Cook Park Library Now Open!

Despite the cold weather, over 4000 people attended our Grand Opening on Saturday, January 8 over a four hour time period. The Grand Opening festivities were kicked off with a ribbon cutting ceremony led by Library Director Stephen Kershner, Board President Bonnie Quirke, and Libertyville Mayor Terry Weppler. Once inside patrons enjoyed music played by a very talented clarinet quartet comprised of current and former LHS students. A photo booth in the Teen area was a huge success and a fun way for patrons young and old to commemorate the day with complimentary photos. Positive comments were heard throughout the day from patrons who loved the spaciousness, the windows and all the new amenities including the adult reading room with fireplace, the small group study rooms and the new Children’s wing. Over 6,000 items were checked out that day but the fun didn’t stop there!

The Children’s Wing Grand Opening on Saturday, January 15 proved to be quite successful too with storytimes, face painting and a special presentation by entertainer and juggler Ken Schultz, “The Flying Fool”. So many children attended his two performances that parents had to wait outside the meeting room!

This beautiful library is much more than a building filled with books, dvds, cds, and magazines. We hope you will find our library to be a refuge. A place to not only find information, but a place you can escape to; a place where the community can come together. For us the library is the heart of a community and we are so pleased to be back!

There are many others who were involved with the completion and success of this project who deserve our warmest thanks:

Studio GC
Maggio Construction
The Friends of the Cook Memorial Public Library District
Rob Broms of Recordahit
Robert Merritt
Our clarinet quartet members; Colleen Caniff, Eric Leech, Jackie Hong, and Emmy Bjerre-Jensen
Ken Schultz
Miss Libertyville Alyssa Zizzo
Junior Miss Libertyville Ashley Muller
Little Miss Libertyville Arianna Berner

Finally, thank you to all our patrons for your patience during the long construction phase!

Read more...

Cook Park Carpet Installation

New carpet is now being installed at Cook Park Library

Read more...

Cook Park Library October Update

Read more...

Cook Park Progress

Although we have not posted an update in some time, rest assured that Cook Park is still moving forward! You may not see any progress from the outside, other than the new parking lot and street lamps, but there is MUCH activity going on inside! View our slide show and see for yourself!

Read more...

Cook Parking Lot

From 08-18-10 Cook Parking Lot

Progress on the parking lot at Cook Park Library.

Read more...

Cook Park Library Progress

Read more...

The latest progress on the Cook Park and Aspen Drive buildings.

Read more...

Construction Progress

Despite the many weather issues we have experienced, things are progressing on our building projects at a fast pace and they are really starting to look like the finished products! We thought it might be fun to provide you with side-by-side comparisons of each building that show what each building was designed to look like and what it actually looks like now. Below you will see the original drawings of each project above a photo of the actual building under construction. It really shows how far along the buildings are and what’s underneath all those tarps! Our completion dates of July 10, 2010 for Aspen Drive and Fall 2010 for Cook Park are getting closer and closer!

From Recently Updated

From Recently Updated

From Recently Updated

From Recently Updated

Read more...

Cook Park Demolition

Excitement is in the air! Demolition officially began at the Cook Park Library on September 2 when construction crews demolished the front entrance in preparation for the construction of the new Children’s Wing! The concrete slab is expected to be poured in the next couple of weeks.

In addition to that, holes were cut out of the west side wall to accommodate the large, beautiful windows that will be installed in the Adult Services area. These windows will provide additional light and picturesque views of historic downtown Libertyville. If you haven’t had the opportunity to see this in person, we encourage you to check it out. It is quite the sight to behold!

Read more...

Cook Park: Where is the parking lot?!

Demolition is now clearly underway at the Cook Library! Last week the construction fence was erected and this week trees were cleared and the parking lot was razed to make room for the construction trailers which will soon be in place. Demolition of the building could begin within the next two weeks! Stay tuned for more construction updates!

Read more...

Cook Park: Asbestos Abatement Finished!

Asbestos Abatement has been completed at Cook! Take your last look at the way Cook used to be. Things should start moving into high gear with construction fencing being installed as soon as next week.

Read more...

Cook Park Library Groundbreaking

Pictures from the Cook Park Library Groundbreaking today!

Read more...

(Almost) Time to Go!

Big changes are underway at the Cook Memorial Public Library District. Construction of the Aspen Drive Library in Vernon Hills is in progress, and construction of the Cook Park Library in Libertyville is set to start later this month.

Here's a closer look at how the move will affect library service in the Cook Memorial Public Library District:

• Library Closings:
  The Cook Park Library will close its doors at 6 p.m. on Friday, June 19 and will remain closed during construction. All of the Cook Memorial Public Library District facilities will be closed Saturday, June 20 and Sunday, June 21. At noon on Monday, June 22, library services will resume at the Evergreen Interim Library, on the Bookmobile, and at the new Temporary Library Center (TLC), 114 N. Milwaukee Avenue in Libertyville.
  

• Holds:
  While we are in the process of moving, you will be unable to place holds, Interlibrary loans (ILLs) or LINKin requests from June 15 through June 28.
  

• Returning Items:
  Drop boxes will be locked June 19 (at closing), June 20 and June 21. Library materials will not be due and fines will not be assessed June 20, 21 and 22. All of our drop boxes will be open at 8 a.m. on Monday, June 22. The Cook Park drop boxes will be unavailable until the Summer of 2010.
  

• Expanded Hours at Evergreen:
  Beginning June 23, the Evergreen Interim Library will be open an additional thirteen hours each week. Evergreen and TLC will be open the same hours:
  Monday - Thursday, 9 a.m. - 9 p.m.
  Friday, 9 a.m. - 6 p.m.
  Saturday, 9 a.m. - 5 p.m.;
  Sundays (September - May), 1 p.m. - 5 p.m.

• Continued Service During Construction:
  Evergreen Interim Library will continue to offer service until the Aspen Drive Library opens in Spring, 2010. TLC will be open to the public until the Cook Park Library re-opens in Summer, 2010.

We appreciate your patience in the midst of all our changes!

Read more...

You're Invited!

You Are Invited to the Cook Park Library Groundbreaking Celebration!

June 19 marks the last day the Cook Park Library will be open before construction starts. Join us for sweets, games, and an opportunity to say goodbye to the library. George Boehm, who was a library trustee when the library opened in 1968, will reflect on the future of the library during the brief groundbreaking ceremony. The celebration will start at 10 a.m. on Friday, June 19 at the Cook Park Library, 413 N. Milwaukee Avenue in Libertyville.

During construction, library services will be available at the Temporary Library Center (TLC) (114 N. Milwaukee), the Evergreen Interim Library (290 Evergreen Drive, Vernon Hills) and on the Bookmobile.

Read more...

We're Moving!

The Cook Park Library is closing its doors at 6 p.m. on Friday, June 19 for the duration of the library's expansion project. The district will open the Temporary Library Center (TLC) at Noon on Monday, June 22. The TLC will operate at 114 N. Milwaukee Avenue in Libertyville, during the much-anticipated construction project. Construction of the Cook Park Library will begin in mid-June and is expected to take more than a year.

Programs, meetings and other activities normally staged at the Cook Park library will be held elsewhere in the district.

The temporary library will have popular books, DVDs, CDs, kids materials and public computers. Items in the library's collection that are not on hand can be ordered and picked up at the TLC, the Evergreen Interim Library or a bookmobile stop.

The Cook Park library will be remodeled and receive an 11,000-square-foot addition as part of a $14 million construction project. A.J. Maggio Co. has been awarded the site's construction contract.

Read more...

Cook Park Library Construction Contract Approved

At the April 21 Board Meeting, trustees unanimously voted to award the Cook Park Library construction contract to A.J. Maggio Company. Over 14 contractors vied for the construction contract, and A.J. Maggio Co. had the lowest bid, totaling $5,012,500 with alternates.

"This is a very competitive bidding climate and we are fortunate to partner with A.J. Maggio Co., a well respected company. By selecting a qualified low-bidder, we are continuing our commitment to completing our projects on budget and without a tax increase," said Board President Aaron Lawlor.

A.J. Maggio Co. has been in business since 1961, and the majority of their work is comprised of commercial, institutional and government construction. The company previously worked with the library's architects, Gilfillan Callahan Nelson, to complete the Green Hills Public Library and the Plainfield Law Enforcement Center.

"Gilfillan Callahan Nelson Architects continues to enjoy its working relationship with A.J. Maggio Company," says firm proprietor Michael Gilfillan, AIA. "This familiarity with each other's work processes-along with the fact that our respective offices are located within four miles of each other-means that the Cook Memorial Public Library District will have both a veteran and accessible team dedicated to delivering this Cook Park Library project on-time and on-budget."

The 11,000 square foot addition and renovation is scheduled to start Monday, June 29. Before construction starts, the Cook Park Library will be moved to the Temporary Library Center (TLC). The TLC, located at the northeast corner of Milwaukee and Route 176, is scheduled to open to the public at Noon on Monday, June 22. The Cook Park Library is tentatively scheduled to reopen in August of 2010.

During construction, the library district will expand hours at the Evergreen Interim Library and add additional neighborhood stops to the Bookmobile schedule.

Construction of the Aspen Drive Library started in March and the facility's building pad is almost complete. The Aspen Drive Library will open in the spring of 2010.

View the Daily Herald article: http://www.dailyherald.com/story/?id=288360

Read more...

TLC Zoning Approval

The Village of Libertyville granted the Cook Memorial Public Library District zoning approval to temporarily move the library to 610 Milwaukee Avenue in Libertyville. The facility, to be titled Temporary Library Center or TLC, will open on Monday, June 15. The TLC will be open during construction of the Cook Park Library, which is expected to take about a year.

Read more...

Village Approves Expansion Plans

Construction to Start This Summer At Cook Park Library!

On March 10, the Libertyville Village Board unanimously approved expansion plans for the Cook Park Library.

“I am happy to report that the Libertyville Village Board unanimously approved our expansion plans,” said Library Director Dan Armstrong. “We expect to put the project out to bid before the end of March and award a construction contract in April.”

“With the village board's vote, we can now get the Cook Park project out to bid," said Board President Aaron Lawlor. "We are in a strong position to move forward. The library district has the funds it needs to complete both projects and the current bidding climate is in our favor."

"Many local construction companies are looking for work and we can provide them with a great project. The climate may change in the coming months when stimulus funding hits the streets, so we need to act quickly. Our project is about as shovel‐ready as it gets," added Lawlor.

The Library Board, concerned with the safety of patrons, frequent disruptions of library service, and the level of noise during construction, has asked staff members to investigate relocating during construction of the Cook Park Library. “We want to offer a safe and enjoyable library environment to our patrons during construction. We hope to move out before construction begins in June,” said Armstrong. Moving out will speed up construction by six months and cut construction costs. The project is expected to be completed one year after construction starts.

The Cook Park Library expansion is part of the Library Board’s Building a Better Future plan, which also includes building a new, full‐service library in Vernon Hills. The $14 million expansion project will be financed without raising taxes. For more information, call (847) 362‐2330 or visit www.cooklib.org.

Read more...

Cook Park Library Moves Forward

The Library Board approved a site design for the expanded Cook Park Library. The plan allows for an entrance into the new parking lot from Brainerd and an exit onto Church Street, which will create a one-way traffic flow in a clockwise motion. The plan will now be submitted to the Libertyville Zoning Board, which will meet on February 23.

Read more...

Zoning Continuance Requested

The Library District requested a continuance from Libertyville's Planning and Zoning Board. The next meeting will be held on February 23.

Read more...