West metro town briefs

Sleep Out raises $1.41 million Interfaith Outreach and Community Partners' 2009 Sleep Out fundraiser received donations totaling $1.41 million, up from last year's total of $1.34 million, the Wayzata-based nonprofit says.

The $1.41 million will allow IOCP to respond to the housing needs of 705 families.

The goal for the 2009 campaign was $2 million, enough to help 1,000 families. IOCP said it will continue to accept donations for the campaign through March 31, which marks the end of its fiscal year.

Sleep Out funds go for emergency assistance for families who face eviction, for support services such as employment assistance to help stabilize families under financial stress, and for affordable housing development projects.

The IOCP has raised $12 million for housing and related services through its annual Sleep Outs since they began in 1996.

The IOCP serves families and individuals living in Hamel, Long Lake, Medicine Lake, Medina, Minnetonka Beach, Orono, Plymouth and Wayzata.

Central Library has new phone number The Central Library in Minneapolis, located at 300 Nicollet Mall, has a new phone number -- 952-847-8000.

The change is part of the consolidated Hennepin County Library system's adoption of a single phone system for county libraries and the libraries in the former Minneapolis city system.

Phone numbers of the Roosevelt, Southeast, Webber Park, Linden Hills, Pierre Bottineau, Washburn, Sumner, Walker, East Lake, Hosmer, Franklin and North Regional libraries already have been changed. The final two libraries in the old city system -- Nokomis and Northeast -- are closed for renovation and will reopen in 2011 with new numbers: 952-847-2800 for Nokomis and 952-847-2775 for Northeast.

The Hennepin County Library system now has one phone number for all centralized reference services -- 952-847-KNOW, or 952-847-5669. The Infoline phone reference service formerly provided by the Central Library staff has been combined with 952-847-KNOW.

For more information, including library locations and hours, go to www.hclib.org.

Arboretum offers winter activities The Minnesota Landscape Arboretum, 3675 Arboretum Drive in Chanhassen, is offering a wide range of wintertime classes and exhibits.

• "Intense Beauty" Arboretum Photographers Society show and sale. Through Feb. 7 at the Visitor Center, a juried show of close-up photos by members of the society.

• "Passport to Paradise" orchid exhibit. From Feb. 12 to March 14 at the Visitor Center, a display of orchids grown by Jerry Fischer and Orchids Limited of Plymouth, including unique species and hybrids.

• "Tree Trunk Show II" by Virgil Leih at the Visitor Center. From March 19 to May 2, Edina artisan Virgil Leih's display of large-scale wood-turnings that Leih creates after rescuing whole tree trunks to sculpt into masterpieces on a 7,500-pound lathe.

• "Sexual Reproduction Gardening," a class offered from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Saturday at the Arboretum's Snyder Building. $30 for members, $40 for non-members. Learn the biology of seeds, germination techniques and more from Ph.D. horticulturalist Jim Calkins.

For more information on these and other activities, or to register for classes, call 952-443-1422 or go to www.arboretum.umn.edu.

"The Minnesota Health Care Plan," soon to be debated in the Legislature, will be discussed at 7 p.m. Thursday by Joel Clemmer, policy adviser to Sen. John Marty. Clemmer will explain how the plan could control costs, services it would include and how it would it be funded.

Then at 7 p.m. Feb. 11, William O. Beeman, professor and chairman of the University of Minnesota Anthropology Department, will speak on "Iran: What Lies Ahead."

Both presentations are scheduled for the Parish Community of St. Joseph, 8701 36th Av. N., New Hope.

Basic computer class for seniors The St. Louis Park Senior Program is offering a class in basic computer know-how beginning Thursday.

"Computer Basics" will be offered in six weekly sessions beginning with a 1-3:30 p.m. class this week. Participants will get a chance to see how a computer can help improve your memory by playing computer games and help you find answers to your questions on the Internet. They'll also learn how to use a computer to communicate with friends and relatives.

MacPhail Center registering students Registration is underway for spring classes at MacPhail Center for Music, 501 2nd St. S., Minneapolis. Lessons may begin at any time throughout the year.

MacPhail offers individual lessons in 35 instruments including keyboard, string, guitar, brass, woodwind and voice, as well as group lessons. It also has ensembles that musicians can join.

Instruction is also available for adults, from individual and group lessons to ensembles.