| Helen Plum Library | |
|---|---|
 | |
 Helen Plum Library facade as of May 2023 | |
 | |
| 41°52′47.1318″N88°1′3.64″W / 41.879758833°N 88.0176778°W | |
| Location | 411 South Main Street Lombard, Illinois, United States |
| Type | public |
| Established | 1927 [1] |
| Collection | |
| Size | 223,339 [2] |
| Other information | |
| Director | Anne Luzeniecki [3] |
| Public transit access |  UP-W [4] |
| Website | helenplum |
The Helen M. Plum Memorial Library is a public library in Lombard, Illinois.
Josiah Reade established the first public library in Lombard at the First Church of Lombard in 1905. [5]
The Helen Plum Library and Lilacia Park were founded in 1927, according to the will of the late Colonel William R. Plum. [6] [7] : 190–191 Josiah Reade's collection was moved to the new library. The library was originally located in Plum's house, but moved to its location at 110 W. Maple Street in 1963. [5] [8]
In 2003, the library received a $360,000 donation for books, equipment, and the establishment of a scholarship fund. [9]
In 2013, the library was given the Muslim Journeys Bookshelf by the National Endowment for the Humanities and the American Library Association. This project aims to educate the public about the culture and history of Muslims in the United States. [10]
Barbara Kruser, the former director of the library, [11] aimed to increase programming and raise funding for a new building for the library. [12] In late 2015, the Board of Trustees began meeting to decide whether to expand or replace the current building. [13] In March 2016, the library decided to keep the library at the current location. [14] In November 2016, voters approved a referendum for the library to borrow $22.3 million to replace the library's current building. [15]
In 2020, the library announced its intent to develop a former grocery store property in Lombard. [16] On March 9, 2021, the library closed on the properties located at 411 and 425 South Main Street, which formerly housed Mr. Z's grocery store and the Art Life Gallery and Studio. The village hosted the groundbreaking at the site of the new library on June 15, 2021. [17] The existing library permanently closed on March 8, 2023, in preparation for an April 2023 grand opening at the new site. [18] [19] [20] The new library was opened to the public on April 22, 2023. [21]
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The Maple Street Chapel, is a historical Gothic Revival building in Lombard, Illinois, USA. It is owned by "The First Church of Lombard".
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The Cattle Bank is a historic bank building located at 102 E. University Ave. in Champaign, Illinois. Built in 1858, it is the oldest documented commercial structure in Champaign. It opened as a branch of the Grand Prairie Bank of Urbana, Illinois. Champaign was the southern terminus of a railroad line to Chicago, so cattle raisers from the surrounding area drove their cattle to Champaign to ship them to the Chicago market. The Cattle Bank provided banking and loan services to these cattlemen. The building housed a bank for only three years. During that time, U.S. President Abraham Lincoln is known to have cashed a check there. From 1861 to 1971, the building housed several commercial tenants. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1975 and renovated in 1983. Since 2001, the Cattle Bank has been home to the Champaign County History Museum.
Peter Breen is a former Republican member of the Illinois House of Representatives who represented the 48th district from 2015 until 2019. The 48th district included municipalities in DuPage County including all or parts of Lombard, Glen Ellyn, Wheaton, and Lisle.
Carlos Ramirez-Rosa is an American politician. He has served as the Alderperson for Chicago's 35th Ward since May 18, 2015. He was first elected to the Council in 2015, become one of the chamber's youngest members ever elected at age 26. He was re-elected in 2019 and 2023.
Sacred Heart Church is a Roman Catholic church located in Lombard, Illinois. It is part of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Joliet in Illinois.
Sacred Heart School was a Catholic elementary school located in Lombard, Illinois. The school was part of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Joliet in Illinois.
Anne Luzeniecki, Executive Director
The Library has announced its intent to redevelop the former Mr. Z's grocery store property, undeveloped tract within the Mr. Z's parking lot, and the existing office building at 425 S. Main Street. The existing buildings on the Subject Properties will be razed, and a new Library will be constructed on the consolidated properties.