Site Visit Reports

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

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.

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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.

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Agency: DePaul University, John T. Richardson Library

Library Type: Academic

Address: 2350 North Kenmore Avenue, Chicago, IL

County: Cook

Visit Date: February 2025

About This Library: The DePaul University Library has an awesome and helpful staff and very nice programs, displays, and features. They offer so many great things, but some highlights include help for various difficult classes with student tutors, the “unwind the mind” fiction collection, a display of books written by DePaul faculty, study cubicles, and a great anti-censorship book display. They also do a question of the day and the reference desk has a computer display with inviting and funny memes and video edits that welcome students needing library assistance.

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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.

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Agency: Roosevelt University, Murray-Green Library

Library Type: Academic

Address: 430 South Michigan Avenue, Chicago, IL

County: Cook

Visit Date: February 2025

About This Library:

Roosevelt University’s Chicago Library is nestled between views of the Sears Tower and Buckingham Fountain—but the views on the inside of the historic building are just as good.

The Auditorium Building on Michigan Avenue was built in 1889 as a multi-use complex, housing offices, a theater, and a hotel. Today, the Library takes the space of the old hotel’s 10th floor dining room. Generous donors have ensured that the original wood, art, and windows remain well-preserved, and it’s seen in every corner of the library.

Though the Library is steeped in history, its students work to keep the world moving forward. RAILS was invited to attend the launch of the Right to Read Poster Project: a collaboration between the university’s libraries, College of Humanities, Education, and Social Sciences, and the Graphic Design Department’s Advanced Digital Illustration and Imaging class.

Students were tasked with designing posters inspired by the WPA’s from the New Deal era, but for a different cause: the freedom to read banned books. These striking posters are now proudly displayed at both the Chicago and Schaumburg campuses, professionally framed with funds from our My Library Is… grant.

You can read more about the Right to Read Poster Project at www.mylibraryis.org/blog/918.

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Agency: University of Saint Mary of the Lake, Feehan Memorial Library

Library Type: Academic

Address: 1000 E Maple Avenue, Mundelein, IL

County: Lake

Visit Date: February 2025

About This Library: University of Saint Mary of the Lake is led by director Samantha Seay. The library was constructed in 1929 and named in honor of Archbishop Patrick Augustus Feehan. Much of the library collection are rare and unique pieces relate to the papacy and history of the church and school. In 2004, an addition was made to the library in the form of the McEssy Theological Resource Center, named for William and Lois McEssy.

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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
  • 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.

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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.

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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!

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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).

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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.

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Agency: Forman Valley Public Library District

Library Type: Public

Address: 404 1/2 South Harrison Street, Manito, IL

County: Mason

Visit Date: September, 2024

About This Library: Forman Valley Public Library is in Manito, IL. Jessica McGothlin is the library director, Jessica and another library employee recently started the Affordable Programming networking group, sharing ideas with librarians about low and no cost programming. They had a great Banned Books display when I visited and were also setting up for an author visit with a local author and scary storyteller.

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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.

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Agency: Harvey Public Library

Library Type: Public

Address: 15441 Turlington Avenue, Harvey, IL

County: Cook

Visit Date: October 2024

About This Library: Harvey Public Library is located in the south suburbs in Harvey, IL. Melanie Baker is the Youth and Adult Program Manager. The library boasts an impressive collection of books, audiobooks, and a/v materials. Library staff are excited about RAILS continuing education opportunities and networking groups. They have a very successful chess club that meets at the library and are offering digital inclusion technology classes to residents.

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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.

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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.

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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!

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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.

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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.

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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!

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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.

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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.

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Agency: Paw Paw Public Library

Library Type: Public

Address: 362 Chicago Road, Paw Paw, IL

County: Lee

Visit Date: January 2025

About This Library:

Paw Paw Public Library serves a small but mighty population of about 800 residents with two dedicated librarians.

They make sure that every patron can find what they need when they walk through the door—whether it’s a book, a puzzle to keep them busy, or a cup of coffee from the Keurig to warm up.

Despite not belonging to a consortium, Paw Paw expands their collections and connects with other libraries through Find More Illinois—RAILS’s interlibrary loan platform.

Library Director Barbara connects with other librarians from the area, too. She graciously hosted a RAILS member meetup. Librarians discussed legislative concerns, new ideas for group deals, and popular resources for patrons.

Thank you for opening your doors to us, Paw Paw!

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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Agency: Tiskilwa Public Library

Library Type: Public

Address: 119 East Main Street, Tiskilwa, IL

County: Bureau

Visit Date: September, 2024

About This Library: Tiskilwa Public Library is in Tiskilwa, IL. Becca Lorenzo is the library director. The original library was built in 1908 and the original blueprints are still in the original library, which is now used as community space. In the updated library space, they have a great wall of shining stars engraved with names of library donors and supporters as well as a nice outdoor space with a gazebo. They had a wonderful dino theme throughout the library including a sensory bin with fossil digging in the kids section, dino crafts completed by visiting patrons, and dinosaur books.  

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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!

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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.

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Agency: Yorkville Public Library

Library Type: Public

Address: 902 Game Farm Road, Yorkville, IL

County: Kendall

Visit Date: November, 2024

About This Library: The Yorkville Public Library is located in Yorkville, IL. Shelley Augustine is the director of Yorkville. In 2007, the library was all located in one room and now stands as a much larger two story building including several study rooms and various storage areas. Among many amazing resources that Yorkville has to offer for library users, a resource that particularly stood out are the preloaded music players with various types of music that patrons can check out along with memory care kits. When I visited the library, they had just started DINOvember, with some awesome programming and story times to go along with that theme.

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School Library Site Visits

Upcoming Visits (Details not currently available):

  • Belvidere CUSD #100
  • 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!

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Agency: Cristo Rey Jesuit High School

Library Type: School

Address: 1852 West 22nd Place, Chicago, IL

County: Cook

Visit Date: September 2024

About This Library: Paty Posadas has been the librarian at Cristo Rey Jesuit High School for twenty years, her daughter was a student as well. This school is unique as it is a private non-profit Catholic school and students must speak Spanish and have limited financial means. They are a career focused college prep institution, students even dress business casual for school and each student gets professional experience during the school week. The library is a wonderful community space with chess boards for students, various books available for check out, and a caring librarian with close ties to the school and community.  

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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.

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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.

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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.  

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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.

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Agency: Flanagan-Cornell School District #74, Flanagan Elementary School

Library Type: School

Address: 202 East Falcon Highway, Flanagan, IL

County: Livingston

Visit Date: November, 2024

About This Library: Flanagan Elementary School Library, part of Flanagan-Cornell Unit School District #74, is in Flanagan, IL. Jennifer Zimmerman serves as the librarian for Flanagan. The school library is located in the center of the building, is an open-air space accessible by both sides, and is on sort of a raised dais surrounded by stairs. It is a really neat library design, as the library is architecturally the heart of the school.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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!

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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.

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Agency: Leyden Community High School District #212, East Leyden High School, Nardini Library

Library Type: School

Address: 3400 North Rose Street, Franklin Park, IL

County: Cook

Visit Date: March 2025

About This Library: The East Leyden library is run by librarian Gina Caneva. We also met with Theresa Ciupinski from West Leyden high school. Both librarians are knowledgeable and dedicated to providing library services for students. At the East Leyden library, they have 3D printers, a great graphic novel section, a genrefied library collection, coloring sheets for students, and passive programming. The library is an excellent place to study and was full of students working and reading. They also had a picture book section for early childhood students on campus and advertising for an upcoming author visit with Mindy McGinnis.

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https://railslibraries.org/gallery/120202

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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!

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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.

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Agency: Latin School of Chicago

Library Type: School

Address: 59 W. North Boulevard, Chicago, IL

County: Cook

Visit Date: February 2025

About This Library: The Latin School of Chicago has lower, middle, and upper school libraries. Each library space is unique, fun, and central for students. They had wonderful library displays, student artwork, an emphasis on student mental health, and inclusive spaces. The middle school library had a fun blind date with a book display, the upper library showcased student art work on cardboard animals, and the lower school had a library love display with drawings from students showing library love. The library spaces are cozy and inviting and library staff are friendly and welcoming!

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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!

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Agency: Mannheim School District #83, Mannheim Middle School

Library Type: School

Address: 2600 Hyde Park Avenue, Melrose Park, IL

County: Cook

Visit Date: February 2025

About This Library: Mannheim Middle School is a fun and lively library run by school librarian Samantha Jost. Samantha works closely with the schools instructional technology coordinator as well, they are planning AI instruction for students and teachers, and are planning a book talk podcast for students. They also do the morning video announcements. The library has great book displays and super engaging passive programming like build your TBR and guess how many Sweathearts!

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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!

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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.

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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.

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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!

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Agency: Serena Community Unit School District #2, Serena Middle and High School

Library Type: School

Address: 2283 North 3812th Road, Serena, IL

County: La Salle

Visit Date: January 2025

About This Library:

Learners of all ages take advantage of Serena’s school library—whether it’s the eighth grader making the jump to the high school collection or a teacher using interlibrary loan to order a dozen copies of “James and the Giant Peach.”

With a school population of 225, School Librarian Jennifer knows each student by name and just what book they need in their hands next. The stacks are getting a refresh, too. New checkouts surged after weeding the nonfiction section and it’s helped expand student learning every single day.

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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.

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Agency: Township HIgh School District #214, Elk Grove High School

Library Type: School

Address: 500 Elk Grove Boulevard, Elk Grove Village, IL

County: Cook

Visit Date: March 2025

About This Library: Dawn Ferencz is the librarian at Elk Grove High School. It is a wonderful inclusive space that is for all students at Elk Grove. Some great features include sections with various languages, quick reads with high-low books, a nice pride display, and a genrefied non-fiction section. Book club was happening while I visited the library with a really wonderful group of students who love reading and the library! They worked on different poetry activities as they were collaborating with the public library to provide poems and art for their poetry month celebration.  

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Agency: Triopia Community Unit School District #27

Library Type: School

Address: 2206 Concord Arenzville Road, Concord, IL

County:Morgan

Visit Date: August 2024

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).

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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.

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Special Library Site Visits

Upcoming Visits (Details not currently available):

  • 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.

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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.

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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/.

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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.

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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.

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Agency: Forefront

Library Type: Special

Address: 200 West Madison Street, Chicago, IL

County: Cook

Visit Date: November 2024

About This Library: Forefront is a nonprofit organization that supports the social impact sector. The library was established as a special library in 1973. Librarians Christina Caputo and Rita Kerrigan are an amazing resource for Forefront and their members. They help with any reference questions, virtual appointments, and remote research assistance. Forefront’s library provides vital resources and services that organizations need to support their missions.

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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.

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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!

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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