Sunday hours return to 14 metro-area libraries

Last update: May 30, 2008 - 11:13 AM

THE LATEST: This weekend, Minneapolis rejoins the ranks of metro-area libraries open on Sundays, while another nine suburban Hennepin County libraries begin Sunday hours.

HOW MANY: Four Minneapolis libraries, including the flagship downtown library, will be open. The added suburban locations bring to 14 the number of suburban libraries open on Sunday. All will be open from noon to 5 p.m.

Hennepin County Library is marking the Sunday openings with a baseball theme, a nod to a diversion of a small portion of the Twins ballpark sales tax to fund extra library hours. That was engineered by Hennepin County Commissioner Peter McLaughlin as part of the 2006 ballpark funding law.

Minneapolis had been the only metro-area library system without Sunday hours until the ballpark money was authorized. It last had Sunday hours at four libraries for a few months in 2001-2002.

The original downtown library was open for eight hours each Sunday after opening in 1889.

This time, East Lake, North Regional and Hosmer will join downtown in getting Sunday hours. In the 'burbs, Augsburg Park, Brooklyn Park, Champlin, Golden Valley, Hopkins, Oxboro, Rockford Road, St. Louis Park and Westonka get Sunday hours, joining Brookdale, Southdale, Ridgedale, Maple Grove and Eden Prairie.

ACROSS THE METRO: St. Paul has six of 13 libraries open on Sunday, and Washington County offers Sunday hours at five of nine libraries. Ramsey County has three libraries open Sundays, Scott and Anoka counties have two each, and Carver and Dakota counties offer one Sunday location apiece.

Sunday's baseball theme includes a giveaway of a limited number of Twins ticket vouchers at each library that's open. The library is inviting patrons to don their Twins garb.

There's a baseball-themed story time at 12:15 p.m. downtown, and all open libraries will have special programs at 2 p.m., including a jazz program downtown.

STEVE BRANDT

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