On Feb. 19, more than 40 citizens of the Elk Grove Village portion of our library district attended the Schaumburg Township District Library board meeting. Though the Elk Grove village president and library board urged people to come, I personally feel many came not because they were sent, but because they wanted us to know how much the Elk Grove Village Library meant to them.
When our board made the decision to end the tax-sharing arrangement with the Elk Grove library, it was done for monetary reasons. We did not feel, given the likely lack of future growth in property tax revenue, that we could continue dividing the funds. As we are annually ranked as one of the best libraries in the nation for communities of our size, we determined we could meet the needs of those people that up to now were only making use of the Elk Grove Village Library.
During the meeting, Elk Grove residents expressed preference for the Elk Grove library because of its location, special programs and even because it was smaller.
State law and history mandates that cards from one library be honored at other libraries. We hope the final restrictions the Elk Grove Village Library places on our patrons will be equivalent to the reciprocal borrowing privileges we provide for those from other communities.
To all of the residents of Elk Grove Village who do not use our library, while I cannot guarantee we will surpass, or even necessarily match, every service you have enjoyed from the Elk Grove library, I can say we will work with you to try to meet your needs. We hope that, in time, you will feel the same satisfaction with our staff and library.
The Schaumburg Township District Library is proud of the broad range of services provided. It is not in the business of denying people library service and we want to be your library. I don't think the Elk Grove Village Library wants to deny people library service either, and they will find a way to accommodate those from the western portion of their village.
Bob Lyons, president
Schaumburg Township District Library Board
