1853: August 28, 1853 — William Dunton sells land to the Illinois & Wisconsin Railroad Company and establishes Bradley (soon renamed Dunton).

1874: Dunton is renamed Arlington, then Arlington Heights.

1887: Origins traced to a ladies’ reading circle organized in the home of Mrs. Amos (Elizabeth) Walker, inspired by the Chautauqua movement.

1888: January 16, 1888 — Elizabeth Walker hosts the first Women’s Reading Circle social event and begins circulating books. 

1889: Emily Draper becomes the first self‑proclaimed librarian; grows the collection from 100 to 750 books.

1894: Collection settles at Effie & Lucy Shepard’s home, 310 N. Dunton Ave.; public welcomed two days a week for the next 15 years.

1896: Arlington Heights Woman’s Club formalizes a public library at the Shepards’ home; initial collection contains150 books

1898–1908: Annual ‘Library Day’ events raise funds and book donations for the growing collection. 1902: First annual fee instituted: 25¢ per member (Would equal about $10 in 2026).

1905: July 20, 1905 — North School authorized; Reading Circle (collection contains 750 books) begins distributing books there. 

1909: Library moves to a room in the school building (St. James Street); remains there for 18 years.

1918: North School library hires its first librarian, Irene Russell ($75/month); she serves through 1950 in library/school roles prior to the formation of the public library.

1919: Nellie Noyes Best succeeds Emily Draper as Women’s Reading Circle president/leading librarian.

1926: April 17, 1926 — Library opens to the public on the second floor of People’s Bank. March 29, 1926 — Voters approve creating a public library (587–306). First board: Nathaniel Banta, Lillian Russell, Rev. John Beatty. Room rented above People’s State Bank ($16/month). Frances Jenkinson is the first public library librarian selected by the first elected board.

1927: April 20, 1927 — Village votes to add a tax to fund library services.

1930: Feb 24–26, 1930 — Library moves from People’s Bank to the Village Municipal building on Vail. Velda Utterbock was the librarian at the Municipal Building; she resigns; Mary Jane Baxter takes over for her in 1930 and serves 19 years.

1946: October 14, 1946 — Voters approve using leftover war bonds to establish a “memorial library” honoring WWII service members.

1952: June 29, 1952 — 112 N. Belmont Ave. library (8,000 sq. ft.) opens; dedicated to service men and women. Children’s librarian Edith Lindsay debuts first children’s library; growth soon exceeds capacity (4,500 of 58,357 volumes stored offsite).

1956: August 1956 — Space and parking constraints force stacks into basement corners; visits limited to 2 hours/day.

1966: Building referendum led by board and Women’s Club president Florence Hendrickson.

1968: June 1968 — New 500 N. Dunton Ave. library (40,000 sq. ft.) opens with federal grant and bond funds; designed for 123,000 books. Belmont building sold to School District 25; later bonds approved to expand collections.

1973: July 10, 1973 — First bookmobile enters service (used 1966 model from Florida), championed by Executive Director Frank Dempsey.

1975: New bookmobile replaces the 1966 model.

1978: Library expanded to 76,000 sq. ft.; services and collections grow through the 1980s.

1982: Park Place Senior Center opens; library partners with Village and Park District to offer services for seniors.

1987: Margary Frisbie publishes This Bookish Inclination, the first library history, honoring the Women’s Reading Circle centennial.

1992: Voters approve $8.9M for a 56,000‑sq‑ft two‑story addition and renovation of the original facility.

1994: Two‑story addition completed; total space becomes 132,000 sq. ft.

1998: New Arlington Heights Senior Center partnership adds a library Reading Room and Computer Lab.

2005: Dunton Avenue entrance renovated to meet ADA standards; added new façade and vending café.

2009: Library Journal awards AHML a Five‑Star rating (top 1% nationally) based on visits, circulation, program attendance and public internet use.

2010: Kids’ World renovated: new carpet, relocated desk, expanded preschool area, I Can Read zone, collection reorganization; funded with grants and general funds (no levy increase).

2011: Voted Business of the Year by the Arlington Heights Chamber of Commerce.

2012: October 2012 — $2.8M renovation adds expanded popular materials, more conference rooms, expanded teen area, improved training center; funded from savings (no levy increase).

2014: Launch of annual One Book, One Village (OBOV) community read program; Ordinary Grace circulates 2,600 times; 1,500+ attend programs; author visit; becomes annual event.

2018: AHML Communications & Marketing team receives ALA National Award, John Cotton Dana Award, for #beinthecircle marketing campaign tied to 2017 OBOV selection The Circle.

2019: Kids’ World Assistant Manager Maria Papanastassiou receives ALA’s I Love My Librarian Award (1 of 10 nationwide) for accessibility work at the library.

2020: January 2, 2020 – Library goes “fine free,” eliminating fines for overdue items. During 2020 COVID‑19 closures, AHML pivots to curbside/walk‑up service, grab‑and‑go bundles, DIY kits, expanded eMaterials, extensive virtual programming; laptops for checkout; self‑service copy/print/scan/fax in garage.

2021: Accessibility Support Collection launches (350+ items; therapeutic/adaptive tools) with partner C.I.T.Y. of Support; among the largest in Illinois. September 19, 2021 — Makerplace opens at 112 N. Belmont Ave. (8,000 sq. ft.) with fabrication, 3D printing, creative arts, sewing/embroidery, and commercial‑quality teaching kitchen; funded via allocations, state grant, Foundation/Friends (no levy increase).

2022: AHML earns its 11th Library Journal Five‑Star rating; in the $10M–$29.9M range, only 10 U.S. libraries receive Five‑Stars; one of three in Illinois.

2023: September 2023–January 2024 — Kids’ World refresh: new Tween Space, Interactive Family Area (Everbright wall & floor projection), new entrance & café, Lindsey Room updates, Tinker Cart, all‑gender bathroom, Wellness Room, Imagination Station & Baby Garden. $745,000; funded within budget plus Friends ($6,600) & Foundation ($59,000) donations.

2024: May 2024 — 24/7 Pickup Lockers launch (garage first; added to Camelot Park & Heritage Park the following year); funded by Gallagher Insurance via AHML Foundation.

2025: June 2025 — StoryWalk® debuts at Recreation Park for the Park District’s 100th anniversary; permanent, seasonal children’s stories along a walking path; funded by Park District & AHML Foundation.

2026: Library celebrates its 100th anniversary of being named a public library in 2026 with special events and a historical exhibit.

• Build upon existing partnerships to further integrate the library in community programs, events and services.
• Identify and pursue strategies to engage the Arlington Heights community and provide services to customers where they are.
• Expand the awareness of and deepen the impact of the Makerplace, bookmobile, community partnerships, Senior Center and outreach services.
• Strengthen customer opportunities to use the library through virtual and hybrid options.

Outcome: The library is a community connector where customers are active, involved and engaged. 

• Increase community engagement with the library through innovative technology, programs and access to experiential learning.
• Expand the awareness of and opportunities for experiences when utilizing the Makerplace.
• Continue to strengthen the library’s service to multilingual families and non– and limited–English speaking families.
• Identify and pursue strategies to reduce barriers to access materials.
• Evaluate the balance of the physical and digital collections to increase the collections’ to increase the collections’ visibility and to reflect the community's priorities.  

Outcome: The library is the leading community resource to answer questions, find information and connect with resources and experiences. 

• Position the library to responsibly and thoughtfully respond to social and economic community need.
• Pilot strategies and pursue opportunities to effectively engage with emerging adults (focus on ages 18 to 25).  
• Pursue collaborative opportunities that celebrate the cultural diversity of the Arlington Heights community.  
• Provide a broad diversity of ideas, perspectives and opinions represented in the library’s collection, displays and programs.  
• Promote the Makerplace and increase program opportunities to encourage usage among more residents.  
• Optimize ways to develop, display and promote collections within the library.  
• Foster community connections and inspire creativity and innovation through experiential learning at the Makerplace. 

Outcome: The library is an innovative leader that brings new ideas and new resources to Arlington Heights, deepening its impact on the community.