Eclectic, mainstream celebrated at Publisher's Gallery

Tucked among the galleries displaying photography and paintings at the Chicago Cultural Center, Publisher's Gallery looks much less like your typical hands-off display of creative works and more like a cozy study.

The small gallery features bookshelves organized by publishers and divided into subjects like religion, philosophy and Chicago history, separated by dog- and jack-shaped bookends with comfortable couches and chairs where visitors can sit down and read for a bit. The goal is to celebrate the often overlooked Chicago publishing industry by bringing together more than 1,500 books from more than 100 local publishers.

The publishers themselves are as eclectic as the works, with academic texts from Northwestern University and the University of Chicago sitting near pamphlets published by small, independent presses.

Since it opened in October, one of the most popular functions has been the collection of periodicals. Newspapers and magazines from throughout the Chicago area are available to flip through to check up on neighborhood news or stories in literary magazines or niche publications. A lamp-lit Internet terminal is also available with access to online periodicals and Chicago book blogs, a recognition that not all of Chicago's publishing appears on paper.

Also a celebration of reading in general, the gallery features prints from a book-themed graphic novel by Audrey Niffenegger, author of "The Time Traveler's Wife." Display cases show off art, comic books and books from artists and other books of photography and art are available to flip through.

Organizers of the gallery began by reaching out to the area's publishers. The more they contacted, the more they were referred to. The goal is to maintain the space as an evolving collection. As publishers put out new works, older books will be phased out so there's always something to check out. The area is kept comfortable to invite people visiting the Center's more formal galleries to browse and relax a little. You'll often spot people quietly studying or talking while flipping pages.

Of course the place is still a gallery, not a library. So if you do find a book that you're interested in but don't have the time or desire to finish it there, they make it easy for you to pick up your own copy. Wish-list book marks are available where you can jot down the title, author and publisher of something that caught your eye to try and track it down later, and a variety of books from the collection are also available at the Cultural Center's store.

Because of the free admission and chill atmosphere, the new gallery makes a great place to relax for a bit, especially if you plan on checking out some of the other exhibits going on nearby. Even if you normally just read at home or on the train, the opportunity to learn a little more about the city's literary scene and maybe find a book you never would have spotted before is worth checking out.

Chicago Publishers Gallery

Chicago Cultural Center

Facts: 77 E. Randolph St., Chicago, (312) 744-6630, chicagopublishersgallery.com

Hours: 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday

Admission: Free

While you're there

Where to eat

• Encore Liquid Lounge, 171 W. Randolph St., Chicago, (312) 338-3788, encorechicago.com

Populated by Loop workers, shoppers and theater goers, Encore serves soups, salads, sandwiches and cocktails at its spiral-shaped bar and booths. You can also often catch performances of acid jazz and R&B.

• Stefani's Tuscany Cafe, 77 W. Wacker Drive, Chicago, (312) 252-0863, stefanirestaurants.com

Open early, Tuscany Cafe serves coffee, bagels and pastries with homemade pizza, paninis and wraps taking over for lunch. Or you can chill at the bar with a cocktail and watch one of their plasma TVs.

Things to do

• Millennium Park, 201 E. Randolph St., Chicago, (312) 742-1168, milleniumpark.org

Regularly host to a variety of outdoor concerts, tours and other programs, Millennium Park features some of the city's most impressive public art including Cloud Gate (often referred to as The Bean) and the spitting Crown Fountain.