Evergreen Park Public Library

Amidst the bustling streets of Evergreen Park, a beacon of knowledge and community stands tall: the Evergreen Park Public Library. Our journey takes us back to March 1944. A determined group, including members of the Women’s Club, the Methodist Church, and the Evergreen Park Public School PTA, rallied together with the Village and School Boards. They had a vision: to bring a library to Evergreen Park. Their first fundraising effort, a Mardi Gras held in the public school gymnasium, netted around $800. This was the seed money for their dream. The Village Board donated a building located behind Village Hall, a relic of the WPA era. With shelves filled by donated books, the Evergreen Park Public Library opened its doors on September 7, 1944. It operated four afternoons a week, guided by the steady hand of its first head librarian, Mrs. Amie Burnham Martin. The following year, 1945, saw the election of a Library Board and the passing of a proposition to establish a library tax rate. The Evergreen Park Public Library quickly outgrew its initial space. In 1954, the library’s collection of 14,000 books was relocated to a storefront at 95th Street and Homan Avenue. Just three years later, a new library building was constructed at 94th Street and Troy Avenue. This building was further expanded in 1976, reflecting the growing community’s thirst for knowledge. A major transformation occurred in 2006-2007. The Evergreen Park Public Library underwent a year-long renovation and expansion. This project, a joint effort between the Village of Evergreen Park Board of Trustees and the Evergreen Park Public Library Board of Trustees, resulted in a brand new 23,000-square-foot library. The project was completed on time and within budget, financed by a general obligation bond and repaid through sales tax revenue, not property taxes. Today, the Evergreen Park Public Library continues to fulfill its mission: offering resources that encourage lifelong learning and enriching the quality of life in the Evergreen Park community.