[2] The building originally housed a credit union for state and university employees before a 1967 repurposing, when it became the Southeast Library.

The third branch of the Minneapolis Public library opened on November 1, 1891, in the old Winthrop School building at 22 University Avenue Southeast.

John Sargent Pillsbury, Minnesota's eighth governor, offered to build a branch library at the corner of university and Central Avenues in old St. Anthony (later East Minneapolis).

Located at 100 University Avenue Southeast, after many years as the Dolly Fiterman gallery, the Pillsbury Library more recently housed the Phillips Foundation.

[6][7][8] The renovation doubled the library's square footage by improving a disused basement space, which houses inventory and a children's area.

To connect the two floors and to allow natural light into the windowless basement space, an opening was cut in the center of the ground level.