The renovation at the Algonquin Area Public Library’s Eastgate Branch is moving right along. In the meantime, our dedicated Eastgate Branch staff have been keeping busy at the Harnish Main Library, where they’ve been continuing to run programs, stepping in wherever needed, offering weekly services at Algonquin’s Historic Village Hall, attending outreach events, and crafting fun projects in the library’s Creation Center. They continue to be a valued and valuable part of our team while we await the completion of the Eastgate project.
Library services at Historic Village Hall include holds pickup, material returns, a selection of items to check out, and, of course, the friendly service you’ve come to expect from Eastgate staff. If you’re attending the Music and Movement programs at Historic Village Hall, you can also take advantage of these services after the event. Be sure to visit on Sundays and Mondays from Noon-3 pm. Historic Village Hall is located at 2 S. Main Street, Algonquin. Please call 847-458-6060 x140 if you’d like to pick up holds or request materials at Historic Village Hall.
As for the Eastgate building itself, we’re thrilled to share that geothermal drilling is underway! We’re also finalizing plans for the patio, which will be poured soon. A huge thank you to everyone who joined our “Rock the Renovation” promotion. Thanks to you, dozens of beautifully designed rocks will become part of the patio foundation, leaving your mark on Eastgate for years to come. Your rock will be a part of the Branch’s story, creating a memory you can share with family, friends, and fellow library lovers.
While we can’t wait to invite you back post-renovation, please remember that the Eastgate Branch is completely closed. The dumpsters, boarded-up areas, and construction vehicles make it clear this is an active construction site, and we want to remind you to stay safe. There are no services available, no staff on hand, and it is strictly unauthorized to attempt to enter the building. For your safety, please avoid the area, as entering could lead to serious injury.
When the Eastgate Branch reopens, you’ll be the first to know, and we’ll be ready to welcome you back with open arms, brand new spaces, and exciting features. In the meantime, we invite you to visit us at Harnish Main, explore our Online Resources, or stop by Historic Village Hall for available services. We’re always here to provide you with everything your library card has to offer!
Finally, the Algonquin Area Public Library celebrated its 100th anniversary in 2021. After over a century of service to the community, the staff created a time capsule filled with incredible documents, accomplishments, significant events, and, of course, plenty of library love. This time capsule will be a part of the Eastgate Branch and is set to be opened in 2071. What will life be like then? Will the branch be even more advanced? Will we read books projected from a watch onto our arms, or will they be three-dimensional, with pages we can turn with just a swipe of our hand? Maybe holograms of authors or guest readers will be reading to us! Who knows, but it would be fun to be a fly on the wall when the time capsule is unearthed and opened.
What’s next? Stay tuned! For all the latest updates on the Eastgate Branch renovation, be sure to bookmark or visit https://bit.ly/EG2024Reno.
