Thanks to 95.9 The River

This morning I stopped by Larry's Diner to talk about the Library live on-air with DJ Scott Mackay from 95.9 The River. Thanks to Scott and the staff of The River for having me on to talk about our fabulous Library!

Scott thought my comment that we are "not your grandmother's library" was interesting and that library use would be dwindling. But in our Library, like others around the nation, is busier than ever! More people look to the Library for Internet access and entertainment. We can't keep up with the demand for storytimes and other kids programming. As the only resource in the community for free computer use with Internet access, foot traffic has skyrocketed. Our residents look to the Library for things like DVDs and CDs, that they can get without charge. Many services are available electronically 24/7 like databases and homework help. You can download ebooks, audiobooks and videos without leaving the comfort of home. Our Library is definitely not what it was even ten years ago.

Unfortunately, unlike for-profit businesses, tough times mean dwindling funding for libraries despite the boom in use. State grant funding has fallen 47% this year alone. Lower property values will reduce the property tax money that makes up over 85% of the Library's budget. We're doing more with less everyday.

Scott and the other DJs from the River will be broadcasting live from Larry's all day long, so stop by and say hello. Tell them the Library sent you!

Old Building, New Problems

Along with all of the interior changes to shelving and space use, Trustees and staff have also been assessing the condition of the building and its systems with an eye to keeping it functional for another 3-5 years before renovating or expanding. In your November/December Library newsletter, the cover article will be on this very topic.


The building is old, fast approaching its 20th year. It is a well-used public building, meaning that it gets significant wear-and-tear. It also has some quirks. Take the HVAC system for example. For some reason unknown to me or any Trustee/staff member who was here at the time, the rooftop air conditioning unit added when the lower level was built out in 1996 is a model designed for the Canadian market, making it difficult to obtain parts when needed. Another example: rubber membrane roofing was used to cover the sides of the gable for the roof access door, like siding. Not a standard use of the product, by any means.


Overall, the age of the building means that all of the systems with 15-20 years expected service lives are no longer as reliable as they once were. Things are starting to break down. You may remember our recurring elevator issues this summer or the roof leaks from the spring. The roofing issues are more immediate now, as they are increasing over time. Look for a roof repair and replacement project going to bid in early October.

This project will repair damaged portions of the shingled roof and entirely replace the rubber membrane portion, plus the decking and insulation beneath that portion. About one third of the Library's roof is flat, though it cannot be seen from street level. Four rooftop air conditioning units and the skylight over the main stairwell are hidden from view by the pitched, shingled portions of the roof.


Funds for the roof repair and replacement will come from the Library's only capital and emergency fund: the Special Reserve Fund. With sources of income for this fund being transfers in from the General (aka Operating) Fund and Developer's Annexation Fees, which are collected through an intergovernmental agreement with the Village of Plainfield, its income has dropped sharply. In FY2006, over $244,000 was collected from those fees. In FY2009, it was just over $13,000. Special Reserve Funds were used to purchase the property at 15022 S. Division Street during FY2009 and will be used to complete the contracted purchase of the Route 59 parking lot in 2010. Today's Special Reserve Fund balance is $600,000, which includes the earmarked funds for that contracted purchase and the roof repair and replacement.

Where Do I Go?

The new overhead signs in the Library are being installed this morning! The new signage is a flexible system that can be easily and economically changed to reflect the shifting collections of the Library. Unlike the existing signs, which are a custom color and imprinted, the new signs were selected from a local vendor in a standard color and popular overhead sign design with printed inserts that can be removed and updated.

The custom imprinted signs had become outdated. Since they were made, the Library has added collections like Foreign Language, Books on CD, DVDs, and Graphic Novels. The Youth Services Computer Area was created. Rooms have been repurposed like the Computer Classroom and Original Library Room.

New signs reflect the changes being made in the the Library's use of space and collections. Like the existing furnishings and shelving, the overhead signs can be easily incorporated for use in a renovation or expansion in the future. I hope the new signs help you find what you need more easily!

Installation Complete! Shifting Continues...

All of our shelving ranges have reached their new locations. The end panels are on and look good. Today’s focus will be getting the rented carts cleared so that Hallett Movers can pick them up. Shifting will be ongoing for a while, as the collections are moved into their new permanent homes. It will take some time to complete all of the projects. When complete:

• Local History, Genealogy, maps/atlases, newspapers and magazines will all be housed in the Original Library.
• Foreign Language will spread out, with separations between Spanish, Hindi, and Polish collections and face-out display for each.
• Holiday and Parenting collections will be housed on the new shelving in the aisle on the Youth Services Easy/J Fiction side.
• J Graphic Novels and J Reference will be housed on the new shelving in the aisle of the J Non-Fiction/YA/Teen side.
• Non-Fiction, Fiction, Books on CD, Large Print, YA Fiction, Y Non-Fiction, Teen, Teen Graphic Novels, Easy Non-Fiction, J Non-Fiction, Easy and J Fiction will all shift with their new shelf space to allow for easier browsing, reshelving of books and additions to the collection.

Now we beginning the final planning for the backroom changes that were included in the Next Steps Plan, the plan devised by Board, staff, and community input to get the Library through the next 3-5 years while continuing to provide the best service possible to the community with what we have. The backroom changes include repurposing the Local History Room for a Study Room, repurposing the Study Room on the lower level for an office/workroom, moving the telephone reception workstation, and creating a larger area for carts in the Circulation workroom.

Into the Home Stretch!

The project is on schedule! View the progress on Flickr!

The moving of existing shelving ranges is done. The final two 60” ranges were placed in YA/Teen and the existing ranges reconfigured and moved. The remainder of YA Fiction has moved onto its new taller shelves in its previous location.

Other collections in temporary locations are:

• Books on CD are on the tops of the Reference shelves.
• Y Non-Fiction is on the new shelves near the Big Cozy Book seating area.
• Teen Graphic Novels are sharing space with J Graphic Novels on their shelving unit.
• Teen Fiction is on newly relocated shelves in the aisle of the YA/J Non-Fiction side of Youth Services.
• J Reference is on the ledge around the Bay Window Area.
• Large Print is on 42” shelving in the Original Library.
• Fiction (the end of the collection) is on Hallett carts near the hexagonal display.

*Apologies for my mistake yesterday, reporting that it was the beginning of the Fiction collection on the carts. It is actually the end.

The final two ranges of 90” shelving will be constructed tomorrow morning. The end panels will be installed last. Then the final shifting of collections from temporary locations onto their new shelving ranges will be done, time and workload permitting.

More Moves for More Shelves!

Today, two more of the 90" shelving ranges were installed. The first of the 60" shelving ranges being replaced upstairs was relocated to the YA/Teen area. The 60" YA/Teen shelving range shifted forward and the 42" range was relocated. The YA Fiction collection is, as I type, being moved to allow for tomorrow's moves. Any drilling/construction/assembly noise was over by 9:30am.

Other collections in temporary locations are:

• Books on CD are on the tops of the Reference shelves.
• Y Non-Fiction is on the new shelves near the Big Cozy Book seating area.
• Teen Graphic Novels are sharing space with J Graphic Novels on their shelving unit.
• Teen Fiction is on newly relocated shelves in the aisle of the YA/J Non-Fiction side of Youth Services.
• J Reference is on the ledge around the Bay Window Area.
• Large Print is on the relocated 42” shelving in the Original Library.
• Fiction (the beginning of the collection) is on carts near the Circulation Desk.

Tomorrow, the 60" shelving ranges will all be relocated to the YA/Teen area. The last of the 42" shelving ranges in that area will be relocated.

The project is on schedule for installation and relocation of shelving to be complete on Thursday morning. It will take a little longer to get the collection shifted from their temporary locations to their new homes.

Museum Adventure Pass - Plainfield Not Included

Want a Museum Adventure Pass? Ask Macy's why they chose not to include Plainfield, Joliet, New Lenox, Oswego, Bolingbrook, or any of the other members of the Prairie Area Library System in their grant-funded program. You see, the fine print on those big pretty ads in the Sun-Times News Group newspapers (including, ironically, the Joliet Herald News and Plainfield Sun) is that only three of the four regional library systems serving suburban Chicagoland are included in the program. At the bottom of that lovely ad, you will see logos from three regional library systems - and Prairie Area Library System isn't one of them.

Can it be fixed? Can the missing libraries be included, you ask? Well, Plainfield Library staff have been told everything from "there is no money to include more libraries" to "Plainfield is too far away to qualify." Plainfield Library staff asked. When the Sun-Times News Group began publishing those lovely ads in our local newspapers, despite not including Plainfield, we BEGGED. To no avail.

It may be that PALS was too big to include - extending from Rockford to Kankakee, Galena to Peru, it is the largest regional library system in the state. However, the "too far" statement is too much: Antioch, a North Suburban Library System member is included, but Lemont, a Prairie Area Library System member like Plainfield, is not.

My advice to you is this: go here and ask Macy's why our library is not included. That's the "Contact Us" link on the Museum Adventure website Staff has asked and begged with no results. Maybe asking and begging from you, the Macy's customer, will help Macy's include ALL of the suburban libraries.

*** And in case you think it's as easy as changing regional library system membership - that is not a local decision, but comes from the State.