Lake Forest Library

The Lake Forest Library is the public library serving Lake Forest, Illinois. It is located at 360 E. Deerpath, Lake Forest, Illinois.

tatistics

* Registered Borrowers: 14,022 (70% of population)¹
* Annual Circulation: 407,399 items (20.3 per capita)¹
* Square Footage: 32,800²
* Total Holdings: 140,000 (print and audio visual items)²

History

The Lake Forest Library was chartered on July 4, 1898, and opened on the second floor of the new city hall as part of that building's grand opening on June 24, 1899.³ The library moved to its current location in 1931. The present building, designed as a library by architect Edwin H. Clark, was given to the city by Mrs. Charles H. Schweppe and Mrs. Stanley Keith in memory of Mrs. Keith’s first husband, Kersey Coates Reed, and was dedicated on June 7, 1931. Significant changes to the building are listed below:⁴:1978: Addition of three wings underwritten by community gifts and a :::substantial donation from the Reed family. Brenner, Danforth, and Rockwell, architects.:1990: Three-level bookstack renovation.:1992: Children's Department renovation. Thomas Melvin mural for Children's foyer commissioned by:::the [http://www.friendslflibrary.org/ Friends of Lake Forest Library] .:1996: Adult Reference and Friends Reading Room renovations. [http://www.michaelcroydon.com/ Michael Croydon's] , "Ex Libris" sculpture commissioned:::by the [http://www.deerpathartleague.org/ Deer Path Art League] of Lake Forest and installed on the library's front lawn. Restoration of the Nicolai :::Remisoff "Poets and Writers of Antiquity" murals originally installed in 1932. Funded by the Friends :::of Lake Forest Library.:2001: Completion of the Louise Wells Kasian Children's Activity Center in the space of the former children's courtyard. :::Designed by [http://www.davidwoodhouse.com/ David Woodhouse Architects] .:2003: Business Room renovation funded by the Eugene A. and Emily L. Veto Foundation and the Friends :::of Lake Forest Library.:2005: Fine Arts Room renovation funded by the Friends of Lake Forest Library.

References

# "Lake Forest Library Annual Report 2007" Lake Forest Library: July, 2007.
# "Welcome to Lake Forest Library" (Brochure Draft) Lake Forest Library: 2008.
# "LFL 90th Birthday Celebration, 1899-1989" (Bookmark) Lake Forest Library: July, 1989.
# http://www.lakeforestlibrary.org/lflhistory.html

External Links

: [http://www.lakeforestlibrary.org/ Lake Forest Library homepage]
: [http://www.digitalpast.org/ Digital Past homepage - includes images and history of the library]
: [http://www.cityoflakeforest.com/ City of Lake Forest homepage]
: [http://www.lflbhistory.org/ Lake Forest - Lake Bluff Historical Society homepage]