History:
In 1934, the Junior Women's Club, not the Thursday club, Decided the city of Du Quoin needed a public library. The Club asked for donations and the community responded. A small building on North Mulberry Street (Artcraft Press), was donated by Mr. John Yehling. The Chamber of Commerce was responsible for the lighting of the library and Mr. La Fae Bradley gave freely of his time in the construction of the shelves for the reading room.
On opening day, July 2, 1934, approximately 1,000 books were donated by the residents of Du Quoin. Although the Junior Women's Club was the principal sponsor of this project, an advisory board of three local businessmen was selected, and they were Joe Strickler, Harry Lancaster, and V. G. Croessman. Mrs. Allean Beem was the first librarian.
Even though WPA assistance was given, it was still and expensive project for the members of the Junior Women's Club, so they asked other organizations to assist, and they formed a new library board composed of a representative form each club. That board in 1940, appealed to the city council for public support in the form of tax funds. The request was granted and the Du Quoin Public Library was reorganized according to the State Constitution.
The first Board of Directors to administer tax funds was composted of Florence Baird, Rosamond Forester, Arline Yehling, Catherine Parks, Leah Hayes, Camille Karraker, Bertha Carr, Anton Berg, and Lapur Horn. On July 5, 1940, with the increase of the book collection, (4,000) a larger building was needed. The library was moved to the Gill building at the intersection of Poplar and Mulberry Streets.
Following the death of Mrs. Chesney in 1946, Mrs. Dorothy Pritchett became librarian for the next four years, resigning in September, 1950. Upon her resignation, Mrs. Ann Richardson was appointed librarian and filled the position until her death March 12, 1967. Mrs. Lillian Swayer was then appointed and served as librarian until her illness in January, 1975.
In March 1953, since the library was still growing, it was moved to the Ray Provart building on South Division Street, (now Linzee Insurance). At this time the library had 6,326 volumes and 3,450 patrons. In the fall of 1956, when the General Telephone Company occupied its new dial exchange on East Park Street, the firm, under the urging of manager Frank Simons of Du Quoin, offered its evacuated building to the city for $8,000, providing it be used for a library. The city accepted the offer and with the assistance of the Lions Club Members, the library was moved to 6 S. Washington Street.
In July 1990, the Library moved in the new City Complex building, 28 South Washington Street, Du Quoin, Illinois.
