Timeline illinois state lib logo

Illinois State Library Timeline

By Tina Williams
  • IL State Library established

    IL State Library established

    1839 – IL State Library established by Stephen A. Douglas, Secretary of State, in a small office
  • Chicago Public Library Act

    Chicago Public Library Act

    1891 - Chicago Public Library Act (75 ILCS 20) (original)
  • IL Regional Library for the Blind and Physically Handicapped started

    IL Regional Library for the Blind and Physically Handicapped started

    1931 – IL Regional Library for the Blind and Physically Handicapped started

  • IL State Library Act of 1939

    1939 – IL State Library Act of 1939 (15 ILCS 320) (also known as the Library Incorporation Act)

  • Village Library and Gymnasium Tax Act

    1939 – Village Library and Gymnasium Tax Act (75 ILCS 50)

  • Township Library Bond Validation Act

    1963 – Township Library Bond Validation Act (75 ILCS 25)

  • ILDS began

    1965 – ILDS began: Statewide Delivery Service for IL Libraries
  • IL Regional Library Systems established & IL Library System Act

    IL Regional Library Systems established & IL Library System Act

    1965 – IL Regional Library Systems established & IL Library System Act (75 ILCS 10)

  • Chicago Library System established & Chicago Public Library Act revised

    1965 – Chicago Library System established & Chicago Public Library Act (75 ILCS 20) (revised)

  • IL Local Library Act

    1965 – IL Local Library Act (75 ILCS 5)

  • IL Public Library District Act

    1965 – IL Public Library District Act (75 ILCS 16) (completely repealed)

  • Township Library Bond Validation Act

    1969 - Township Library Bond Validation Act (75 ILCS 25) (revised)

  • ILLINET established

    1975 – ILLINET established: IL Library and Information Network
  • Library Records Confidentiality Act

    Library Records Confidentiality Act

    1984 – Library Records Confidentiality Act (75 ILCS 70)
  • 1990 – IL State Library building dedicated

    1990 – IL State Library building dedicated

    1990 – IL State Library building dedicated

  • Village Library Conversion Act

    1990 – Village Library Conversion Act (75 ILCS 45)

  • Library Property Sale Act

    1990 – Library Property Sale Act (75 ILCS 55)

  • Library Incorporation Act

    1990 – Library Incorporation Act (75 ILCS 60)

  • Libraries in Parks Act

    1990 – Libraries in Parks Act (75 ILCS 65)

  • Township Library Bond Validation Act

    1990 - Township Library Bond Validation Act (75 ILCS 25) (revised)

  • Village Library Act

    1990 – Village Library Act (75 ILCS 40)

  • IDA created

    2000 – IDA created: IL Digital Archives
  • IL Veterans History Project launched

    IL Veterans History Project launched

    2000 – IL Veterans History Project launched (to create a permanent record of the names and stories of IL war veterans and civilians who served our state and country during war, so that their contributions will not be forgotten)
  • IL State Library renamed the “Gwendolyn Brooks Building”

    IL State Library renamed the “Gwendolyn Brooks Building”

    2003 – IL State Library renamed the “Gwendolyn Brooks Building”

  • Library Records Confidentiality Act

    2008 – Library Records Confidentiality Act (75 ILCS 70) (revised)

  • IL Talking Book Outreach Center

    2013 – IL Talking Book Outreach Center (Mid-Illinois Talking Book Center and the Voices of Vision Talking Book Center moving their collections to Springfield to be housed in the Illinois State Library Talking Book and Braille Services and consolidating into a new service model, an advisory outreach center)

  • IL Public Library District Act of 1991 (revised)

    1991 – IL Public Library District Act of 1991 (75 ILCS 16) (completely revised)