In 1966, soldiers were being send to Vietnam to fight in a war while protesters were objecting back home. The Beatles played their last concert at Candlestick Park, San Francisco, while another ballpark, Busch Memorial Stadium, was opening in St. Louis. And a group of Mahomet area women were working hard to open the first public library in their small town.
Since that time, Mahomet has grown. Wars have been won and lost. Ballparks have closed and reopened with another name, but the library has remained a fixture in our community. This month, the Mahomet Public Library plans to celebrate its 50th anniversary with a party on Sunday, April 24.
For 20 years prior, various organizations in Mahomet discussed starting a public library district in the Village of Mahomet, according to an Anniversary presentation created by the Mahomet Public Library. The Mahomet Town & Country Club (which later merged with the Mahomet Women’s Club to form the Mahomet Town & Country Women’s Club) took on the task after the State of Illinois passed legislation to create a network of regional library systems.
Petitions were circulated, other libraries visited and plans drawn up. A special election was held on April 2, 1966, and a library was born. Board members and library personnel said the library has been constantly changing with the times since. The most obvious of those changes sits at the current location, 1702 E. Oak St., Mahomet. Prior to moving there in 2010, the library was at two different locations on Main St., 403 E. and 508 E. The library outgrew both locations, according to Lynn Schmit, library director.
Schmit has been at the helm of the Mahomet Public Library since 1988. She was described by Library Board of Trustees member, Mary Giles, as “remarkable.” Schmidt reflected on some of the changes that have taken place at the library during her tenure.
“When I started,” she said, “we had one computer terminal, and it was a ‘dumb terminal,’ so it could only be used as a catalogue.”
The building in which Schmit started her Mahomet Library career was at 508 E. Main St. It was small, just 4,000 square feet, crowded and the children’s department was accessible by stroller, only from an outside entrance off the street. She recalled how when it was time to add more shelving, repaint and recarpet the cramped space, volunteers were called upon to box up all of the books, in call number order, and move them, along with tables, chairs and shelves to a storage place in a truck. One week later, after the walls were painted, the carpet was laid, and the circulation desk was built, volunteers moved furniture back in and shelved books.
Volunteers again boxed up all the books and moved them when the new library building opened in 2010. This time, however, new shelving, modern furniture and a much larger space awaited those books. The new library boasts 13,000 square feet of studying space, meeting space, books, and materials. The new building was even designed so it can expand, according to Giles.
Giles, two time past president of the Library Board of Trustees and 11 year Mahomet resident, said she feels the new building is the best thing that happened to the library. She said the Board of Trustees are mindful in their decisions, and that their decisions on behalf of the library reflect the values of our community.
The library has one full time staff member, Schmit. There are 13 part time employees and numerous volunteers. The library is guided by a Board of Trustees.
According to Schmit, the library is funded 90-95 percent by property tax. It receives no sales tax dollars. Other operating costs are raised by the Friends of the Mahomet Public Library, or donated. The Friends of the Mahomet Public Library consists of about 100 people who volunteer their time and talents to the library, according to Schmit. They also coordinate book sales and the Run for the Library.
This year’s Run for the Library raised about $9.200. The run is co-sponsored by the Rotary Club of Mahomet and the Friends of the Mahomet Public Library, so half goes to each organization; this year, that totaled $4,600 to the library, and $4.600 to the Rotary. The Rotary Club supports programs for children and families in Mahomet, according to Schmit, who is also a Rotary Club of Mahomet member.
For the past 50 years, the library has brought innovation to the community, according to Schmit. “We had DVDs in our library before Champaign had them in theirs,” she noted. The library also is part of a consortium that provides electronic books and audiobooks to patrons, and through Zinio, patrons can access about 100 magazines on line also.
Bookworms are not the only patrons who can benefit from the library. Patrons have access to 10 different databases, including the World Book online. Those databases cover everything from Chilton auto repair, to college entrance examination practice tests. You can read journal articles online and walk through the college financial aid process, according to Schmit.
The library also has computer access, for which a person does not need a library card. Giles said she enjoys watching children ride their bikes to the library during the summer months to access computers or check out books.
The library also delivers books to local assisted living centers, and to homebound patrons, according to Schmit. She calls this service, along with the drive up after-hours pick up service one of the library’s best kept secrets.
When the library was founded 50 years ago, no one would have predicted reading a book on a phone or a tablet. No one could have fathomed “I ran out of ink on my home printer, so I can just send it to the library and they can print my paper out for me.” Yet, this is the way the library is heading. The future of the library is both exciting and unpredictable.
“The library field is changing. It is certainly not the same as even five years ago,” Giles stated. “It is evolving with electronics and equipment.”
“We (on the Library’s Board of Trustees) have positioned ourselves to adapt to what the future will bring in a professional manner,” Giles said proudly. “We have laid the groundwork for future Boards.”
Schmit said she feels the future is “bright. People keep moving to Mahomet and the use of the library continues to grow.” She also stated the library is pleased to offer programming to fit the needs of the community, such as activities for students on School Improvement early dismissal days, and Valentine’s Day bingo for older adults.
She said she anticipates more programming coming to the Mahomet Public Library, and in the distant future, more electronic resources, like video streaming may be on the horizon.
From hardbound books and card catalogues that consisted of row after row of small drawers to instantly downloading a novel on your e-reader, the Mahomet Public Library has come a long ways in the past 50 years. Thanks to strong staff, tireless volunteers and a thoughtful board of trustees, the library will be a strong presence in our community for many years to come.
Come celebrate the 50th Anniversary of the Mahomet Public Library on Sunday, April 24, 1:30-4:30. There will be a variety of activities for kids and adults including crafts, games, face painting and music. The Kona Ice truck will be on hand for refreshments, and sweet treats will be available.
