The Library mourns the passing of someone who made a difference in our community: Dr. Eve Beverly (seen right above.) Our local history archives hold many important materials related to Drs. Eve and Sherman Beverly, heads of the first Black family to make Deerfield home when they moved here in 1967. At the request of… Read More
Podcast: Erik Gellman’s new book on Art Shay and Chicago Protest History
On this month’s episode of the Deerfield Public Library Podcast, we are very happy to present a conversation with Erik Gellman, author of Troublemakers: Chicago Freedom Struggles through the Lens of Art Shay, a book that fuses photography and history to explore many “movements and moments” in the struggle for a more free and democratic… Read More
DPL “Fight to Integrate Deerfield” honored with John Cotton Dana Award
The Deerfield Public Library is the proud recipient of the American Library Association’s prestigious John Cotton Dana Library Public Relations Award. The award recognizes “The Fight to Integrate Deerfield: 60 Year Reflection,” a months-long initiative exploring a significant period in our local history, and its lasting impact. The year 2019 marked the 60th anniversary of… Read More
Statement from the Director
The Deerfield Public Library stands with the American Library Association’s recently released statement condemning racism and with the Black Caucus of the American Library Association’s statement condemning increased violence and racism towards Black people and all People of Color. Our Library strives to be a place of safety, inclusion, and diversity. We work to provide a… Read More
Black Lives Matter Resources
Current events have sparked local and global Black Lives Matter protests. While state violence and trauma (and organized resistance to it) are not new, some community members are just beginning to understand and work against racist violence and oppression in the United States of America. Many of our patrons are looking for resources to assist… Read More
Through the Lens of Art Shay, April 13
Through the Lens of Art Shay | Saturday, April 13, 2-3 p.m. As part of our Fight to Integrate Deerfield: 60 Year Reflection series, the Library has been celebrating the life and legacy of one of our most distinguished residents, photographer Art Shay. One of the things I love about Shay’s work is that it… Read More
Writer Graham Ambrose talks 1959 Deerfield integration on DPL Podcast
On this episode of the Deerfield Public Library Podcast, we talk with writer Graham Ambrose. Graham has written for The Washington Post and The Boston Globe. A graduate of Deerfield High School, Graham wrote a recent history thesis at Yale about his hometown’s history and the housing integration crisis that began in 1959. In our… Read More
Art Shay Photography Unveiling, January 21
New Photographs of Local History The Library is happy to announce the addition of two stunning new photographs to our permanent art collection, due to a generous donation from the Friends of the Deerfield Library. Join us on Monday, January 21, 5-6:30 p.m., for a reception and unveiling event celebrating these unique photos by world-renowned… Read More
The Fight to Integrate Deerfield: 60 Year Reflection
Announcing our new, unique program series related to Deerfield’s history: The Fight to Integrate Deerfield: 60 Year Reflection. Continuing a community tradition, the Library is inviting residents, historians, and experts to offer new insights into the fight over an integrated housing development that was planned for the village in 1959. The series runs January 21… Read More
