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1
HOUSE RESOLUTION

 
2     WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of
3 Representatives are pleased to recognize the accomplishments
4 of local communities and their commitment to serving their
5 constituents; and
 
6     WHEREAS, The Manhattan-Elwood Public Library District will
7 celebrate its 100th anniversary on October 10, 2009; and
 
8     WHEREAS, In 1909, John Henry Smale, a visiting Episcopal
9 seminarian from Chicago, and a group of interested citizens,
10 including Dr. George Brannon and Agnes McHugh, founded the
11 Manhattan Public Library; the group named Ruby Cockle as the
12 first librarian; and
 
13     WHEREAS, The Manhattan Public Library was first housed in
14 the old Manhattan Village Hall; the library's first collection
15 began with 100 books and a bookcase donated by the John Baker
16 family; and
 
17     WHEREAS, In 1940, the Manhattan Public Library purchased
18 the Manhattan State Bank Building for $1,500; in 1968, the
19 library purchased the Evangelical United Brethren Church; in
20 1984, the current 6,000-square-foot library facility was
21 constructed behind the Evangelical United Brethren Church; and
 

 

 

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1     WHEREAS, In 1987, the Manhattan Public Library became a
2 library district; in 1995, the Manhattan Public Library
3 District expanded by referendum to include two Jackson Township
4 precincts; in 2001, the Manhattan Public Library District
5 expanded by referendum to include two more Jackson Township
6 precincts, including the Village of Elwood; and
 
7     WHEREAS, In 2009, the Manhattan Public Library District
8 changed its name to the Manhattan-Elwood Public Library
9 District to better identify all of the residents within the
10 library district's boundaries; and
 
11     WHEREAS, The Manhattan-Elwood Public Library District
12 provides service to an approximate 72 square-mile area,
13 including Manhattan and Jackson Townships and the Villages of
14 Manhattan and Elwood; the district currently serves more than
15 12,723 residents; and
 
16     WHEREAS, The Manhattan-Elwood Public Library District
17 collection includes 60,807 books, 127 magazine subscriptions,
18 1,457 audios, and 3,283 videos/DVDs; the library district is
19 open 62 hours per week; and
 
20     WHEREAS, The Manhattan-Elwood Public Library District's
21 future plan is to provide two new facilities, one each in

 

 

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1 Manhattan and Elwood, to provide better and more convenient
2 services for local residents; therefore, be it
 
3     RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE
4 NINETY-SIXTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we
5 congratulate the employees and administration of the
6 Manhattan-Elwood Public Library District on the occasion of the
7 district's 100th anniversary and thank the district for
8 providing 100 years of service to local patrons; and be it
9 further
 
10     RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
11 presented to the Manhattan-Elwood Public Library District
12 Board as a symbol of our esteem and respect.