Walker Library
🏢 Hennepin County Library · Minneapolis, Minnesota
Walker Library
In the heart of Uptown Minneapolis, Walker Library has served the neighborhood since 1911 — named for T.B. Walker (1840–1928), a Library Board president and art collector who donated the original site. The current above-ground building, designed by VJAA architects and opened April 26, 2014, replaced a distinctive 1981 earth-sheltered underground structure at the same corner of Hennepin and Lagoon.
🕑 Library Hours
| Monday | 12pm–8pm |
| Tuesday | 9am–5pm |
| Wednesday | 12pm–8pm |
| Thursday | 9am–5pm |
| Friday | 9am–5pm |
| Saturday | 9am–5pm |
| Sunday | Closed |
Hours may vary on holidays; check the library site before visiting.
📍 Location, Contact & Directions
Address: 2880 Hennepin Avenue, Minneapolis, MN 55408
Phone: (612) 543-8400
Website: hclib.org
Plus Code: 86P8WPX2+VG (Minneapolis, MN)
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📖 About Walker Library
Walker Library traces its roots to 1911, when a Classical Revival building designed by Jerome Paul Jackson opened at 2901 Hennepin Avenue South — serving the growing Uptown neighborhood and made possible in part by a land donation from T.B. Walker (1840–1928), the Library Board president, art collector, and businessman for whom it is named. Walker's legacy lives on at the nearby Walker Art Center, which grew from his private gallery. In 1981 the branch moved into an innovative earth-sheltered, underground structure at the northwest corner of Hennepin and Lagoon Avenues — a building known for its whimsical spiraling book-return slide — but deferred maintenance eventually necessitated a replacement. The current above-ground library, designed by Minneapolis architectural firm VJAA, opened April 26, 2014 on the same site, bringing Walker Library back into the daylight for the first time in over three decades. The 1911 original building still stands nearby and has been converted to a private event venue called Mansion at Uptown. Walker is now part of Hennepin County Library, which absorbed Minneapolis Public Library in 2008.
⭐ What makes this library special
- Serving Uptown Minneapolis since 1911 — one of the city's oldest branch libraries, named for T.B. Walker (1840–1928), Library Board president, art collector, and benefactor who donated the original site
- Three generations of buildings: 1911 Classical Revival (now Mansion at Uptown), 1981 underground earth-sheltered structure (famous for its spiraling book-return slide), and the 2014 VJAA-designed above-ground branch
- Current building opened April 26, 2014 — designed by Minneapolis firm VJAA, bringing Walker Library back above ground after 33 years underground at Hennepin and Lagoon
- Located in the East Isles neighborhood one block north of Lake Street, within walking distance of Lakes Harriet, Calhoun/Bde Maka Ska, and the Chain of Lakes trail system
- Meeting rooms, art exhibitions, language collections, and computer access serve one of Minneapolis's most walkable and transit-rich neighborhoods
📱 Digital Resources — Free with Your Library Card
Walker cardholders have free access to Hennepin County Library's digital resources and Minnesota's statewide databases:
📚 Services
- Meeting rooms (reservable at hclib.libcal.com)
- Computers and technology access
- Language collections in multiple languages
- K-12 homework help
- Art exhibitions rotating throughout the year
- Genealogy and local history resources
- Transit information and community resources
- Reader's advisory assistance
- Free Wi-Fi throughout the building
🎸 Programs
- Early learning storytimes and children's programs
- Summer learning programs (all ages)
- Homework help for K-12 students
- Adult learning and digital literacy programs
- Arts and culture events and gallery exhibitions
- Books and reading discussions
- Community programs supported by Friends of Walker Library
📍 Nearby Libraries in Minneapolis
Distances are approximate straight-line miles from this library.
All libraries in Minneapolis · Browse all Minnesota libraries →
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Walker Library named after?
Walker Library is named for Thomas Barlow Walker (1840–1928), a Minneapolis businessman, art collector, and Library Board president who donated land for the original 1911 library building. T.B. Walker is also the namesake of the Walker Art Center — his private gallery collection became the foundation for that institution — making him one of the most significant cultural patrons in Twin Cities history.
What was unique about the 1981 Walker Library building?
The 1981 branch was an innovative earth-sheltered, underground library at the corner of Hennepin and Lagoon Avenues. Patrons returned books via a long spiraling metal slide that carried items down to the lower level — a playful and distinctive architectural feature. Maintenance challenges eventually led the building to be replaced; the current above-ground VJAA-designed structure opened on the same site on April 26, 2014.
Where is the original 1911 Walker Library building today?
The original 1911 Classical Revival library building, designed by architect Jerome Paul Jackson at 2901 Hennepin Avenue South, still stands in the Uptown neighborhood. It has been converted into a private event and reception venue called Mansion at Uptown. The current library at 2880 Hennepin Avenue opened in 2014 on the site of the underground 1981 building.
Is Walker Library open evenings, and is it open on Sundays?
Walker Library is open Monday and Wednesday noon–8 pm, and Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday 9 am–5 pm. It is closed on Sundays. The two weekday evenings (until 8 pm) are convenient for Uptown's working and student population.
📜 This library has genealogy & local-history resources. See how library family-history research works and find other libraries with genealogy collections genealogy libraries by state.
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