Most University of Minnesota students know of The Library Bar and Grill in Dinkytown. Not quite as famous is the actual library located right across the street. The Southeast Library has experienced some turmoil in the past five years, including being closed for more than a year from December 2006 until January 2008. The library re-opened as a result of the Minneapolis Public Library merging with the Hennepin County library system . The move provided Southeast with funds to remain open until January 2011. The head librarian at Southeast, Eric Heideman, said the library will eventually be renovated or moved to another location in Southeast Minneapolis. Joann Frankena co-manages 14 of the 41 libraries in Hennepin County, including Southeast, and said there was a referendum in 2000 that set aside funds to renovate libraries like Southeast in 2010, but because of the financial crisis, all capital projects have been put on hold. Heideman said there were some minor renovations after the re-opening, including new book cases, chairs and tables. He said about a third of the libraryâÄôs clientele are connected with the University. âÄúThe thing IâÄôd like most would be to attract more University students to the library,âÄù Heideman said. âÄúSince Walter Library switched from being a general library to being a tech library, Southeast has been the only general library on the East Bank.âÄù Public health graduate student Lauren Sontag uses the library as a place to study because of the free Wi-Fi, the friendly staff and the quiet atmosphere. Sontag uses the libraries on campus but said she likes the location of Southeast because her husband works in Dinkytown. âÄúI like not being in a campus building surrounded by just students all the time,âÄù Sontag said. She said she doesnâÄôt have a preference between the University libraries and Southeast, but said it is nice to have another option. âÄúI go to the biomedical library, but thereâÄôs no cell phone reception in there and itâÄôs just full of stressed out health students,âÄù Sontag said. Rebecca Thayer, the public service assistant at Southeast, said education majors often check out childrenâÄôs books from the library. Thayer said some of the other things students use the library for include checking out CDs and DVDs, as well as novels for classes and nonacademic magazines. Kathleen Reilly was part of a group called Save Southeast before the library closed in 2006. Now the group is called the Southeast Community Library Task Force. She said one of the problems with attracting students is the libraryâÄôs limited hours. It is open from 12 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturdays. The future of the Southeast Library is uncertain, but Reilly said she hopes the library can remain in Dinkytown.