Washburn Library, Public library branch in southwest Minneapolis, United States.
Washburn Library is a public library branch in southwest Minneapolis with an open floor plan and separate areas for children and teens. The building provides computer access, meeting rooms, and collections in multiple languages to serve the community.
The library opened in 1970 and experienced strong community demand from its first year onward. This rapid adoption showed that residents valued having library services nearby in their neighborhood.
The library's name honors William D. Washburn, a founder of the Washburn-Crosby Company, the milling firm that became General Mills, and a former U.S. Senator from Minnesota. Outside stands a millstone recalling Minneapolis's grain-milling era, and above the children's area is a domed-ceiling mural by Virginia Bradley. A sculpture, Mother and Child by Ann Wolfe, was added in the 2014 update.
The entrance is located on Lyndale Avenue in the southwest part of the city and is easy to find. The space is well organized for visitors with different needs, from computer workstations to quiet reading areas.
The building was designed by an architect influenced by modernist pioneers like Walter Gropius and Eero Saarinen. This design background shapes the timeless look of the facade and interior spaces.
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