You can download a map of the building to help you find your way around, or take a closer look at our Kids Room.
We’ve been an important part of the Skokie community for more than 90 years. We’re proud of our accomplishments, including receiving a five-star ranking from Library Journal, being the first public library in Illinois to be awarded the National Medal for Museum and Library Service in 2008, and being depicted in a cachet by Skokie artist Doris Gold for the “Libraries of America” commemorative postage stamp issued by the U.S. Postal Service in 1982.


Starting in 1930, the library occupied parts of various buildings along Oakton Street. The current location opened in 1960 and has won awards from the American Institute of Architects and the American Library Association. A building expansion in 1971 more than doubled the size of the building, and another major renovation in 2003 added a third floor and an entrance on the west side. We completed an interior renovation in 2021 to modernize the building and enhance the spaces and services that the community loves most. Learn more about the library's permanent art collection.


We are committed to meeting the changing needs of a dynamic and diverse community. It started in 1930, when the Cosmos Club opened a library for 10 hours a week with a collection of 1,000 books. Skokie voters approved a tax-supported library in 1941, which gave us the reliable funding we needed to grow. Our first bookmobile stopped at eight locations in Skokie starting in 1957. The first computerized card catalog replaced the traditional card catalog in 1986, and we launched our first website in 1995. We hit a new milestone in 2010, when our annual circulation of items reached 2 million for the first time. And in early 2020, we eliminated all overdue fines so that everyone can enjoy free and easy access to the materials they want.


Three print sources related to the library’s history can be found in the catalog.