Silvis Departments

Silvis Library History

1911 – As early as November of 1911, the Silvis Woman's Club began collecting books and looking for a location for a library.

1913 – A small space was allocated for the library in Victor Dumbeck's store.

1918 – The library moved from Dumbeck's store to Ennis Drug Store at 908 1st Avenue.

1922 - When the new City Hall was completed in 1921-22, a location in the basement was designated as the new permanent home of the library.

1924 - With much fanfare, the Silvis Public Library became a free library. Until this time, anyone wishing to obtain a library card had to pay five cents monthly for library services.

1931 - The library held their first Summer Reading Program. The library purchased 300 "Books I Have Read" booklets and sponsored a reading contest for school children. The program ran from April through most of the summer. It was open to Silvis schoolchildren from fourth to eighth grade.

1932 - The library began interlibrary loan service with Moline Public Library.

1933 - A library remodel was completed by the Civil Works Administration.

1942 - The library furnished books to soldiers and sailors through the Victory Book Campaign.

1951 - The library began loaning books to the new Silvis School.

1957 - The library was remodeled, and the annual budget was doubled.

1967 - The Silvis Library joined the River Bend Library System.

1973 - The library relocated to its current location. The building was originally the Black Hawk Chicken Hatchery (1929-39), then the Clearfield Dairy (1940-71).

1975 - Library programming began in earnest, including the first weekly story time.

1982 - The Friends of the Silvis Public Library group was formed.

1986 - The River Bend Library System combined local library collections into one searchable computer database.

1988- The library extended their service area to include the newly formed Rock River Library District. The RRLD consists of the residents of Carbon Cliff, Bowlesburg Fire Protection District, and Barstow Fire Protection District. Prior to this, unserved residents had to pay yearly to purchase a library card.

2001 - Library Director Imogene Jensen oversaw an expansion project with the annexation of Ace Auto Parts store, located east of the present library. With a $100,000 grant from the State of Illinois, the new addition created an expanded children's area, a young adult area, new adult reading area, staff offices, and a quiet room.

2006 - The library staff, along with the Silvis Centennial Committee, wrote and published the book, Silvis, 1906-2006: a Century of Progress.

2016 - The library joined the PrairieCat consortium, allowing resource sharing with over 130 libraries.

2016 to 2023 - The library underwent a complete renovation. A new entrance was created with an enclosed vestibule, with an accessible ramp and automatic sliding doors. The floors were raised to one level and a larger space was designated as the Children's Area. Two glass study rooms were added, along with a staff workroom. Shelving, flooring, windows, fire alarms, lighting, and furniture were all replaced. The exterior of the building was refurbished; the parking lot was resurfaced; and the roof was replaced.

2024 – The library is celebrating 100 YEARS as a FREE library! To mark 100 YEARS of providing free access to books, ideas, and resources, the library has planned a yearlong, citywide celebration. This includes monthly city-wide events, special in-house library programs, and a local history series. In June, an updated edition of the “Silvis 1906-2006: A Century of Progress” book will be published.