Cunningham Township in Urbana in Champaign County, Illinois — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)

Creation of Research Library

Photographed by Duane and Tracy Marsteller, May 28, 2023

1. Creation of Research Library Marker

Inscription. Under the administrations of Phineas L. Windsor (1909-1940) and Robert B. Downs (1943-1971), the library grew from fewer than a million volumes to nearly five million volumes and became one of the world's great libraries. Windsor aggressively built the holdings to meet the scholarly needs of leading departments and researchers. Downs added significant special collections of interest to scholars around the world while also achieving an international reputation for his extensive studies of library resources.

Erected by University of Illinois.

Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Arts, Letters, Music • Education. In addition, it is included in the University of Illinois series list. A significant historical year for this entry is 1909.

Location. 40° 6.281′ N, 88° 13.694′ W. Marker is in Urbana, Illinois, in Champaign County. It is in Cunningham Township. It can be reached from West Gregory Drive 0.1 miles east of South 6th Street, on the left when traveling east. Marker is at the east entrance of the library complex. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 1408 W Gregory Dr, Urbana IL 61801, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in Central Illinois.

It is also in the American Midwest

and in the Corn Belt.

Globally, it is in North America,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once the territory of the Mississippian Culture

and also the Northwest Territory.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Illinois Historical Collections (within shouting distance of this marker); Public Broadcasting

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(about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); Morrow Plots (about 500 feet away); The Astronomical Observatory (about 600 feet away); Architectural Education (about 600 feet away); The Farm House (about 700 feet away); Tina Weedon Smith Memorial Hall (approx. 0.2 miles away); Alpha Phi Fraternity House-Beta Alpha Chapter (approx. 0.2 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Urbana.

Also see . . .
1. Biography of Phineas Lawrence Windsor. A biography of the librarian written while he was at the University of Illinois. (Access Genealogy) (Submitted on June 12, 2023, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee.)

2. Robert B. Downs. Wikipedia entry on the writer and librarian who advocated for intellectual freedom. (Submitted on June 12, 2023, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee.)

3. Creation of Research Library. Short video elaborating on the marker subject. (University of Illinois Urbana-Campaign, uploaded July 26, 2011) (Submitted on June 12, 2023, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee.)

Photographed by Duane and Tracy Marsteller, May 28, 2023

2. Creation of Research Library Marker

Phineas Lawrence Windsor image. Click for full size.

Unknown via University of Illinois Archives (Public Domain), circa 1905

3. Phineas Lawrence Windsor

Robert Bingham Downs image. Click for full size.

Unknown via American Library Association Archives (Public Domain), circa 1940

4. Robert Bingham Downs

He was president of the American Library Association in 1952-1953.

Credits. This page was last revised on June 12, 2023. It was originally submitted on June 9, 2023, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee. This page has been viewed 129 times since then and 13 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on June 9, 2023, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee. 3, 4. submitted on June 12, 2023, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee.