Arlington Heights Memorial Library (AHML)
Encyclopedia
The Arlington Heights Memorial Library is a public library
located in Arlington Heights
, Illinois
.
in 1926. The Arlington Heights Woman's Club donated 1,600 volumes and $1,800 to help furnish the new library. In 1952 a 8000 square feet (743.2 m²) building was constructed at 112 N. Belmont Avenue solely for the library. It was at this point that the library was dedicated to memory of the service men and women of the community and "Memorial
" became a part of its name. Rapid growth of the community would make this building obsolete very quickly and eventually over 4,500 of the library's 58,357 items had to be stored elsewhere.
A $8.9 million, 56000 square feet (5,202.6 m²) expansion and renovation was approved by voters in 1992. It was completed in 1994 and brought the total size of the library to 132000 square feet (12,263.2 m²).
The Arlington Heights Memorial Library has more than 60 computers available for public use. Library cardholders can also check out a laptop to use within the library. The Arlington Heights Memorial Library is also a wireless (wifi) hotspot.
Sixty-seven percent of Arlington Heights residents hold library cards. A card from the Arlington Heights Memorial Library entitles cardholders to borrowing privileges at all public libraries
.
Live homework help for students in grades 4–12 and college intro is available on the library’s web site through Tutor.com.
The bookmobile
stops in 29 Arlington Heights neighborhoods bringing the latest books, DVDs, music and more. In addition, Village residents who are temporarily or permanently homebound due to an illness or physical disability may have library items brought to their homes through the Library Visitor Program. Participants may request books, audiobooks, videos, and other materials that will be delivered monthly by a library volunteer. The Library meets other Special Needs as well.
The library sponsors seven book discussions at the Arlington Heights Memorial Library and two more at the Arlington Heights Senior Center in addition to a film discussion group. The library also maintains a Reading Room and Computer Room at the Senior Center.
The Literacy
Office at the library has eight computers with software to improve English skills, conversation programs and adult basic reading books. The library also offers free literacy/ESL classes in cooperation with Township High School District 214.
The Arlington Heights Memorial Library has books, magazines, CDs, DVDs and books on CD in 17 different world languages.
Public library
A public library is a library that is accessible by the public and is generally funded from public sources and operated by civil servants. There are five fundamental characteristics shared by public libraries...
located in Arlington Heights
Arlington Heights, Illinois
Arlington Heights is a village in Cook and Lake counties in the U.S. state of Illinois. A suburb of Chicago, it lies about 25 miles northwest of the city's downtown. The population was 75,101 at the 2010 census....
, Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
.
1896-1925
In 1896 the Arlington Heights Woman's Club decided that a public library was needed and established one in the home of Miss Effie and Miss Lucy Shepard at 310 N. Dunton Avenue (only a few hundred feet from the current location, at 500 N. Dunton Avenue). The library contained only 150 books and was open to the public two days a week. The library was subsequently moved to a room in a school building on St. James Street in 1909 where it remained for eighteen years.1926-1967
The library became an official public libraryPublic library
A public library is a library that is accessible by the public and is generally funded from public sources and operated by civil servants. There are five fundamental characteristics shared by public libraries...
in 1926. The Arlington Heights Woman's Club donated 1,600 volumes and $1,800 to help furnish the new library. In 1952 a 8000 square feet (743.2 m²) building was constructed at 112 N. Belmont Avenue solely for the library. It was at this point that the library was dedicated to memory of the service men and women of the community and "Memorial
Memorial
A memorial is an object which serves as a focus for memory of something, usually a person or an event. Popular forms of memorials include landmark objects or art objects such as sculptures, statues or fountains, and even entire parks....
" became a part of its name. Rapid growth of the community would make this building obsolete very quickly and eventually over 4,500 of the library's 58,357 items had to be stored elsewhere.
1968-Present
In June 1968 a new building was built at 500 N. Dunton Avenue (the current location) with a federal grant and fund from the issuing of bonds. The new building was 40000 square feet (3,716.1 m²) and was built to hold 123,000 books. In 1978 this building was expanded to 76000 square feet (7,060.6 m²).A $8.9 million, 56000 square feet (5,202.6 m²) expansion and renovation was approved by voters in 1992. It was completed in 1994 and brought the total size of the library to 132000 square feet (12,263.2 m²).
Services
The Arlington Heights Memorial Library maintains the Arlington Heights Community Information web site.The Arlington Heights Memorial Library has more than 60 computers available for public use. Library cardholders can also check out a laptop to use within the library. The Arlington Heights Memorial Library is also a wireless (wifi) hotspot.
Sixty-seven percent of Arlington Heights residents hold library cards. A card from the Arlington Heights Memorial Library entitles cardholders to borrowing privileges at all public libraries
Public library
A public library is a library that is accessible by the public and is generally funded from public sources and operated by civil servants. There are five fundamental characteristics shared by public libraries...
.
Live homework help for students in grades 4–12 and college intro is available on the library’s web site through Tutor.com.
The bookmobile
Bookmobile
A bookmobile or mobile library is a large vehicle designed for use as a library. It is designed to hold books on shelves so that when the vehicle is parked the books can be accessed by readers. It usually has enough space for people to sit and read books inside. Mobile libraries are often used to...
stops in 29 Arlington Heights neighborhoods bringing the latest books, DVDs, music and more. In addition, Village residents who are temporarily or permanently homebound due to an illness or physical disability may have library items brought to their homes through the Library Visitor Program. Participants may request books, audiobooks, videos, and other materials that will be delivered monthly by a library volunteer. The Library meets other Special Needs as well.
The library sponsors seven book discussions at the Arlington Heights Memorial Library and two more at the Arlington Heights Senior Center in addition to a film discussion group. The library also maintains a Reading Room and Computer Room at the Senior Center.
The Literacy
Literacy
Literacy has traditionally been described as the ability to read for knowledge, write coherently and think critically about printed material.Literacy represents the lifelong, intellectual process of gaining meaning from print...
Office at the library has eight computers with software to improve English skills, conversation programs and adult basic reading books. The library also offers free literacy/ESL classes in cooperation with Township High School District 214.
The Arlington Heights Memorial Library has books, magazines, CDs, DVDs and books on CD in 17 different world languages.