In 1934, the Junior Women’s Club, now the Thursday Club, decided the city of Du Quoin needed a public library. The club asked for donations and the community responded. A small block building on North Mulberry Street was donated by Mr. John Yehling. The Chamber of Commerce was responsible for the lighting of the library and Mr. La Fae Bradley gave freely of his time in the construction of shelves for a reading room.
On opening day, July 2, 1934, approximately 1.000 books were donated and available to residents of Du Quoin. Although the Junior Women’s Club was the principal sponsor, an advisory board of three local businessmen was selected; Joe Strickler, Harry Lancaster, and V. G. Croessman. Mrs Allen Beem was selected as the first librarian.
In 1937, the library received assistance from the Works Progress Administration. The assistance provided better shelving and a new children’s section. The salaries of the librarian, Mrs. Bess Chesney, and a custodian were included in the assistance.
Even with the assistance, the library was still an expensive undertaking for the Junior Women’s Club. The ladies asked other organizations to assist and formed a new board composed of a representative from each club.
That board formally appealed to the Du Quoin City Council in 1940 for public support in the form of tax funds. The request was granted and the Du Quoin Public Library was reorganized according to the state constitution.
The first Board of Directors to administer tax funds was composed of Florence Baird, Rosamond Forester, Arline Yehling, Catherine Parks, Leah Hayes, Camille Karraker, Bertha Carr, Anton Berg, and Lapur Horn.
On July 5th, 1940, with the increase of the book collection to 4,000 titles a larger building was needed. The library was relocated to the Gill Building at the intersection of Poplar and Mulberry Street.
Following the death of Mrs. Chesney in 1946, Mrs. Dorothy Pritchett became librarian for the next four years, resigning in September, 1950. Upon her resignation, Mrs. Ann Richardson was appointed librarians and filled the position until her death March 12th, 1967. Mrs. Lillian Sawyer was next appointed and served until the onset of illness in January, 1975.
In March 1953, the still growing library moved again to the Ray Provart building on South Division Street (now Linzee Insurance). There the library expanded to 6,326 volumes and served 3,450 patrons.
In the Fall of 1956, the General Telephone Company relocated to a new dial exchange on East Park. Frank Simons, the manager, offered the evacuated building to the City of Du Quoin for $8,000 providing it be used as a library. The City accepted the offer and with the assistance of the Lions Club moved the library to its new home at 6 South Washington.
Members of the library board at this time were: President W. E. Allen, Virginia Hall, Mary Huff, Gertrude Morris, Rosamond Forrester, Florence Baird, Arline Yehling, Anton Berg, and W. L. Ozburn.
The Du Quoin Library flourished in this location and became a member of the Shawnee Library System in July, 1966. This enabled library patrons to have access to more books, LP records, cassette tapes, video tapes, and microfilms. Talking books became available for the physically and mentally impaired through this collaboration.
Former-resident Sylvester Horn bequeathed money to the library in 1971 with the understanding that the community would provide matching funds. With this money, a new front facade, new roof, carpeting, paneling, and new shelving were added.
In January, 1975 La Don (Oliver) Chappell was appointed as librarian and soon Janet (Jacoby) Jones was hired as her assistant. Ms. Jones resigned in 1985 to accept the position as librarian in the Du Quoin school system.
The library moved to its current location at 28 S. Washington July, 1990.
Today the library houses 25,000 items and offers twelve patron computers. Services include copying, faxing, popular monthly programs, online databases, & homework help. The library circulates approximately 2,000 items a month in both physical and digital formats.