Walking into DeKalb Public Library, you immediately understand why modern libraries are known as community hubs. The lobby hums with activity: the beep of scanners, the chime of elevator doors, and conversations blending in multiple languages. It feels akin to a bustling train station– except instead of printing tickets and boarding locomotives, patrons are scanning and faxing important documents, ducking into study rooms for meetings, or waiting for a program that might introduce them to a lifelong hobby or friend. If you grew up with 21st-century libraries, this vibrant “home away from home” is exactly what you expect. If you hop in a time machine and go back a century, however, you’ll find that libraries weren’t always the gateway they are now.
The Past
DeKalb Public Library began in the 1880s as a simple volunteer-staffed reading room for donated books. In 1893, the City Council established a public library in a room on the second floor of City Hall, which was then located at 125 South Second Street. By 1895, the library was growing in popularity but lacked adequate funds to serve the public and nearly closed. To avoid disaster, Annie Glidden and the ladies of the Library Whist Club began to donate a portion of their card winnings to the library: a partnership which continues to this day.
Although the library had a home, it was located adjacent to the city’s jail, which was not an ideal match for the patrons of the time. In 1923, the library moved to the second floor of the Daily Chronicle building at 114 East Lincoln Highway, which also housed a roller-skating rink on the third floor. Unfortunately, the library was forced to drastically reduce its hours due to the noise from the skates.
In 1931, DKPL found a permanent home away from the thunderous roar of roller skate wheels in the beautiful limestone Haish Memorial Library building situated at 309 Oak Street in DeKalb, IL, funded by a $150,000 gift from barbed-wire millionaire Jacob Haish. The building was so architecturally and culturally significant that it was officially added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1980 (you can read the nomination form here). For nearly a century, the daily workflow of a DeKalb librarian remained largely unchanged. As former DKPL Director Dee Coover once noted, a librarian from the 1930s could have walked into the library almost 100 years later and completed their daily tasks with only minor adjustments.
As the community grew, the historic Haish Memorial Library building simply couldn’t keep up with the information and technology needs of DeKalb’s citizens. The road to the modern facility officially began in 2007 when library leaders recognized the building was too cramped and lacked handicap accessibility. This prompted the library board to pass an expansion resolution that kicked off nearly a decade of careful planning, fundraising, and community advocacy. The project officially broke ground in July 2014, culminating in a massive $25.3 million renovation and expansion. When the new 51,000-square-foot addition opened alongside the beautifully restored Haish building in 2016, it marked the dawn of a completely new, universally accessible era for the DeKalb Public Library.
The construction team successfully built a massive modern wing that preserves the library’s history: designers matched the geometric rhythm of the original 1930s architecture and even enclosed an original exterior limestone wall, creating a breathtaking focal point inside the new main lobby. Crucially, the makeover focused on inclusivity by removing the building’s old, confusing split-floor levels. The new, intentional layout made the entire facility 100% accessible, ensuring that every member of the community would be able to navigate the space with ease.
The Present
A decade after the excitement of our grand opening, we aren’t slowing down. We actively implement patron suggestions and introduce new technologies to ensure we remain a valued resource for the next generation. Under the leadership of Director Emily Faulkner since 2017, the library serves 44,000 residents as a vibrant gathering center where neighbors can connect face-to-face. DeKalb Public Library features a collection of more than 150,000 physical items, including books, CDs, DVDs, periodicals, and an expansive collection of digital materials and electronic resources. We are a member of the PrairieCat consortium which provides our library patrons with access to over 1,000,000 shared items from over 130 libraries.
One exciting element that truly sets the modern library apart from its humble beginnings is 309 Creative, our dedicated makerspace and tech lab. Inside this creative space, community members have open access to desktop 3D printers, digital craft cutters, heat presses, and a powerful industrial laser cutter for DIY and prototyping projects.
Beyond crafting, the library offers distinct environments tailored to specific age groups and creative pursuits. Teenagers can spend time in a vibrant, youth-designed teen wing equipped with custom decor, glassed-in study rooms, table games, and modern gaming systems. For local musicians, audio engineers, and digital storytellers, a state-of-the-art sound studio serves as a professional launchpad to bring audio and video projects to life. Children can enjoy an entire floor to themselves, featuring a Lego wall, extra-large magna-tiles, the whimsical tree room, a recently upgraded book nook, and more!
When you visit, be sure to check out our Library of Things, a unique collection where patrons can borrow everything from Wi-Fi hotspots and sewing machines to ukuleles and Chromebooks! In addition to our ever-growing collection of materials to check out, the library offers daily programming that includes people of all ages and backgrounds. You can learn a new skill, play your favorite game, bring your children to story time, or gush over a new book at one of our several book clubs. Interacting with your community has never been so simple!
The Future
The next decade brings even more exciting updates to look forward to! Currently, we’re in the planning phase for a project that will repair the foundation of the original Haish Courtyard and make it ADA accessible. We are also unveiling a brand-new “calm room” in the children’s area this summer– a quiet, comforting space for little ones who need a moment to re-center. Plus (perhaps most excitingly) we will unveil dozens of new and handy additions to our popular Library of Things! Stay tuned for all of these exciting changes and more as we continue to bring your suggestions to life.
We invite you to come create, collaborate, and grow with us at DeKalb Public Library! If you have questions about our building, services, or materials, or any suggestions, please reach out to us at [email protected] or 815-756-9568 ext. 2150, or stop by and see us during our open hours. We are always happy to help!