This post is a composite of topics that include Lake View's libraries, postal service, and news
The Public Library:
The Chicago Public Libraries were created directly from the ashes of the great Chicago Fire. After Chicago’s Great Fire of October 8, 1871, A.H. Burgess of London proposed an “English Book Donation,” which he described, two months later, in the Tribune on December 7, 1871 to the people of Chicago - “I propose that England should present a Free Library to Chicago, to remain there as a mark of sympathy now, a keepsake a token of true brotherly kindness forever...
Per the Chicago Public Library, 'As Chicago's reconstruction after the Great Fire of 1871
progressed and residential districts extended further from the downtown area,
it became apparent to the library's directors that the Chicago Public Library
needed to make its services available to people nearer to their homes. In April
1884, the Chicago Library Board appointed a Special Committee on Delivery Stations.
Four stations, two on the West Side, one on the North Side, and one on the
South Side, were established. In June 1884, the Board agreed to pay Mr. Morris
Rosenstock $18.00 per week to manage the delivery of materials to the four
stations by horse-drawn carriage.'
According to the Chicago Public Library, 'the library inaugurated a new Delivery Service, establishing delivery stations in businesses such as the Horder's New Depot in 1884 in the City of Chicago five years before the annexation of the City of Lake View. Pictured here are E.Y. and Ada Horder with their children Ivy and Harry. Library messengers were dispatched twice a day to pick up and deliver book orders left by patrons with the store's proprietors. At first, the storekeepers were paid a small fee for their work. It was soon found, however, that the delivery stations brought such large numbers of people into the stores, that the increase in business more than repaid the proprietors for the trouble of operating the service. By 1887, Chicago's system delivery stations, now numbering eight, accounted for 127,000 volumes in circulation.'
photo - Chicago Public Library
Before the full-service (stand-alone) library and delivery stations (library storefronts) their was the book-mobile.
The book-mobile was initially used in rural areas so to provided communities that would wanted access to free library materials and could not afford rent for storefronts or stand-alone buildings. At one time, in the 19th century and early 20th century Lake View was regarded as 'rural' or underfunded for their own stand-alone library. Libraries were located in one central location in a city with branches in areas that could afford one. That changed after the Great Depression of 1929. The federal government provided funding for 'library out-reach' activities to communities that wanted access to publicly provided materials.
The jpeg below area of an unknown location in Chicago but the image do provide an idea of what it may have been like before store-front libraries became more available.
photo - Chicago Public Library
unknown Chicago location and date
The Township Library
It would appear that a historical society funded a full service library by 1884. This is the account for local historian of that time period: Ravenswood History Society is a new but very vigorous
young organization with among its objects the founding of a library for the
benefit of the community.
with a zoomed view below
[The society's existing building] has rooms on the east side of
Ravenswood Park [Avenue] near Sunnyside Avenue. The society has just purchased a lot to
erect a library building and to raise money if necessary on their property. The
building will be on the southwest corner of Sulzer (Montrose) and Commercial
(Hermitage) streets and is expected to cost $1500; a two story brick building-30x50
ft. The ground floor will consist of the library [itself] and a reading room.
The second floor [space big enough] for a concert hall.' - historian Theodore
Andreas who wrote a chapter in a publication called 'History of Cook County
Illinois' called History of Lake View: 1884 page 712. This publication covers
the existing and historical accounts of Lake View and Ravenswood with many of
the topical mentions highlighted in this blog.
– Chicago historian Theodore Andreas
In the early 20th century local libraries, sometimes located in storefronts, were just feeder outlets and served as satellites to the main city library is downtown, much like Harold Washington Library is today. Library materials would be loaned-out to be returned to the main library at a scheduled time period. The three main types were branch, deposit stations, and delivery stations.
In 1927, the Chicago Public Library opened its first
branch in Ravenswood. The library, however, had been offering books to the
community through delivery and deposit stations since shortly after the area
was annexed to the City of Chicago in 1889. Four years after renting this
storefront, the Library again expanded service by opening the Hild Regional
Library at 4544 North Lincoln Avenue - Explore Chicago Collection
The Branches
According to the Chicago Daily News almanac of 1922 the following locations served District Deposit stations (p. 868-9).
According to the Chicago Daily News almanac of 1922 the following locations served as District branch libraries (p. 868).
Butler House
3212 N Broadway Avenue
Hamlin Park
Barry & Hoyne Avenues
The Deposit Stations
Lake View @ Lill & Seminary Avenues
Le Moyne @ 3712 N Halsted Street
The Delivery Stations
According to the Chicago Daily News almanac of 1922 the following locations served as District Delivery Stations
(p. 869) as well as branches and deposit stations
(p. 869) as well as branches and deposit stations
4336 N Hermitage
School & Ashland
School & Ashland
3212 N Broadway Avenue
2932 N Clark Street
2932 N Clark Street
3712 N Halsted
3711 N Southport
Barry & Hoyne Avenues
3456 N Hoyne
3317 N Broadway
Currently known as the Lake View Athletic Club
image - Lake View Saga 1847-1985
Finally a Full Service Library
According to Susan Reibman Groff
the building was used as a bomb shelter during WWII
This Lake View Branch of the Chicago Public Library system opened September 14, 1942 at its present location. Earlier, a storefront named the Broadway Branch existed at 3119 North Broadway Avenue. The Broadway Branch served the Lake View community from 1925 through 1942.
'Merlo Branch was rededicated December 8th, 1988, after undergoing a major renovation. In June 1993, John M. Merlo Branch, formerly the Lake View Branch, was renamed in memory of John Merlo, who was a local community leader and long-time Chicago politician. The two-story building was designed by City Architect, Paul Gerhardt; sculptor Abbott Pattison designed the frieze above the front entrance. The branch houses artworks by Martyl, Louise Papageorge, and Michael Ryan, funded through the Percent for Art Ordinance administered by the City of Chicago Public Art Program'.
(click on article to enlarge)
The glass enclosed canopy to the frontage
was added during a 1988 renovation
photo - Lake View Patch
photo - Flickriver
This sculptures are located under the window umbrella
This sculptures are located under the window umbrella
within the entryway. It was created by Abbott Pattison.
A tale about a librarian and her library - 1988
A petition for another library - 1963
with the existing libraries in article
Renovation in 2019
A tale about a librarian and her library - 1988
A petition for another library - 1963
with the existing libraries in article
Renovation in 2019
According to 44th ward Alderman Tom Tunney's Facebook page in 2018 "investments will be made to the facility, and in library
programming, to provide a modern, state-of-the-art branch to the Lake View
community. Improvements will include an early learning play space for children,
a dedicated teen space, additional seating, additional meeting and study spaces
and refreshed collections. The Merlo Branch will also have digital skills
training available to patrons of any age through the Library’s Cyber-Navigator
program. The renovation work is expected to begin in early 2019."
below is a photo of a patron in 2017
photo by Michelle Schaps
The Lincoln-Belmont Public Library
photo - Sarah Bowlin
