SPRINGFIELD- Today, Governor JB Pritzker joined Illinois Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias, Congresswoman Nikki Budzinski, and leaders from across the state to honor former Illinois Governor and Secretary of State Jim Edgar by dedicating the ‘Jim Edgar Reading Room’ at the Illinois State Library in Springfield. The program celebrated Edgar’s efforts to improve libraries and literacy programs across Illinois. The House Joint Resolution to rename the Reading Room, proposed by Sec. Giannoulias, was adopted in April.
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“Governor Jim Edgar has a relentless passion for upholding our political institutions, and a seemingly unlimited energy to continue bettering them,” said Governor JB Pritzker. “From the construction of the new Illinois State Library, to extensive rural library investments, to his nationally-renowned adult literacy program, Jim has connected so many across our state with new opportunities to learn, read, and grow. There is no more fitting tribute to him than the Illinois State Library Reading Room, a place that holds within its shelves the values that Jim has exemplified and fought for throughout his life: civic engagement, public good, and intellectual freedom.”
“It’s a privilege to honor the legacy of Governor Jim Edgar – an incredible statesman, advocate and friend – for his career of service to our state and its citizens,” said Illinois Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias. “The Jim Edgar Reading Room enshrines the former Governor and Secretary of State’s legacy and indelible contributions to our state’s library, which continue to have a profound impact throughout our state.”
“I’m proud to join Governor Pritzker and Secretary Giannoulias in honoring my friend and mentor, Governor Jim Edgar,” said Congresswoman Nikki Budzinski. “Throughout his many years of public service, Governor Edgar was a champion of Illinois’ library system and literacy programs, and he took immense pride in our state’s rich literary heritage. I can’t think of a better way to celebrate his legacy than by dedicating a reading room in the library he helped build.”
Throughout his career in public service, Edgar initiated several important library programs and infrastructure efforts, including:
- Read Illinois, which showcased Illinois authors and the State’s literary heritage,
- ILLINET Online, a statewide library circulation system and resource-sharing catalog utilized regionally by public and academic libraries,
- An adult literacy program that later became a national model,
- Rural library development, creating larger units of library service across Illinois,
- Construction of the new Illinois State Library building, completed in 1990.
Referred to by his staff as “The Reader,” Edgar was known for his large personal library and collection of Illinois history books on loan from the State Library. The newly named Jim Edgar Reading Room can be visited at the Illinois State Library now. For more details and visiting hours, visit www.ilsos.gov/departments/library/.
“The Jim Edgar Reading Room is one small way we can say thank you to a leader who has spent his career bringing people together,” said House Speaker Emanuel ‘Chris’ Welch. “It’s not just a tribute to his name; it’s a recognition of his legacy, the work he has done, and the work he continues to do. And it’s a reminder that we continue that work every day—together.”
“What a fitting tribute to a leader who was instrumental in the construction of the very library that houses this reading room. I want to wish Governor Edgar the very best,” said Senate President Don Harmon.
“Celebrating the former Governor while promoting a love of reading is a meaningful win for our state,” said House Minority Leader Tony McCombie (R-Savanna).
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