About the Library

Mission Statement - The library where imagination & transformation flourish, fueled by the power of community.

Culture Statement - We are the library where imagination and transformation flourish, fueled by the power of community. Our values include striving to deliver extraordinary customer service with a friendly, dedicated, innovative and professional staff in a welcoming environment that celebrates our public spaces as well as our engagement with the community. We are guided by the library’s vision to work together to ensure all district residents are proud members of the Gail Borden Public Library. More

Fast Facts

Awards

• Recipient of the nation's highest recognition for American libraries -  2009 National Medal
   for Museum and Library Services

• Recipient of the 2010 Elgin Hispanic Network
   Organization of the Year

• 20 awards received (international, national, state, and local)

Buildings

• Main Library opened in October 2003 - 153,826 sq ft

• Take a Virtual Tour of the Main Library
• Third largest public library building in Illinois,
   after Chicago and Schaumburg

• Rakow Branch opened in August 2009 - 10,598 sq ft.

• Take a Virtual Tour of the Rakow Branch
• Rakow achieved LEED Gold status

• South Elgin Branch opened in July 2016 - 4,275 sq ft.

District Statistics 

• Serve 149,907 residents in Elgin, South Elgin and portions
   of Hoffman Estates, Streamwood and Bartlett

• Serve the 5^th largest library population
   after the cities of Chicago, Aurora, Rockford and Joliet

• 90,693 (60.5%) of residents are cardholders 

• Second largest library district in the State of Illinois for population served.  

• 1,003,210 visitors pre-pandemic)

• Over 2,302,410 items loaned (pre-pandemic)

• 334,084 books + 197, 806 = 531, 893 items in collections
   (includes e-items)

• Over 1600 library programs attended by 66,000 people (pre-pandemic)

5 year comparison