BLOOMINGTON
C O M M U N I T Y G U I D E 2 0 2 6
A world of resources for all ages
The many resources libraries provide to a community can be found at two Hennepin County Library locations in Bloomington.
Hennepin County Library consists of 41 libraries in Minneapolis and suburban Hennepin County, providing access to millions of million books, CDs, DVDs, downloadables and other resources in more than a dozen world languages, plus access to hundreds of computers.
Library cards are free and available at local libraries and online. With a library card, patrons can check out and request materials from any of the 41 libraries, plus other public libraries in the seven-county metro area.
Hennepin County Library’ s website offers 24 / 7 access to the library catalog, online databases, audio and video downloads, eBooks, job and small business resources and web pages for children, teens and new immigrants.
Outreach Services provides library service for people who are unable to go to a library due to disability, mobility issues or confinement in county correctional facilities.
Oxboro Library is a popular destination for students as well as the diverse Bloomington community. The library’ s collection of books, DVDs, CDs and magazines includes materials in Spanish, Vietnamese and Somali. Staff members assist patrons in finding resources for learning a new language, working toward citizenship, applying for college, finding housing or a job, researching a business opportunity or a vacation destination and many other information needs.
Penn Lake Library serves residents from nearby cities as well as Bloomington. It was the city’ s first free-standing library, opening in 1970. Multicultural patrons who attend nearby Metro South Adult Basic Education ESL and general education classes frequently stop in to use the Penn Lake ' s foreign language and citizenship resources.
Oxboro Library opened in 1975 and was renovated in 2004. It closed in 2018 for a second renovation, which included replacing heating and air conditioning systems, updating the lighting and shelving and creating more open space for reading, meetings, toddlers and teens. The project was completed in 2019.
Info: hclib. org
Oxboro Library 8801 Portland Ave. S. 612-543-5775
Penn Lake Library 8800 Penn Ave. S. 612-543-5800
2026 | Bloomington Guide | 23