Chicago Public Library is turning 150 and we have stories to tell. Library for the People six-episode limited series podcast takes us on a journey – from building a library after the Great Chicago Fire to reimagining what libraries could be. Along the way, we will meet different Library People: librarians, patrons, authors, and so much more. Each episode will bring a mix of voices and stories found in Chicago’s 80+ branches that make Chicago Public Library a city treasure and a leader in the space.
Read a transcript of episode 1.
Take a deeper dive into episode 1 of the Library for the People podcast, focusing on history.
Circa 1870, Rendering of the old water tank.
1873, The Water Tank. One of the only places left to host the library after the Great Fire.
The water tower used to store books in the 1870s.
Circa 1897, the CPL Central Library on Michigan Ave.
Photographs from the 1890s of the Chicago Cultural Center Building (previously the Central Library of the Chicago Public Library) in Chicago’s Loop.Digitized July 2022.
The Central Library, photos circa 1897, opened on the corner of Michigan Avenue and Randolph Street. Today we know that building as the Chicago Cultural Center.
Mr. Horder’s petition, page 1Page 1 of Mr. Horder’s petition to have a delivery station inside his store.
Mr. Horder’s petition, page 2Page 2 of Mr. Horder’s petition to have a delivery station inside his store.
Signatures for Mr. Horder’s petition.
The Horder family outside their store, circa 1892.
Mr. Horder's petition for a delivery station. Mr. Horder wrote a petition to have a delivery station, with a news depot, delivery station and public library. The petition was a success!
Dvorak Park Deposit Station
Horse-drawn carriages deliver books to local stores for patrons to pick up.
Horse drawn wagons, seen here, were used to transport books to delivery stations. The second photo is of the deposit station in Dvorak Park in 1914.
Henry E. Legler, portrait, circa 1910.Source: Chicago Public Library, Special Collections, CPL Archives, Branch Photos, Legler 5.1.
Henry Legler’s “Library Plan for the Whole City”
Henry E. Legler Regional LibraryHenry E. Legler Regional Library, established in 1920 in the West Garfield Park neighborhood.
Henry Legler's “Library Plan for the Whole City” in 1916 served as the blueprint of what CPL should be doing and a map for us to follow going forward. This was the blueprint for regional services, training for staff, opening up stacks for public to browse and more. Learn more about Legler.
Locations Discussed in This Episode
Read More
- View our CPL 150 visual timeline, featuring photos from 1873 until now.
- Visit our Chicago History and Collections to learn more about CPL's history-related collections, programs, exhibits and other resources.
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