Columbia Heights Public Library
| Country | United States |
|---|---|
| Type | Public |
| Established | December 3, 1928 |
| Location | Columbia Heights and Anoka County, Minnesota |
| Coordinates | 45°2′26.9″N 93°15′1.23″W / 45.040806°N 93.2503417°WCoordinates: 45°2′26.9″N 93°15′1.23″W / 45.040806°N 93.2503417°W |
| Collection | |
| Size | 69,702 |
| Access and use | |
| Circulation | 120,705 |
| Population served | 19,496 |
| Other information | |
| Budget | $798,375 |
| Staff | 22 |
| Website | http://www.ci.columbia-heights.mn.us/ [7] |
The Columbia Heights Public Library has served the City of Columbia Heights since 1928. The Library is at 3939 Central Ave, Columbia Heights, Anoka County, Minnesota, United States. Columbia Heights is a first ring suburb of Minneapolis and serves the greater communities of Anoka, Hennepin and Ramsey Counties. The Columbia Heights Public Library is a city owned library funded by a city library levy. It is one of five city owned and operated libraries in the Metropolitan Library Service Agency (MELSA) including Bayport, South St. Paul, St. Paul, and Stillwater.
"To serve a diverse community’s needs for access to resources, information, and technology in a welcoming environment."
"Columbia Heights Public Library: a center of the community where services and collaborative programs are available and partnerships thrive."
The Columbia Heights Public Library opened its doors for the first time on December 3, 1928, at 3949 Central Ave N.E., on the second floor of the Heights Theater, and later moved to the first floor.
The previous month the Silver Lake School Mothers' Club, with President Harriet Blythe, decided the City of Columbia Heights needed a public library since it was opening its first public high school. Members of the club canvassed the neighborhoods on foot with children's wagons to solicit donations of books, magazines, and furniture. On November 17, 1928, Margaret Thomas, a high school teacher, agreed to head the first Library Board. In 1938, the library moved to the second floor of a building at 4002 Central Ave. The library moved to 828 40th Ave, and became the "War Information Center" in 1941.
The library, located in a rented building at 838 40th Ave N.E., was recognized by the City Council as a department of the city in 1952, when it celebrated its 25th anniversary.
The Library moved for the last time in 1960 to 820 40th Ave NE, and the first professional librarian was hired. In 1966, the Library obtained an LSCA (Library Services and Construction Act) grant and a Civil Defense grant to fund an addition to the original building. The building housed the library on the first floor and the City Civil Defense program in the lower level. In 1971, the Library negotiated to join the newly created MELSA [8] through a contract with the Anoka County Library [9]. The contract provided reciprocal borrowing and returns, and inter-library loans. In 1971, the Civil Defense area of the building was taken over by the library and remodeled to house the Children's Department and activity room. In 1979, The Friends of the Library were reorganized after a hiatus of several years, with Helen Merrick as the president. The Columbia Heights Friends are individuals and families who support services and programs at the library. The Friends provide financial support for materials and services, and host special library events.
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