Work is in full-swing on a new $5.5 million public library in Hodgkins after its nearly 45-year-old library was demolished last month.
The Hodgkins Public Library board of trustees and Executive Director Tim Prendergast broke ground on the project, which is expected to open in late fall 2026.
The old library closed this spring after residents toured the building one last time and wrote farewell messages on the walls.
Plans for a replacement began in 2019 but stalled during the pandemic. In 2022, a structural inspection revealed the building’s support system was severely rusted, prompting the board to pursue a new facility.
Prendergast said the project faced budget challenges when bids came in higher than expected last year.
“Last winter, we worked through those issues and the spring of 2025 was spent preparing to move out of the building,” he said.
The new library will feature modern amenities, study rooms, activity areas and a community meeting room.
“It will be a foundational piece to the community and something residents will be proud of,” Prendergast said.
While construction continues, the library district is operating from a temporary site at 6519 Kimball Avenue.
Board members are Lisa Carson, Rodney Cummings, Samantha Johnson, Jessica Mills, Sharon Wells and Joseph Young.
