History of the Morris Area Public Library

Primary contributions by Debbie Steffes, Former Local History Librarian

A library for the City of Morris was a dream that began with construing a way of providing reading material for the public and finding a place to house it. On February 15, 1873, the Eagle Hose Company met in the firemen’s hall of the old city hall to consider organizing a reading room to provide access to all the leading newspapers and magazines available in the county. Then Dr. Emmanuel Ridgeway suggested that a library association be organized according to a new Illinois State law. By unanimous agreement the petition was sent to the Secretary of State, the charter received, and the Morris Library Association opened the first Morris City Library. Officers were elected and five trustees were appointed to draw up by-laws and a constitution. Immediately 50 people joined, and the local press deemed it “the best thing ever started in Morris.”

The Morris Library Association also sponsored lectures. The first was given by General Kilpatrick on “Sherman’s March to the Sea.” From the very beginning the Morris Library Association established itself as not just a lending library, but as a cultural influence as well. The collection began with 100 volumes, many of them donated, spanning history, travel, biography, novels, and scientific works. A dance was held at Hull’s Hall to raise money to buy more books. Membership grew substantially that first year. Four years after its inception the 1,000 volumes had outgrown the city hall. It had to be moved to Room 6 of the Claypool Building. Ten years later it moved again, this time to the Ridgeway building on the corner of Liberty and Jefferson Streets. In 1910 when the addition was made to the City Hall, the Council set aside one room for a library, and passed an ordinance taking advantage of a new state law providing tax support for library purposes. Dr. Frank C. Bowker was then serving as alderman of the Second Ward. Dr. Bowker was elected as the library’s first president and served until his death in 1953.

During the remaining months of 1911 legal requirements were met to appropriate the necessary funds, the lot at the corner of Liberty and North was purchased as a site, and Andrew Carnegie was approached requesting a grant for the building. On January 12, 1912 the Library Board met to acknowledge the reply from Andrew Carnegie promising a $12,500 gift for a library building. Miss Ethel Thayer was hired to serve as librarian beginning September 1, 1913. On December 5, 1913 the new Carnegie Library was turned over to the City of Morris and opened to the public.

As the years went by the collection outgrew the original building, so existing space was converted and remodeled. Finally, in January 1968 the Library Board unanimously agreed to construct a new building 2 ½ times the size of the existing one. By January of 1970 the forms were being poured and by April 1971 it was completed. In April 1987 the Morris Area Public Library District was passed by public referendum to expand the area served to include all of the Morris Fire and School Districts.

Policy Handbook
Oct 6th 1975

Morris Daily Herald
December 31st 1971

Then in February 1991, the Library Board voted unanimously to proceed with plans for a $1.22 million addition to the north end of the existing building, adding 15,000 square feet, moving the Children’s Department upstairs, and creating a meeting area downstairs.  With the opening of this new addition in 1993 the library was ready for an automated circulation system, completed in April 1996.  Today the library offers public computers and wireless internet access and has expanded its collection to include movies, music, audiobooks, and e-books and downloadable audiobooks.