Hosmer Library

Hosmer Library opened in 1916 during a time of dramatic expansion of library access in Minneapolis, Minnesota under the direction of Gratia Countryman. When Countryman assumed the role of head librarian of the Minneapolis Public Library in 1904, Minnesota was in the midst of a large influx of immigrants, mainly from Germany and Scandinavia. While previously libraries had been viewed as spaces only for the privileged, Countryman saw the library as an institution to educate and enlighten groups entering American democracy, as well as previously underserved groups such as children and the working class. She expanded access to libraries for residents of the city by creating reading rooms and branch libraries, like Hosmer Library, in primarily underserved areas.

In her mission to expand access to lower income and immigrant groups in Minnesota, Countryman had an ally on the national level. Andrew Carnegie, the American steel magnate who in the late 19th century and early 20th century donated much of his fortune to humanitarian efforts, gave $125,000 to the Minneapolis Public Library to construct four branch libraries. These libraries include the Franklin branch, the Central branch, the Sumner branch and finally, the Hosmer branch. With Carnegie’s funds, Countryman followed the national trend of library users transitioning from only the wealthy, educated class to include immigrants, laborers, and children.

Originally named the Thirty-sixth Street branch, Hosmer Library’s location in the Central neighborhood of Minneapolis promoted Countryman’s principles of accessibility by being built on a streetcar line and near a newly opened high school. The building is stylistically similar to other branch libraries constructed during this time with its Tudor Revival style, characterized by its arched entrance and double turrets. In 1926, Minneapolis Public Library renamed the branch after James Kendall Hosmer, Countryman’s mentor and predecessor as head librarian from 1892 to 1904.

Countryman’s tenure as head librarian ended in 1936, but Hosmer Library continued to adapt to serve its changing neighborhood. The Minneapolis Public Library and its branches continued to expand their services to different communities as the country experienced economic downturn, recovery, and war in the following decades. In 1969, the branch opened an African American reading room in response to changing interests in the neighborhood and the broader Civil Rights Movement in the United States. Redlining, tax changes, and public housing authority decisions all contributed to the neighborhood experiencing economic struggles, racial segregation, and rising crime rates in the 1970s and 80s. Due to public stigma and decreased usage statistics continuing into the 90s, the Minneapolis Public Library continuously reduced funding for Hosmer Library.

In 1992, when the mayor and city council of Minneapolis recommended closing Hosmer Library, neighborhood residents expressed outrage at the potential loss of what they considered to be an important community center in an underserved area. The residents not only successfully advocated to keep the library open, but also for a major remodel to the library in 1997. Under the direction of Roy Woodstrom, who began as head librarian of Hosmer Library in 1994, the remodel included the expansion of the children’s area, specific areas designated for young adults, and greater technological infrastructure to support phone and internet access. The campaign to save and remodel the library showed that the institution continued to live up to Countryman’s mission of providing service to disadvantaged groups.

Hosmer Library was added to the National Registry of Historical Places in 2000. The building underwent another yearlong remodel from 2018 to 2019. This remodel further expanded children and young adult spaces and added additional technological services while maintaining the historical features of the building. The library continues to serve residents of the Central neighborhood in the Powderhorn community of Minneapolis, embodying the legacy of Gratia Countryman and the history of local and national efforts to expand library services to all.

Chanen, David. “Historic Hosmer Library in Minneapolis Reopens After Yearlong Renovation.” Star Tribune (Minneapolis, MN), August 10, 2019.

Marks, Wizard. “Hosmer Branch Library.” In Poor People and Library Services, edited by Karen M. Venturella, 109-116. North Carolina: McFarland & Company, Inc., Publishers, 1998.

Pejsa, Jane. Gratia Countryman: Her Life, Her Loves, and Her Library. Minneapolis: Nodin Press, 1995.

Weir Benidt, Bruce. The Library Book: Centennial History of the Minneapolis Public Library. Minneapolis: Minneapolis Public Library and Information Center, 1984.