Fox Lake Library Dist. wants room to grow

After 31 years of self-sufficiency, Fox Lake Library District is asking voters for money to build a new library, citing crowded conditions and an aging building that's ill-equipped to meet future patrons' needs.

Voters will be asked to approve nearly $15 million in building bonds for the project in the Feb. 5 consolidated primary election. If approved, the owner of a $250,000 home would pay an additional $94 annually, officials said.

The library, which began in a small lumber yard office, has been in existence since 1939. Initially, it served only Fox Lake. In 1975, it was converted from a village library to a district library.

The library district today serves a population of 18,533, per the 2000 census. That includes much of Grant Township, portions of Antioch and Burton townships, and the towns of Fox Lake, Ingleside, Lakemoor, McHenry, parts of Round Lake, and Spring Grove.

The proposed two-story, 41,000-square-foot building would be more than double the size of the current library at 255 E. Grand Ave., Fox Lake.

It would have features such as a large meeting room, a cyber cafe with wireless Internet access, a children's activity center, a young adult area, quiet reading rooms and an outdoor story garden.

"A library should say something about the future," said librarian Harry Bork. "We want something from the 21st century. We don't want something that we have to remodel. We want it to be a cultural center … a destination for the public."

Officials say the soul of the public library is still the printed word, but the library also provides information through a variety of media that a new building should be equipped to handle.

"Children's activity center is a modern feature that you see in a lot of new libraries," Bork said. "We've never had a young adult area. We had some material but not a place to hang."

Over the years, the library's collection of materials has grown to the point that its computer and audio-visual areas are crammed against the circulation desk, making it a noisy hub. Meanwhile, the library has reduced its magazine display area to accommodate computers.

"Our shelves are so tightly packed and we've had to weed our collection just to have maneuvering room," Bork said. "We have some books and videos that are in boxes."

The proposed new library would cost roughly $15.6 million, which includes construction, furnishings and design fees. It would be built adjacent to the current library building. That site was purchased by the district years ago in anticipation of a future building.

Once library operations are moved into the new building, the old library building would be demolished.

"That was something that weighed heavily but the board viewed it as the best solution," said library board president Germaine Patryn.

Library officials are aware some voters may cast a wary eye at the library's request because of the size and scope of the project and other tax increase requests on the February ballot.

For instance, some Fox Lake residents will have four questions on the ballot that could affect their property taxes, which may hurt the outcome for the library.

Getting the senior citizen vote in an area that supports many senior living centers would also be key.

"I'm a senior," Patryn said. "I recognize the fixed income aspect. We're building to serve a population at least 25 to 30 years into the future. This is something that's for everyone from birth until old age."

She added that the burden will be shared by many taxpayers.

Library officials will conduct open houses at the library to answer voters' questions about the referendum from 1:30 to 3 p.m. every Saturday in January.

Officials say their biggest selling point may be that the library district has not had a referendum for anything since 1976. Ninety percent of the current library building was built without local tax dollars.

"You judge a community by its library," Bork said. "It's more than just the books. It's a meeting place."