The John S. and James L. Knight Foundation has awarded the Friends of the St. Paul Public Library $2 million, the largest private donation the nonprofit has ever received.

The donation will help fund major renovations at the Hayden Heights and Riverview libraries, as well as technology and play and learn upgrades at all 13 St. Paul library locations.

Last year, more than 1.2 million people visited St. Paul libraries and borrowed more than 2.8 million materials. More than 47,000 attended library programs and 841 students received library support at homework centers. Libraries also hosted close to 700 mental health consultations.

The Knight Foundation works toward supporting communities’ economic mobility, information ecosystems and arts and culture, said Charlene Bradley, the Knight Foundation’s St. Paul program director, who started in her role about nine months ago.

“And one of the reasons why I gravitated towards libraries earlier in my tenure here at Knight is because libraries have the opportunity to support everything that Knight stands for, including their mission,” Bradley said. “So, thinking about, how do we really invest in informed and engaged communities? Libraries actually are a great representation of that.”

Charlene Bradley. (Courtesy of the Knight Foundation)

The Knight Foundation has been a longtime supporter of the Friends, with $855,000 invested by the foundation since 1999, according to Friends’ executive director Beth Burns. The $2 million donation announced Sunday is a “catalytic investment,” Burns said.

“We are in partnership with the city to realize a really transformative vision for the role of libraries in every single neighborhood in St. Paul,” Burns said. “And together, we in the city are looking to raise $35.5 million, and the Friends has committed to raising ($10 million) of that. And with this gift, our work is propelled forward because I believe this gift telegraphs to our entire community that the library is worthy of major investment and that in this moment, an investment in libraries is a meaningful and important investment in the people of St. Paul, in the neighborhoods of St. Paul, and in the vitality of democracy.”

St. Paul is very supportive of its public libraries, but public funding is never going to be enough to “realize the full vision and potential of public libraries,” Burns said. The work of organizations like the Friends helps ensure libraries have the resources they need, whether that’s through fundraising in the private sector or political advocacy, Burns said.

The nonprofit also serves as the state’s chapter of the Library of Congress.

The city of St. Paul recently announced that its 2026 budget will include $3.55 million for the Hayden Heights library renovation and $784,000 to seed the Riverview renovation. That brings total public investment to $16 million. The city has committed to a total of $25.5 million.

“Saint Paul’s libraries are more than buildings — they are anchors of community, gateways to opportunity, and valued resources for people of every age,” said Mayor Melvin Carter in a statement. “Our partnership with the Knight Foundation reflects a shared commitment to generational investment in all our libraries, ensuring they continue to serve every person in our city today and for decades to come.“

Officials with Friends said in a statement that they are grateful to Mayor Carter and look forward to working with Mayor-elect Kaohly Her.

“Saint Paul’s public libraries are one of the strengths of this City, and I am excited to continue to champion this remarkable public-private partnership,” Her said in a statement. “The Knight Foundation recognizes that investing in our libraries is investing in our residents, and this gift is going to reach people in every neighborhood to help us build a vibrant Saint Paul together.”

The Friends’ library campaign with a goal of $35.5 million will run through 2027 and also fund a new Hamline Midway Library. Demolition of the historic library began in January with plans to replace it with a more modern structure with better disability access and other amenities.

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