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PROPOSED RESOLUTION
CELEBRATING THE 100TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE ARLINGTON HEIGHTS MEMORIAL LIBRARY
WHEREAS, the Arlington Heights Memorial Library has reached a proud milestone, marking its 100th anniversary since being named a public library; and
WHEREAS, the library began with a group of residents organizing a Women’s Reading Circle in the home of Elizabeth Walker in 1887, collecting books in their determination to bring culture to Arlington Heights, a village with a population of 1,000; and
WHEREAS, the library opened to the public on April 17, 1926, renting a room on the second floor of the People’s State Bank for $16 per month; and
WHEREAS, village residents advocated for the construction and expansion of the Arlington Heights Memorial Library, building its programs and offerings; and
WHEREAS, the Arlington Heights Memorial Library’s mission has been to connect the community with information, entertainment, education, opportunities for personal growth and cultural engagement; and
WHEREAS, the Arlington Heights Memorial Library has followed this mission through thousands of programs held each year, including technology classes, nonprofit exchanges, networking for small local businesses, storytimes, English learning, jobs and careers help, and more; and
WHEREAS, the Arlington Heights Memorial Library has received Library Journal’s prestigious five-star rating eleven times, a distinction earned by only one percent of libraries nationwide; and
WHEREAS, more than 80 percent of Arlington Heights’ 77,000 residents are library cardholders, with more than 600,000 annual visitors, over 25,000 residents served by the bookmobile across its 27 biweekly stops and 70 seasonal events, and over 1.6 million annual items checked out; and
WHEREAS, the Arlington Heights Memorial Library stands as an example of what a public library can mean to its community, a welcoming space that connects people of all ages, ethnicities, and cultures to knowledge, technology, and one another through free and equitable access to resources, programs, and shared experiences.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the President and the members of the Cook County Board of Commissioners do hereby celebrate the 100th anniversary of the Arlington Heights Memorial Library and recognize its century of outstanding service to the residents of Arlington Heights and Cook County; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that a suitable copy of this Resolution be presented to the Arlington Heights Memorial Library.
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