Cook Park Carpet Installation

New carpet is now being installed at Cook Park Library

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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!

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Aspen Drive: Starting with a Good Foundation!

Exciting news from our Aspen Drive construction site:

The concrete has been poured and the foundation is set!

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(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!

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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.

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First Foundation Walls At Aspen

The first foundation walls were poured today at the Aspen Drive Library!

Despite the rain, the construction crew at EVS is still on schedule. So far, the crew has dug a detention pond, created a clay building pad, dug concrete footings, and started pouring concrete for the foundation walls. The building is on track to be completed in April, 2010.

For more construction photos, click here.

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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.

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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

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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.

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EVS Starts Construction At Aspen Drive

EVS construction began construction of the Aspen Drive Library. First up? Preparing the site for construction by building a fence.

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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.

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Aspen Drive Groundbreaking!

The Cook Memorial Public Library District officially broke ground on the 20,000 square foot new Aspen Drive Library in Vernon Hills at 10 a.m. on Saturday, January 24. Photos Video

When completed, the new library will feature 120,000 volumes of materials, a quiet Reading Room, space for meetings and group study, a high-tech teen area, a giant fish tank, a colorful children’s area, and a Butterfly Garden.

EVS Construction of Aurora was awarded the $5.39 million construction contract. The new library is expected to be completed in April of 2010.

In 2006, the Village of Vernon Hills purchased land on Aspen Drive for the Cook Memorial Public Library District to bring a full-service library to Vernon Hills. On May 22, 2007, the library’s Board of Trustees approved plans to simultaneously build a full-service library in Vernon Hills and expand the existing Cook Park Library in Libertyville. Both projects will be completed without raising taxes.

In 2008, the Cook Memorial Public Library District circulated 1.4 million items and was named the busiest library in Lake County and the eighth busiest library in the state of Illinois. The Cook Memorial Public Library District spans 48 square miles and serves 60,000 residents from Libertyville, Vernon Hills, Mundelein, Green Oaks, Mettawa, Indian Creek, and unincorporated Libertyville Township.

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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.

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Board Considers Moving Out During Cook Park Expansion

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. If the library can find an affordable space in Libertyville, "we will be able to offer a safe and enjoyable library environment, while cutting construction costs and time by as much as six months."

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Aspen Drive Library Bids Received

Bids for the Aspen Drive project were received, and three of the bids were below budget. The Board of Trustees is reviewing the bid documentation and will announce a construction company soon. Construction on the Aspen Drive project is expected to start by the end of the year.

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