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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