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About Tinley Park Public Library

West side of the Tinley Park Public Library building

About Us

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/eAudiobooks/streaming titles, and more than 70 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.

Population Served

Population Served
62,864

Annual Circulation

Annual Circulation
629,082

eBooks & Audiobooks

eBooks & Audiobooks
1,000,000+

Educational Events

Educational Events
501

Books

Books
152,474

Videos/DVDs

Videos/DVDs
13,841

Video Games

Video Games
1,905

Children's Holdings

Children's Holdings
63,883
Mission

The Tinley Park Public Library empowers and enriches our entire community by welcoming and connecting people to diverse resources, services, experiences, and reliable information.

Vision
1

Provide valuable customer service by a motivated, knowledgeable, and friendly staff.

2

Identify and respond to the needs of a growing and diverse community.

3

Develop strong community ties through programming and activities.

4

Offer instruction and access to evolving technology.

5

Exhibit fiscal responsibility and environmental awareness.

Our Values

Lifelong Learning & Personal Growth
We encourage and support continuous learning, literacy, intellectual curiosity, and personal development for everyone throughout all stages of life.
Quality Services & Experiences
We are dedicated to maintaining a welcoming environment, providing professional library services, and delivering excellent customer service, programs, and experiences.
Community Investment & Stewardship
We are dedicated to serving our patrons, to developing collaborative relationships within our community, and to the responsible use of public resources.

Human Dignity & Respect
We deeply honor and respect the fundamental dignity of all people, prioritize inclusive initiatives, and reflect the diversity of our community through materials, resources, services, and workforce development.
Intellectual Freedom & Equitable Access
We believe in the fundamental freedom of all community members to read, view, and explore, and we view it as our responsibility to ensure fair and equal access to materials and resources.

Meet Our Leadership Team

Zach Musil

Zach Musil

Director

Zach Musil

Director

zmusil@tplibrary.org

Sarah Schroeder

Sarah Schroeder

Assistant Director

Sarah Schroeder

Assistant Director

sschroeder@tplibrary.org

Lyn Williams

Lyn Williams

Business Office Manager

Lyn Williams

Business Office Manager

lwilliams@tplibrary.org

Terry Parker

Terry Parker

Adult Services Manager

Terry Parker

Adult Services Manager

tparker@tplibrary.org

Megan Vasquez

Megan Vasquez

Adult Services Assistant Manager

Megan Vasquez

Adult Services Assistant Manager

mvasquez@tplibrary.org

Valerie Zulevic

Valerie Zulevic

Youth Services Manager

Valerie Zulevic

Youth Services Manager

vzulevic@tplibrary.org

Jennifer Lowe

Jennifer Lowe

Youth Services Assistant Manager

Jennifer Lowe

Youth Services Assistant Manager

jlowe@tplibrary.org

Tracy Serafino

Tracy Serafino

Circulation Services Manager

Tracy Serafino

Circulation Services Manager

tserafino@tplibrary.org

Kathryn McCabe

Kathryn McCabe

Circulation Services Assistant Manager

Kathryn McCabe

Circulation Services Assistant Manager

kmccabe@tplibrary.org

Jessica Dyer

Jessica Dyer

Marketing & Public Relations Manager

Jessica Dyer

Marketing & Public Relations Manager

jdyer@tplibrary.org

Pam Zukoski

Pam Zukoski

Programming and Outreach Manager

Pam Zukoski

Programming and Outreach Manager

pzukoski@tplibrary.org

Wendy Babjak

Wendy Babjak

Adult Program Coordinator

Wendy Babjak

Adult Program Coordinator

wbabjak@tplibrary.org

Joy Anhalt

Joy Anhalt

Technical Services/Cataloging Manager

Joy Anhalt

Technical Services/Cataloging Manager

janhalt@tplibrary.org

Robert Serafino

Robert Serafino

Facilities Manager

Robert Serafino

Facilities Manager

rserafino@tplibrary.org

Library History

July 28, 1956

July 28, 1956

First library dedicated in at 6871 W. 171st Street. The temporary building was provided by George Hartman, builder; and the site donated by the Tinley Development Co.

June 13, 1957

June 13, 1957

Friends of the Library group formed.

April 29, 1959

April 29, 1959

Dedication of new building constructed at 6871 W. 171st Street. The library, staffed entirely by volunteers and maintained by donations, had seating room for 18 persons.

January 1966

Became a member of the Suburban Library System.

October 16, 1971

Groundbreaking for new library, moved closer to the center of population.

May 19, 1974

May 19, 1974

Dedication of new building constructed at 17101 71st Ave. The building contained 25,000 square feet of space, but only the upper floor was used initially.

June 20, 1982

June 20, 1982

Dedication of new Children’s Department, lower level.

September 1999

September 1999

Our Bookmobile made its debut!

June 10, 2003

June 10, 2003

Groundbreaking for new library building.

September 7, 2004

September 7, 2004

The new library opens its doors!

October 3, 2004

Dedication ceremony for the current library at 7851 Timber Drive.

Fall 2018

Fall 2018

We rolled out our new Bookmobile.

Work at the Library

Library staff at all levels contribute to our mission and to a culture that values openness, inclusion, innovation, and community.
join us
Staff member wearing a yellow boa and smiling next to a Sesame Street sign
Library staff member assisting a patron with a laptop
A Friend of the Library in the Friends Bookstore
Staff Picks bookshelf
Librarian assisting patron with laptop and mobile device
Two of our staff members posing for a photo