South Macon Public Library

South Macon Public Library Hours
Monday, Tuesday, Friday 10:00-12:00 1:30-5:30
Wednesday 1:30-8:00 Thursday 1:30-5:30
Saturday 9:00-12:00

Don't forget to stop by the library and check out all the fun events we have planned!!What better time to get your libra...
08/22/2026

Don't forget to stop by the library and check out all the fun events we have planned!!

What better time to get your library card than in September as it is Library Card Sign-Up Month!!

Upcoming Events:
August 28th- iCash 2-4

September:
2nd - Road Scholar - Illinois Trails and Traces: Portraits and Stories along the State's Historic Routes with Daniel Overturff
9th - Music Bingo for all ages to celebrate Library Card Sign-Up Month
16th - Bracelet & Button Making for our teens
23rd - Fused Glass Suncatchers with Next of Kiln

All events are at 6 PM at the South Macon Public Library. All event sign ups are at the library, please call or stop by to get signed up.
*You do not need to sign up for the Road Scholar Event

This Macon Monday is an article from the Macon News. The editor, Cecil Cook, published articles in 1941 highlighting the...
08/18/2026

This Macon Monday is an article from the Macon News. The editor, Cecil Cook, published articles in 1941 highlighting the history of Macon. Later in the early 70’s his work was published into a book, “When Macon Was Not.” Most of our information for our Macon Mondays has come from this book. We have a few copies in the library that are not available for check out, but you may look through.

Reading dragons and friends are back at the library! Stop in to sign up!
08/14/2026

Reading dragons and friends are back at the library! Stop in to sign up!

Icash will be here August 28th, discover what's yours!
08/12/2026

Icash will be here August 28th, discover what's yours!

We have so many exciting events coming up in September! We hope you can join us for one or all!! September:2nd - Road S...
08/11/2026

We have so many exciting events coming up in September! We hope you can join us for one or all!!

September:
2nd - Road Scholar - Illinois Trails and Traces: Portraits and Stories along the State's Historic Routes with Daniel Overturff
9th - Music Bingo for all ages to celebrate Library Card Sign-Up Month
16th - Bracelet & Button Making for our teens
23rd - Fused Glass Suncatchers with Next of Kiln

All events are at 6 PM at the South Macon Public Library. All event sign ups are at the library, please call or stop by to get signed up.
*You do not need to sign up for the Road Scholar Event

With the start of school coming up, what a perfect topic for Macon Monday! The first school was a “log and frame”, one-r...
08/10/2026

With the start of school coming up, what a perfect topic for Macon Monday! The first school was a “log and frame”, one-room school house. James Wells was the first teacher starting in fall of 1859. By 1860, the school district had outgrown the space. A new brick school was built where the cemetery is now on Andrews St.

The next school was built near the center of town on Dunn St. It had 4 rooms, 2 downstairs and 2 upstairs. Two more rooms were added on to the bottom floor, and the high school then took the upstairs and lower grades took the downstairs. By 1927, a high school was built on S. Wall St.

By 1936, the old grade school was condemned and the students' classes were held in City Hall, church basements, and the Legion Hall. This led the school board to look for funding, landing a grant of $39,000. Work on the new school began immediately, consisting of 6 classrooms and a gymnasium/auditorium.

In the 1940’s several rural districts sent their students to Macon due to their own declining enrollment.

The top picture includes the condemned school (bottom right) the places where students went to school after the school was condemned (Legion Hall - left and the Macon City Hall - top right). The bottom picture is the new school that was constructed. The picture on the second page is the school district map as of 1978.

🍎Three Libraries. Three Communities. One Mission.🍎Following the tornado that damaged Meridian Elementary School, Blue Mo...
08/10/2026

🍎Three Libraries. Three Communities. One Mission.🍎

Following the tornado that damaged Meridian Elementary School, Blue Mound Memorial Library, South Macon Public Library and Stonington Township Public Library are partnering to support Meridian students and their families throughout this school year.

Our mission is to provide encouragement, educational opportunities, and memorable experiences that remind every Meridian student they are supported, valued, and surrounded by three caring communities working together.

✨We have fun things planned for this year already! These events include Back-to-School Encouragement notes for all MES students🎒, and a Christmas Crawl 🎄 featuring all the libraries as Christmas past, present and future. We have more fun events planned, so be sure to check all the libraries pages to stay updated.

🤝HOW YOU CAN HELP:
We are always looking for volunteers to assist with events, decorations, crafts, set up or simply sharing your time and talents.

📱We'd love to have you join us. If you are interested in volunteering, please reach out to any of the Directors.

📚Supporting Our Children Together Through Every Chapter.📚

Don't forget to pickup a cookie. To celebrate national chocolate chip cookie day.
08/04/2026

Don't forget to pickup a cookie. To celebrate national chocolate chip cookie day.

We are excited to welcome our next road scholar in less than a month. Join us on September 2nd at 6 PM here at the libra...
08/03/2026

We are excited to welcome our next road scholar in less than a month. Join us on September 2nd at 6 PM here at the library for Daniel Overturff presenting on Illinois Trails and Traces: Portraits and Stories along the State's Historic Routes.

Other upcoming events:
Fused Glass Suncatchers - Sept. 23rd @ 6 (4 spots remaining)
Sour Dough - Oct. 14th (Waitlist only available)

And don't forget to stop by and write a letter or 2 or however many you would like to our MES students!

Happy Macon Monday! This week we are going back to the 1800s. The farming land here was mostly prairie, so the fields ne...
08/03/2026

Happy Macon Monday! This week we are going back to the 1800s. The farming land here was mostly prairie, so the fields needed to be drained, but the creeks were so far. The first drainage ditch was done with open ditches and in many places a “mole” (a pointed piece of rounded iron) was fastened to a cable and drawn through the ground just below plowing depth, making a round hole similar to a tile through which water flowed.

In 1879, Daniel Allison established a factory to make tile.They used a crew of men to dig the clay, a team to haul it to the mill, tile and brick makers, and kiln firers. The kiln firers were kept busy, working in 2 shifts (day and night). After being passed through a few owners (Allison to Frazzee, Frazzee to Brooks, Brooks to Giles, Giles & Mason went into business together, Brooks brought out Mason making it Giles and Brooks). During that time, Giles and Brooks built several new kilns and enlarged the factory. Giles then later bought out Brooks.

Giles added a power cider mill, but with worn down machinery and lack of profits to replace and repair machinery, the factory was shut down. The building was later on torn down.

To hear more about farming in the 1800s, please join us on November 4th at 6 PM as Macon County Conservation District hosts “Farming in the 1800s” at our library.

Address

451 W Glenn Street
Macon, IL
62644

Opening Hours

Monday 10am - 12pm
1:30pm - 5:30pm
Tuesday 10am - 12pm
1:30pm - 5:30pm
Wednesday 1:30pm - 8pm
Thursday 1:30pm - 5:30pm
Friday 10am - 12pm
1:30pm - 5:30pm
Saturday 9am - 12pm

Telephone

+12177643356

Website

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