After voters soundly defeated a referendum bid last fall to expand the Mt. Prospect Public Library, board members went back to the drawing board in an effort to convert voters to their cause.
Library officials scaled back plans for the expansion and reduced costs by one-third while adding enough space to stay ahead of growing demands and technology.
The result: another referendum issue on the Nov. 7 ballot that will ask voters to approve a $9.5 million bond issue to remodel the building, expand it to 103,000 square feet from 57,000, and buy more equipment and books.
“The board listened to the voters, and we’re not coming back with the same plan,” said Marilyn Genther, the library’s executive director. “Our statistics are increasing, and we can’t meet the demands of the community.”
The board went to the voters in 1994 with a $15 million referendum proposal calling for an expansion of 110,000 square feet. To trim costs, library officials decided to remodel rather than renovate the space, only upgrade the lighting in the lower-level parking area, and scale back the second-floor addition.
Built about 20 years ago, the library was designed to hold 200,000 books, with minimal space for audio-visual equipment. The shelves currently house 300,000 books.
In the past five years, circulation has increased 52 percent, while reference questions have jumped 66 percent. Genther said that 78 percent of district residents have a library card and that 2,100 patrons visit the library each day.
“There’s an electronic revolution, but we have no flexibility to respond with more computers,” Genther said. “People are demanding a lot more of library services.”
Some voters are still skeptical of the revised plan.
“I would hope a good portion goes toward actual books,” said Jean Vander Ark of Mt. Prospect. “I don’t know if the space is necessary if they’re just going to store the books. We need usable space.”
The largest increase in space would be in the adult services area, which would nearly double to 44,600 square feet and include study areas and electronic equipment.
Genther estimated that to pay for the expansion and increased operating expenses, the typical taxpayer would see the library portion of his property-tax bills increase about $57 a year. The rate per $100 of assessed valuation would be 19 cents.
The library is sponsoring a public information session from 7:30 to 9 p.m. Monday at the library, 10 S. Emerson St., to tell residents more about the referendum issue.
