Roodhouse Public Library

About Us:

The library was organized through the efforts of the Roodhouse School Auxiliary which canvassed the community for donations and pledges during December 1925. An open house was held May 20, 1926. The first day of service was May 21, 1926. The school auxiliary directed the library for a short time until transferring control to the City of Roodhouse.

The library has remained at the same location on Franklin Street since its opening. The building was rented from Rev. Edward Raffety. In 1934, Raffety deeded the building to the city. The facility was enlarged in 1978 with the purchase of the adjoining building to the west of the library. In 1994, the building was made handicapped accessible and a room was added to the northeast corner. A federal Library Services and Construction Act Grant administered by the Illinois State Library along with matching funds from the City of Roodhouse and the library funded the project.

Roodhouse Public Library is a member of Lewis and Clark Library Systems, one of the ten library systems in Illinois. System headquarters are in Edwardsville, Illinois. Being a member of the library system allows the local library to participate in continuing education, to use the services of consultants, to apply for grants, and to collaborate with hundreds of libraries to provide additional materials and services.