Lillie M. Evans Library District

1927

First Library 1927 - Exterior.

On May 31, 1927 there was a meeting held at the Princeville Villiage hall for establishing a public library. The first location of the library was on main street among a string of other businesses. At that time the library was not tax supported and for many years the books in circulation were mostly gifts from friends, civic organizations, churches and clubs. Money was raised by public initiated activites such as Chautauquas, dinners and home-talent plays.

1943

By 1943 the library had outgrown its original location and additional space was needed. In March of 1943 it was moved to the former State Bank Building, but just for a short time. In June 1946 a bequest from Dr. Charles Cutter gave the library a thirteen acre tract of land, and the homestead fo the Cutter family. This allowed the library to operate for several years and the ownership of this land and its sale provided the means to purchase a building. For ten years the library resided in the old Auten Bank Building.

1956

In 1956 Lillie M. Evans made a new library building and its furnishings possible through the conditions of her will. She left about $250,000 for "the erecting and equipping of a public library in the Village of Princeville, in Peoria County, Illinois, to be perpetually known and designated as the Lillie M. Evans Library." It was stipulated that the "Village must agree to give satisfactory assurance that said Villiage will provide for the upkeep and preservation of said library building and equipment and provide for the operation of said library so as to reasonably meet the demands and needs of the inhabitants of the Village." The library celebrated an open house in the new building on September 9, 1956 and has been at that location since then.

1990

The boundaries of the school district, Princeville CUSD #326, were enlarged by an annexation referendum in November of 1990.

2001

An open house was held on August 25, 2001 to celebrate the newly remodeled and enlarged library. This project was partially funded through a library construction grant awarded by the Illinois State Library, a division of the Office of the Secretary of State, Jesse White. The $250,000 grant was matched by local funds. The Library building project added an addition of 4,000 square feet. The building contains two public bathrooms, a meeting room with a seating capacity for fifty and equipment for multimedia presentations, seven computer workstations with Internet connections, a quiet study room, a reading room, a new storeroom for periodicals, a new staff work area, and a new office.

Present

The library structure has not changed since 2001 but has new amenities such as free wifi service. Every year the Friends of the Library host a book sale during the month of August. Donations of books, movies and music are accepted all year and those not added to the library's collection are put into the book sale. For the most current information, visit the Lillie M. Evans Library online at www.lmelibrary.org.