Two ways of looking at things

The big "Shhh" at the Helen Plum Memorial Library these days isn't for noisy patrons, but library board President Wayne Kankovsky.

Fellow library board members say Kankovsky's recent statements about being open to a new library on the former DuPage Theatre site are only his opinions.

The library board, as a whole, isn't interested in the now-vacant parcel in downtown Lombard.

Kankovsky said in a recent Daily Herald article that he's open to the potential for a new library on the site but hasn't received a formal proposal from the village.

Library board member Ginny Carlson said she and fellow board members have spoken to Kankovsky about his statements and told him the site is a dead issue. They aren't interested in the theater property for a new library.

"We are going to stay where we are," Carlson said.

The board even put its message in writing.

Lombard Village President Bill Mueller sent a letter to taxing bodies in the village asking if anyone has an interest in the theater site now that the building is gone.

In response, the library board sent a letter back last month saying it's interested in what is built on the site, but has no plans to put a library there. The letter is signed by Kankovsky.

"What he's saying in the letter and what he's leading people to believe -- he's contradicting himself," Mueller said. "If the library was interested, then I expected the letter to say, 'Yes, we're still interested in it.' If the board is not interested, then we are not even going to pursue it."

When asked about the letter, Kankovsky said "interest" is a loaded word. He said he's willing to spend his individual time to discuss all possibilities for the library, including the theater site.

"The problem is it seems that a lot of the discussion over the years has been an either/or situation," Kankovsky said. "If the property is used for one thing, then somebody else gets left by the wayside. That's created a lot of us-against-them mentality. I don't think it's constructive to approach it that way."

Nevertheless, Carlson said the plan is to renovate the existing building, then seek a tax increase to expand onto the adjacent vacant lots.

The theater site is of no interest because it's a political mess the library doesn't want to venture into, she said.

"The location we have is what people like," Carlson said. "Everything we've been doing for the past two years has been for our current location. Now to stop and say maybe we'll do something different, that's contrary to everything we've been doing."

It may be a moot point, but Mueller said he wouldn't mind if the library changed its mind.

"I think that could be a very good site for a library," Mueller said. "But that board has to make its own decisions. And apparently that board has made its decision."

The library's letter

The following is the text of a letter that the Lombard library board sent to the village about the old DuPage Theatre property:

April 8, 2008

Dear President Mueller and Village Trustees,

Thank you for notifying us that the Village will be considering future development on the 101 S. Main Street site.

While the Library has no specific plans at this time to pursue a Library building at that site, we are very interested in whatever is developed there. The Library is part of the downtown, so what is developed there could have a bearing on our future.

We are committed to maintaining open communications with, and cooperating with, Village Government, Park District and other taxing bodies and civic organizations for the betterment of our community. As such, we always welcome the opportunity to participate in discussions, focus groups, hearings, or the like, concerning that site or the downtown area in general.

Thank you.

Yours truly,

Wayne Kankovsky

President, Board of Library Trustees