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.