Minneapolis Public Library, North Branch

The Minneapolis Public Library, North Branch building is a library in Minneapolis, Minnesota. It was designed in 1893 by architect Frederick Corser. When it was opened, it was claimed to be the nation's first branch library to have open shelves so patrons could browse for books on their own, without asking librarians to retrieve them. The library set a precedent for future library development in the Minneapolis Public Library system. The building has a slender tower, a stepped front gable, and an arched entrance shaped like a basket handle, roughly fitting into the Chateauesque style. It includes terra cotta ornamentation and sculptured stonework. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1977, and is the Twin Cities'...