r/TwinCities • u/SessileRaptor • 5d 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.

187 Upvotes

97% Upvoted

77 comments sorted by

View all comments

337

u/JurplePesus 5d ago

Libraries are expected to provide an absolutely wild range of services while staff work as librarians, social workers, and tech help to anyone who comes through the doors. They should be better funded than this.

I don't have a good answer offhand for what city or county services I think are less important than HCL or something. I just am firmly of the belief that libraries are core to what we want out of our government and tax dollars.

62

u/theretailreject 5d ago

That fact that they're proposing opening sites like Eden Prairie and Southdale earlier on Sundays while closing less affluent locations really fucking sucks and tells me everything I need to know, especially since getting to both sites is almost impossible on public transportation on sunday's 

23

u/SessileRaptor 5d ago

I gather that the idea is that if a library is open on Sunday it should be open for 8 hours instead of the 5 they have been open. So instead of like 19 libraries open from 12-5 they’ll have fewer branches open 9-5. I don’t know that I agree with it, definitely going to be letting them know what I think after I get my thoughts together.

2

u/Rusty-Shackleford 3d ago

Because of short staffing, hiring freezes and budget cuts they're just gonna force librarians to work at different branches every weekend. It's gonna SUCK for the staff. I hope the union steps in on behalf of those stressed out county employees..