Glen Ellyn library seeks $3 million for repairs

Glen Ellyn Library officials asked the village Monday to levy a tax to help raise $3 million for what they say are much-needed repairs at the 14-year-old facility.

Library board President Larry Stein said efforts to keep construction costs low in the mid-1990s resulted in "unintended consequences," including parts of the library being built not according to plan and some parts such as expansion joints missing entirely. Consultants have placed a $3 million price tag on the work, which includes roof repairs and other efficiency measures.

"We were shocked," Stein said of the number. "If we could make the number any less, we would."

The building opened in 1995 after two years of work and cost $6.7 million. Materials used during the construction have resulted in leaks and trapped condensation that has resulted in hundreds of thousands of dollars of work, which have been paid for with surplus funds.

The library has no other source of revenue that could even approach $3 million, Stein said, and the surplus has dwindled to less than $100,000.

Village President Mark Pfefferman said the board wanted more information, including specific numbers with regard to the library's finances, before it decides how to proceed.

However, he did say Stein's pitch showed some work would benefit the library.

"The building's needs are real and they need to be addressed," Pfefferman said. "The questions that remain are what work is really necessary and what may be less urgent."