Des Plaines Public Library building number 4
- Miner and Graceland (1907-1936)
- 678 Lee Street (1936-1937)
- Miner and Graceland (1937-1958)
- 841 Graceland Avenue (1958-2000)
- 1501 Ellinwood Avenue (2000- )
With Des Plaines more than tripling in population between 1937 and 1958, the library outgrew its quarters at city hall.
In 1957, ground was broken for a new 16,000 square foot library at the corner of Thacker Street and Graceland Avenue. The contents of the cornerstone included historical objects from the 1907 and 1936 cornerstones. The Colonial Williamsburg-style building opened to the public in November of 1958. Scouting organizations assisted in the move.
In 1969, the bookmobile began biweekly service to each of the city's neighborhoods. A small addition to the library was built in 1970 to house the bookmobile and provide some staff office space.
Construction of another addition, this one being 20,700 square feet, began in 1973. Its completion in 1974 resulted in a near doubling of the size of the library.
In 1997 the The United Federation of Doll Clubs began using the balcony, formerly home to the biographies.
In May 1997, Library Board President John Burke met with Mayor Paul Jung to discuss the possibility of a new library becoming an anchor for the downtown redevelopment project. The City Council, the Library Board of Trustees, the Economic Development Commission, and the developer spent the next 18 months working out the details of making the new library a reality.
Adapted from research by Margie Borris
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