Marshall Public Library

Illinois

Clark

Marshall Public Library

Marshall Public Library Contact Information Marshall Public Library 612 Archer Avenue Marshall, IL 62441 Telephone: (217) 826 -2535 Hours of Operation: Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday - 10 am to 6 pm Thursday - 10 am to 8 pm Friday, Saturday - 10 am to 5 pm Email: jpoorman@marshallplib.com Website: http://www.marshallillibrary.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MarshallPLib Description of Collections Marshall Public Library offers a variety of local history and genealogical resources. New Genealogy and Historical Collections Department open to public at Marshall Public Library (press release from June 2023) Marshall Public Library staff and City workers have been busy hauling genealogy and historical collections from the Clark County Genealogy Library (CCGL) to the Marshall Public Library in recent weeks. Nearly a year ago the CCGL and Marshall Library began talks of moving the collection due to significant genealogy library building deterioration. As of June 12th, all collections have been successfully moved and are available to the public in the library’s Activity Room, now home to the new Genealogy and Historical Collections Department. The CCGL began under the Clark County Historical Society’s charter in 1971. In 1974 they remodeled and moved into the concrete block garage behind the Historical Society Museum house on the corner of 4th and Maple Streets, and the dedication was held in 1975. This was the first bicentennial project in central Illinois. The society members secured their own charter in 1979. The volunteers soon filled the building with family histories, resource books, and copies of county birth, death and marriage records for Clark County and many other counties in Illinois and surrounding states. Finally, in 1996 a move was made to much larger quarters in the former Marrs Furniture store on Locust Street. The building was purchased for $1.00, and the Rotary Club gave the first $100.00 to help get them established. Many other individuals contributed bookshelves and other items to help furnish the building and to help increase the number of services they were able to provide. The first librarian was Mazie Garver. Other notable women who gave of their time to keep the library operating and assist those who were interested in preserving their family history were Betty Turner, Velma Remlinger, Rosalie Wirey, and Dalanne Miller. Mrs. Miller, who served for the last 25 years, has been the main curator and librarian for the collection. Mrs. Miller says: “I am relieved to know the materials will remain in a secure location for future generations and reassured knowing that the Marshall Public Library staff are committed to maintain the materials. The passing of the baton will allow me to spend more time with our grandsons, and after helping curate the collection for over 25 years, it is time for me to slow down a bit.” The past 20 years the Marshall Public Library has been collecting and digitizing local history through Marshall newspapers, interviews and photos. With the addition of the CCGL collections preservation will go beyond the Marshall city limits and will include county records detailing 20,000 added county newspapers such as the Clark County Democrat, Casey Daily Reporter, Martinsville Planet; Clark County Daily Chronicle, and more. Digitization of these records is thanks to the generous support of the Clark County Historical Society. Highlights of print materials will include 1800 volumes of family histories, cemetery records and maps, census data, churches and schools by township, wills, birth and death records, town histories and more.'' H''ard numbers are difficult to come by, but hobby experts believe that genealogy ranks second only to gardening as America's favorite pastime and the uptick in genealogy enthusiasts visiting the library indicates this is true. This, coupled with Marshall Library’s passion for historic preservation, is why the Library decided to take on the collection. The acquisition of the genealogy and historical collections however has taken a portion of the library’s main floor creating the need for additional library space says Director, Alyson Thompson. A new space will be added to the second floor of the library which will be accessible with the installation of an elevator. Once construction is complete, the library plans to hold a series of educational programs on how to do family and local history research. It is the library’s long term goal to digitize all historic collections. The collection is open to the public during regular Library hours: Monday – Wednesday 10:00 am to 6:00 pm, Thursday 10:00 am to 8:00 pm and Friday and Saturday 10:00 am to 5:00 pm. For specific genealogy inquiries please email Head Librarian, Jamie Poorman at jpoorman@marshallplib.com. The library is located at 612 Archer Avenue, in Marshall, Illinois, and is handicap accessible.' The library's newspaper collection has been digitized and is available on the website, free of charge. The website also hosts the invaluable Oral History Collection featuring interviews with local residents over the past several decades. Services Today's libraries are dynamic, modern community centers for education, information, and entertainment. Marshall Public Library is no exception! Our beautifully renovated building, located in the center of downtown Marshall, is an ever-changing information hub.  Here are some of the materials and services you’ll find at Marshall Public Library: Books of every description and for all ages, including paperbacks and large print editions, A large collection of DVDs, CDs, and audio books, Internet accessible computers for public use, plus iPads, a scanner and CD writer, Local, regional, and national newspapers are available for reading in the library, and over 100 magazines may be checked out, A digital microfilm reader and printer to search a microfilm collection of all of newspapers ever printed in Marshall, dating back to pre-Civil War, Original Sanborn Fire Insurance Maps of Marshall dated 1892 and 1912 in print and also on microfilm, A collection of local history and genealogical resources, A photocopier, a fax machine, a typewriter, and a variety of audiovisual and office equipment, which can be used by anyone. Homebound delivery service to individuals, and to the local nursing home and retirement village. Can’t find what you are looking for in our library? Search the database of  more than 500 libraries within Illinois Heartland Library System and order what you need using your library card.  It will be delivered for free to our library in just a few days! Community groups or businesses may reserve our beautiful meeting room, complete with kitchenette, audiovisual equipment, and handicap accessible rest rooms. Our activity room is also available for smaller groups. We can’t leave out the outstanding programming provided for free all year long, including summer reading programs,  tax assistance, visits from authors, computers classes, pre-school story times, craft programs, and all sorts of interesting programs for children and adults alike. Please stop by very soon! History Marshall Public Library was officially opened on October 4th, 1916. In 1915, the Walter Burdick Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution sought to include the question of a public library in the April election.  A newspaper campaign was started to create “favorable sentiment” towards the establishment of a 2 mill tax to support a public library.  The proposition carried and in January 1916, Mayor John W. Lewis appointed the first library board. The library was located on the second floor of the Claypool Block on the southwest corner of 5th and Main Street (now Archer Avenue) and was accessible only by an outside stairway. In 1929, the library was moved to a room on the second floor above the City Hall. No rent was required at this location and there was an inside stairway. In 1963, the Marshall Women’s Club presented the idea of moving the library to a ground floor location to better service the public.  Funding, however, was an issue and nearly ended the project.  In November 1964, a Friends of the Library group was organized and a campaign begun to relocate the library.  The Friends group headed the fundraising efforts and was able to purchase the building at 612 Archer Avenue. In March 1968, Marshall Public Library joined Lincoln Trail Libraries.  In the summer of 1968, the new library site was prepared and books were moved.  An open house was held on October 20th. In November 1994, the Marshall Area Public Library District was established which includes all of the residents living in the Marshall school district but not within city limits except residents of Melrose and York townships who are served by the West Union Library.  This library district is governed by a board of trustees and contracts library services from Marshall Public Library.  The residents of this district are entitled to equal access to all library services provided by the library. In 1993, the building at 614 Archer Avenue, which adjoined the current library, was purchased to expand the library, increase services, and upgrade to meet ADA standards.  In 1995, the current Friends of Marshall Public Library organization was founded to assist in securing donations and memorial gifts for the expansion project and to aid library staff in their move to the new building.  Unlike the former Friends group that disbanded after their goal of purchasing the building in the 1960s, this new group continued to meet in order to secure funds for future projects, provide special programs, and serve as hostesses at special events. By 1996, the old library building was completely remodeled to include a meeting room, accessible restrooms, a periodical room, a young adult area, and office space. The new area included a circulation desk, new shelving, a children’s Secret Garden Room with boxcar, computer carrels, video shelving, CD racks, a copy machine and two new reading areas near the front windows.  The Dale McConchie Meeting Room was dedicated in 1998 to honor library board president, Dale McConchie who had passed away in 1996.   In 2002, the former storage area at the back of the library was remodeled to add an activities room and a separate office for the Library Director. The Janet Hasten Room, formerly the periodical room and young adult area, was dedicated in 2014 to honor Janet, who has served on the library board for more than 25 years as well as the boards for Lincoln Trail Library Systems and Illinois Heartland Library System. A substantial renovation to the library building was completed in February 2019. Updates including a new office for the head librarian, updated staff entrance, relocation of circulation desk, new computer lab area, dedicated genealogy space, large reading area near front windows, expanded teen area in the Hasten Room and a new meeting space,  as well as new paint and flooring throughout the entire building. The new meeting room was dedicated in March 2019 to honor Edwin Cole “Sonny” Daly, a member of the Handy Writer’s Colony. Tips for Your Visit Our photocopier is located just past the circulation desk.  Black and white copies are 15 cents each and can be paid for at the circulation desk. If you need color copies, the cost is 50 cents, and our staff will be happy to make these copies in the back for you.