The nonprofit board that runs the James J. Hill Center in downtown St. Paul recently announced that the historic reference library, business center and wedding venue will close July 3. But make no mistake — the recently renovated George Latimer Central Library remains open to the public.
On Friday, St. Paul Public Library officials sought to clear up confusion about the diverging fates of the two libraries. The two share close quarters overlooking Rice Park.
The former James J. Hill Reference Library, which dates back to 1921, is run by a private charitable organization and will let go all but two staff members over the coming weeks as it considers its options.
The James J. Hill Center had sought to promote itself as an incubation center for startup businesses, but it struggled to obtain sufficient funding at a time when maintenance costs are mounting, according to library officials.
In an adjoining building, the George Latimer Central Library — which dates back to 1917 at that location — is run by the St. Paul Public Library system, an official department of the city of St. Paul.
“Both entities are located in downtown St. Paul, immediately adjacent to one another, and share structural elements to their facilities,” reads an advisory from library officials.
The advisory goes on to say that a $1.3 million renovation to the Central Library in 2017 created a new Welcome Center on the first floor, the second-floor Nicholson Commons — “an architectural highlight with historic arched windows and a staircase, leading up to the library’s St. Paul Collection” — and the Innovation Lab, an “adult maker space” that features a recording studio, a 3D printer, a laser-cut engraver, and Adobe Creative Suite, among other technology.
Last year, the Central Library welcomed 163,000 visitors and hosted 900 programs, and it expects similar foot traffic in 2019.
“We were sorry to see the … Hill Center’s announcement that it will close to the public, and we look forward to hearing what its board has planned for the space,” said St. Paul Public Library Director Catherine Penkert.
