A Brief History of the Library

The Waukegan Public Library has a long history of distinguished service in Waukegan. The library as we know it today was preceded by several operating systems, the first being the Little Fort Reading Room and Library Association founded on November 24, 1845. Each member paid twenty-five cents per quarter support fee. Along with this fee, members were able to place a book into the library for others to check out. Over one hundred and fifty books were collected and housed in the Court House. Unfortunately, twelve years later, the library was destroyed when the Courthouse burned down on October 27, 1857.

The Young Men’s Association Library came into being on November, 24 1866. It was open to any resident of Lake County, with initiation charges ranging from two to three dollars. Lack of funds forced this library to close. It wasn’t until a group of women organized the Sesame Club in 1894 that a library was fully operational and established. These women were looking to bring to fruition a free library. People laughed at the idea of Waukegan maintaining a free library, but the Sesame Club members responded, “It must and will come.” Citizens, club and board members donated books to the library Association, and the library was open on Thursday and Saturday of every week from November 1895 to 1896.

The Club then took steps to convince city officials to provide support for the library through a tax-supported system. In June of 1898, the city accepted the library and its effects as a gift from the Library Association and on November 1, 1898, a tax-supported Waukegan Public Library became a reality.

In 1899, Mr. Oliver Lincoln willed property on Washington Street at Sheridan Road to the city to be used as a park. In 1901, the Lincoln heirs provided a conveyance granting the city the right to erect “upon said remised a library building or buildings.” A Board member of the then-existing Library Association appealed to Mr. Andrew Carnegie for funds. Mr. Carnegie responded with $25,000.00 “if the city of Waukegan would furnish a suitable site and through Council agree to $2,500.00 a year support of said library.” The proposal was accepted and a stone building of Ionian Greek style architecture was constructed. This building served the community as a library for sixty-two years.

During a period in the 1930's the library opened and operated three branches--one located at McAlister and May Streets in the Lyons Building; another at Washington and Elmwood Avenue in the Hutchison Building; and a third at Grand and Yeoman Street in the Yeoman Building.

The old Carnegie building was viewed with affection by the citizens of Waukegan until after the Second World War when it became evident that crowded conditions were limiting the expansion of library services required by a rapidly growing city. The first bookmobile was then put into operation in April of 1956; a second bookmobile was added to the extension system in June of 1962.

The League of Women Voters was responsible for the formation of a Friends of the Waukegan Public Library organization on January 29, 1963. The $1,125,000.00 bond issue for a new library building was passed on April 27, 1963. Major credit for the passage of the bond issue went to the League and the Friends of the Waukegan Public Library.

Waukegan's current library building is located at County and Clayton Streets and is a part of a governmental complex including both municipal and county buildings. It was designed by William Ganster of the Waukegan architecture firm of Ganster and Henninghausen. The library opened for service on December 27, 1965 and was dedicated on April 19, 1966.

A major renovation project was completed in 1998 which added 16,000 square feet of public space without moving or adding on to the current building. The lower level had remained unfinished with the idea that library collections continue to expand. Added to the lower level:

A new audio/visual browsing room

New children’s department

Two new story/craft rooms

The Ray Bradbury Meeting Room for programs and nonprofit community groups

Friends’ of the Library Used Book Sale Room

The main floor of the library received a significant face lift also. By moving the large children’s and audio-visual collections to the lower level, it opened up the entire main floor for expanded services. The most obvious change made was a substantial increase in seating, both at tables and in carrels along with a larger checkout and reference area. The expanded computer area includes 73 internet terminals for patrons to utilize at their leisure.

The upper level of the library houses administration, extension services and the technical processing of materials.