Growing up there was one place that I could always go for an adventure. From “The Wonderful Flight to the Mushroom Planet” by Eleanore Cameron, “Glass Bead Game” by Herman Hesse, and “Great Expectations” by Charles Dickens, I could go anywhere and do anything within the walls of the Flagg-Rochelle Public Library. Today as I visit the library, I am both saddened and gladdened by what I see. With electronic readers, fewer people are going to the library for books. The staff and management of the library are doing a great job of broadening the services offered, computer access, movies, pet shows, Halloween activities and more. Will it be enough to keep the doors open? Time will tell. 

The first mention I could find for the development of a local library was in 1881. S.D. Reynolds penned a letter to the local newspaper asking for the city officials to consider the benefits of a local library. The letter stated that the community offered no limit to the numbers of “billiard saloons” and “gambling holes” opened to the youth of Rochelle. “It is much better to keep the boys from forming bad habits than to neglect them and then try to reform them.” The Reynolds letter supported the expense of a library to provide an alternative place for the young and old to gather and improve themselves. 

The first tax established for the development of a local library was passed in 1889. The library was opened in 1891. One room at the City Hall, today’s museum, was set aside and dedicated as the library. Harry Loomis became the first head librarian. The library was only opened on Saturdays and generally saw a good crowd. The first library board included M.J. Braiden, Aaron Cass, John Prindle, Henry Loomis, A.J. Bird and Ed McGinnis. 

After one-year Mrs. Henry Loomis became the head librarian and held that position until 1900. The next to lead the library were Frances Simons and later Minnie Simons from 1900 until 1934. It was under the Simons sisters that the library became the edifice that so many of us came to love. The first library records were dated 1915 and show that there were 11,913 books loaned and 1,022 borrowers. This translated to three books for every citizen of the community at the time. 

The library was awarded a Carnegie grant in 1912. Andrew Carnegie’s father had started a library in Scotland and Andrew continued the family dream by supporting the construction of 1,679 libraries in the United States and another 830 in other countries. The Carnegie grant was for $10,000 and was sufficient for the construction of a library with 4,200 square foot of floor space. Not bad for a community with a population of 2,000 people. The requirements placed on the community were that there be a local tax to provide for the continued support of the library and that the city provide a place to erect the library. The tax was already in place and the city decided on a location at the corner of Seventh Street and fourth Avenue. At the time there were two houses sitting on the chosen site. One house was moved to 703 N. Eighth St. and the other was moved to the northeast corner of Fourth Avenue and 12th Street. Both homes are still occupied today. The original library featured a fountain and fish pond. This pond was removed around 1920. 

By 1934 the Simons sisters had each retired and Elizabeth Windsor took the reins as head librarian. Elizabeth served for three years and in 1937 Leona Ringering stepped in. Elizabeth Johnson was head librarian from 1945 through 1948. Betty Neal served as head librarian from 1948 until 1973.  Each director made minor changes to the library, rooms were painted, floors were tiled, windows and doors replaced as needed. The next major change was in 1964 when the basement was changed from a meeting area and became the children’s room. Even with the expansion into the basement there was an obvious need for expansion. By 1964 the library was making plans to either replace or expand the current library. The two houses to the north of the library were purchased, architects hired and drawing completed. In 1969 a federal grant was awarded and the road was clear to expand. There was only one obstacle, the community needed to pass a referendum ensuring the communities portion of the project. In September of 1969 the expansion referendum went before the voters and was defeated. The library tried again in December of 1969 and lost again. 

Marilee McSweeney became director in 1973 but after two years retired from the position. Barbara Kopplin became the director in 1975 and set into the longest run as director since the library was opened. Under Barb’s direction, the library succeeded in passing the long-awaited referendum to expand the library. By a vote of 889 to 682 the community decided to get behind the $1.5 million project. The houses to the north were removed in 1976 and 1979. The construction began in 1988 and was completed in 1989. The new addition added 15,320 additional square feet to the 4,200 square-foot library. Even Barb had her limits and in 2015 she retired with 40 years at the helm. 

Today the Flagg-Rochelle Library is under the direction of Sarah Flanagan. With her staff Sarah continues the history of strong public service. With the addition of a reading room containing local newspapers dating back to the 1850s and a micro-film collection that contains more than 100-years of local information, there is still plenty to excite the historian in me. 

For the past 132 years the Flagg-Rochelle Library has provided information and adventures for the asking. Maybe today is the day that your child will begin their “Wonderful Flight to the Mushroom Planet.”

Tom McDermott is a Flagg Township Museum historian and Rochelle city councilman.