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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1974 - Possible merge with junior high toak ` :. ., BOARD OF EDUCATION 2801 YORK ROAD TELEPHONE: 654.2887 ADMINISTRATIVE CENTER 2801 YORK ROAD ELEMENTARY SCHOOL DISTRICT 53 TELEPHONE: E PAUL BUTLERR SCHOOL OAK BROOK, ILLINOIS 60521 2801 YORK ROAD TELEPHONE: 654.2760 BROOK FOREST SCHOOL 60 REGENT DRIVE TELEPHONE: 325-6888 February 26, 1974 Mr. George Howell, President Oak Brook Village Board Oak Brook Road Oak Brook, IL 60521 Dear Mr. Howell: The Board of Education has designated a library committee consisting of Carl C. Hanke, Jr. and myself. The assignment of the committee is to explore the possibility of development of a joint venture library of District 53 and the Village to be constructed in conjunction with our proposed junior high school. We would like to meet with your library committee to discuss the feasibility of the project and hopefully the implementation. Mr. Hanke can be contacted at home 654-0474 or at work 654-7419 to set up a meeting date. Most respectfully, .lean Lindquist Mrs. Jo n) 4 ' f\i N \1 - March 18, 1974 MEMO TO: Erwin Pierce Joanne Re: Meeting with Village Finance, Corporate Planning & Public Properties Committee J. Beechen D. Swain J. Rush School District 53 Committee Mrs. Jean Lindquist. Mr. Carl C. Henke, Jr. Acting as the Oak Brook Library Commission, including myself, we ere all in agreement that this merger of Oak Broo, free Public Library with the School District 53 would be an unwise move. However, the Finance Committee has asked us to meet with the school committee and pursue the possibility further, perhaps a survey, and report to them. personally, I wo-ld like to see us restrain this idea with the school committee before it gets off the ground; understanding of course that we ceenot turn a deaf ear. Then I would like to see us sena a statement to the Village Committee, which appears to be very interested in the Library, explaining why; and outline our future goals for the Oae Brook Free Public Library. In order to do this, I am putting on paper, my reasons for not buying this package heal and I hope you will delete ane add to prior to our meeting on the 25th with the school committee. Agruments against: 1. This is an unnatural arrangement and would indicate that one or the other, or both are in trouble. Oak Brook Library is not and is witnessing great growth. Such a merger wo;:ld ;;ive the watered-down result that Mr. Swain interjected. 2. We are a member of the Du Page Library system, because by State authority a re-interpretation of the tax-supported requirement. de are receiving tax collars from the Village Corporate Puna and contribution money from the Oak brook Library Association. Such a merger woL.ld eliminate the Village supportand jeOpordize the other. Why contribute to a library forwhich you alread„ pay ac:,00l taxes. oe are not read;. for a tax levy and when we are perhaps it will be more clear if a. district or a villa5e library is the best way to go. we carrot speak for the citizene on this. 3. The services of the two libraries are not rely-:ted except that they both house books. Likened to a hospital and drug store, both house drugs but their services are not related. ( Excuse the Agnewism) 4. A school library is regimented with 8 periods a day. A public library is for toe public with services completely unregimented and totally by cnoice. pith 30,000 working • people going in and out of Oak Brook per day, our Oak Brook Library has a potential of services far beyond the horizons of a Junior High School Library. Future Goals of Oak Brook Library: To see Oak Brook have a public library for the entire village, not only residents, but services fot the working people and others w who come in and out of the Joanne is working toward a Village. o �, potential to become the first Businessmen'sLibrary. we have the villc�L-e with a shopping center to give the tax paying businesses • not just a librar, but a culture center. That wo.ld. be unique • (often referred to as Oak Brook). lion resident fees could be substantial, if we had the services to offer. The State of Illinois has a long range program of library development for 1972-1977 for providing the most services to the most people. The program inr.iated with 18 systems to which we are a member of Du Page. The final goal is a statewide card for intersystem reciprocal borrowing. Our membership has stimulated our existence and we should cooperate with and work toward the State's's goal of the most wervices to toe most people. a Our problem here is the future site and this,I think,as a commission,v.e should get involved in now. The rennovation of the present building will be adequate for this period of growth, if the archftectual plans can produce a safe building. (I was glad to hear the Committee delegate this to a professional) with so many plans and rumors of what is going where, community center, park district, villae shopping etc., I would like to meet with Ken and really get the picture of what land belongs to who (orwhom) and wLo car, buy or lease from whom ( or who). The • standard answer ofsomeplace""over there must be obselete by now. • Perhaps this wo la be the time to seek a meeting with Paul Butler with respect to him as the founder of Oak Brook, to see if he has any thoughts concerx.ing the Oak 3rook_ Library. • May we be united in our approach to the future, • June 18, 1974 Butler District 53 School Board Library Committee. Mrs. Jean Lindquist Mr. Carl Hanke Oak Brook Village Board Finance and Public Properties Committee. Mr. John Baschen Mr. David Swain Mr. Jos. Rush Dear Mrs. Lindquist and Gentlemen: The School Board has suggested that the Oak Brook Village Board investigate the feasibility of a combined Junior High School and Village library operation. The Village Board, through its Finance and Public Properties Committee has assigned the Library Commission to study this proposal with the School Board Library Committee and to formulate plans for future action. At the outset this subject appeared to have considerable merit and the Library Commission contacted the Du Page Library System and the American Library Association for informative material. Miss Alice Mc Kinley, executive director- Miss L. Vinson, executive secretary of American Association of School Libraries- and Mr. Gerald Born, executive secretary of Public Library Association were helpful in supplying papers which analyse experiences with projects of this kind. Reference material was distributed pertaining to: West Valley, Ill.- Lisle, I11.-Massachusetts Library Extension-Denver Libraries-American Public Library Association-Massachusetts Library Commissioners-67 random Multi agency Libraries of the ALA administration division-A. L. Balcken report of Young Adult Services-Canadian School Library Association-Morristown, Pa.-Dade County, Fla.- Fulton County, Atlanta-Queensborough-Hutchinson, Kan.-Philadelphia, Pa.- and Oak Park, Ill. A detailed report on a School-Public Library in West Virginia was not available. A Park District-Public Library combination is operating in Zion, Ill. From these sources the Library Commission has made the deduction that the only possible advantage of a combined operation might be some savings in tax dollars, which would be an admirable goal. However analysis of all available information indicates that no savings in operation or construction costs can be realized. Space heating and cooling costs may be somewhat reduced. Any savings, however, would be more than offset by attorneys' fees needed to unscramble the legal obligations and commitment limitations of a Village and a School District Administration. The only operating School-Village combined libraries are in towns of very low tax base and little growth potential. The staff must be duplicated. Vacation schedules vary. Fringe benefits are unequal. More complicated and costly administration is required. Division of cleaning and maintenance responsibility is difficult. Adult library users do not tend to relate to -' school facilities. Page 2 At present all efforts are directed toward expansion of library services and facilities in order to meet minimum Du Page Library System requirements. Any funds diverted toward other projects would not be in the best interest of the community. The publications studied stress cooperation between School and Public Libraries rather than combined operation. This would prevent unnecessary duplications of costly reference material, books, audio-visuals, films, computer data, art etc. Such combined effort should be implemented by joint meetings of the Board of Education, the Library Commission and librarians. If the Library Committee of the District 53 Board of Education concurs, we respectfully request that the School Board and the Village Board be advised that further consideration of a School-Public Library is not considered advisable at this time. Sincerely, Oak Brook Library Commission (moi L.F.'. Mrs. Bonnie Carl • Pierce Richardson Erwin Bahnsen Oak Brook Library;Association Mrs. Kay Miller, Secr.