Library news

The Homer Community Library is now a member of Illinois Library Presents!   Illinois Libraries Present grants access to premier online events for participating member libraries of all sizes and budgets. They connect communities and audiences across the state through shared event experiences with nationally recognized presenters.  

You can register for any of these events to watch on-line from home OR you can join us for a watch party on the library's big screen TV. Watch our Facebook page for individual program details and links to register for specific events!

Illinois Libraries Present

Season 4 List of Events

October 9 | 7 PM - Erika Sánchez

October 22 | 7 PM - Jason Reynolds (Youth Program)

November 20 | 7 PM - Chef Art Smith

December 10 | 7 PM - Raina Telgemeier (Youth Program)

January 9 | 7 PM - Steve Dolinsky

January 23 | 7 PM - Michelle Buteau

February 4 | 7 PM - James McBride

March 4 | 7 PM - Coralie Adam

April 10 | 7 PM - Alexis Nikole Nelson

May 3 | 2 PM - Dan Santat (Youth Program)

May 15 | 7 PM - Matthew Desmond

The Homer Community Library is celebrating 50 years of being an official public library.  On June 4, 1974, Homer residents voted in favor of establishing a public library.  However, our story didn't begin there.  

Our story actually begins in 1971 when Homer Girl Scout Troop 393 took on the project to sponsor a library.  Mayor Dale Wolf dedicated this library in a small room in the Village Hall on April 24, 1971.  Area residents donated about 100 books which formed the first library collection.  The library was originally open from 1 – 3 p.m. on Saturdays and manned by the Scout Troop.  The Homer Women’s Club stepped in to help volunteer and have the library open Wednesdays as well as Saturdays.  

In 1974, Homer residents voted to establish and maintain a public library in the Village of Homer and elected the first Library Board.   Library directors elected were  Barbara Deffley, Mae Jennings, Bobbie Newlin, Pat Varvel, Betty Lacey, Jackie Reeley, and Gerald Webb.  

We are grateful to the Girl Scouts and community members who worked hard to make sure Homer had a library.  We will host several programs and events to help us celebrate this milestone over the next few months.  We will have displays with Library history and photos, and we are planning  to host an anniversary open house.  We would love to hear from those of you who remember the library in these early years.  We hope many of you will come see what has changed in this time.  Watch our website and Facebook pages for more information.

Your feedback is essential for the library to understand the needs, preference, and satisfaction of the Homer community.  Your input will be used to make decisions about its programs and services.  

NOTE: If you would prefer to fill out a survey via a paper form, please visit the Homer Community Library for a copy of the survey. 

We are so excited to be partnering with the Homer Historical Society to offer an exciting new resource for our community.  Thanks to a donation from the Homer Historical Society, the Homer Community Library has a year-long subscription to Ancestry Library Edition.  This resource will be available through any of the patron computers in the Library.  We will also be co-hosting a series of classes on genealogy: Find Your Family at the Homer Library

Are you interested in genealogy but don’t know where to start? Have you started your family tree but have hit a dead end? The Homer Community Library, in partnership with the Homer Historical Society, is offering a series of classes for both beginner and more advanced genealogy enthusiasts.

On Tuesday, February 21 at 6:30pm, we will offer an Introduction to Genealogy where we will discuss the basics of starting a family tree and introduce some of the most common resources for genealogical research. 

On Thursday, February 23 at 6:30pm, we will host an Introduction to Ancestry Library Edition.    We will explore what records are available on the site and how they can be used to build a family tree.

Don’t worry – if you can not attend either of these sessions, we will repeat these two classes and add more targeted sessions as we collaborate with the community and see what information will be most useful. 

Space is limited so pre-registration is encouraged.  Please contact the Homer Community Library at homerlibrarian@gmail.com or 217/896-2121.  While there is no fee for these classes, donations are always appreciated.  We are so excited to be able to bring these classes to our community!

The Library is required to review their non-resident fee annually.  Effective July 1, 2023, the non-member resident card fee will change to $45 per year.  This fee grants a library card to everyone living in your household. 

Remember, the fine for overdue books is $ .10 per day per item and for movies/kits/games/cds it is $1 per day per item.