Executive Director’s Update: June 2022
Our Replacement Main is really taking shape now that the crews have moved on to concrete!
The 3 massive towers that are to house elevator shafts and stairwells are being completed. The foundation floor will be poured around the roughed-in plumbing and electrical routes.
All About 215 North Wyman
A Bit of History About 215 N. Wyman
The Rockford Public Library is on the brink of an exciting new chapter in its 150-year history, but it begins with a location no one wanted at the time. In 1901, county supervisors looking for a place to build Memorial Hall, declined a riverfront site due to “the stench”. Instead the public library, with a grant from Andrew Carnegie, was built on that site. It was opened in 1903 and remained in use to the public until November 2017. For the past seven years of its use, the community was aware that…
Construction Site Live Webcam
See the construction of our new building in real-time!
The New Library Renderings
Note: Construction renderings are subject to change.
News
Rockford Register Star: Our View: Rockford Public Library Plan
By the Editorial Board, Rockford Register Star. Rockford Public Library plan is one time we can have the best of both worlds. We can have beautiful green space along the Rock River in downtown Rockford, and we can have a world-class library. We can have a library that occupies [...]
“122 Things” you can do in the library of the future that you can’t do today
It all started with a conversation I had with the National Library of Greece a couple weeks ago. As they shared with me their plans for constructing a massive new National Library, a beautiful facility they hope to open next year, they started asking my thoughts on how to “future proof” [...]
FAQ’s
Why do we have to build a new Main Library?
ComEd has conducted an environmental investigation at the site of a former Manufactured Gas Plant (MGP) at 215 N. Wyman Street, in Rockford, Illinois, on the grounds of our former Rockford Public Library. The purposes of ComEd’s investigation was to determine if residues remain from the former MGP operations. The work was conducted in cooperation with the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (Illinois EPA) as part of the Site Remediation Program. The investigation detected the presence of MGP residues in the soil and groundwater.
Why is the property contaminated?
Prior to the advent of natural gas service, manufactured gas or “Town Gas” was produced locally to provide fuel for lighting, cooking, and heating. One common byproduct of the manufactured gas process was tar, which was often stored in underground plant structures. Gas manufacturing became obsolete as a system of pipelines was established in the Midwest to allow for the widespread use of natural gas.
The Results are IN!!
Site, Spaces, and Services in the new Main Library!
Over 700 ideas were gathered during Rockford Public Library’s Envisioning Sessions in 2018. There were exciting ideas centering on Site (the location and exterior), Spaces (interior uses), and Services. An online survey was later distributed to allow for more comments. Nearly 1,000 people responded. Many took the time to comment. Thank you!
Respondents represented all of the city’s zip codes, had a wide variety of ages in the household and a wide variety of educational attainment. They were truly representative of the Library’s clientele of cradle to rocker and beginning learner to accomplished expert.
The survey took the most popular ideas from the Envisioning Sessions and asked survey respondents to select or rank those ideas. As the Library nears an unveiling of the design of the new Main Library, we thought we would give you a sneak peek at the survey results. Connections to the river and connections to the community resonated, along with safe parking, energy efficiency, flexible spaces, and light, airy atmospheres!
