About Tinley Park Public Library

The Tinley Park Public Library's history dates back to 1956, when a temporary building, provided by George Hartman, was erected at 6871 W. 171st Street, a site donated by the Tinley Development Co. In 1957, the Friends of the Library group was formed to help support the operations of the library. The original temporary building was replaced with a new building in 1959. At that time, the library— staffed entirely by volunteers and maintained by donations— had seating room for 18 persons. In 1966, the Tinley Park Library became a member of the Suburban Library System, and in 1974 a new library building opened at 17101 71st Ave. The building contained 25,000 square feet of space, but only the upper floor was used initially. The lower level opened to the public in 1982, when it was dedicated as the new Children's Department. This building housed the library's collections for forty years, until the current site at 7851 Timber Drive opened in 2004.

The Tinley Park Public Library has evolved alongside its community, from initially serving a population of just over 6,000 in 1960 to serving a population of over 60,000 in 2020. Today, the library provides its members with access to over 10 million physical items that can be checked out through the SWAN catalog, over 1 million eBooks/audiobooks/streaming titles, and over than 50 online resources. In 2020, the library pivoted to respond to COVID-19, offering virtual events and allowing members to sign up for library cards online. No matter the circumstances, the library is dedicated to enriching the community by providing dynamic resources, exceptional service, and reliable information.