Expansion slowdown gives St. Charles library chance to plan

The St. Charles Public Library knows it must grow to accommodate an expanding community and nearly a 12 percent increase in the circulation of its materials.

That realization took place several years ago. But since then, the process has followed along more at the pace of an inch worm than the rapid growth spurts of a teenager.

Library officials say they're putting the respite to good use.

While cost estimates for an expansion from three years ago put an $18 million to $30 million price tag on the transformation, the library has yet to host public forums to measure exactly what the community wants to see, and pay for, in a bigger, better version of the current facility.

Up to now, having all the necessary land for expansion lined up was a problem. Library Board President Norm Huntley said he expects the all that and other problems to be addressed in the very near future. From there, the library will schedule public meetings for taxpayer input. The board may well see a lot of that. About 65 percent of St. Charles residents have library cards.

"In 1988 we created a plan for the library and said it was for 20 years," Huntley said. "Well, the 20 years are up."

Eventually, all the money the library will request from residents will go directly toward actual construction. Early plans call for an addition that would stretch the length of the existing parking lot and create a new parking area across the street. The library has already contracted with a consulting firm and an architect to rework plans and get new cost estimates. When those will be done, and when all staff's hopes and dreams for a new library become available for public consumption is a work in progress.

The library board rejected a timeline for the expansion and eventual request for a tax increase this week.

Huntley estimated it will be another two years before residents see a tax increase question on the ballot.

"We're slowly finishing what I would call the total plans," Huntley said. "The architect and our director have been meeting with the city and the historic preservation commission. Then we'll have focus groups, soon, with citizens. Then we've just got to set a timeline."

The library is currently ranked sixth-best in the nation for the services it provides to the size of the community it sits in. Huntley said that's the foundation they'll build from with one goal in sight.

"The new library will have whatever it takes to have a No. 1 library."