Despite its contemporary facade, the Aurora Public Library-with its 108-year history-is the perfect library for Fred Graham.
Graham, 78, who describes himself as ”a student of antiquity,” comes to the library at least once a week to browse and check out books on antiques, history and archeology.
Graham, who grew up in North Aurora, moved to Aurora 53 years ago, after marrying his wife, Lillian. They live near Aurora University, where he teaches adult education courses on antiques.
Graham`s father sold and appraised antiques and, as a child, he was exposed to an atmosphere of research of the history of antique furnishings.
Although there wasn`t a library in North Aurora at that time, he learned to love books in Boy Scout and high school reading programs. The high school programs gave extra credit for reading history and technical books, he says. He checked out these books from the Batavia Public Library, where he often would spend his lunch hours.
His love of books has been contagious. Mrs. Graham`s interest in reading has blossomed since their marriage, he says. She also checks out about five books a week, but her preference is fiction.
Graham, who is retired from working in sales at Northern Illinois Gas Co., says he doesn`t care for movies. ”I don`t care to sit through and watch them,” he says. ”A lot of them aren`t that good anyway. I can read and have the television on at the same time, and understand both,” because television requires little concentration, he says.
”Fred can talk about anything,” says Janet Plaza, head librarian, who has found him to be a valuable resource.
Plaza, who came to the library as head librarian in 1979, says her staff- 36 full-time and 36 part-time employees plus two volunteers-answered 68,737 reference questions last year. But every now and then, a question comes along that none of them can answer.
There was the time, for instance, when a reporter from a local paper called, requesting the history of Randall Road. After a search, a concise history proved elusive, but Plaza knew what to do. She telephoned Graham, who she knew was interested in history because he had lectured on antiques at the library. Graham also is the historian/archivist for the Aurora Historical Society.
”I want back through our records at the museum,” he says. His familiarity with the road went back to when it was a simple dirt track, so he knew exactly where to look. The reporter got her information, and the library discovered a new resource in the sprightly, spectacled man.
”Thank goodness for Fred Graham,” she says.
She also called on him this year to appraise two boardroom-size tables that the library plans to sell. He learned through research that one was made during the 1940s at Stateville Prison in Joliet. The other, with a less dramatic history, had been manufactured and donated to the library by a local savings and loan.
The library opened in 1881. For 22 years, it was in the Grand Army of the Republic`s Memorial Hall on Downer Street. In 1904, Andrew Carnegie donated a new library to the city, and a building was built at the present location: 1 E. Benton St. The building was designed with the Carnegie signature balcony, which remains today.
The original red-brick facade with the two Ionic columns on each side of the entrance is gone, but the foundation and the original structure remain. From 1966 to 1969, remodeling increased the library`s space to 42,000 square feet from 15,000 square feet. Two three-story wings were added, along with a sleek black-and-white facade. Despite the modernizing, the original metal book stacks, complete with bronze plates on the end panels, are still on the main floor.
The increase in space has made it possible to house 260,949 books. In 1937 the library had about 78,000.
In 1988, the library`s circulation was computerized, and this year, a computerized catalogue was installed. The system gives patrons access to information in the collections of 16 libraries in Du Page, Kane and Cook Counties.
Plaza says he believes that the library is adapting to Aurora`s changing demographics: ”Our community is growing. More young families are moving into the area.”
Reflecting this trend, the library offers many programs geared toward children:
– There are seasonal reading programs for youngsters, including story hours for children 2 1/2 through 5.
– Children are given the opportunity to earn ”Library Dollars,” which may be spent on such things as erasers, stickers and funky shoelaces at the
”Library Store.”
– Two bookmobiles, which stop at elementary schools, traveled 7,589 miles throughout the community last year.
– Overall, more than 15,000 children last year attended the educational programs, such as reading, arts and movie programs, Plaza says.
The library`s only branch will open Oct. 23 in the McCarty Elementary School, 3000 Village Green Dr. on Aurora`s far east side, where there is considerable development, Plaza says. ”We decided on that location because it`s growing fast,” she says. A staff of four will work from 5 to 9 p.m. four times a week and from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturdays. ”It will be open evenings to give the (working) community an opportunity to check out books,” Plaza says.
Funded by the city`s property tax, the average Auroran pays $40 a year for the library which is, Plaza believes, ”the biggest bargain in town.”
A library card, in addition to allowing a resident to check out books, can help him furnish his home with framed paintings or sculpture, increase his computer knowledge, see a movie at home, or enjoy music, either from a sheet music collection or a compact disc.
Special collections include the following:
– There are more than 500 prints in the library`s art collection. They can be rented for up to 28 days at a time. (Patrons prefer landscapes to abstract art, the staff says.)
– The Wernicke Sheet Music Collection (donated in 1936 by a well-known local music teacher, Alice Doty Wernicke, who died in 1945) has 23,575 selections. One can find music by Aurora composers, in addition to chamber music, vocal selections and piano standards. Classical organ music seems to be a popular choice, Plaza says.
– For the computer literate, there is a collection of software, mostly on educational subjects.
– Media fans have a choice of 15,000 albums, cassettes and compact discs. Thre also are 750 video titles. the library tries to keep these section stocked with unusual titles.
– For those interested in the past, the library has microfilm of the New York Times from 1939 to 1962, and 1985 to the present; The Chicago Tribune since 1972; and a local paper since 1850.
Although the library has a few services for the elderly, such as a section of large-print books, staff members visit local nursing homes to bring books and read to residents.
The library also is part of the Du Page Library System and the Cooperative Computer Service, which mean that cardholders have almost unlimited access to materials at other 15 member libraries, which include some college libraries.
Graham says he has never checked anything out of the library except books, but given his curiosity, he doesn`t preclude the possibility that he might check out other items. One thing is for certain: As long as there are books on the past or histories of pottery, glass, lighting or dolls, he will continue to be bookish on the library.
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For more information on the Aurora Public Library, call 896-9761.
