Neoga Public Library - part 1

We've cycled back around to my trip to southern Illinois, and we're really south now, in the small town of Neoga. So let's dive right in!

 And this is it! The library is one big room, with windows only on the side behind me. Still, with lots of white and tan, they do an admirable job of keeping the place look bright throughout.

I can't find a Lincoln-Neoga connection, but Lincoln is pretty important in Illinois in general and so they have this display case dedicated just to Lincoln. And...whoever that guy is in the photo above it.

Genealogy looks to be big here, just as it was in Coal City and some other libraries I've been to. If this room looks like just a wide closet to you, go back to that first photo and think about how big a proportion of the total library this takes up.

The room, I was told, was blocked off intentionally because local kids had been making mischief back in there -- but anyone who wants to use the room for legitimate research is welcome back there at any time.

That is a lot of bound volumes of the local newspaper. I don't remember if I could read how far back they go, but I'm sure it's pretty far back.

This shelf, I was told, was all donated books that accounted for the library's classics collection. I like those spines!

Though speaking of classics, here's the Illinois Compiled Statutes again. I am tempted to go back through all the other photos of ILCS I've shown and see how many are the older 2008 edition.

Speaking of older editions, these Chilton manuals look like classics. I wonder how many 1981-1984 cars are still driving around Neoga. Not that I'm complaining -- I love seeing Chilton manuals on shelves!

And speaking of things I love to see, there's no shortage of dictionaries here. No complete set of the OED, but two copies of the condensed version helps make up for that.