Library History

Library History


 The Fox Lake District Library's long history of serving Fox Lake and Grant Township area communities began in 1939, when the library was established as a Works Progress Administration (WPA) project with the Village of Fox Lake and the Fox Lake Woman's Club as cosponsors. The library's location was in the office of the Nagel Lumber Yard on Grand Avenue in the center of Fox Lake.

 

1944

Taxpayer support for the library began in 1944, and the library moved to the Krec Building, which is located where the current Dollar General store is, farther east on Grand Avenue from the library's original location.

In the 1960s, the library board conducted a door-to-door fundraising campaign and secured a down payment for the original 1800 square foot library building at the library's present site at 255 E. Grand Avenue in Fox Lake.

1975

When the library converted from a village library to a district library by a 1975 referendum, it began to serve territory outside the boundaries of the Village of Fox Lake.

1976

In 1976, most of the remainder of Grant Township, Illinois, was annexed to the library district following voter approval by referendum. Head Librarian Harry J. Bork and the board of library trustees secured a federal building grant of over $745,000.00 to enable the construction of a building addition of approximately 15,000 square feet. In ensuing years, the library's main entrance was moved and reconstructed in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, again with the assistance of government grant money, and the library facility's parking lot was greatly expanded.

2010

On April 27, 2010 the first phase of a new Fox Lake District Library was opened to the public next to the site of the old library building. The new facility included expanded Adult and Youth Departments, a large public computer area, quiet study and reading rooms, and a Young Adult area. The completed 45,000 square foot library opened in December of 2010 and includes a large public meeting room, internet café, a children’s story garden, and a Friends of the Library book sale room.