Millennium Library (Winnipeg)

Interior reading terrace

In May 1968 Mayor Stephen Juba proposed that a new Centennial Library be built by 1970 to honour Manitoba's 100th birthday.[3] A plan was put in place to relocate the main branch on Graham Avenue between Smith and Donald Streets, on the site of Columbus Hall (Aragon Bldg.) where Bell Drugs, Rainbow Dance Gardens, and J's Discotheque were located.[4] In March 1969, the city announced it wanted to purchase the land between Graham and St. Mary and Smith and Donald for $1.75 million.[5] The construction of the new library and underground parking for 500 cars cost $9 million.[6] In December 1973, Ward, MacDonald, Cockburn, McLeod and McFeetors were selected as the architectural firm to design the new library.[7] The province chipped in $900,000 towards the cost.[8] A sod turning ceremony, commencing construction was held on December 20, 1974, with actual construction beginning in March. The new library would have room for 600,000 books within its 350,000 sq. ft.[9] The construction tender was awarded to Poole Construction Ltd. (now PCL). The original cost of the project was estimated at $8,478,462, though that figure had risen to $9 million afterwards. A construction strike and winter work conditions caused the project to be completed four months later than originally calculated.[10]

The underground parkade, for 550 vehicles, opened early December 1976.[11]

The Central branch (380 William Ave.) closed February 21 and the Downtown branch (408 Portage Ave.) closed February 25, 1977 so that materials could be moved over to the new Centennial Library.[12]

The library was opened to the public on March 16, 1977 as the Centennial Library. It replaced the Central branch on William Avenue. Fifty-five hundred people visited on opening day, and 5,188 books and magazines were checked out. Al Ducharme (ICEC - St. Vital) greeted members of the public and borrowed the first book at the new library.[6]

Memberships, Checkin, Returns, Holds, Checkout, Self-Checkout, Children's Services, Teen Central, Aboriginal Reading-in-the-Round, Includes New & Noted, Adult Fiction, New Fiction and Non-Fiction, Express Bestsellers, Paperbacks, Magazines, Express Computers, Winnipeg Transit Kiosk, Security desk.[17][18][19]

DVDs, CDs, Talking Books, Books on CD & Cassette, Large Print, Biographies, Scores, Services for People with Special Needs, Carol Shields Auditorium, Buchwald Room, Anhang Room, Meeting Room 1, Meeting Room 2, Tutorial Room A, Tutorial Room B.[20][21]

Millennium Library Local History Room (Resources on Winnipeg and Manitoba history, Henderson Directories), Computer Training Lab, Newspapers, Reference Magazines, Microfilm, Vertical Files, Stack Reference, Copiers.[19][20][22]

Non-fiction (000-999), Reference Collection, Government Documents, Computers, Meeting Room 3.[20][23]

Finished 2012, the park alongside the Millennium Library underwent a $4.3-million reconstruction. The rebuilt plaza has an artificial wetland aerated by a pair of windmills, a wooden walkway built out of sustainably farmed wood, birch trees planted in deep pots, two new pieces of public art, and low fences and a raised floor.[14]

The park now features five distinct outdoor zones:[24]

• The Millennium Plaza
• Crossroads Plaza
• The Learning Commons
• The Urban Wetland
• The Jim Pattison Foundation Reading Garden

When the Millennium Library reopened, there was no money left in the budget to rebuild the park.[14]

Work on the park could not commence until a membrane was built over the parkade below it. Rebuilding the plaza itself was funded equally by all three levels of government. The Winnipeg Arts Council arranged financing for the two pieces of public art: Sentinel Of Truth and emptyful.[14]

Reconstruction Costs:[14]

• $2.1 million to rebuild the plaza
• $1.5 million to replace a membrane over the roof of the Millennium Library Parkade
• $575,000 to commission and install "emptyful"
• $90,000 for "Sentinel Of Truth"

The redevelopment plan was spearheaded by the Winnipeg Library Foundation.[25]

The following public art installations are viewable in and around the Millennium Library.[19]

• Bill Pechet's "emptyful" (Park) - a stainless steel sculpture including water elements[26]
• Darren Stebeleski's "Sentinel of Truth" (Park) - a wall of weathering steel, covering and protecting bits of text inscribed into stainless steel.[27]
• Cliff Eyland's "Untitled" (Lobby)
• Nicholas Wade's "Illumination" (Richardson Reading Terrace base)
• Charlie Johnson's "Story Lines" mural (Skywalk)
• J.A. Long's "Andrew Carnegie" portrait (Richardson Reading Terrace)
• Timothy Ray and Dale Amundson's "A.R. or R.A." (Children's Services)

"emptyful", the erlenmeyer flask-shaped fountain, is the most expensive piece of public art in Winnipeg history. It is illuminated by four bands of LED lights at night and uses both water and fog. During the summer, when the fog and water elements will be operational, the fountain is illuminated in blue, green and purples hues. During the winter, when the water elements are not operational, the artwork is lit up with reds, oranges and yellows.[14]

• 
  emptyful (in Winter)
• 
  Sentinel of Truth
• 
  Cliff Eyland's "Untitled", in the lobby
• 
  Detail of Charlie Johnson's "Story Lines" mural

Security issues at the Millennium Library have increased since 1989 and have been an increasing problem since.

Numerous incidents involving aggressive visitors to the library, some involving weapons, open liquor have been documented by the Winnipeg Police Service and the head of the Winnipeg Public Library. In early 2019 the staff of the Library felt that they needed to increase the level of security, to protect both the staff who provide assistance and for patrons who are there to study. Measures were taken, where weapons and liquor were held by a private security firm and could be collected after the library visitor had left.

When the new security protocol came into effect on February 28, 2019 a group of university students had created an ad-hoc group, opposing the changes, saying it invades patron's privacy.

The library reported in early September 2019 that the new security measures had the intended effect of decreasing the numbers aggressive patrons who bring in weapons and/or alcohol. However, it has also had the unintended effect of decreasing the numbers of legitimate patrons who are there to study.[28][29]

In February 2020, musician John K. Samson wrote and released "Millennium for All", a song supporting the activist campaign against the security restrictions.[30]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Millennium Library (Winnipeg).

• Winnipeg Public Library – Millennium Library
• Winnipeg Library Foundation — Millennium Library
• Friends of the Winnipeg Public Library