Senate committee advances bill to raise library construction grant cap to $2 million On March 17, 2026, the Senate Capital Investment Committee recommended Senate File 3684, which would raise the Mary C. Murphy Library Construction Grant cap from $1 million to $2 million and clarify that community matches may include non-state funds. The committee approved an author's amendment and sent the measure to the Finance Committee.

Minnesota's Senate is pushing to double library construction grants to $2 million, aiming to meet urgent accessibility needs across rural communities.

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#MN #MinnesotaLibraries #CitizenPortal #LibraryExpansion #CommunityAccessibility #PublicFunding

Committee advances bill aimed at curbing library ebook licensing terms after contested hearing The Elections, Finance and Government Operations Committee voted 8–4 to re‑refer House File 36‑98 — legislation to limit restrictive ebook/audiobook licensing for publicly funded libraries — to the Commerce, Finance and Policy Committee after proponent and opponent testimony highlighted competing claims over access, costs and legal risk.

A heated debate unfolds in Minnesota as lawmakers push for a bill that could revolutionize ebook and audiobook licensing for libraries, balancing access and costs against publisher rights.

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#MN #MinnesotaLibraries #CitizenPortal #DigitalAccess #EbookLicensing #LibraryFunding

Senate honors Mary Murphy with library grant program naming Senators pass bill to name library grants after late representative Mary Murphy.

The Minnesota Senate has taken a significant step to honor the legacy of the late Representative Mary Murphy by establishing a library construction grant program in her name.

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#MN #MinnesotaLibraries #LegislativeTransparency #EducationFunding #CommunityCollaboration

Minnesota legislators rename library grant program in honor of Mary C Murphy House file 1090 establishes Mary C Murphy construction grants for library projects in Minnesota

Minnesota legislators pay tribute to the late Mary Murphy by renaming a library grant program in her honor, ensuring her legacy of education and community empowerment lives on.

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#MN #LegacyHonor #CitizenPortal #EducationAccess #MinnesotaLibraries #CommunityDevelopment

Minnesota Legislature allocates $16M for Minitex library funding in 2026 and 2027 Legislature approves $16M to enhance Minitex access for libraries in Minnesota.

Minnesota's legislature is making a bold investment of $16 million to enhance library resources, ensuring equitable access to knowledge for all!

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#ME #CitizenPortal #ResourceSharing #EducationAccess #MinnesotaLibraries

Minnesota allocates $250K for youth water safety grants in 2025 Minnesota approves funding for youth swimming lessons and water safety instructor training.

Minnesota's new Senate Bill 2448 could transform community safety and cultural engagement by funding libraries and providing $250,000 for youth water safety education.

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#MN #CulturalEnrichment #WaterSafety #CommunityEngagement #CitizenPortal #MinnesotaLibraries

AskMN - The Librarian Is In! | AskMN

With askmn.org, Minitex connects all Minnesotans to librarians online for instant help, wherever you are! #LibraryLoversMonth #Minitex #AskMN #MinnesotaLibraries

A woman and child picking out books at a library. Library Lovers Month. Minnesota Department of Education.

📚Minnesota libraries are supported by Minitex! 📚
Minitex, a state and federally funded library organization at the University of Minnesota, provides interlibrary loans, online databases, training and more to libraries across the state.
Learn more: minitex.umn.edu
#Minitex #MinnesotaLibraries

Governor proposes $900,000 for library construction grant program to enhance facilities Governor's proposal aims to improve library access and meet ADA compliance statewide.

Minnesota libraries are seeing a historic surge in usage, with visits outnumbering the State Fair by eight times—will the new grant proposal be enough to meet the skyrocketing demand?

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#MN #CommunityAccess #PublicResources #InfrastructureImprovement #MinnesotaLibraries