Westonka Library will remain open a few extra weeks as officials adjust timeline for new facility

The Westonka Library in Mound will remain open a few weeks longer than anticipated as officials finalize the plans for a new net-zero-energy facility.

Hennepin County officials have been saying for years that they need to replace the library, which opened in 1972. Last year, they presented plans for a new $17.5 million facility that will use geothermal and solar energy and will not need natural gas or refrigerants for heating and cooling.

Officials initially expected the current library building would close in December but now say it will remain open until January, with a specific closing date to be announced later this fall.

“As designs are reviewed and fine-tuned, so are the closure and construction timelines,” Joshua Yetman, a spokesperson for Hennepin County, said in an email.

Yetman said construction is expected to last 18 months, with the new building opening in the summer of 2026.

“While we’re excited to construct Hennepin County’s first net-zero library, we’re also trying to minimize the time between closure and demolition,” Yetman said. “Arrangements for alternate services, including holds pickup in Mound, are being finalized and will be included in the public announcement later this fall.”

People who want to get updates on the library’s construction can sign up for notifications online.