Waukegan Public Library set to begin ‘Deck the Walls’

On Dec. 17, the Waukegan Public Library will begin a construction project to expand the North Shore Gas Adult Literacy Room located in the lower level.

The project, titled “Deck the Walls,” will significantly increase program and classroom space for family and adult education.

The library’s Literacy Suite opened in January 2010 offering no-cost educational opportunities for adults and families in reading, writing, math or speaking English. Within the short amount of time since the room was open, the great demand for literacy programs at the library now requires additional space.

Currently, there are large student waiting lists to participate in the Conversational ESL, Citizenship, and Leamos classes, and new classes such as Spanish pre-GED and Health Education are being developed.

Existing adult basic education, family literacy, and computer classes in Spanish and English have also outgrown the space.

To fund the needed construction, the “Deck the Walls Campaign: The Literacy Suite Expansion Project” was created. All funds raised will go toward tripling the programming and classroom space in the library’s Literacy Suite in order to meet the increasing literacy needs of the community.

Plans are being finalized and construction scheduled to coincide with winter break beginning Monday, Dec. 17, and reopening Sunday, Jan. 22, 2013.

For details about the “Deck the Walls” campaign, contact Elizabeth Stearns at elizabethstearns@waukeganpl.info or call (847) 623-2041, ext. 256. Patrons may contribute online at www.waukeganpl.org.

All donations are tax deductible, accepted through the library’s foundation, a nonprofit with a registered 501(c)(3).