Library

Go beyond books at the Downers Grove Public Library! The Library is the place to go when you need to know! The caring staff is dedicated to help you find whatever you’re looking for - from a good book to read to answers to your reference questions. The library features a collection of more than 300,000 items, including books and audiobooks, DVDs, videos, compact discs, subscriptions, and more. Generations of families – and those who are new to Downers Grove – have discovered that the library serves all ages in all stages of life. Parents and kids participate together in Junior Room storytimes, where our resident star, Miss Mouse, gets young ones excited about reading. Her Mouse House is a colorful corner of the Junior Room and a fun spot to read a picture or chapter book. Nighttime family activities include shows and author events.

Teen Central is a comfortable place for teens to settle in with a great book or to get research and homework help. Teens who love the library meet once each month as the Teen Advisory Board to help plan library activities for seventh through twelvth graders.

Computer classes help people prepare for jobs or communicate with loved ones far away. The library offers wireless Internet access and a quiet place to read email, study, or work. Fiction and nonfiction readers can take part in monthly book discussion groups. Cultural and informative programming brings the community together to learn from experts, take armchair tours of the world, or just have a fun night out. Assistive materials and services include large-print books and homebound delivery.

Downers Grove joins with nine other libraries for The Big Read, an annual local reading program that combines one great book, dozens of programs, and hundreds of readers to celebrate the good times and great ideas that happen when communities enjoy a story together. With the help of area organizations and businesses, The Big Read is an event that friends, families, and book groups look forward to each spring.

The library holds even more in store for visitors. Consider historic Burmese carvings featuring paints made from various natural dyes and minerals, a whimsical mural that evokes a storybook castle and a beautiful glass bowl by world-renowned artist Dale Chihuly greeting visitors at the top of the stairs. You don’t have to go far to see a diverse collection of art pieces – just walk into the Downers Grove Public Library and look around.

A permanent art collection was established in 1999 with the opening of the renovated building. The Library Board of Trustees has selected works in a variety of mediums and styles suited to spaces within the building. Let this unique collection of pieces inspire, surprise, and revitalize you!

In addition to the permanent art collection, each month the library’s first-floor gallery displays works by artists or art groups. Even young curators have their own space for showing off their hobbies and interests. The entrance to the Junior Room features cases filled with collections, including dolls, baseball cards, books, and more.

The library is one of the busiest in the state and prides itself on its accessibility to patrons. Many of the library’s innovative services are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week from your home or business through their website, including online reference assistance, downloadable audiobooks, and more than 50 reference and research databases. The library also offers access to the collections of the more than 70 members of the Metropolitan Library System. Step inside and check out the wealth of resources!

library facts & stats*

Visitors: 727,768 per year

Circulation: 932,138

• Adult: 547,636
• Children: 345,501
• Self Renewal: 39,001

Interlibrary Loan: 129,429

Total Collection: 338,975

• Audio/Visual: 43,525
• Books: 279,769
• Other: 15,681

Attendance at Library Programs

• Adults: 3,903
• Children: 20,118

Reference Questions Answered: 82,717

Community Meetings: 4,009

Computer User Sessions: 83,040

Reference Database Sessions: 42,796

Voter Registration: 450

Web Pages Requested: 1,053,801

* Data from 2007