Linden 43

The Linden Hills Library is a public library in the Linden Hills neighborhood of southwest Minneapolis, Minnesota. Its history goes back to 1911, when it was first housed on the ground floor of the Lake Harriet Commercial Club. After several moves, and with a need for a building of its own that would also be easier for older visitors to enter, the library moved into its current building on West 43rd Street in 1931. The brick building, designed in the Tudor Revival style by the local architecture firm Bard and Vanderbilt, was planned by local architect Joseph Victor Vanderbilt in collaboration with Edith Frost, the library's director at the time, and Gratia Countryman, head of the Minneapolis Public Library. The main level houses the adult library and a sunroom, while the basement was formerly used for the children's library and staff rooms.

At the library, you can browse a collection of more than thirty thousand books and use public computer workstations. The historic building is notable for its stained glass windows, including a special panel above the entrance that recalls the past and its legacy. Two historic fireplaces and outdoor terraces make the place a popular gathering spot for neighborhood residents. A comprehensive renovation completed in 2002 modernized the interior and gave the building a new facade. One highlight of the renovation is the installation of colored glass above the main entrance by artist Phil Daniel. The library has been listed on the National Register of Historic Places since 2000, which underscores its cultural and architectural value.

Besides serving as a library, the building also functions as a center of community life. It hosts children's clubs, neighborhood groups, and women's organizations, which hold events there regularly. Over the decades, the library has established itself as an important place for promoting reading, as shown by creative offerings such as magnetic fishing games for children. Today, the Linden Hills Library is part of the Hennepin County Library, which came out of the merger of the city and rural library systems. Despite budget cuts in the past, it remains a central hub for education and community in the neighborhood, sustained by local initiatives and active use by residents.