Champaign Public Library — Douglass Branch
🏢 Champaign Public Library · CHAMPAIGN, Illinois
Champaign Public Library — Douglass Branch
The Douglass Branch has served Champaign's east-side neighborhoods from its current East Grove Street location since 1997, carrying the name of abolitionist Frederick Douglass who lectured in Champaign during his travels. Nestled beside Douglass Park, it is the only branch of the Champaign Public Library system and functions as a full-service community hub for story times, homework help, and digital resources.
🕑 Library Hours
| Monday | 10:00 am–8:00 pm |
| Tuesday | 10:00 am–8:00 pm |
| Wednesday | 10:00 am–8:00 pm |
| Thursday | 10:00 am–8:00 pm |
| Friday | 10:00 am–6:00 pm |
| Saturday | 10:00 am–4:00 pm |
| Sunday | Closed |
Hours may vary on holidays.
📍 Location & Contact
Address: 504 East Grove Street, CHAMPAIGN, IL 61820
Phone: 2174032090
Website: champaignpubliclibrary.org
📖 About Champaign Public Library — Douglass Branch
<p>The Champaign Public Library's Douglass Branch traces its roots to 1970, when Champaign and neighboring Urbana jointly established a reading room inside the Douglass Community Center on Bradley Avenue. By 1972 the Champaign Public Library absorbed the branch, which later relocated to a dedicated Bradley Avenue building before settling in 1997 at its present home on East Grove Street adjacent to Douglass Park. Both the park and the library honor Frederick Douglass, the celebrated abolitionist, journalist and orator who escaped enslavement in Maryland and is known to have lectured in Champaign at least once during his touring years. Today the branch serves a diverse east-side community with a circulating collection, public computers, free Wi-Fi, and the full range of Champaign Public Library digital services.</p>
⭐ What makes this branch special
- Named for Frederick Douglass — abolitionist, journalist and orator who lectured in Champaign; the branch and adjacent Douglass Park both honor his legacy
- Branch established 1970 in a community center room, now in a dedicated building on East Grove Street since 1997
- Full-service children's and adult collections, story times, homework help, and public computer workstations
- Free Wi-Fi and access to Illinois Heartland Library System's shared Libby / OverDrive and IRIS statewide databases
📱 Free with a Champaign Public Library Card
Stream, download or read online — no waiting, no fees.
📍 More Champaign Public Library branches
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
Is the Douglass Branch a full-service location or limited compared to the main CPL downtown?
The Douglass Branch is a full-service Champaign Public Library outlet. You can borrow books, DVDs and other materials, use public computers and free Wi-Fi, attend children's story times, and access the same Libby e-book, audiobook and IRIS database resources available at the main library — all on the same library card.
Why is it called the Douglass Branch, and is the name spelled correctly?
Yes — the branch is named for Frederick Douglass, the abolitionist and journalist who escaped enslavement and became one of America's most influential orators. Douglass lectured in Champaign during his travels, and both Douglass Park next door and the library branch honor him with the double-s spelling of his surname.
Can I return items from the main CPL building at the Douglass Branch?
Yes. Materials borrowed from any Champaign Public Library location can be returned to any CPL location — including the book drop at the Douglass Branch — at no extra charge.
✓ Hours & details last verified from official sources in September 2026.