Glen Ellyn library receives $17,500 gift for teen room

Glen Ellyn Public Library officials are looking to give teenagers their own space, and a $17,500 donation from a local couple has given them a head start.

Dan and Midge Anderson of Glen Ellyn donated the matching grant to the Glen Ellyn Public Library Foundation to help pay for the creation of a room devoted to teens.

The total cost of the project is estimated to be about $35,000. The library still needs to raise another $17,500 to match the Anderson's gift.

"It's just something that looked like a very good idea to us," Dan Anderson said Wednesday. "What we're hoping is that it will induce people to step up and contribute to get the match."

Library Director Dawn Bussey said a second-floor study room at the library has been closed since mold was found there in October. The mold has since been removed. Now officials are hoping that space can be transformed into a teen room by the fall.

"The sooner we can raise the money, the sooner we can actually finish the project," Bussey said.

Now, the library's first floor is devoted mostly to young children, and the second floor is for adults.

"The library's been interested in increasing services for teens," Bussey said. "They really need a space carved out in the library where they can study all year long -- and not just during finals."

The plan for the room's renovation calls for new carpeting, light fixtures and a paint job with "fun and vibrant" colors.

In addition to having laptops available for visitors to use, the teen room would be able to accommodate groups gathering for meetings or study sessions.

"I see it serving a number of different purposes for the teen population," Bussey said.

The mold was discovered in mid-October after officials started investigating a handful of leaky windows in the room. When repairmen opened up some walls to find the cause of the wetness, they found mold on the insulation and drywall.

Windows will be replaced this spring.

For more information about the teen room, call Bussey at (630) 469-0879.