[1][2] In 1908, the City of Northfield was awarded a $10,000 grant by Andrew Carnegie to build and maintain a free public library, on which construction began in 1909.

Located in the center of town, the library provided Northfield with a central community space as well as a quiet place to read and borrow books.

Throughout the first half of the 20th century, the library made improvements including the addition of a card index for local newspaper, a repository for historical materials, and the creation of a popular "Story Hour" for children.

Under new director Teresa Jensen, the city and private fundraising efforts agreed upon a $3.1 million renovation to address structural and spatial issues.

[5] Three book clubs: Contemporary Women's Authors, Science-Fiction, and Mystery, are held monthly and are run by library staff.