Library kicks up dust

The Lisle Library is about to undergo a $1.4 million makeover with an eye toward improving its look, versatility and accessibility.

Library officials, who have been talking about improving the facility for years, agreed this week to pursue what's expected to be a five-month renovation project.

Work is scheduled to begin around Sept. 1 at the 26-year-old building at 777 Front St.

Different portions of the 30,000-square-foot structure will be closed for times during the project, officials said, and the entire library may be shuttered during some of the work.

When the project is finished, probably around February, officials say, the library will feature a new main entrance, a more efficient floor plan, handicapped-accessible restrooms, technology-friendly wiring and amenities ranging from a bay window and seating area to new carpeting, paint and, in some cases, furniture.

It will be the first major renovation since the building was expanded in the late 1980s, according to Rhonda Snelson, head of public relations and programming.

"They designed this to be a 25-year building, and they did a very good job, but it's now almost 27 years old," she said.

"It will be a complete renovation of the interior for both efficiency and the comfort of our patrons," Director Bill Strecker said.

The library board voted Wednesday to hire Walter Daniels Construction Co. of Chicago to oversee the project. The bulk of the financing will come from the library's emergency fund, Snelson said, although officials also hope to pursue donations.

The board had sought taxpayer approval to build a new $14.1 million library two years ago, saying the current facility was aging and outdated, but voters overwhelmingly rejected the plan.

Officials then turned their attention to renovations. They hoped to begin work earlier this year but had to delay the project when initial bids came in too high. The board was forced to seek new proposals, which it reviewed and accepted this week.

Snelson said work will begin in the Youth Services Department, which likely will be closed to the public for four to five weeks beginning in September.

She said officials hope to have that portion of the project finished quickly to limit the time it's closed during the school year. The library will offer extended loan periods on children's materials to ease the impact.

One key piece of the construction puzzle will be moving the main entrance from Front Street to what's now the "back door" on the east side of the building. The circulation desk, which currently sits in the middle of the library -- so it's "equally inconvenient to people using both doors" -- will be moved near the new entrance, Snelson said.

The library also will install ADA-compliant bathrooms for the first time and plans to widen its aisles and lower its book stacks to make them more accessible to people in wheelchairs.

Much of that work can be done with the library open, but it's likely the facility will be closed when crews install a bay window on the north wall that will provide about 1,000 square feet of seating space.

"I'm guessing we'll have to close when we put a hole in the wall," Snelson said.

Patrons probably will experience other inconveniences during the project, she said, "but when it's over we think the response will be very favorable."