The Ansel B. and Emily Barrows Cook Memorial Library, circa 1923Cook Memorial Public Library collection From a collection of books in the homes of members of the Alpha Club in 1909, to a subscription library on a drugstore's shelves, to a room in the village hall....the Libertyville public library would finally find a home in…
Ansel B. and Emily Barrows Cook Memorial Library, 1923, Cook Memorial Public Library collection The library has something to celebrate! 2021 marks the 100th anniversary of the Cook Memorial Public Library. The doors of the former residence of Ansel B. Cook opened to the public as a space for books and reading on October 22,…
We celebrate Women's History Month and Cook Library's Centennial by looking at the women who were key to the founding of the library and its early days. Local History Librarian Jenny Barry shares the stories of Emily Barrows Cook, Mabel MacGuffin, Norma Lee Peck, Clara Colby, Laura Taylor, August Lovell, and more. Keep checking the…
Looking to get out of the house or explore Libertyville's history virtually? Check out the Libertyville-Mundelein Historical Society's online, self-guided tour "Libertyville's Historic Milwaukee Avenue" released in September. The tour begins in Cook Park, moves north along the west side of Milwaukee Avenue to the American Legion Hall, then crosses the street to explore the…
In the past few months, senior Morgan Frank has made headlines for being 19 points away from breaking Mundelein's career scoring record while Libertyville girl's gymnastics won at regionals and have been setting school records of their own. Today we take these things for granted, yet only forty-seven years ago, there were no provisions on…
We tend to think of history as things that happened a long time ago. When was a town settled? What were the major influences on its development? Who lived here and what did they do? What was here before? In my job as a local history librarian, I am tasked with making resources, such as…
Over the last few years, and especially the last few weeks, delivery service for all kinds of things has become common place. Need a book, office supplies, toy, or a widget of almost any kind? Order it today and have it at your door within a few days, maybe even tomorrow. Got a hankering for…
Local History Librarian Jennifer Barry helps us celebrate Women's History Month at the local level by highlighting the extraordinary life of Libertyville High School teacher Dr. Norma Munson. http://traffic.libsyn.com/cooklib/The_Past_is_Present_-_Dr._Norma_Munson.mp3…
Local History Librarian Jenny Barry shares some of the quirkiest newspaper headlines and articles she's encountered in her years researching Libertyville's history. Visit our local history page to discover your own oddities in Cook Library's newspaper archives! http://traffic.libsyn.com/cooklib/Local_History_Headlines.mp3…
Previously we profiled World War I veterans and brothers Harold, Wendell, Clarence, and Kenneth Lovell. There were several other Libertyville families with more than one son in service during the Great War. One such family was that of Cherubino and Frances Gotti, Italian immigrants and the proprietors of a Milwaukee Avenue fruit stand, confectionery, and…
