Editing Minneapolis Public Library (section)

==Events: 2000–2008==

===2000 referendum===
In 2000 Minneapolis voters approved a $140&nbsp;million package to fund a new $110&nbsp;million Central Library building, and spend $30&nbsp;million on improvements to community libraries.<ref name=libweb /> The referendum began as a framework for discussion called ''Outlook Twenty Ten: A Discussion Plan to Improve All Minneapolis Community Libraries'',  submitted to the Minneapolis Public Library Board in July 1999,<ref name=outlook>{{cite book|title=Outlook Twenty Ten|last=Ryan|first=Amy|publisher=Minneapolis Public Library|location=Minneapolis|year=1999}}</ref> and drafted in anticipation of voters approving the referendum.<ref name=libweb>{{cite web|url=http://www.mpls.lib.mn.us/referendum.asp|title=The Minneapolis Public Library Referendum|date=2007-02-20|access-date=2008-03-21|publisher=Minneapolis Public Library|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071110004233/http://www.mpls.lib.mn.us/referendum.asp|archive-date=2007-11-10}}</ref> The framework was submitted to the board by Amy Ryan, Chief of Community Libraries. When the referendum was approved, the Library Board turned to the plan which contained a profile of each of the fourteen community libraries, including highlights of patron surveys.<ref name=outlook /> It also contained at least three suggestions for every community library, entitled Options 'A', 'B', 'C' and onward.  An update on the plan came out in 2004.<ref name=update>{{cite web|url=http://www.mpls.lib.mn.us/outlook2010update0504.pdf|title=Outlook Twenty Ten An Update: Spring 2004|date=April 2004 |publisher=Minneapolis Public Library|access-date=2008-03-21|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070113004426/http://www.mpls.lib.mn.us/outlook2010update0504.pdf|archive-date=2007-01-13}}</ref>

===''Adamson v. Minneapolis Public Library''===
''[https://web.archive.org/web/20080530034356/http://filteringfacts.org/legal/adamson/ Adamson v. Minneapolis Public Library]'' was a civil complaint of 23 March 2003 by a dozen librarians against the library's management for a claimed failure to prevent sexual harassment over many years by library patrons having unlimited use of library computers for accessing pornography.  The case followed an [[Equal Employment Opportunity Commission|EEOC]] determination on 23 May 2001 that "the Respondent did subject the Charging Party to sexually hostile work environment. This is in violation of Title VII of the [[Civil Rights Act of 1964]], as amended."<ref>{{Cite web |last=Carter |first=Bobbie J. |date=May 23, 2001 |title=EEOC Determination. Re: Unrestricted Internet Access Policy of Minneapolis Public Library Creates Sexually Hostile Work Environment. |url=http://filteringfacts.files.wordpress.com/2007/11/adamson_eeoc_determ.pdf |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160305162405/https://filteringfacts.files.wordpress.com/2007/11/adamson_eeoc_determ.pdf |archive-date=Mar 5, 2016}}</ref>  The case settled when the library agreed to pay the plaintiffs $435,000 and to take corrective action to prevent further harassment.

===Funding crisis and merger===
Despite city funding and some private support, the library had suffered from reduced funding from external sources, including the federal government and Local Government Aid (LGA) from the State of Minnesota. In the recession of the 2000s following the [[Dot-com bubble]], hours were drastically cut and money for acquisitions sharply declined. Because Minnesota library card holders could borrow from other systems in the state, MPL also duplicated services offered by [[Hennepin County Library]] (HCL), which saw shared use by MPL patrons. This was especially apparent on Mondays, when Minneapolis libraries were closed.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.supporthclib.org/downloads/Library%20Advisory%20Committee%20Report%20Feb%2007.pdf |title=1 + 1 A Report to the Minneapolis Public Library Trustees  |date=February 2007 |author1=Library Advisory Committee |access-date=2015-03-13 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150402232904/http://www.supporthclib.org/downloads/Library%20Advisory%20Committee%20Report%20Feb%2007.pdf |archive-date=2015-04-02 }}</ref>

In 2007, the Minneapolis Library Board agreed to pursue a merger with the county system. The Minneapolis Library Board and [[Minneapolis City Council]] approved the merger in March 2007, the Hennepin County Board approved the merger in April 2007, and on May 19, 2007 the [[Minnesota State Legislature]] approved a bill merging the systems during 2008. The merged system is the Hennepin County Library with 41 locations.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.hclib.org/futureoflibraries/|title=Library Merger Updates |website=Hennepin County Library |date=2007-12-13|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071211180559/http://www.hclib.org/futureoflibraries/|archive-date=2007-12-11}}</ref>  On January 1, 2008, the library was merged into the [[Hennepin County Library]]. The last meeting of the Minneapolis Public Library Board of Trustees took place on December 19, 2007.