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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Board Action Moves Both Projects Forward

Construction Starting Soon At Aspen Drive Library
Last night, the Cook Memorial Public Library District Board unanimously approved awarding the Aspen Drive Library construction contract to EVS Construction of Aurora.

“EVS was the lowest responsible bidder for the job,” said Aaron Lawlor, Board President.

Out of fifteen bid submissions, EVS was the lowest bidder at $5,390,000. The construction contract will officially be awarded once the property title is transferred to the Library District,
which is scheduled to occur on December 12. At the closing, the title to the Aspen Drive property will be transferred from the Village of Vernon Hills to the Library District. Construction will start as soon as possible after the award of the contract.

“We’re excited and ready to get started,” said John Campbell, EVS Project Manager. “Right now, we are checking the weather to see when we can get started.”

Since 1996, EVS has established a reputation of delivering high-quality projects on time and within budget. The company specializes in municipal buildings and recently completed the New Yorkville Middle School and the East Aurora High School Freshman Center.

Funding for Cook Park Library Expansion Approved
In other action, the Library Board approved an ordinance to authorize the sale of an additional $7 million in debt certificates. Proceeds from this sale will be used to fund the Cook Park expansion project.

“We are still on track to seek construction bids for the Cook Park project this winter and start
construction in 2009,” said Library Director Dan Armstrong. “The coming year will certainly be one of great change and excitement!”

When completed, the Building a Better Future expansion plan will add 30,000 square feet of
library space to the district without raising taxes. The plan includes remodeling and adding
11,200 square feet to the Cook Park Library in Libertyville and creating a full-service, permanent library on Aspen Drive in Vernon Hills. Both projects will be completed simultaneously, with a total budget of approximately $14 million. Funding for the construction and operations costs are provided for in the district’s annual budgets and through the sale of debt certificates.

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District Expands Budget

Cook Memorial Public Library District Board members agreed to increase the library expansion budget to $14 million.

"The district is on sound financial footing to complete both projects," said Board President Aaron Lawlor. "Providing additional funds on the front end gives us the opportunity to build the best possible libraries."

With the increased budget, preliminary plans indicate that the Cook Memorial Public Library District will be able to offer expanded services at both facilities.

At the Cook Park Library, plans include bringing the Youth Services Department to street-level, sun-filled space and developing a quiet reading rooms and community meeting space. The plans include doubling public seating and increasing library materials from 250,000 to 400,000 volumes. In addition, small group study rooms and a large meeting room will be open to the public.

With the expanded budget, the new library on Aspen Drive will feature a 20,000 square foot new building. The new library will hold 120,000 volumes of materials, 80 public seats, small conference rooms, and a meeting room for public use.

“We want to give our community the best possible library facilities. We have the resources to expand the budget and bring even better library facilities to the district.” said Library Director Dan Armstrong.

The project budget can be expanded without asking taxpayers for a referendum or issuing additional debt certificates. The district finished the 2007 fiscal year with $2.2 million in special reserves and expects to finish the 2008 fiscal year with an additional $910,000 surplus. Together, the surpluses will create a reserve of more than $3 million. These funds, combines with the $12 million issued debt certificates, provide a total of $15 million in available funding.

By increasing the budget from $12 million to $14 million, the library will have a $1 million contingency fund while adding 11,200 square feet to the Cook Park Library and building a 20,000 square feet library in Vernon Hills.

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Your Library's ROI

Libraries are economic assets that provide a wealth of material and services to a community. A thriving, attractive library not only attracts businesses, but is also good for everyone’s bottom line. Libraries of all types stretch their resources to provide everyone with access to items such as books, magazines, DVDs, CDs, and services such as Internet access, use of expensive databases, and a wide variety of educational and cultural programs. By investing in the library, you are helping to build a better future for the community.

Discover What You Save By Using The Library

Your tax dollars fund and support all these services plus your library building and its operation. “Cash in” on this investment by visiting today--you will discover a wealth of materials, resources, and experiences waiting for you!

• Individual Assistance and Attention Cook Memorial Public Library District is a fantastic place to go to start your research, find something good to read, watch, or listen to, and get assistance with crafting an Internet search. The staff at your library has been trained to help you and enjoys doing so. Don't be afraid to ask a question, after all, information is our business.
• Better, Faster, and More Accurate Online Resources The Internet is great way to find information. However, what you find isn't always accurate, in-depth enough, or exactly what you want. Cook Memorial Public Library District subscribes to several online databases that are filled with reliable, accurate, and detailed information on topics such as medicine, current events, investments, and genealogy. These online resources are designed to save you time by making your search more effective and productive. Ask your librarian how you can use these resources in the library or from home.
• Location Assistance We might not own every book, CD, or magazine but, Cook Memorial Public Library District does offer a service called Interlibrary Loan (ILL). This means that the item you want is located using an online database, then requested to be sent to Cook, and finally, you are notified of its arrival. A similar service is the Reciprocal Borrowing Program (RBP), which allows you to go to a neighboring library and checkout materials. These services are the product of library cooperation and are designed to allow you easier access to a broader collection of materials.
• Language Assistance English may not be your native language but, library staff will be happy to help you locate books, online resources, and material in many languages. Often these materials can be found in your library but, may also be borrowed from other libraries for your use. Cook Memorial Public Library District also offers programs for non-native English speakers, so don't be afraid to ask for more information!
  Great Connections Cook Memorial Public Library District is a community gathering spot for people in both the traditional physical sense and in the online, virtual sense. Programs for children, teens, and adults are still offered, but now you can sign-up for them online.

The library also encourages you to come in and use our high-speed Internet connection or WiFi access. Our website provides you with access to events, information, and services anytime of day wherever you are at.

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