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Home My WebLink AboutVolume 03 - 1987 1.1 OAK BROOK LIBRARY ASSOCIATIONLLETI B U N Vol. 3 No. 1 Spring •1987 Open Forum: the Future of our library The following letter was sent to the candi- Specifically,we would like you to address mailed to more than 700 Village dates for President of the Village Board on the questions of (1) expansion, and (2) households. The issues of growth and February 23. The OBLA Board of Directors excellence. excellence are vital concerns to those who thanks the three candidates for sharing The library has no room for additional are OBLA members. their views with the OBLA membership. books. It is about at capacity. Space for Please limit your response to 400 words. reading and studying is inadequate.There Your response will be published verbatim. is no room for meetings, discussion Dear Candidates for President of the groups or services becoming common in Village Board: other libraries. The Oak Brook Library Association Board By most measures,the Oak Brook Library would like to let its members know the is average.(See accompanying newsletter.) type of leadership you intend to provide, Yet our Village has a commitment to Note:the order of presentation was chosen with regard to the Oak Brook Library, if excellence. by lot at the March meeting of the Board of The OBLA Board will publish your views in Directors of the Oak Brook Library Associa- you are elected to serve the Village as President. the next issue of its Bulletin, which is tion. I d y , Fl brry k. 1 KAREN BUSHY: ART PHILIP: WENCE CERNE: I am so pleased to have the opportunity to We have belonged to the Library I have always supported the concept that express my views to the Association. Association for a number of years and have the library should provide our Village with Alibraryanditscontentsareusuallyafairly always considered ourselves "Friends of a high level of service and availability, accurate measure of itsowner-whether its the Library." consistent with demand, and I shall a personal library, a university library, a I think it should go without saying that Oak continue to do so. My family and I have corporate library or in this case, our free Brook is entitled to an above average been frequent users of the library for many public library. As Oak Brook grows and library in this community built on years. matures as a community, I think it is the excellence.This will require expansion of Our library is currently functioning responsibility of the residents, through both physical plant and services. generally in the manner which was their elected officials, to be sure that the As leader of our Village,I would direct the envisioned when the Village began library really reflects what they want.That Library Commission and the Library operating the library as a Village reflection includes both the quantity and Association to make a thorough study of department without a tax to raise revenue. the quality of the size, content, staffing, the situation and present a professional The building was remodeled as part of the programs,services,etc.We must examine recommendation to both the Board and municipal complex project,and is paid for. what our commitment is, and if that residents of Oak Brook. The size and Annual operating costs are about commitment is to excellence in every extent of our library must be determined $200,000.00, a level which can be aspect, as I think it should be, then we by the people of Oak Brook. supported within the Village's general must begin a physical appraisal of what we We must address the needs of our library revenues. With the installation of the have and how it compares to our goals. as they would apply to a long range computer program to access the books of I don't think Oak Brook needs to look to development plan. This plan is two-fold. many other libraries, we have been installations like Downers Grove or First,we have to determine these needs as concentrating on expanding the outreach Elmhurst, but I hope we are already they pertain to number of volumes,type of program, such as the children's summer looking into the ways we can provide services and size of the physical plant. reading program and study groups, as a expanded space for our library that would Second, we must remain within the fiscal means of broadening community enable us to better meet the needs and constraints of a free public library. participation. expectations of our residents.The Village I am always open to reasonable future While we are following the original plans KAREN M.BUSHY ARTHUR W.PHILIP WENCE F.CERNE of Oak Brook owns the building and recommendations you have for our Village for the library, operating concepts do property currently occupied by a beauty and especially as they relate the the library. sometimes change. Therefore, we have salon at the northwest corner of Jorie Blvd. I will continue to support our library and asked our Library Commission to consider and Oak Brook Road (31st St.). Since we look forward to your support on April 7. and evaluate the future role of the library have decided to not extend the lease for in Oak Brook. I expect that the thecurrenttenantandthatbuildingwillbe Commission's consideration will include available reasonably soon, I would urge j �� ,� � �� specifically the needs and usage patterns the assessment of the site and the buildings of our Village, where many residents itself to determine its appropriateness for maintain private libraries, home use as a library. If that building and/or site ' t "( computers and audio collections, and are not deemed appropriate or suitable, I �i' 7.it: r where usage patterns may vary greatly would urge a continuing search for a way from those experienced in other to improve our physical plant. ` x ��( �� communities. The Oak Brook Library is a very important 1 '1-‘ y . 1When the Commission has presented its '"., � � " recommendations, the Village Board will part of our village. I believe it needs � �� • increased attention from the community a consider the subject in detail,based upon full and factual stud In the meantime, I and from the Village Board.I am pleased to ��- � have no re-conceived thoughts on the re affirm to all our residents my � . `� p gJ ., Yjjj -s e ' - ..,:.:,:,,,i,., ", -- . _ i: matter. +do feel that if areaf estate tax is- comm. itment to excellence — not only at --„, the lbrary, but throughout the other ' ,b _ � 6 required to provide a new building, departments of the Village as wel ! ''',1.1;-.0,l. ° expanded staff,expanded collection,more ''�' extensive facilities, etc.,that the question of a real estate tax for the library should be ;:. - voted upon by the public at a referendum. OBLA• Board of Directors Thomas B.Doyle,President Margaret Claffy Orlando Cuasay OAK BROOK PUBLIC LIBRARY Joseph Fullan 1200 Oak Brook Road Reynold Gottlieb Oak Brook,IL 60521 Linda Rogan 990-2222 Lucia Sutton LIBRARY HOURS Marilyn Wittemann Monday — Thursday 10:00 — 9:00 p.m. Friday — Saturday 10:00 — 4:00 p.m. OBLA• Bulletin Marilyn Wittemann,Editor Patricia Doyle,Design NON-PROFIT ORG. OAK BROOK LIBRARY ASSOCIATION P.O. BOX 3131 U.S.POSTAGE PAID OAK BROOK, ILLINOIS 60521 PERMIT NO.371 OAK BROOK, IL Mr. & Mrs. Michael P. Rogan 112 Saddle Brook Dr. Oak Brook, IL 60521