Ida Public Library | Ida Public Library

LIBRARY HOURS: M-TH 10 AM TO 8 PM | FRI & SAT 10 AM TO 5 PM | CLOSED SUNDAYS

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Ida Public Library in Belvidere, Illinois

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Ida Public Library is happy to have Hometown Chris

Ida Public Library is happy to have Hometown Christmas buttons to sell for the Boone County Arts Council! This year's button features the Baltic Mill painted by artist Gary Simon! The price is $3. These will go fast so stop by the upstairs library circulation desk to pick one up soon!

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We still need your input! The Ida Public Library

We still need your input! The Ida Public Library Community Survey is still open for a couple more weeks, so don't miss your chance to share your opinion about the library and what you see for expansion over the next five years. Click on the links ro respond.

English Survey- https://bit.ly/4dlx3Hr
Espanol-https://bit.ly/4dmoDj5

#TBT Happy Halloween everyone! Halloween was, just

#TBT Happy Halloween everyone! Halloween was, just as much as it is now, a time for both tricks and treats. One historic “treat” of Halloween is our annual parade. Our very own Bookmobile made an appearance this year. Hopefully, many of you were able to enjoy the festivities. However, we’ve had our share of “tricks” here in Belvidere too. Most pranksters have been content with the standard eggs and toilet paper, but on Halloween night, 1975, a group of pranksters managed to sneak an entire outhouse onto State Street. This wasn’t a plastic port-a-potty either. It was a full-blown, wooden outhouse. Patrons of the Elbo Room Tavern were so amused, that they created a “Happy Halloween” sign to hang by the door. Police had the unfortunate task of removing the outhouse, but they must have found it at least a little amusing, as they reported low Halloween vandalism that year. They were probably just thankful no one tried to use the facility.

"Have you come to sing Pumpkin Carols"-Linus from

"Have you come to sing Pumpkin Carols"-Linus from It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown.

The Ida Public Library staff wish you a Happy Halloween and a fun Pumpkin Caroling night! Reminder we close at 3 pm to protect the safety of all the small creatures roaming the streets tonight!

#TBT For American Pharmacist month we are celebrat

#TBT For American Pharmacist month we are celebrating the legacy of Belvidere’s oldest living pharmacy, O’brien and Dobbins. Their story starts with Harry O’brien and his original partner, Charles Bidwell. Together, they bought the Kennedy drug store from its previous owners, and after several years of successful business, purchased Law’s Drug Store as well as a local Walgreens. They then consolidated the three pharmacies into one, more efficient, store. In 1960, Bidwell sought to get out of the pharmacy business and sold his stake to a pharmacist he employed, Nel’s Dobbins. Together, he and O’brien opened a new, modernized, Walgreens affiliate pharmacy, at 419 South State Street. Soon, Obrien and Dobbins emerged as the major pharmacy in town. By 1970, they were feeling growing pains in their original building and moved into their current location at 216 South State Street. The picture attached shows an ad, from 1976, promoting their cosmetics section. Sometimes we take for granted that drug stores also act as multi-purpose convenience stores, but that was a new feature at one point. Today, O’brien and Dobbins operates as a Snyder affiliate and still serves as our in-town pharmacy and drug store.

Six days and counting! Stop by the Ida Public Lib

Six days and counting! Stop by the Ida Public Library bookmobile at the relvidere Chamber Downtown Trick or Treat event Wed, Oct 23 from 4-7 pm. We have treats, games, and creepy surprises! (Note-we have been getting a lot of phone calls about the past library Trunk or Treat event but we no longer hold that event. We have been happy to join in the downtown event for the last 2 years. See you there!)

#TBT October is Clergy Appreciation month. Today w

#TBT October is Clergy Appreciation month. Today we will be appreciating Belvidere’s first “full-time” pastor, Seth Whitman. Traveling pastors were around since before Belvidere was even incorporated as a city, but Seth Whitman was the first one officially called to a church. He was the pastor of First Baptist from 1836 to 1846. In addition to his role as Pastor, Rev Whitman taught at Belvidere’s first school, served as the first postmaster and was our first circuit clerk. This was out of convenience, as the First Baptist Church also briefly housed the courthouse. As another matter of convenience, the post office was stationed in his own home. When it was time for First Baptist to move out of their original building and into a larger one, he helped arrange for the old building to be sold for use as a schoolhouse, and he donated his own land for the new building. His contribution to education in Belvidere’s early history is a major reason why he was chosen as the namesake for our youngest elementary school. In 1846, he resigned from First Baptist due to declining health. Later, in 1851, he accepted a less demanding call at a Baptist church in Madison, but he died only eight months later on January 2, 1852. His body was brought home and buried here in Belvidere Cemetery.

If you missed the first Medicare Presentation last

If you missed the first Medicare Presentation last week with Chevy Peterson, we have plenty of room at tomorrow's 10:30am presentation. Stop by to learn all about the changes to Medicare. No registration needed!

Ida Public Libary will open late on Monday, Oct 14

Ida Public Libary will open late on Monday, Oct 14th for staff training and winter program planning. We will open at noon.

Scan the QR Code or click on the link to register:

Scan the QR Code or click on the link to register: https://bit.ly/4dEcp5H

Let’s B00-gie! Gather at the library for our Spo

Let’s B00-gie! Gather at the library for our Spooktacular Boo Bash for babies and toddlers! Costumes are not required, but encouraged! We will have a photo op, toys and dancing! Registration required. Please visit our website to register. Link in bio!

Join us for some fun programs at the library today

Join us for some fun programs at the library today! We are excited to bring back Lucky Guys Farm for a 10:30am story time with a special guest. Then later, we have Free Build Friday happening from 1pm - 3pm. No registration is required for these programs. We look forward to seeing you!

#TBT October is Fire Prevention Month. Remember to

#TBT October is Fire Prevention Month. Remember to change your smoke alarm batteries! Belvidere’s volunteer firefighters first organized on February 2, 1886. At the time, there were two fire departments in the city. One for the North Side and one for the South Side. This may seem redundant for a small population, but before widely available motor vehicles, equipment was pulled by horses and, at times, by the men themselves. This old style of “fire engine” as well as the old, South Side fire station can be seen here. It wasn’t until 1915 that the department finally bought its first fire truck. Two years later, they sold their horses and transitioned entirely to a fleet of trucks. Around this same time, the department also moved into station #1’s current address, formerly city hall. Since then, the department has only continued to improve and to modernize. Thank a firefighter if you know one, and be aware of the hazards in your home. Our firefighters might be good at their job, but nothing works better than prevention.

Come build with us! We will be having an open buil

Come build with us! We will be having an open build time for youth at the library! Come build whatever you’d like LEGO bricks and Keva planks! No registration required. All materials are provided!

Lucky Guys Farm is back! Join us, Friday, October

Lucky Guys Farm is back! Join us, Friday, October 11th at 10:30AM for a special storytime! Farmer T or Farmer Jase will be sharing a story with us as well as bringing a special animal friend along! No registration is needed, just drop by! *This storytime will be downstairs in the meeting room*

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