Where Are We?

The Anne West Lindsey District Library is located in Carterville, a rural community in Southern Illinois. The library is located at 600 N. Division Street, approximately a half mile from downtown. It is situated in a residential area surrounded by a natural forest.

Who Do We Serve?

In 2007, the library changed from a city library to a district library and now serves 11,309 residents in the new service area, which encompasses the towns of Carterville, Crainville, Cambria, and the unincorporated area found primarily within the boundaries of the Carterville Community Unit School District No 5.  The library automated its then collection of 33,000 books in 2008. The collection now has over 40,000 books and media, including DVDs, audiobooks, and more.

Our History

The new Anne West Lindsey District Library, formerly the Carterville Public Library, was the vision of Anne West Lindsey.  The new library is approximately three times (and growing!) the size of the former building, which had been the library’s home for thirty years. The former Carterville Public Library was located at 117 S. Division Street, and is now the Community United Pantry.

It was Anne’s desire to have a library built on her property.  Through her bequest, the library received 1.5 million dollars and 5.4 acres of land for the purpose of building a library for the community.  Over the years, Anne had many offers to purchase this land, but she always said no.  She told the prospective buyers that one day there would be a library on her property — that was her dream, which became a reality in May, 2010. The groundbreaking for the new library occurred in November, 2008 and the library was finished in April, 2010 in time to open on May 3, 2010. Check out the Anne West Lindsey display in the library next to the Community Room for pictures, letters, and more about Anne’s life. Construction has begun on the Anne West Lindsey Reading Room! This reading room will represent Anne’s cabin.

What Do We Offer?

The library building is proud to provide a community room, children’s area, media center featuring computers with printing capabilities, continuous book sale area, beautiful outdoor patio seating area overlooking our large yard, seating areas, genealogy research room, as well as a large collection waiting to be explored!

We also offer printing, faxing, copying, and scanning services for a low fee.

NEW! We are currently expanding the Anne West Lindsey District Library building! The expansion will feature an all new, large, Children’s Room, a Teen Room (located in the former Children’s Room), additional study room, family restroom, and the Anne West Lindsey reading room, styled after Anne’s Cabin. 

Our friendly and professional staff is happy to help meet your reading and listening needs.  Welcome to the Anne West Lindsey District Library!