Albion Public Library
🏢 Illinois Heartland Library System · Albion, Illinois
Albion Public Library
The Albion Public Library holds a distinction shared by no other library in Illinois: it stands on the site of the state's very first public library, founded in 1819 by English settlers in the utopian prairie community that Morris Birkbeck and George Flower planted just two years earlier.
🕑 Library Hours
| Monday | Closed |
| Tuesday | 1:00pm–7:00pm |
| Wednesday | 10:00am–5:00pm |
| Thursday | 10:00am–5:00pm |
| Friday | 10:00am–5:00pm |
| Saturday | 10:00am–1:00pm |
| Sunday | Closed |
Hours may vary on holidays; check the library site before visiting.
📍 Location, Contact & Directions
Address: 6 North Fourth Street, ALBION, IL 62806
Phone: (618) 445-3314
Website: albion.lib.il.us
Plus Code: 86CH9WGV+VG (ALBION, IL)
📱 Scan for directions
Point your phone camera at the code to open turn-by-turn directions in Google Maps.
👋 Use the Library Online
📖 About Albion Public Library
The Albion Public Library at 6 North Fourth Street in Edwards County carries the proud designation of home to Illinois' first public library, established in 1819. The library traces its roots to the books English settlers brought across the Atlantic when Morris Birkbeck and George Flower founded Albion in 1817–1818 as a utopian English settlement on the Illinois frontier — gifts from relatives in England supplemented the collection from the start. Over the next two centuries the library grew from that handful of volumes into a modern community library serving city residents at no charge and non-residents for an annual fee. Today it belongs to the Illinois Heartland Library System (IHLS) and participates in the SHARE shared automation consortium, giving patrons access to resources from 520-plus member libraries. The Tuesday evening hours make it one of the few south-Illinois small-town libraries accessible after a work day.
⭐ What makes this library special
- Home of Illinois' first public library — founded in 1819 by English settlers led by Morris Birkbeck and George Flower, two years after Albion was platted
- Tuesday evening hours (1–7 pm) give working residents and students after-school access in rural Edwards County
- Member of the Illinois Heartland Library System SHARE consortium — access to resources from 520+ member libraries
- Four public computers with internet access and Microsoft Office, plus free Wi-Fi
- Edwards County Legal Self-Help Center access available in the library for civil legal research
📱 Digital Resources — Free with Your Library Card
Albion cardholders can borrow digital titles and access research tools through Illinois statewide programs:
📚 Services
- Public computers with internet, printing, and Microsoft Office
- Free Wi-Fi
- Photocopying (black & white $0.25, color $0.50 per page)
- Interlibrary loan through Illinois Heartland Library System (SHARE)
- eRead Illinois eBooks and audiobooks via cloudLibrary
- Edwards County Legal Self-Help Center access
- Non-resident library cards ($40/year)
- Reference and reader's advisory assistance
🎸 Programs
- Children's and teen programming
- Summer reading program
- Adult services and community events
- Spanish-language materials collection
📍 Nearby Libraries in Southern Illinois
Distances are approximate straight-line miles from this library.
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
Is the Albion Public Library really the oldest in Illinois?
The library's founding date of 1819 makes it the first public library established in Illinois. It traces back to books English settlers brought over when Morris Birkbeck and George Flower founded the utopian Albion colony in 1817–1818 — just two years after Illinois Territory was opened. The original collection was housed in the Market House, a log building on the public square, before later moving to the county courthouse.
What are the Albion Public Library hours?
Tuesday 1:00 pm–7:00 pm; Wednesday–Friday 10:00 am–5:00 pm; Saturday 10:00 am–1:00 pm. The library is closed Sunday and Monday. Phone: (618) 445-3314.
How can I access eBooks from the Albion Public Library?
The library participates in eRead Illinois, a statewide digital collection through Baker & Taylor's cloudLibrary platform. Download the cloudLibrary app, select Albion Public Library, and sign in with your library card number. The collection includes hundreds of thousands of eBooks and eAudiobooks available around the clock.
Can I get a library card if I don't live in Albion city limits?
Yes. Residents of Albion receive a free two-year card. Non-residents pay $40 per year for a one-year non-resident card, which grants the same borrowing privileges including access to the SHARE consortium and digital resources.
🖨 This library offers printing, copying & fax. See how library printing, copying, scanning and fax services work — costs and mobile printing — and find other libraries that offer them printing & fax by state.
✓ Hours & details last verified from official sources in September 2026.
✎ Notice something out of date? Suggest a correction and we’ll verify and update it.