History
The New Lenox Public Library celebrated its 60th anniversary in 1996. Begun in February, 1936 as a volunteer project run by members of the New Lenox Woman's Club, the first home was a small room in Haven School. The library had four other locations before it moved into its own building on Cedar Road in 1975. An addition was completed in 1986 increasing the library's size to 11,500 square feet.
In 1946 a referendum was passed and the tax-supported New Lenox Township Library was created. The library remained a part of the township government until 1987 when it became a library district, an independent unit of local government. The seven trustees are elected by the voters for six-year terms.
When the library first opened in Haven School in 1936, it housed 385 books. In 2000 the collection had grown to over 80,000 books, 200 magazines and newspapers, 3,000 CDs and tapes, and over 500 videos. These materials were housed in a building of 11,500 square feet.
Because the building was too small to adequately serve our rapidly growing population (projected to be 50,000 by 2010), the voters approved a referendum supporting construction of a new building.
The new building is located at 120 Veterans Parkway and opened on December 10, 2001. It is approximately 56,000 square feet, has room for over 200,000 books and seating for 176 people. While it was planned to meet current and future space needs, the layout is flexible enough to accommodate new information formats.
