Lake St: Oak Park Public Library

James W. Scoville helped establish a Pastor’s Library room at First Congregational Church (now First United Church) next door to the current Main Library building at 834 Lake St. Eventually this library moved into a room in a frame building on Lake Street near Harlem Avenue. Scoville announced he would donate money for construction of a library building. The cornerstone of the Scoville Institute was laid at 834 Lake St. in 1886. The building, completed two years later, was a private subscription library until 1902, when Oak Park voters approved a tax to fund a public library.

Today the library continues to be a central part of the community.

"Our library embraces a turning outward approach. This is an intentional process, a stance, for listening to and learning about our community. It also means we make the choice to ground library work in the community’s shared aspirations.

Since 2014, we have turned outward, listening, learning, and acting on feedback from library patrons, governmental peers, community members, and community partners. All have shared their hopes, dreams, and emerging concerns. Through continued conversation, shared aspirations in Oak Park include literacy, education, diversity, inclusion, equity, empathy, health, safety, and affordability." - Library Director, David Seleb