Every April we celebrate the many volunteers who donate their time and effort to the Eisenhower Public Library District.

We have several avenues for volunteering. The Board of Trustees is a group of elected individuals who volunteer their time to set library policy, establish and oversee the budget, levy, and spending, and make decisions regarding upkeep of the building and grounds.

A team of individual volunteers perform activities like helping put together program materials and other tasks that help our staff members focus on serving the public, facilitating programs, and developing our collection.

The Friends of the Eisenhower Library is a 501(c)3 organization that raises money on behalf of the library to pay for wish-list items and programs. The Friends typically hold mini-book sales throughout the year and one large book sale each fall. For the first time, this spring, the Friends of the Library is sponsoring a gala event to raise money for an update to Island Within A City, the local history book commissioned and published by the library in 1989. Our plan is to cover the 30 years of local history since the publication of this book and augment is with an oral history component.

Community members will be invited to record short stories of their experiences living or working in the villages of Norridge and Harwood Heights. We will include the first 50 or so stories with the publication of the new book and make all of them available online. The first opportunity to tell your story will be at the Friends of the Library Gala on April 6th.

If you would like more information on Island Within a City and the gala, or if you’re interested in volunteering or joining the Friends, please contact the library. We truly appreciate the time and effort that out volunteers give.