munity Conversations, Conflict, and Collaboration: the story of the expansion of the Northfield Carnegie Public Library.

Northfield citizens will look back thirty years to the early 1980’s expansion
of Northfield’s Carnegie Public Library building.  The program will begin with a
15 minute power point presentation by local library historian Bruce Colwell
(author of the booklet Everlasting Influences: The Centennial History of the
Northfield Carnegie Public Library 1910-2010 and the pamphlet A Century
of Service: the Northfield Public Library, 1898-1998, Northfield Public
Library) providing an historical overview of the library expansion
discussions in the early 1980’s. The discussion will conclude with Northfield
citizens Eve Webster; former library board member and Robert Bonner; Friends of
the Library officer,  who participated in those early 1980’s community
conversations.

Not only is it fascinating history, but relevant and timely, as Northfield is
again engaged in discussions of how to expand its Public Library. And once
again, this request for significant financial support (likely in the form of a
tax referendum) is in the midst of a national and state economic recession.
These community conversations reveal much about Northfield’s identity and
values, and how it views the public library’s role in the town’s educational,
social, and economic life. The panelists will share their personal experiences
in the early 1980’s Library expansion conversations, and the lessons learned
that can inform Northfield’s current expansion community conversations.

The program will address these questions:

Thursday April 4, 2013, 7:00 p.m. Library Meeting Room

For more information please call 645-6606 www.northfieldmn.info