12-04-2025
EDITORIAL: Let's take the idea of satellite libraries for a spin
Apr. 12—We journalists are a bookish lot.
As kids, we couldn't wait for the annual book fair at school. Remember book order forms? We actually took the form home and begged our parents to buy us a few paperbacks. Book reports weren't just easy for us — they were fun. When told to read the first chapter of "Lord of the Flies" or "Treasure Island," we read the whole book that same night (and probably spoiled it for the rest of the class the next day).
We loved books as kids, and we still love them as adults.
Therefore, it should come as no surprise that we're intrigued by the possibility of the Rochester Public Library opening one or more satellite locations.
Don't look for such a facility in your neighborhood anytime soon, but it is a possibility that the Rochester City Council will consider during a study session on Monday. Satellite sites are among the recommendations proposed by MSR Design, a Minneapolis-based consulting firm that was hired last summer to determine how the Rochester Public Library could adapt to the changing needs of a growing community.
That's not to say that the Rochester Public Library is a dinosaur (although it has a LOT of books about dinosaurs). Actually, it's fairly cutting-edge. Tech-savvy users can tap nearly limitless library materials from the comfort of their living room recliner. Avid readers can stock up on e-books and audio books without venturing into "the stacks" — and without any need to drive downtown to return them.
It's trends like that (and a 20% drop in foot traffic at the library since 2017) that make us glad that Rochester didn't go all-in on library expansion in 2016. The idea back then was to add another floor, perhaps two, to the downtown library, but the plan never gained much traction — largely due to its projected $55 million cost. We now see that as money well-saved. While the need for more library space hasn't gone away — in fact, we presume it has only increased — the fiscal caution of nine years ago should give the city some financial flexibility now as it considers the future of the Rochester Public Library.
In light of what's happening in other communities, one could make a strong argument in favor of additional library sites in Rochester.
Duluth, for example, has three public libraries to serve 35,000 fewer residents than does Rochester's library. Waterloo, Iowa, has four library sites to serve a population roughly half the size of Rochester. Fargo, with a population almost identical to Rochester, has a main library and two smaller branches.
These examples not only suggest a need for such sites here, but they also make it clear that Rochester need not reinvent the wheel. If our elected leaders and professional library staff want to see how satellite sites work, they won't have to look very far.
While it's far too early to suggest possible locations in Rochester, we can envision the generic footprint of a satellite library. The city could rent all or part of an existing commercial building, perhaps in a strip mall, with easy access and plenty of free parking. Inside would be books for all ages, but with a special focus on young children and/or teens. Additionally, there would be a meeting room — a mini auditorium, if you will — for the kind of programming that has become so popular at the downtown library.
The start-up cost of such a facility wouldn't be minimal, but it would be pocket change compared to the cost of building a new library, buying and renovating an existing building, or adding floors to the downtown library. The city could start with one rented satellite location, and if it proves to be a smashing success, other locations could follow.
While the actual cost and potential funding sources for such facilities remain big unknowns, we are certain of one thing: A satellite branch of the public library would attract new patrons. There are people in Rochester who prefer to turn actual pages in a real book but aren't eager to drive downtown and use a parking ramp. They'd show up in droves at a smaller, more accessible library.
In that same vein, we suspect that some parents aren't thrilled about bringing their young kids (and perhaps a stroller) downtown, then playing beat-the-clock to avoid parking fees. Such families are missing out on one of the small-yet-meaningful (and free!) joys of parenthood: bringing kids to the public library and letting them aimlessly explore the children's section. There's something magical about watching a child pull a seemingly random book off the shelf, then sitting down in a comfy chair to look at the pictures or actually read it.
Moments like that happen every time the Rochester Public Library opens its doors. We like the idea of more open doors, more comfy chairs, and more kids spending rainy summer afternoons exploring the wonderful world of books.
