About
Poplar Creek Public Library District Local History Collection
The Poplar Creek Public Library District Local History Digital Collection is comprised of digitized photographs, newspapers, oral histories, scrapbooks, yearbooks, and other records pertaining to the history of the communities that Poplar Creek Public Library District represents; chiefly, Streamwood and Hanover Park. Click the "Navigating the Collection" tab to find a basic guide for using the digital collection.
We digitize photos and documents from the Streamwood Park District archives (which includes the disbanded Streamwood Historical Society's collection) and the archive from Hanover Park Village Hall. If you would like to help preserve Hanover Park history, come to the Hanover Park Historic Committee meetings on the fourth Thursday of every month (check the village website for the time and location).
Our Local History/Genealogy room at our Streamwood location was dedicated as "The Candace McCreary Local History Room" on May 13th, 2021. Candace McCreary served two terms as Poplar Creek Public Library Board President (2015-2017 and 2019-2021) and was a Library Trustee from 2009-2021.
Much of our physical collection is in our local history room. Please use our catalog at pclib.org or ask a librarian for assistance in finding any non-digital items in our collection.
As of January 2023, we do not currently have a microfilm reader/scanner. We have a photo and document scanner in our local history room.
If you would like to contribute a digital item to our collection, fill out a form on the "Contribute an Item" tab or click here. If you would like to contribute a non-digital item to our collection, please click on the "Contact Us" tab or ask a librarian. The library reserves a right to reject any offered donation if it does not fit our criteria.
Poplar Creek Public Library District Local History Collection Policy
To view the Poplar Creek Public Library District Local History Collection Policy, click here.
Poplar Creek Public Library District History
The original Streamwood Village Library was created after a successful referendum in 1966. On March 18, 1967 the Streamwood Village Library opened its doors in the Hillside Shopping Center at 20 Streamwood Blvd. Marlene Deuel served as the Head Librarian from 1967-1988. Originally located in a storefront, the Streamwood Village Library increased to four storefronts between the years of 1969 and 1975 and increased the number of hours it was open to 66 hours per week. On June 22, 1971 a library district was formed and in June of 1973, the Poplar Creek Public Library District boundaries became official: most of Streamwood, 2/3 of Hanover Park, and portions of Hoffman Estates, Bartlett, Schaumburg and Bloomingdale.
One year later, construction began for a new building located at 1405 S. Park Avenue, which opened on June 1, 1978. Pat Hogan followed Marlene Deuel with the title Administrative Librarian from 1989-2015. In 1980, the Library became a government depository for federal and state documents.
In 1991, it was determined that a branch was needed to better meet the needs of Hanover Park residents and a modular unit became the Hanover Park Branch. In 2006, it was renamed the Sonya Crawshaw Branch in honor of the late President of Hanover Park, and in 2013 and 2015 the Branch was renovated to provide for a larger collection and computer usage.
In 1994, the Library purchased a home adjacent to the Park Avenue main library facility to use for storage. This home was later razed and an addition was added to the building, as well as needed parking. In 2009, the main library facility reopened after a referendum and remodeling project that more than doubled the size, with a beautiful new addition making the building approximately 98,000 square feet. The new building was featured in Library Journal as one of the first libraries to win an architectural award. Debra Stombres became the third head librarian when she became the Executive Director in March of 2016.
Click here to view a photographic timeline of the history of Poplar Creek Public Library District.