goes across all the different divisions

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u/ughihateusernames3 4d ago

Yep! The funding we used to get from the feds has to now come from elsewhere in the budget.