Galesburg Public Library Foundation

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Galesburg Public Library Foundation

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We support the Galesburg Public Library with resources that help our community learn and connect.

The Galesburg Public Library Foundation and its trustees have always championed the vision for a new library for the City of Galesburg. In 2007, just prior to the formation of the Foundation, the idea for a new library was brought to the attention of the Galesburg City Council. Since that point, the Galesburg Public Library, Galesburg Public Library Foundation, Friends of the Public Library, and committed community members have been putting in the hard work to turn that vision into reality.

10/28/2026

𝐒𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞𝐬, 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐦𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐛𝐢𝐠𝐠𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐢𝐦𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧. 🧶

A tiny baby sweater. A mother's love. A story of resilience during the Holocaust.

When Foundation Executive Director Heather Sipes attended Yarns of Resilience at the Galesburg Public Library, she expected to learn something about history.

She didn't expect that holding a tiny knitted sweater would make one mother's story feel so deeply personal.

💙Discover how this simple garment brought history to life in Heather's latest blog reflection.

🔗 Read "A Tiny Sweater, a Powerful Story"
thegplf.org/news-events/blog.html

10/22/2026

A library isn't meant to stay pristine. It's meant to be used, enjoyed, and loved by its community. ❤️

In this thoughtful commentary for Tri States Public Radio, Galesburg Public Library Director Noelle Thompson reminds us that the true measure of a library isn't how well we preserve its spaces, but how fully our community uses them.

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐞𝐨𝐩𝐥𝐞 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐨𝐢𝐧𝐭. And that's something worth celebrating.

📖 Read or listen below:

For our Women’s Voices series, commentator Noelle Thompson tells us a well-curated library should always be showing signs of use.

10/21/2026

🎨 But is it art?

Birds, NASA, and even taxidermy? Artist Robert Rauschenberg found inspiration in some unexpected places!

Retired Galesburg librarian Jane Easterly admits she doesn't always understand modern art—and some of Rauschenberg's creations left her scratching her head. But others caught her attention, particularly his NASA-inspired work.

In our latest blog post, explore Rauschenberg's unconventional art and discover why you don't have to love every piece to find something fascinating.

📖 Plus, missed the virtual author talk with Smithsonian curator Carolyn Russo? You'll find the replay link in the blog!

👉 bit.ly/GPLF_blog

10/08/2026

𝐓𝐨𝐝𝐚𝐲 𝐢𝐬 𝐃𝐀𝐅 𝐃𝐚𝐲 — 𝐚 𝐫𝐞𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐝𝐨𝐧𝐨𝐫-𝐚𝐝𝐯𝐢𝐬𝐞𝐝 𝐟𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐬 𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐛𝐞 𝐚 𝐦𝐞𝐚𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐟𝐮𝐥 𝐰𝐚𝐲 𝐭𝐨 𝐬𝐮𝐩𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐜𝐚𝐮𝐬𝐞𝐬 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐜𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭.

Mark and Celia Godsil have used their donor-advised fund to invest in something deeply important to them: children, reading, and the future of our community.

Their generosity helped make the 𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐤 & 𝐂𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐚 𝐆𝐨𝐝𝐬𝐢𝐥 𝐂𝐡𝐢𝐥𝐝𝐫𝐞𝐧’𝐬 𝐋𝐢𝐛𝐫𝐚𝐫𝐲 possible — a space where young readers can settle in with a book, explore, learn, and discover something new.

If you have a donor-advised fund, we hope you’ll consider putting those charitable dollars to work for the Galesburg Public Library Foundation.

𝐘𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐠𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐫𝐨𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐡𝐞𝐥𝐩 𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐧𝐞𝐱𝐭 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫.

10/02/2026

Congratulations to our Summer Reading grand prize winners! Winners were announced at last night's grand finale skating party. Thanks to All-Stars Sports Academy for hosting us, and thanks to all the readers who joined us!

10/02/2026

Join us for a captivating online conversation with acclaimed author and Smithsonian curator Carolyn Russo as we dive into her fascinating book, The Ascent of Rauschenberg. To register, watch past events, or view a list of upcoming speakers, visit: https://libraryc.org/galesburglibrary/216746

Programs from the Library Speakers Consortium are sponsored by the Galesburg Public Library Foundation

10/02/2026

𝐄𝐱𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐦𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐜 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐝𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐒𝐨𝐮𝐭𝐡 𝐀𝐟𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐚! 🎶

Join us for 𝐒𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐃𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐨𝐮𝐭𝐡 𝐀𝐟𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐖𝐚𝐲 with internationally known conductor, educator, composer, and choral clinician 𝐃𝐫. 𝐌𝐢𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐞𝐥 𝐁𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐞𝐭𝐭.

Dr. Barrett will share traditional South African songs along with stories from his experiences gathering, teaching, and arranging this music.

Presented by 𝐍𝐨𝐯𝐚 𝐒𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐜𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐆𝐚𝐥𝐞𝐬𝐛𝐮𝐫𝐠 𝐏𝐮𝐛𝐥𝐢𝐜 𝐋𝐢𝐛𝐫𝐚𝐫𝐲 𝐅𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧, this special workshop is 𝐟𝐫𝐞𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐧 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐮𝐛𝐥𝐢𝐜.

Come sing, learn, and experience something a little different at the Library. We hope to see you there!

09/29/2026

Some of Caitlin’s earliest memories are of the Galesburg Public Library—cozy reading spaces, the grand dollhouse, and the feeling that the Library was a place for everyone.

That feeling stayed with her as she grew up.

“I’ve never entered a library that cared more about its community.”

Libraries belong to all of us.

09/27/2026

The Galesburg Public Library Foundation was proud to be represented at the Galesburg Area Chamber of Commerce Evening of Excellence by Executive Director Heather Sipes and board members Rhonda Dalton and Lindsay Bayer.

It was a wonderful evening celebrating the people and organizations who contribute so much to our community.

Congratulations to all of this year’s honorees! 💙

Address

264 W Main Street
Galesburg, IL
61401

Telephone

+13093436118

Website

http://www.thegplf.org/

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