I'd like to respond to your article, “Library Budget Ax Falls on INFORM,” in the July 8 edition of the Minnesota Independent.

It's true that Hennepin County Library's 2009 budget is a work in progress — the final budget won't go before the County Board for approval until December.

However, your statement that “the downtown government documents desk” is “on the chopping block” may be misleading to your readers. We are consolidating the government documents collections at Minneapolis Central and Southdale libraries into one location. The collection will be located at the Minneapolis Central Library.

Minneapolis Central Library's Government Documents collection is the single largest collection at the library. The oldest federal depository in Minnesota, this collection of federal documents dates back to the founding of the republic.

The collection contains federal publications in all formats including print, microform, and electronic. The department also strives to collect, preserve, and make accessible a comprehensive collection of titles published by the city of Minneapolis, the state of Minnesota, and the Metropolitan Council of the Twin Cities. Materials include Minneapolis city ordinances, Minnesota state statutes, and the U.S. Code. The depository collection at Southdale is smaller and is a duplicate of items in Central's collection.

Hennepin County Library is working daily to improve and streamline our business operations while remaining committed to providing the best possible customer service and a rich environment where children, adults, families, and businesses can learn, grow, explore, and be successful.

I’d like to respond to your article, “Library Budget Ax Falls on INFORM,” in the July 8 edition of the Minnesota Independent.

It’s true that Hennepin County Library’s 2009 budget is a work in progress — the final budget won’t go before the County Board for approval until December.

However, your statement that “the downtown government documents desk” is “on the chopping block” may be misleading to your readers. We are consolidating the government documents collections at Minneapolis Central and Southdale libraries into one location. The collection will be located at the Minneapolis Central Library.

Minneapolis Central Library’s Government Documents collection is the single largest collection at the library. The oldest federal depository in Minnesota, this collection of federal documents dates back to the founding of the republic.

The collection contains federal publications in all formats including print, microform, and electronic. The department also strives to collect, preserve, and make accessible a comprehensive collection of titles published by the city of Minneapolis, the state of Minnesota, and the Metropolitan Council of the Twin Cities. Materials include Minneapolis city ordinances, Minnesota state statutes, and the U.S. Code. The depository collection at Southdale is smaller and is a duplicate of items in Central’s collection.

Hennepin County Library is working daily to improve and streamline our business operations while remaining committed to providing the best possible customer service and a rich environment where children, adults, families, and businesses can learn, grow, explore, and be successful.