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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