Officially the Gwendolyn Brooks Illinois State Library, it is located adjacent to the Illinois…read moreState Capitol. The library does have security and a magnetometer which meant that I had to go back to the van to leave something there as it set off the machine (No, it was not my firearm. Illinois is already dumb about those so I did not have it.) Inside, I managed to find a study carrel on the second floor that was reasonably comfortable. It is a HUGE open space so you're not going to be doing anything that makes any noise. And the power outlets are few and far between so you're not going to be able to charge up electronics very well. As libraries go, this one was a disappointment. Ms. Brooks won the Pulitzer Prize for poetry in 1950, was named the United States Poet Laureate for 1985 to 1986 and was the first African American woman inducted into the American Academy of Arts and Letters in 1976. She was raised in Chicago Illinois and lived there most of her life. [Review 19692 overall - 146 in Illinois - 664 of 2023.]

I'm a bit of a geek so I have to visit libraries when I go to different areas to get a feel of…read morethem. The library was renamed the Gwendolyn Brooks building. Great place to do research and in a great area. Right in the heart of downtown Springfield, you're within walking distance to the State Archives, the State Museum as well the Capital. This place is good for doing research on government documents regarding Illinois as well as some historical items. I was able to look through a book detailing Illinois history that was written in 1901!

Great library with interesting book club. The cost of printing is an extortion fee and outrageous…read more But to escape the noise of the local Library. Deriv here for quiet setting

The library is very well laid out, and the library ladies are always very courteous. I just wish…read morethere was a self-contained area for those with screaming babies and toddlers so all the other patrons could read and study and browse in relative peace and quiet.

Clean and has Star Trek Literature. Quiet and not many vagrants unlike the main library in San…read moreFrancisco. And its huge. Diverse in its offerings. And lastly they can order from the region that it belongs too. This library rocks!!

The employees are often chatting loudly. Their movement is always slow and are not so organized…read morewhen handling people. I usually need to wait. The study room can only be booked one time (2 hours) per day even though they are availble. It is stupid rule. The talbe is not that clean. I often see hairs on the table and need to clean every time.

Keeps up with modern technology yet still inspires visitors to come in for paper books, etc. always…read morefriendly and helpful staff since I was a kid growing up in this area -and still are to this day! Great programs for local daycare classroom visits precovid) and provides good resources to local teachers! I've enjoyed taking my niece there for programs when she was little!

Great selection of books and kids section. Staff is friendly and knowledgeable. Placing items on…read morehold is easy and the items arrive fairly quickly, they even request from distant libraries or items to purchase as needed.

Long ago I read a quote, something along the lines that libraries are the closest thing to Magic we…read morehave. And this is true at NPL as well. I am here pretty much every week, I send friends here, and I tell people about it. It's ever-changing, chameleonic to keep up with the times. The staff are friendly, knowledgeable, and I'm honored to count many as friends. Having a library card is your passport to worlds beyond worlds. Get one : )

If you're a student at ILSTU it's a no-brainer to come here to study. It has 6 floors of little…read morenooks and crannies in which to study. Not to mention the helpful staff and selection of bazillions of books.

What a lovely little library on Historic Route 66! The library itself is a wonderful place for…read morelocal Mother Road information, but the pride and joy of the Atlanta Public Library & Museum is the clock tower. It is a 40-foot tall stone tower with a working Seth Thomas clock from the first decade of the 20th Century. It works on one winding for 8 days. One of the highlights of a Route 66 Motor Tour was being on site and at the clock one Sunday afternoon when it was time to wind the clock. Atlanta, Illinois, is worth a stop to see the Route 66 attractions.

From the owner: Located at 100 South East Race Street, across from Route 66 Park in historic downtown Atlanta,…read moreIllinois, the Atlanta Public Library District is a hub of community activity and an attraction for tourists who are making the Route 66 pilgrimage. Plus, we're the only octagonal library in Illinois and still a working library!