Site Visits by Library Type
Use these links to jump to a specific library type:
Academic Library Site Visits
Upcoming Visits (Details not currently available):
American Academy of Art
Moraine Valley Community College
University of Saint Mary of the Lake
Library Visit Details:
Agency: Carl Sandburg College
Library Type: Academic
Address: 2400 Tom L. Wilson Boulevard, Galesburg, IL
County: Knox
Visit Date: August 2024
About This Library: Carl Sandburg Head Librarian Abby Frye is very eager to help students! The Sandburg Library also has institutional archives and a great creative corner makerspace included 3D printers and a woodcarving machine they use to make bookmarks and keychains to promote the library. They have many passive programs for students, a great collection of books and displays, and lots of support for students and faculty.
Image URLs:
https://railslibraries.org/gallery/114562
https://railslibraries.org/gallery/114563
https://railslibraries.org/gallery/114564
Agency: East-West University
Library Type: Academic
Address: 829 S Wabash Avenue, SLC - 5th Floor, Chicago, IL
County: Cook
Visit Date: July 2024
About This Library: East West University library is a university library located in the heart of downtown Chicago. Head librarian Michelle Kopteros and her staff member have a wonderful, inviting library space. They have many great displays and study rooms available for students. They are also a very unique library because the building serves as a dorm for area university students and the library serves these students as well.
Image URLS:
https://railslibraries.org/gallery/113270
https://railslibraries.org/gallery/113271
Agency: Dominican University, Rebecca Crown Library
Library Type: Academic
Address: 7900 West Division Street, River Forest, IL
County: Cook
Visit Date: June 2024
About This Library: In addition to serving their students and faculty, Dominican University’s Rebecca Crown Library provides vital support for future librarians enrolled in the university’s successful MLIS program.
Many MLIS students get the unique opportunity to take their lessons from class and put them into practice by working at the university’s library. These student workers get the hands-on experience they need to discover their niche in the library world.
The university’s population has steadily grown in recent years—showing a 6% and 38% increase in undergraduate and graduate students, respectively. The library’s traffic is no exception: it bustles with visitors all day long.
Some students may pass through on a whim, but most stay to access the thriving MakerSpace, study in scenic conference rooms, get creative in the recording studio, access special collections, or browse the youth books that inspire the university’s budding children’s librarians.
Learn more about the Rebecca Crown Library at https://research.dom.edu/home.
Image URLS:
https://railslibraries.org/gallery/113203
https://railslibraries.org/gallery/113202
Public Library Site Visits
Upcoming Visits (Details not currently available):
Atkinson Public Library District
Calumet Park Public Library
DeKalb Public Library
Dunlap Public Library District
East Moline Public Library
Flewellin Memorial Library
Forman Valley Public Library District
Harvey Public Library District
Helen M. Plum Memorial Public Library District
New Lenox Public Library District
Oglesby Public Library District
Library Visit Details:
Agency: Aurora Public Library, Richard and Gina Santori Branch
Library Type: Public
Address: 101 S River Street, Aurora
County: Kane
Visit Date: August, 2024
About This Library: The Richard and Gina Santori Branch of the Aurora Public Library is a bustling library with great indoor and outdoor space. The library also has a really incredible bookmobile, with the ability to do story times, screen movies, and do mobile circulation (there are even make and takes and periodicals on board!). They also had a beautiful art display in their main atrium and a very fun summer reading display, as well as a history of information art installation and sculpture.
Image URLS:
https://railslibraries.org/gallery/114175
https://railslibraries.org/gallery/114176
https://railslibraries.org/gallery/114177
https://railslibraries.org/gallery/114178
Agency: Bertolet Memorial Library District
Library Type: Public
Address: 705 Main Street, Leaf River, IL
County: Ogle
Visit Date: September 2024
About This Library: The Bertolet Memorial Library is a delightful library located in Leaf River, IL and headed by director Linda Schreiber. The library has great local history documents, cool decor to go with their camp-themed summer reading, and a kind and gracious staff. They also have take and make craft activities for patrons to pick up monthly and an A to Z reading challenge program for patrons and library display. They also have a beautiful mural made by a local artist. One cool feature is a neat recycling project they do collecting patrons recycling, they were able to construct two benches outside the library made from recycled materials. Featured in this great photo of the staff (left to right): Raina Dyck, Linda Schreiber, RAILS Member Engagement Specialist Jessica Silva, Kenlie Motszko, Brandi Hongsermeier.
Image URLs:
https://railslibraries.org/gallery/114572
https://railslibraries.org/gallery/114573
https://railslibraries.org/gallery/114574
https://railslibraries.org/gallery/114575
https://railslibraries.org/gallery/114576
https://railslibraries.org/gallery/114577
Agency: Bloomington Public Library
Library Type: Public
Address: 205 East Olive Street, Bloomington, IL
County: McLean
Visit Date: August, 2024
About This Library: Bloomington Public Library, headed by Director Jeanne Hamilton, just finished a beautiful remodel. Their new library includes a calm down room, innovation lab, and multiple entrances and wraparound outdoor space. The lego art piece (photo) featured was a fundraising project, where patrons could each purchase a brick for a dollar and the piece is made of 2,000 pieces. The innovation lab has a certification program where patrons can get certified to use various tools like 3D printers and over 200 certifications have been handed out so far since opening!
Image URLs:
https://railslibraries.org/gallery/114400
https://railslibraries.org/gallery/114401
https://railslibraries.org/gallery/114402
https://railslibraries.org/gallery/114403
Agency: Cambridge Public Library District
Library Type: Public
Address: 212 West Center Street, Cambridge, IL
County: Henry
Visit Date: August 2024
About This Library: Cambridge Public Library director Victoria King is eager to make her library accessible for patrons. They had great displays made by library staff for Romance Awareness Month and NYT Bestsellers. They also have great table games and a community coloring sheet and make and take craft kits for patrons. They display their library of things checkout by re-using DVD cases, great idea! (see photo).
Image URLs:
https://railslibraries.org/gallery/114554
https://railslibraries.org/gallery/114555
https://railslibraries.org/gallery/114556
Agency: Greig Memorial Library
Library Type: Public
Address: 110 South Joy Street, Oneida, IL
County: Knox
Visit Date: August 2024
About This Library: Greig Memorial Library is a very unique library, as the library director resides in the library. Director Autumn Hughes does an amazing job running the Greig Memorial Library. On site is also the Onieda Historical Museum. The library is nearly one hundred years old. They have helped the community with so many resources and have fun events like an annual holiday party. They also offer community puzzles, and FREE school supplies for local students at the beginning of the school year.
Image URLs:
https://railslibraries.org/gallery/114558
https://railslibraries.org/gallery/114559
https://railslibraries.org/gallery/114560
Agency: Hamilton Public Library
Library Type: Public
Address: 861 Broadway Street, Hamilton, IL
County: Hancock
Visit Date: August, 2024
About This Library: Hamilton Public Library is led by director Kathryn Johnson. The Hamilton Public library has a super neat Children’s Librarian of the Month program where local students can be nominated to serve as the children’s librarian for the month. Their photo gets to be in the newspaper and on library socials. The children get to design a display for the children’s space of the library with ten of their favorite library selections. The library collection is also made of many large print books as that is what the Hamilton population reads and needs.
Image URLs:
https://railslibraries.org/gallery/114422
https://railslibraries.org/gallery/114423
https://railslibraries.org/gallery/114424
Agency: Highwood Public Library
Library Type: Public
Address: 102 Highwood Avenue, Highwood, IL
County: Lake
Visit Date: August, 2024
About This Library: The words “public library” mean different things to people from different countries—that’s why Highwood Library & Community Center emphasizes its purpose right in its name.
51% of Highwood residents speak Spanish and 30% have recently migrated to the community. A growing need for mental health services became more obvious during the COVID-19 pandemic and after the neighboring Highland Park parade shooting in 2022. After years of virtual socialization, teens lacked spaces in real life where they could be themselves.
Today, all information in the library is available in English and Spanish and 80% of the staff are bilingual. Counselors are on staff and provide sessions in cozy, private rooms. Teens have a dedicated space to create art, play games, and read for fun. Kids play make-believe on stage, complete with costumes available at their fingertips.
The Highwood Library staff work hard each day to create a home away from home for every person in the community.
Image URLS:
https://railslibraries.org/gallery/114115
https://railslibraries.org/gallery/114114
https://railslibraries.org/gallery/114113
https://railslibraries.org/gallery/114112
Agency: Waukegan Public Library
Library Type: Public
Address: 800 Baldwin Avenue, Waukegan, IL
County: Lake
Visit Date: August, 2024
About This Library: Waukegan Public Library was in the process of installing a mural by community artists right outside the library. Some interesting features of the library include telehealth booths, a sensory room with light dimmers and various sensory activities, an early learning center, and walkers and wheelchairs available for in-libraries use, as well as an outdoor space. When I visited, they were also setting up for a noontime Friday concert series in the outdoor space. They have a kind and welcoming staff.
Image URLS:
https://railslibraries.org/gallery/114166
https://railslibraries.org/gallery/114167
https://railslibraries.org/gallery/114168
https://railslibraries.org/gallery/114170
Agency: Freeport Public Library
Library Type: Public
Address: 100 East Douglas Street, Freeport, IL
County: Stephenson
Visit Date: July, 2024
About This Library: Visit details coming soon!
Image URLs:
https://railslibraries.org/gallery/113382
https://railslibraries.org/gallery/113383
https://railslibraries.org/gallery/113384
https://railslibraries.org/gallery/113385
Agency: Hanover Township Library
Library Type: Public
Address: 204 Jefferson Street, Hanover, IL
County: Jo Daviess
Visit Date: July, 2024
About This Library: Hanover Township Library is located in Hanover, IL. Librarian Carolyn Miller is serving as interim director at the library. They have recently redone their children’s section of the library and are currently working on reorganizing the library and the library collection. They are excited to implement family programming and more at the library.
Image URLs:
https://railslibraries.org/gallery/113399
https://railslibraries.org/gallery/113400
https://railslibraries.org/gallery/113401
Agency: Lanark Public Library
Library Type: Public
Address: 111 South Broad Street, Lanark, IL
County: Carroll
Visit Date: July, 2024
About This Library: The Lanark Public Library is located in downtown Lanark, IL. This wonderful library is run by librarian Janie Dollinger. They also have many family and geneological and local history materials, that have recently been digitized. They have excellent story times, host visits from local agricultural and wildlife experts, author visits, and free books available to patrons.
Image URLs:
https://railslibraries.org/gallery/113402
https://railslibraries.org/gallery/113403
https://railslibraries.org/gallery/113404
Agency: Normal Public Library
Library Type: Public
Address: 201 West College Avenue, Normal, IL (temporary branch)
County: McLean
Visit Date: August 2024
About This Library: A renovation isn’t going to stop the Normal Public Library from providing the best services it can to its community.
Rather than looking at this forced renovation as a challenge, library director John Fischer is framing it as an experiment. It’s a way to get a deeper look at what books are actually circulating and assess how the library is meeting its community’s needs.
Inside the temporary branch conveniently located across the street, patrons are greeted with warm, familiar faces and the legendary Kirk the Circ Snake (an abandoned-plushie-turned-mascot). They can continue to access free scanning and printing and browse the collection for the newest titles.
They even discovered a new favorite resource that they hadn’t been able to offer before: a drive-thru window! Both patrons and pups can cruise up to the building to pick up a treat—whether that’s a book or a Milk-Bone.
We're wishing the best of luck to Normal PL on their renovation journey!
Image URLs:
https://railslibraries.org/gallery/114427
https://railslibraries.org/gallery/114428
https://railslibraries.org/gallery/114429
https://railslibraries.org/gallery/114430
Agency: Orland Park Public Library
Library Type: Public
Address: 14921 South Ravinia Avenue, Orland Park, IL
County: Cook
Visit Date: September 2024
About This Library: Orland Park Public Library is in Orland Park, IL. The director is Mary Adamowski. The library has a great mural painted by two patrons of the grasslands animals and plants that populate this area. One cool feature of the library is the “In Between” space, which is a special space specifically for students in grades 2-5. They also have a wonderful outdoor space with a spacious deck, musical sculptures, a water table, native plants, and a tribute garden with commemorative plaques.
Image URLs:
https://railslibraries.org/gallery/114579
https://railslibraries.org/gallery/114580
https://railslibraries.org/gallery/114581
https://railslibraries.org/gallery/114582
https://railslibraries.org/gallery/114583
Agency: Parlin-Ingersoll Public Library
Library Type: Public
Address: 205 West Chestnut Street, Canton, IL
County: Fulton
Visit Date: August 2024
About This Library: The Parlin-Ingersoll Public Library in Canton, Illinois helps community members grow. It’s so much more than books—it’s where they can get help to attain citizenship, apply for social security, study for their GEDs, and just have fun.
An endowment fund established in 1958 keeps the library well-stocked with the latest bestsellers (cookbooks and mysteries are a must in this community). Adults gather to crochet every week, middle schoolers pour into their dedicated tween space, and kids explore with Wonderbooks and STEM Kits.
At Parlin-Ingersoll, there’s something for everybody.
Image URLs:
https://railslibraries.org/gallery/114524
https://railslibraries.org/gallery/114525
https://railslibraries.org/gallery/114526
https://railslibraries.org/gallery/114527
Agency: Stockton Township Public Library
Library Type: Public
Address: 140 West Benton Street, Stockton, IL
County: Jo Daviess
Visit Date: July 2024
About This Library: Stockton Township Library is located in Stockton, IL. The library director Claire Smunt is eager and excited to run the library. This library has very many interesting features, including a snowy owl, and a photo backdrop available for local families to use for photoshoots that changes seasonally. When a flood damaged the ground floor, the library turned part of downstairs into a very nice children’s area, complete with a book nook and tree shelf.
Image URLs:
https://railslibraries.org/gallery/113390
https://railslibraries.org/gallery/113391
https://railslibraries.org/gallery/113392
Agency: Warren Township Public Library
Library Type: Public
Address: 210 Burnett Avenue, Warren, IL
County: Jo Daviess
Visit Date: July, 2024
About This Library: The Warren Township Public Library is located in Warren, IL. It is a Carnegie library that was built in 1911. Librarian Valerie Woodley and library staff have hosted author visits, wildlife and agricultural programming, and story time activities for families. The library was remodeled to be two floors and is accessible, with the bottom floor being the children’s area, done in an awesome underwater theme.
Image URLs:
https://railslibraries.org/gallery/113397
https://railslibraries.org/gallery/113396
https://railslibraries.org/gallery/113395
Agency: Fox River Grove Public Library District, Fox River Grove Memorial Library
Library Type: Public
Address: 407 Lincoln Avenue, Fox River Grove, IL
County: McHenry
Visit Date: June 2024
About This Library: Fox River Grove Memorial Library serves a district even smaller than their town of 4,000 residents—but that doesn’t limit their ability to create a lively space for their community.
The lower-level children’s section is decorated from top to bottom for summer reading and cloud covers hang over the ceiling lights, making it even more accessible to patrons who may be sensitive to fluorescents. Log books from NASA will soon be on display, as well as some watches that real astronauts use during their training.
On the main floor, patrons can help themselves to coffee and settle in on vintage furniture by the fireplace. Patrons see their town’s history literally painted on the walls, including the ski jumpers that train at the Norge Ski Club five minutes away and the castle replica home that overlooks the town.
The best part about being a small library? Staff are able to get to know every single one of their patrons. The latest thriller or romance will come in and they know just who to call about it.
This is where Fox River Grove reads, learns, and grows.
Image URLs:
https://railslibraries.org/gallery/113213
https://railslibraries.org/gallery/113216
https://railslibraries.org/gallery/113212
https://railslibraries.org/gallery/113210
Agency: Sandwich Public Library District, Sandwich Public Library
Library Type: Public
Address: 925 South Main Street, Sandwich, IL
County: DeKalb
Visit Date: June, 2024
About This Library: The Sandwich Public Library in Sandwich, IL is a great library headed by director Barb Posinger. They also have a great collection of local history, and a very neat castle and dragon in the children’s section. They had an Explore the World display around the library with information and language about different locales.
Image URLs:
https://railslibraries.org/gallery/113272
https://railslibraries.org/gallery/113273
https://railslibraries.org/gallery/113274
Agency: Williamsfield Public Library District, Williamsfield Public Library
Library Type: Public
Address: 407 Norman Drive, Williamsfield, IL
County: Knox
Visit Date: May 2024
About This Library: The Williamsfield Public Library in Williamsfield, IL serves a town of about 600 people. The director of the library is Kelly Goodin. Along with library staff, this library does some great work!
Image URLs:
https://railslibraries.org/gallery/113263
https://railslibraries.org/gallery/113264
https://railslibraries.org/gallery/113265
https://railslibraries.org/gallery/113266
Agency: Village of Avon Public Library
Library Type: Public
Address: 105 South Main Street, Avon, IL
County: Fulton
Visit Date: August 2024
About This Library: Village of Avon Public Library director Courtney Young keeps bubbles and sidewalk chalk by the door for local library visitors to use on the sidewalk right outside the library. The library first opened in the summer of 1913. The library has a great collection, but also has local history information, cemetery and plot maps, and Courtney helps many locals with reference questions. This summer they partnered with the ice cream shop around the corner to reward patrons for participating in a tiny art show.
Image URLs:
https://railslibraries.org/gallery/114431
https://railslibraries.org/gallery/114432
https://railslibraries.org/gallery/114433
School Library Site Visits
Upcoming Visits (Details not currently available):
Belvidere CUSD #100
Cristo Rey Jesuit High School
Harlem CUSD #122
Hononegah Community High School District #207
Woodstock CUSD #200
Library Visit Details:
Agency: A-C Central CUSD #262
Library Type: School
Address: 601 West Buchanan Street, Ashland, IL
County: Cass
Visit Date: August 2024
About This Library: Visit details coming soon!
Image URLs:
https://railslibraries.org/gallery/114417
https://railslibraries.org/gallery/114418
https://railslibraries.org/gallery/114419
Agency: Delavan School District #703
Library Type: School
Address: 907 Locust Street, Delavan, IL
County: Tazewell
Visit Date: August 2024
About This Library: Delavan SD librarian Michelle Camp has actually been in the school’s library since she was 4 ½ years old, she is an alum of the school where she is now the librarian! She is super excited to get started in the library, at this school of about 500 students. She has twenty years of teaching experience and is now taking her expertise to the library! The school library is very welcoming, completed by a great mural of various literary characters right outside the doors.
Image URLs:
https://railslibraries.org/gallery/114408
https://railslibraries.org/gallery/114409
https://railslibraries.org/gallery/114410
https://railslibraries.org/gallery/114411
Agency: East Aurora Community Unit School District #131, Waldo Middle School
Library Type: School
Address: 700 South Farnsworth Avenue, Aurora, IL
County: Kane
Visit Date: May 2024
About This Library: Waldo Middle School is located in Aurora, IL. The school serves students in grades 6-8. This is a unique library as the building was built in 1912, and it has much of the original structure. Librarian Anne M. Stockl runs a beautiful, well-organized library, with student art displayed around the library and a great collection of series books, flexible and comfortable furniture, and an inviting environment.
Image URLS:
https://railslibraries.org/gallery/113254
https://railslibraries.org/gallery/113255
https://railslibraries.org/gallery/113256
Agency: East Peoria Community High School District #309, East Peoria Community High School
Library Type: School
Address: 1401 East Washington Street, Peoria, IL
County: Tazewell
Visit Date: August 2024
About This Library: Danielle Empey is the librarian at East Peoria High School. This is her first year at this school and she is super excited for the upcoming school year. The library is the apex of the school building, located right above the commons in the building, and also is a hallway passage for students. It is a bustling and busy library! The school has a no obligation book club which is open to all students and super inclusive, they also have a therapy dog that comes to visit named Summit.
Image URLs:
https://railslibraries.org/gallery/114412
https://railslibraries.org/gallery/114413
https://railslibraries.org/gallery/114414
Agency: Elwood CCSD #203, Elwood School
Library Type: School
Address: 409 North Chicago Avenue, Elwood, IL
County: Will
Visit Date: May 2024
About This Library: Elwood School is a PK-8 school in Elwood, IL. They are a one building district. Mary Mangun serves as the school’s librarian. The library is a great space, with many books, a cozy reading nook with an apple tree, and neat reading competition artwork. One particular cool feature of this library is the neat patron service counter the librarian made for tracking library visits.
Image URLS:
https://railslibraries.org/gallery/113257
https://railslibraries.org/gallery/113258
https://railslibraries.org/gallery/113259
Agency: Heyworth CUSD#4
Library Type: School
Address: 308 West Cleveland, Heyworth, IL
County: McLean
Visit Date: May 2024
About This Library: Michelle Harris serves as the librarian as the district librarian for Heyworth Elementary and Heyworth High School. Both schools have great warm and inviting libraries. The high school library has a coffee bar and great seating, while the elementary library has a great section of award winners and reading lists books and colorful genre reading signs.
Image URLS:
https://railslibraries.org/gallery/113260
https://railslibraries.org/gallery/113261
https://railslibraries.org/gallery/113262
Agency: Illinois School for the Visually Impaired
Library Type: School
Address: 658 E. State, Jacksonville, IL
County: Morgan
Visit Date: August 2024
About This Library: The Illinois School for the Visually Impaired is a 175-year-old institution located on an 18-acre campus in Central Illinois.
The school currently serves 65 students from ages birth to 22 with visual impairments, assisting them in becoming productive and self-sufficient citizens.
The library houses a large collection of braille, large-print, and audiobooks for all student ages. Students can come in to browse the collection, get cozy on beanbag chairs, and the older students can even grab a cup of coffee while they unwind.
The ISVI library is also a Leader in Me school, following a PK-12 framework that nurtures student leadership, fosters a culture of trust, and boosts academic success.
RAILS member libraries can tap into a wealth of knowledge about accessibility and how to reach students of all types of needs from their colleagues at ISVI.
Image URLS:
https://railslibraries.org/gallery/114535
https://railslibraries.org/gallery/114536
https://railslibraries.org/gallery/114537
https://railslibraries.org/gallery/114538
Agency: Illinois State University Laboratory School District #901, University High School
Library Type: School
Address: 601 Gregory Street, Normal, IL
County: McLean
Visit Date: August 2024
About This Library: University High School is run by school librarian Amy Brokaw. This school is unique because it is part of the ISU campus, and staffed by current education students, who take classes at ISU and then student teach. Amy has an amazing book club, super cute coloring sheets, and even did a virtual author visit with an alum author! Students can participate in the Read for a Lifetime challenge and receive certificates and awards ceremony recommendation.
Image URLs:
https://railslibraries.org/gallery/114405
https://railslibraries.org/gallery/114406
https://railslibraries.org/gallery/114407
Agency: Itasca School District #10, F.E. Peacock Middle School
Library Type: School
Address: 301 East North Street, Itasca, IL
County: DuPage
Visit Date: April 2024
About This Library: Visit details coming soon!
Image URLS:
https://railslibraries.org/gallery/113183
Agency: Knoxville CUSD #202, Knoxville Senior High School
Library Type: School
Address: 600 East Main Street, Knoxville, IL
County: Knox
Visit Date: August 2024
About This Library: Knoxville High School library has a prime location, warmly welcoming students as soon as they enter through the main doors of the building.
Students can pop in and browse the color-coded genre collections, join a book club, or just find a place to decompress. Whatever the case, school librarian Ellen Shrader will make sure that the stories you want will reach your hands. Before the library joined Find More Illinois, she manually emailed or called in requests to other libraries. Today, the library’s collection and accessibility to diverse titles grow as more libraries join the platform.
With a library aide now by her side and another librarian added to the district’s elementary school, the students at Knoxville Community Unit School District #202 have the privilege of accessing a growing, thriving library culture.
Image URLs:
https://railslibraries.org/gallery/114520
https://railslibraries.org/gallery/114521
https://railslibraries.org/gallery/114522
Agency: Leyden Community High School District #212, West Leyden High School
Library Type: School
Address: 1000 North Wolf Road, Northlake, IL
County: Cook
Visit Date: April 2024
About This Library: Visit details coming soon!
Image URLS:
https://railslibraries.org/gallery/113183
Agency: LaGrange School District #102, Cossitt School
Library Type: School
Address: 115 West Cossitt Avenue, Brookfield, IL
County: Cook
Visit Date: May 2024
About This Library: Cossitt Avenue School is in La Grange, IL. The school serves students in grades K-6. The library is the center of the school, run by librarian Kelly Davis, who has some wonderful programming, teaching, and making happening in the library.
Image URLS:
https://railslibraries.org/gallery/113241
https://railslibraries.org/gallery/113242
https://railslibraries.org/gallery/113244
Agency: Libertyville School District 70 , Rockland Learning Center
Library Type: School
Address: 1740 North Milwaukee Avenue, Libertyville, IL
County: Lake
Visit Date: May 2024
About This Library: Visit details coming soon!
Image URLS:
https://railslibraries.org/gallery/113183
Agency: Mundelein Consolidated High School District 120, Mundelein High School
Library Type: School
Address: 1350 West Hawley Street, Mundelein, IL
County: Lake
Visit Date: May 2024
About This Library: Visit details coming soon!
Image URLs:
https://railslibraries.org/gallery/113183
Agency: Oak Lawn-Hometown School District #123, Oak Lawn-Hometown Middle School
Library Type: School
Address: 5345 West 99th Street, Oak Lawn, IL
County: Cook
Visit Date: September 2024
About This Library: This school library site visit was a special one—a group of eighth graders gave us the tour!
They introduced us to Beans, the library’s beloved bearded dragon, told us about how they 3D-printed a working hand for an amputee, and expressed just how much they love to spend time with their school librarian.
Appreciation for OLHMS school librarian Heather McCarthy extends beyond her students. McCarthy was named a 2024 Mover & Shaker by the Library Journal, officially recognizing her as a change agent in the library community.
McCarthy not only exposes her students to different perspectives through reading, but through her own travel stories. These personal narratives inspire students to take action and help communities outside of their own. Most recently, they helped organize a 6K Walk for Literacy to raise money to build a library in Zimbabwe.
Great things happen when students have access to a dedicated librarian, and the world can see it through the students at OLHMS.
Image URLs:
https://railslibraries.org/gallery/114923
https://railslibraries.org/gallery/114924
https://railslibraries.org/gallery/114925
https://railslibraries.org/gallery/114926
https://railslibraries.org/gallery/114927
https://railslibraries.org/gallery/114928
Agency: Pecatonica CUSD #321, Pecatonica High School
Library Type: School
Address: 1300 Main Street, Pecatonica, IL
County: Winnebago
Visit Date: September 2024
About This Library: Pecatonica High School in Pecatonica, IL is run by new school librarian Caroline Martin. Caroline is super excited to serve her students, get a book club started, and work on collection development. Book club members will be voting for the next read, a dark academia title. She is enthusiastic about librarianship, and it shows in her library. She has a neat display outside of her office displaying her current reads and culturally relevant and very trendy displays of library books.
Image URLs:
https://railslibraries.org/gallery/114569
https://railslibraries.org/gallery/114570
https://railslibraries.org/gallery/114571
Agency: Saint Charles Community Unit School District #303, Saint Charles North High School
Library Type: School
Address: 255 Red Gate Road, Saint Charles, IL
County: DuPage
Visit Date: April 2024
About This Library: Visit details coming soon!
Image URLS:
https://railslibraries.org/gallery/113183
Agency: Thornton Township High School District #205, Thornridge High School
Library Type: School
Address: 15000 Cottage Grove Avenue, Dolton, IL
County: Cook
Visit Date: September 2024
About This Library: Peter Stapleton and are the librarians at Thornridge High School. They are excited to run the Falcon High School library. They have a neat shelf for free books for students right at the library entrance. When I came to visit the library, the teen librarian from South Holland Public Library was in the library doing a craft activity with students.
Image URLs:
https://railslibraries.org/gallery/114589
https://railslibraries.org/gallery/114590
https://railslibraries.org/gallery/114591
https://railslibraries.org/gallery/114592
Agency: Triopia Community Unit School District #27
Library Type: School
Address: 2206 Concord Arenzville Road, Concord, IL
County:Morgan
About This Library: Triopia CUSD Library is run by librarian Abbie Miller. This is her first year being a librarian and while Abbie is new to the library and excited to get started, she has a special connection to this library as she is a former Triopia student. She has done an excellent job of organizing the current collection of books by series and award winners. Abbie also has some institutional archives, she shared a ledger of books added to the original library in 1948 (see photo).
Image URLs:
https://railslibraries.org/gallery/114415
https://railslibraries.org/gallery/114416
Agency: Union Ridge School District #86, Union Ridge School
Library Type: School
Address: 4600 North Oak Park Avenue, Harwood Heights, IL
County: Cook
Visit Date: September 2024
About This Library: Lisa Deleonardis is the librarian at Union Ridge School District 86. Lisa has been an educator in this school for twenty years. Lisa is passionate and dedicated to her school community. The library is the heart of the school, right in the middle of the building to be accessible by all students. Lisa does a really neat yearly Harry Potter program, complete with costumes, competition, prizes, and decor. The school really goes all out.
Image URLs:
https://railslibraries.org/gallery/114584
https://railslibraries.org/gallery/114585
https://railslibraries.org/gallery/114586
https://railslibraries.org/gallery/114587
https://railslibraries.org/gallery/114588
Special Library Site Visits
Upcoming Visits (Details not currently available):
Forefront
The Morton Arboretum
Library Visit Details:
Agency: American Hospital Association
Library Type: Special
Address: 155 North Wacker Drive, Chicago, IL
County: Cook
Visit Date: June 2024
About This Library: The American Hospital Association Library Resource Center is an incredible research library and archive. The staff, under director Brenda Stenger, are knowledgeable and have worked on some great resources for the health and science research processes. They assist with data and information retrieval, they have an oral history collection about the American Hospital Association, as well as institutional papers and memorabilia. The Resource Center resources are available at a fee and schedule, available here.
Image URLS:
https://railslibraries.org/gallery/113267
https://railslibraries.org/gallery/113268
https://railslibraries.org/gallery/113269
Agency: Casa Italia, Roselli Library
Library Type: Special
Address: 3800 West Division Street, Stone Park, IL
County: Cook
Visit Date: July 2024
About This Library: The Casa Italia Library believes that Italians in America should see themselves reflected in Chicago’s history. A hardworking group of volunteers dedicate their time each week to ensure that their culture, heritage, and building all survive.
The Library and its associated museums house a collection of books, music, artwork, photos, and artifacts all touching on the unique aspects of Italian American culture. There is original artwork by John Cadel, hours of oral family histories, a stunning 1:100 scale model of St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome, and so much more.
The Italians in Chicago exhibit takes visitors back in time to explore how there was never just one “little Italy” in the city, how Italian women in Chicago found their roles as leaders, and how communities banded together to celebrate, grieve, and support one another throughout time.
Casa Italia is eager to share their collection with individuals, schools, other libraries, and organizations around Illinois. Tours of the exhibits are given with passion and, if you’re lucky, you might even be treated to a cup of espresso and fresh biscotti on your way out.
Schedule a visit and learn more at casaitaliachicago.org.
Image URLS:
https://railslibraries.org/gallery/113172
https://railslibraries.org/gallery/113173
https://railslibraries.org/gallery/113174
https://railslibraries.org/gallery/113175
https://railslibraries.org/gallery/113177
Agency: Chicago Psychoanalytic Institute, Helen McLean Library
Library Type: Special
Address: 122 South Michigan Avenue, Chicago, IL
County: Cook
Visit Date: June 2024
About This Library: Tucked away on the seventh floor of the Gothic Willoughby Tower on Michigan Avenue is the Chicago Psychoanalytic Institute’s Helen McLean Library.
Founded in 1932 by Sigmund Freud’s first graduate, Franz Alexander, the Institute’s mission is dedicated to advancing the knowledge of human feelings, thoughts, and behavior to improve people’s lives.
The Institute’s library houses one of the largest collections of psychoanalytic literature in the world, including special collections by Bion, Freud, Klein, Kohl, and Winnicott. The collection features various forms of media, including taped therapy sessions by notable psychoanalysts such as Anna Freud and miniature children’s toys used in the founding of the Child Analysis Program at the Institute over 80 years ago.
Today, the Institute is dedicated to diversifying the clinicians that they have, focusing on reaching clinicians of color early on in their careers. As in any library, it’s important that people see themselves reflected in stories—at the Institute, it’s their same belief that people should be able to get treated by people who look like them. Learn more about the Helen McLean Library at https://chicagoanalysis.org/library/.
Image URLS:
https://railslibraries.org/gallery/113196
https://railslibraries.org/gallery/113197
https://railslibraries.org/gallery/113198
https://railslibraries.org/gallery/113199
https://railslibraries.org/gallery/113200
Agency: Engineering Systems, Inc.
Library Type: Special
Address: 4215 Campus Drive, Aurora, IL
County: DuPage
Visit Date: June 2024
About This Library: Engineering Systems, Incorporated is an engineering and scientific investigation firm. The research librarian Catherine Yanikoski leads a team of two other librarians to do research and data collection as well as internal archiving. They are a unique library with idiosyncratic information-seeking practices. These librarians are helping engineers all over the nation with research and data.
Image URLS:
https://railslibraries.org/gallery/114174
https://railslibraries.org/gallery/114173
https://railslibraries.org/gallery/114172
Agency: Field Museum of Natural History, Marie Louise Rosenthal Library
Library Type: Special
Address: 1400 South DuSable Lake Shore Drive, Chicago, IL
County: Cook
Visit Date: May 2024
About This Library: Located on the third floor of the Field Museum is the Marie Louise Rosenthal Library. The library moved into this space in 1921 to keep scientists close to their research. Today, anyone from around the world can make an appointment to view the collection. Students as young as junior high have come to the Field Museum’s library to learn, explore, and marvel at its rare finds. You can, too! Among the collection are artifacts from the 1893 World’s Fair (the basis of their collection), the first edition of Charles Darwin’s “On the Origin of Species” (where the word species is misspelled on page 20), and their tiniest rare book written in an untranslated Sikh dialect (and said to curse whoever opens it…yikes). Eight dedicated staff members run the museum’s library, assisting visitors with research, digitizing millions of pages of rare books, and adding collection items to the museum’s exhibits whenever they can. Learn more about the library at www.fieldmuseum.org/department/library.
Image URLS:
https://railslibraries.org/gallery/113209
https://railslibraries.org/gallery/113208
https://railslibraries.org/gallery/113207
https://railslibraries.org/gallery/113206
Agency: Americal Library Association, Headquarters
Library Type: Special
Address: 225 North Michigan Avenue, Chicago, IL
County: Cook
Visit Date: May 2024
About This Library: The ALA headquarters are located in downtown Chicago. Colleen Barbus is the librarian at the ALA Headquarters library. They also have a great collection and archive of ALA published materials as well as books that have been banned. They maintain ALA award winning literature, as well as many texts about libraries and librarianship.
Image URLS:
https://railslibraries.org/gallery/113245
https://railslibraries.org/gallery/113246
https://railslibraries.org/gallery/113247
Agency: Chicago History Museum, Abakanowicz Research Center
Library Type: Special
Address: 1601 North Clark Street, Chicago, IL
County: Cook
Visit Date: May 2024
About This Library: The Chicago History Museum Abakanowicz Research Center is headed by librarian Ellen Keith. The library staff are extremely knowledgeable and helpful. The Research Center have a great collection and archive of Chicago history, memorabilia, newspapers, and can help with business, architecture, and family research as well. Research is by appointment and available to the public, and the library staff are eager to assist patrons!
Image URLS:
https://railslibraries.org/gallery/113253
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https://railslibraries.org/gallery/113250
Agency: Instituto Cervantes
Library Type: Special
Address: 31 W Ohio St, Chicago, IL
County: Cook Visit Date: May 2024
About This Library: An institution founded to promote and teach Spanish language and culture, Instituto Cervantes is a wonderful non-profit organization established by the Government of Spain in 1991. Librarian Salvador Vergara Sequeiro helps maintain a wonderful collection of Spanish language materials at the José Emilio Pacheco Library. The library houses a collection of more than 30,000 titles (books, magazines, videos, DVDs, sound recordings, audiobooks, etc.). This library is accessible to the public and the library services are offered to anyone interested in Spanish and Latin American language and culture.
Image URLS:
https://railslibraries.org/gallery/113228
https://railslibraries.org/gallery/113231
https://railslibraries.org/gallery/113232
Agency: Old Town School of Folk Music
Library Type: Special
Address: 4544 North Lincoln Avenue, Chicago, IL
County: Cook
Visit Date: August 2024
About This Library: The Resource Center at the Old Town School of Folk Music is nestled in the basement of a 1930s Lincoln Square building.
While the school offers classes and events that celebrate music and cultural expression, its library serves as a dedicated safe space for reading and listening—complete with record players ready to spin your chosen LPs.
Anyone from the public is invited to access over 17,000 books, videos, and sound recordings during the library’s open hours. Three dedicated staff members recently tackled the project of automating their catalog, making their unique collection searchable by any guest. They’re also a Find More Illinois library!
Beyond providing patrons with a space to talk tunes, the library hosts a podcast that features archival recordings, partnered with StoryCorp for an oral history project, and has plans to expand their programming.
Specialized libraries are where niche interests and librarianships collide. If you’re a music aficionado, budding performer, or someone in between, Old Town School of Folk Music is your place to explore the sounds of the past and present.
Learn more about the resource center at www.oldtownschool.org/resourcecenter.
Image URLS:
https://railslibraries.org/gallery/114141
https://railslibraries.org/gallery/114140
https://railslibraries.org/gallery/114139
https://railslibraries.org/gallery/114138
Agency: The Poetry Foundation
Library Type: Special
Address: 61 West Superior Street, Chicago, IL
County: Cook
Visit Date: May 2024
About This Library: The Poetry Foundation was founded in 2003. It is free and open to the public. They have a wonderful collection of poetry, anthologies, literature about poetry and poets, as well as literary magazines. Librarian Katherine Litwin helps to maintain the collection and there is also wonderful passive programming and a great area with poetry books for children.
Image URLS:
https://railslibraries.org/gallery/113227
https://railslibraries.org/gallery/113226
https://railslibraries.org/gallery/113223
https://railslibraries.org/gallery/113222
Agency: Gerber/Hart Library and Archives
Library Type: Special
Address: 6500 North Clark Street, Second Floor, Chicago, IL
County: Cook
Visit Date: August 2024
About This Library: The Gerber/Hart Library and Archives is an LGBTQIA+ library and archives. They had a community built display about book banning and censorship, as well as a display with Olympic themes. They have copies of one of the earliest Lesbian publications in the United States, The Ladder.
Image URLS:
https://railslibraries.org/gallery/114183