Partnerships
We work with many local organizations to provide great programs and services for our community. We'd love to work with your organization too! Here are some of the events and programs you can help support:
- Materials and prizes for summer and winter reading programs
- Speakers and performers for programs and events
- Childrens' programs and activities of all kinds
Contact me if you want to know more about funding a program here at the library.
Some of our community partnerships
Friends of the Library
The Friends of the Des Plaines Public Library have been faithful and prolific fundraisers for more than fifty years, supporting programming for all ages and making generous gifts like our meeting room sound system, our new piano, and other major donations. Please consider joining our Friends group or visiting their regular book sales!
Des Plaines Chamber of Commerce
Library staff actively work with the Des Plaines Chamber of Commerce and achieve two desirable results. Local businesses learn what resources are available for their use and the library gains opportunities to participate in local community events, like the annual Fall Fest and Winter Wonderland.
Des Plaines Park District
The Des Plaines Park District works with us to bring storytelling and other activities to their seasonal festivals and in turn supports our annual Battle of the Bands and Des Arts fine art programming.
Kiwanis Club of Des Plaines
The Kiwanis Club of Des Plaines is a proud financial supporter of the second floor Early Learning Center (construction beginning in 2014).
Lattof YMCA
The Lattof YMCA welcomes our Youth Services staff into its preschool and sends the Y staff to support healthy eating and excercise programs in the library.
Local businesses
Local businesses like Millennium Bank, the Greek American Restaurant Association, Village Bank and Trust, Northshore University Health System, Alliant Credit Union Foundation, and many more have provided financial support for Summer Reading Club events and prizes.
Local schools
Local preschools, daycares, elementary schools, and middle schools encourage their students to get and use library cards, bring parents and kids on tours of the library, and promote our family programs in their emails and newsletters. Our librarians regularly go to the local schools on outreach visits to promote our collections and services.
Oakton Community College
Oakton Community College is our longtime partner in providing adult literacy, computer instruction and special storytimes to Spanish speakers.
Rotary Club of Des Plaines
The Rotary Club of Des Plaines funded the beautiful Rotary Heritage Reading Room on the third floor, as well as other individual programs. Our Assistant Director (that's me) represents the library at Rotary meetings and events.
Thanks to these organizations and all of the individuals that help us be the best library we can possibly be.