Community

Alpha Park Public Library District, Bartonville, IL

"The Library's purpose is to provide progressive and relevant materials and services for the ever changing and lifelong informational, educational, social, and recreational needs of our community. These will be provided in an environment of equal access and excellent customer service while offering meeting space, fostering partnerships, and building a sense of community."

Residents of the Alpha Park Public Library District are proud of their library - both its physical plant and its services.   The building is attractive, situated on pleasantly landscaped grounds.   We strive to offer a balanced collection of books, magazines, computers with Internet access, CD-ROM programs, books on tape and CD, large print materials, reference volumes, newspapers, music cassettes and discs, videos and DVDs. We also offer the community an entire second floor area dedicated to children and innovative youth programming (now including programming for teens). Our public meeting rooms are heavily used, and bring many visitors into the library. Most important of all, we have a staff that is committed to quality library service and is known in the regional library community for providing outstanding customer service.

Active community supporters established Alpha Park Library in 1972. That community support continued with the construction of a new facility at its current location at the corner of Airport Road and Garfield Avenue in 1985. Ten years later the community backed an extensive addition and remodeling project to increase service, delivery, and access. Alpha Park Library is strategically located in Bartonville, Illinois, and serves a district of 28,545 with over 7,000 active patrons, averaging 8,500 persons in the library each month.

Alpha Park Library is located in the Village of Bartonville in Limestone Township and Peoria County. The area is an appealing place to live, work and play. Limestone Township is located southwest of the City of Peoria along the Illinois River. The township is showing steady growth. The Illinois River, the Greater Peoria Regional Airport, two railways, and Interstates 74 and 474 serve the area; the air cargo industry is playing an increasingly important role in the region's economic development. In recent years, Bartonville Industrial Park has attracted a number of diversified businesses, creating new employment opportunities. Residential growth continues with new subdivisions developed within the Township. The community is known for quality school systems with active parental involvement and a variety of recreational activities.

Peoria, located in central Illinois, with its Metropolitan Statistical Area population of approximately 350,000, is just minutes away. Located half way between Chicago and St. Louis, Peoria offers quality medical care, affordable housing, and an array of amenities - regional shopping, the Peoria Symphony Orchestra, Opera Illinois, Bradley University, Broadway theatre and top entertainment at the Civic Center, two ballet companies, Lakeview Museum of Arts & Sciences, a variety of restaurants, and an art/entertainment-focused river front. Sports fans enjoy the Peoria Pirates (Indoor Football League), the Peoria Chiefs (Class A Midwest League Affiliate of the Chicago Cubs), the Peoria Rivermen (East Coast Hockey League and 2000 Kelly Cup Champions), and the Bradley Braves. The area offers all the conveniences of a larger city, but with half the cost and congestion!

Some copy and information taken from Limestone Township Peoria County Illinois 1996 Community Information Guide (with updated population information) and The History of Bartonville.