Jerseyville, IL Opens New Library Completed by Wilson/Farnsworth Team
Date Posted: April 28, 2025
Posted In: News, Projects,
Jerseyville Public Library officials celebrated the Ribbon-Cutting Ceremony and Grand opening of its new 7,500-square-foot addition, which was made possible through fundraising, a grant from the Illinois State Library, and a loan from the City of Jerseyville. S. M. Wilson & Co. is the Construction Manager at Risk, while Farnsworth Group is the architect.
“Our community has waited a long time for an expansion of our library, which provides meaningful and impactful resources, programming, and services for Jerseyville residents. We could never have carried our vision through to reality without the guidance and expertise of S. M. Wilson & Co. and Farnsworth Group,” commented Library Director Judy Pruitt.
“They helped us focus on and design around our community’s unique needs and interests and then delivered a beautiful and functional facility, balancing and prioritizing quality and cost-efficiency throughout the process. Caleb Goode and Lillie Knesel have seamlessly managed and coordinated our project with passion and careful attention, leaving behind a legacy of excellence that will be appreciated by the Jerseyville community for decades to come.”
Through this expansion, the library has nearly doubled its size. The addition alone houses four study/tutoring rooms, a teen room for young adult books and a gaming area, a larger adult fiction area, the DVD collection, a computer corner, a more functional staff work area, a large print room, and additional restrooms and parking. The exterior design of this expansion, headed by Farnsworth Group in partnership with the library, intentionally matches the Carnegie Library architectural style. The building’s new main entrance achieves this goal by featuring columns like those of the 1904 main entrance, while the facade strikingly mimics the existing building’s stone exterior.
“Jerseyville patrons are delighted to see that the addition ties in beautifully with the original Carnegie facility and are excited to experience how the space will better the lives of the community,” Pruitt said.