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Department of Education seeks modest library construction grants; governor recommends $900,000
Summary
Assistant Commissioner Bobbi Burnham told the committee Minnesota’s library construction grant program supports improvements and accessibility upgrades; the governor recommended $900,000 for the competitive program in 2025.
Assistant Commissioner Bobbi Burnham of the Minnesota Department of Education briefed the Senate Capital Investment Committee on Feb. 18 on the library construction grant program, which funds improvements and accessibility projects at public libraries across the state.
Burnham said there are 12 regional public library systems and 359 library locations in Minnesota, plus eight bookmobiles, and that libraries recorded 15,400,000 visits in 2023. The current grant program has two award categories: an improvement grant (maximum $1,000,000) and an accessibility grant (maximum $450,000). Both award types require a 50 percent local match and are awarded through a competitive peer review process.
The department reported that since the program began in 1994 it has made 70 awards; appropriations have ranged from $1 million to $4 million in a round. In 2023 a $4 million appropriation supported 10 projects with roughly $11 million in total project costs when combined with local matches. The governor recommended $900,000 for the 2025 competitive library construction grant program; Burnham said the statewide estimated need exceeds $187,000,000.
No vote was taken during the briefing; committee members expressed interest in higher funding levels and spread across communities.
Ending: Department staff said the grant program targets ADA compliance, HVAC/air handling upgrades, and community meeting spaces used for telehealth and other public services.
