In March 2016, Robert Simmons joined the library as its first social worker, a direct result of the library’s intentional strategy of listening and responding to community aspirations. Since then, the Social Services and Safety team he’s built has served more than 350 vulnerable patrons. Most are Oak Park residents experiencing mental illness, homelessness, and … Read more
In 2017, your public library: Re-engaged more than 1,700 Oak Park Public Library cardholders since eliminating fines for overdue materials. Actively listened and learned from hundreds of patrons, peers, and partners about shared aspirations and emerging concerns. Welcomed more than 100 new community organizations after opening up the library’s meeting space policy. Read more in … Read more
Did you know socks are consistently among the most requested items at homeless shelters? All October, we’re collecting new pairs at all library locations to benefit the clients of Housing Forward and other organizations. It’s our second year participating in Socktober, an international, monthlong sock drive inspired by Kid President. In 2016, thanks to the generosity of our community, we … Read more
Turning outward for action and change Four years ago this October, Executive Director David J. Seleb attended a three-day workshop so influential it forever changed the way he looked at his work and the direction of the Oak Park Public Library. “In my 28 years working in libraries, I’ve been introduced to lots of initiatives, … Read more
Last March, as part of our strategy to rethink how we engage with all patrons, we hired a social worker—a first for us, but part of a growing trend for public libraries, including those in Evanston, Denver, and Washington, DC. “Around the nation, public libraries have become de facto community health centers for people who … Read more
Starting June 1, 2017, anyone who checks out materials at an Oak Park Public Library location will no longer be charged overdue fines on those materials. “Every single mom of young children I know is jumping for joy,” said Gwen Walski, an Oak Park mother of three. “I love the library, and my whole family gets … Read more
Rethinking how we engage with all patrons In his first week as Social Services and Safety Director, Robert Simmons found the demand for his social work advocacy and referral services even greater than expected. “The library provides a snapshot of the overwhelming discrepancy between the haves and the have-nots,” Simmons said. “Oak Park is only … Read more
For Millicent Hosp, a 101-year-old resident of Brookdale Plaza Oak Park, printed books are a thing of the past. Hosp remembers the stories she used to read on paper—mysteries featuring a favorite female detective, or tales about unusual families—back when she was living in her home in south Oak Park and receiving Home Delivery Service … Read more
By David J. Seleb, Executive Director, Oak Park Public Library I was introduced to the Harwood practice in October 2013, while attending a Public Innovators Lab in Washington, DC, sponsored by the American Library Association and the Harwood Institute. I have since spoken with and learned from many members of the Oak Park community. Each conversation … Read more
