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Mighty Twig brings back library services in south Evanston
Updated: February 19, 2013 1:46PM
EVANSTON — The citizen-run Mighty Twig is now open for business as a full-fledged branch library under a move approved Jan. 9 by the Evanston Public Library Board.
Library trustees approved a one-year lease for the 900 Chicago Avenue building.
Under the change, the library will assume responsibility for the library, to be renamed Chicago Avenue Main Street.
Hours of service and story time schedules will remain the same as The Mighty Twig; however, library services, including the check-in/check-out, reserves, and the book drop will now become available under the change.
Volunteers started The Mighty Twig in a grassroots movement almost two years ago after the South Branch library was closed by the library in a budget move.
Defying convention, the library became a popular mainstay in the Chicago-Main neighborhood, relying on a volunteer force for staffing.
Library Board members, some of whom had declined to support the citizens move at the time, read into the record a resolution, acknowledging the Friends’ contribution.
“Whereas, after the closing of the South Branch in 2011, the Library Friends undertook the monumental challenge of opening The Mighty Twig to serve the library needs of the neighborhood,’’ the resolution read in part, “Evanston Public Library Friends raised the funds to continue operations at the North and South branches for six months.”
The resolution also paid tribute to the group’s “service, vision, innovation and commitment to the Evanston Public Library.”
Officials plan to hold an official opening ceremony for the branch at a later date.
Longer term, they are looking at a strategic plan to best deliver library services citywide.
