Lake Forest Library Celebrates its 120th Anniversary

The Lake Forest Library celebrated 120 years on Tuesday, July 3 with a tea and cookies reception in the main lobby and Rotunda.

The Library was officially chartered on July 4, 1898, by Mayor Edward F Gorton and opened its first location on the second floor of city hall in June of 1899. The current location opened in 1931.

In considering how best to mark this landmark year, Library staff turned to the archives and found that during opening ceremonies for the current building, "Tea was served … and everything was informal, with no prepared ceremonies" (The Lake Forester, 6-12-1931). Staff gave it a modern twist by serving hand-decorated cookies from O'My Goodness in Lake Bluff.

Attendees were encouraged to take a cookie and have some tea or pink lemonade. Polka-dotted party hats were available to wear and a display of “then and now” comparison photos were set up in the entrance lobby.

"We loved seeing members of the community of all ages come out and celebrate the Library’s 120th birthday with us,” said Library Director Catherine Lemmer. “Many people shared memories of coming to the Library in their youth, which reminds us that the Library has been part of people's lives for generations. The display on the history of the Library will be in our foyer all of July, and we invite everyone to come and spend some time with the exhibit.”

Since 1931, the library has added on wings to both sides and the back of the library that have created space for the art book collection, the business collection, the media lab, working space for staff, and additional space for shelving adult fiction, young adult fiction and nonfiction, adult nonfiction, and space for the Friends of the Lake Forest Library to organize donations for book sales.

The Children's Library has undergone significant renovations in that time as well: modernizing the shelving, adding murals by Tom Melvin, and enclosing the outdoor courtyard to create the Kasian Room for year-round programming and events.

“I enjoyed looking at the photos and thinking about all of the ways that the Library has transformed over the last 120 years,” said Adult Reference Librarian Michelle Doshi. “I think that this anniversary is significant because the Library is looking at the feedback received and evaluating how to continue meeting the needs of Lake Forest for another 120 years.”

The library also celebrated this anniversary on June 2 with the Summer-Reading Kick-off festivities that included games, entertainment, a picnic with an ice cream truck, and birthday cake. See the library celebrate one more time in the Lake Forest Day parade on August 1.

As interesting as it can be to reflect on the Library's history, the Library's story is ongoing. In recent years, the Library has expanded programming and services, offered additional digital resources and technologies, and continues to curate an extensive collection.