Rogers Park
About this Library
Rogers Park Branch reopened as a two-story facility on June 8, 1999 in the same location as the previous smaller facility. A reading garden, adjacent to the library, was dedicated September 23, 2003. The branch has artworks, an oil on canvas entitled Millennium Paintings, by Al Tyler and a ceramic and acrylic entitled The Pansies, by Jo Hormuth. The art was funded through the Percent-for-Art Ordinance administered by the City of Chicago Public Art Program.
Rogers Park Branch was established in 1894 on Clark Street by the Rogers Park Women's Club, whose members donated books and served as volunteer librarians. Ten years later, the Chicago Public Library began operating the collection as a deposit station. In 1917, a storefront was opened on Clark Street near Morse Avenue. By 1923, it had outgrown its home and moved to 1731 West Greenleaf Avenue. The library remained there through the Great Depression and the post-World War II era. In January 30, 1951, a disastrous fire destroyed almost the entire collection. While the Chicago Public Library looked for a new location, the Great Northern Laundry at 7057 North Clark Street donated space to house the remaining books, while serving as a deposit station. On September 17, 1951, the branch reopened in a rented storefront at 7015 North Clark Street and on October 29, 1958, a library, which preceded the present one opened at 6907 North Clark Street.