ABOUT
The Bezazian Branch of the Chicago Public Library opened its doors in January 1957.
A lot has changed in our neighborhood since then.
Two things haven’t.
Our branch still looks more or less the same as it did in 1957, and it is still a go-to resource for the more than 57,000 people who call Uptown home.
The first–that a well-used, well-loved public library has gone so long without major renovation–is something that, frankly, we'd like to see changed. The second is proof positive of the library's vital importance to our community, and as a testament to the hard work and commitment of library personnel.
In 2022, the last year for which we have data, more than 200 people, on average, visited our branch every single day.
In fact, Bezazian is consistently one of the busiest of Chicago’s 81 libraries (a number that includes the Harold Washington Library Center and the three regional libraries).
Our small branch ranked:
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9th in computer sessions, with 15,409 sessions logged
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15th in circulation, with 76,814 books, CDs, and DVDs lent
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25th in foot traffic, with 54,207 visitors
People don’t come to Bezazian just for books, periodicals, and media in five languages. They come for lectures, films, performances, demonstrations, workshops, book group, meetings, writer’s club, and digital skills training. School kids come to get help with homework or participate in special after-school activities. Preschoolers and their parents come for story time, which routinely draws audiences of more than 40 young listeners each week.
Bezazian is an unparalleled community resource, a hub of learning, enjoyment, professional and personal development, health, and skill building. It helps shape and anchor our community in all its diversity.
When we look at the ways that our neighborhood continues to change, we believe that the demands on our library's resources will only grow.
That means everyone–those who live here, work here, or invest here–will benefit from the work we do to support and improve our branch.
THE NAME
Our branch was named for Harold A. Bezazian, 1911–1945, an aspiring writer who grew up in Uptown, graduated from Columbia University, became a reporter for the Chicago Times, and was killed by enemy fire while leading a rescue operation for soldiers under his command in World War II.
His father, John B. Bezazian, was an immigrant from Armenia who overcame poverty and prejudice to became a successful businessman in this country. With his son Harold’s death, he became a notable philanthropist, as well, creating scholarships, building parks in underserved neighborhoods, and–at the urging of his daughter-in-law, Uptown activist Florence Bezazian–making the lead gift to build a library in his son’s name.
The next time you’re in the library, stop to read the dedication plaque in the lobby or, better still, visit the portrait of Harold Bezazian that hangs in the community room.
If you'd like to learn a little more about the Bezazian family, check out this article, which appeared in Uptown Update.