Laurie Savran, president of the Minneapolis PublicLibrary Board,said that voters "saw the importanceof providing a top-notchfacility for the state'slargest public library collection and thebestpossible library service in our neighborhoods."The referendumprovides for a new,five-story central library to be built on itspresentDowntown site at 300 Nicollet Mall, and $30 milliontocomplete improvements to all 14 community libraries inthecity.<p.The next steps are to select an architect for thenewcentral library and to locate a temporary Downtownlocation tooffer full library service throughout theconstruction period.Construction is expected to beginin 2003 and the new library toopen in late 2005 orearly 2006.

Planning will also proceed on a new Minnesotaplanetarium toreplace the existing one in the current central library. Thenew,high-tech theater and science center is expected to bearegional attraction comparable with the newplanetariums recentlyopened in New York and Chicago.Last session, the MinnesotaLegislature allocated $1million toward planning for the newplanetarium.Funding will be sought through privatecontributions,additional state bonding or both.

The $30 million portion of the referendum forcommunity libraryimprovements will accomplish thegoal of completing all neighborhoodbranch projectswithin 10 years. A timeline will be developedandspecific plans will be refined, addressing eachbuilding's needfor remodeling or expansion,handicapped accessibility, technologyupgrades,historic preservation, or replacement.