History Of Our
Library
116 North Hardin, Ashland, IL.
John Cheetham Memorial
Library
This was the first
official community library in Ashland. English-born John Cheetham owned land
and farmed near Ashland. He was fond of the written word and his estate
designated funds for the library.
The building was a subtype of Frank
Lloyd Wright's Prairie Style.Construction was completed by a crew from the WPA
(Working Projects Administration) and the library was dedicated on April 14,
1938. Books were donated by the Ashland Residents.
On
September 1, the library joined the Great River Library System. April 14, 1988,
the library celebrated it's 50th anniversary.
125
W. Editor,Ashland, IL.
Ashland
Public Library District
In 1988 a referendum was passed by the voters to
become the Ashland Public Library District that incorporated
the school district area.
The State Bank of Ashland donated the vacated bank
building downtown at 125 W. Editor in October 1988. The trustees accepted it at
their November Meeting. With a grant from the Illinois State Library,
construction began January, 1991 to make the building accessible for all. April
22, 1991 was opening day of the newly renovated library on Editor Street, in
Ashland.
In 1990, the Pleasant Plains School District was
approached to become part of the Ashland Library District. A referendum passed
March, 1991 to incorporate them as part of the library district. The Women's
Club offered their little volunteer library site in the Community Building for
the Pleasant Plains Branch.
Pleasant Plains
Branch
In 1994, the
Illinois Valley, Corn Belt, Western Illinois and Great River Valley all merged
to become the Alliance Library System, of which we are currently a member
of.
In 1999 with increasing patronage and more hours the branch
soon outgrew its space. With a sizable donation from a library patron and a
matching grant from the Illinois State Library, a ground breaking was held June
2, 2001.
Artist, Jaymie
Krone
Ashland
Public Library District, Pleasant Plains Branch
555 Buckeye, Pleasant Plains,
IL.
The architectural design was in the more modern style of
Frank Lloyd Wright. All of the artwork was done by local artists, including the
stained glass over the entrance archway. Moving day was the first of
February 2002. Everyone pitched in and helped. We were officially open to the
public on February 4th. The grand opening was held on Saturday, April 20,
2002.
Prairie
Skies Public Library District
The birth of
Prairie Skies Public Library District, two locations one name.
Because
the library district includes parts of four counties; Cass, Morgan, Menard and
Sangamon, the trustees wanted a name that would encompass the entire
district.In 2005, their was a contest for a new name. Hundreds responded, but
it was finally whittled down to three. The voting began. People could vote
online, in the library or mail their votes in. The winner was "Prairie
Skies" which was submitted by the children in the 3rd grade
class of A-C Central Grade School. The name became official in September 2006.
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History of the Library