Illinois State Library Building Is One Of Nation's Best

By Tom Emery

It is a public building that is not only beautiful in design, but was constructed under budget. Few other public facilities can make those claims.

The current Illinois State Library building, at the corner of Second and Monroe Streets in Springfield, is a striking five-story structure that reflects the library’s place both as center for state librarianship as well as its standing among the greatest of American state libraries.

The building is the fifth location the State Library has occupied since its creation on Feb. 22, 1839. Its original home was in the Old State Capitol, a room which has since been reconstructed, though not with complete historical accuracy.

In the 1870s, the library moved to the newly constructed statehouse, where it was relegated to secondary quarters before moving into a grandiose new location on the west wing of the third floor in 1887.

There it remained until 1923, when the library was again shifted to third floor of the Centennial Building, later renamed the Howlett Building. The new quarters proved woefully inadequate for library operations, and the library struggled with its cramped surroundings for the next sixty-seven years.

In 1985, a new State Library building was part of the Build Illinois initiative, and a 332 X 332 lot was selected next to the Capitol. A debate quickly arose on exterior appearance, and the decision was ultimately made to ensure that the library was in line with the existing structures on the capitol complex.

The next issue was one of intellect, not style. Plans were made to engrave the names of selected Illinois authors on the frieze of the building, a process that proved insightful—and controversial. With space for only 225 letters, the choosing of only a handful of authors in Illinois’ surprisingly rich literary history was indeed a challenge.

In the end, thirty-five authors were given the honor of having their names etched in stone. The list includes Jane Addams, L. Frank Baum, Ray Bradbury, Gwendolyn Brooks, Edna Ferber, Studs Terkel, Carl Sandburg, and Upton Sinclair.

The move of library holdings to the new facility began in 1989, and required 9,000 carts and 250 trucks of printed material. It was determined that the move not interrupt library service at any point, and remarkably, any item requested during the move was retrieved within 20 minutes, regardless of location.

After years in deteriorating quarters in the Centennial Building, library employees were eager for the switch. One worker said the move would create “a new inner ambition which will help my morale and inspiration,” while another simply wanted “a dust-free environment and no fuzz balls rollin’ around.” Another looked forward to “finding my desk.”

The structure of Indiana limestone features a majestic 80-foot atrium with a marble floor and a coffered, barrel ceiling.

Two flights of stairs, described by one source as “monumental,” complement towering cathedral windows at either end of the building, which cost $36 million – a figure under budget by around $1 million.

“I can’t think of any other public buildings you could say that about,” said former library director Bridget Lamont in 2009. “Everything just went so well with nearly every aspect of it.”

Lamont, along with then-Secretary of State Jim Edgar, are considered the driving forces behind the erection of the new library building.

The dedication was held on June 20, 1990 and attended by over 3,000 people. Brooks, the Illinois Poet Laureate, graced the occasion with an original poem, then declared that the inclusion of her name on the frieze was “a major radiance in my life.”

Today, the Illinois State Library remains among the strongest state libraries in the nation. Lamont summarized the state library as “at the top of the heap. If we weren’t the best, we were close to it. I think that any state library should excel in at least one aspect, but Illinois has the total package, [with] a beautiful building to do it all in.”

Tom Emery of Carlinville may be reached at 217-710-8392 or [email protected].