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Find it Fast at the Library

Dedicated to providing a superior environment, an assortment of engaging programs, as well as countless resources to enhance one’s life, the Itasca Community Library embodies it all. Since its establishment in 1927, with its beginnings in an earlier post office building, the Library has certainly seen its share of new developments.

The construction of a 9,000 square-foot building to house the growing library was finished in 1957, followed by a vast expansion to the structure in 1995. The new library grew to 27,000 square feet, which included a mezzanine level that has remained unused, until now. Looking to take advantage of this extra space, the library hopes to incorporate a reference section, an adult non-fiction section and an expansive computer lab on the mezzanine level by the end of November. The first floor will showcase an extended children’s section and a newly developed young adult area, equipped with café style tables and chairs. Patrons can also expect to be seeing a new look to the exterior of the library; its outstanding programs and services remain in tact.

The Library not only provides the community access to over 80,000 books, along with a host of newspapers, periodicals, computers and more, it also offers countless programs and services for children from infancy to age 12, and adults to senior citizens. “These programs play a big role in the community because they give people a place close to home to learn, grow and be entertained,” Betsy Adamowski, the library director, said. The majority of the Itasca community actively participates in an enormous summer reading program for both children and adults, allocated by the Itasca Community Library. Popular programs offered by the library range from children and adult book discussions to various cooking classes, and everything in between.

A number of local organizations work alongside the library in order to provide the community with more and better programs and services. The library works closely with local hospitals by offering patrons free health screenings and introductory health programs about nutrition, exercise and much more. Librarians also provide a helping hand to local organizations, such as schools and nursing homes. Youth librarians visit schools monthly to garner participation in book talks and a wide-range of story programs, while adult librarians pay visits to local nursing homes, offering diverse programs and book talks as well. “All of this has a huge impact on the community because it keeps them informed and makes them better lifelong learners,” Adamowski expressed.

Affording innumerable resources and presenting an array of programs and services, most of which are free of price, are not the only assets of the Itasca Community Library. The community enjoys convenient hours —extending into the evening — seven days a week, as well as the constant availability of library resources through a number of substantial online databases. A friendly staff is at one’s disposable during regular library hours. “The staff is here to greet patrons, get them the materials they want, help them research what they need to, offer computer training, help them with copy machines, provide programs for them and so on,” Adamowski asserted.

Members of the Itasca community are invited to actively participate in Friends of the Itasca Community Library (FICL), a not-for-profit group assembled to advocate, promote and further the goals and visions of the library. Another important organization within the library is “The Gift,” presenting library patrons with a chance to contribute to the ever-growing Itasca Community Library. For more information on FICL and “The Gift,” please visit www.itasca.lib.il.us.

Not only does the Itasca Community Library serve the residents of the local community, it also caters to the 55,000 employees coming into Itasca daily, as well as travelers passing through the area. Over one-half of Itasca residents enjoy the perks of being a library cardholder, and all members are looking forward to the latest developments to come at the Itasca Community Library. “The library is the hub of the community,” Adamowski said. “It is a place where people can do their research, find answers, attend programs, meet, browse and just feel at home.”