Cook library expansion plans going online

As the Cook Memorial Public Library District board nears a decision on which of two possible expansion plans it will pursue, patrons soon can turn to the Internet for a peek at some conceptual artwork.

Preliminary walk-though animations and drawings for two potential Vernon Hills libraries could be posted next week on Cook Memorial's Web site, www.cooklib.org, officials said Thursday.

A new Vernon Hills library is a key part of the board's $12 million expansion proposal. Officials also plan to expand the main library in downtown Libertyville.

Online posting of the conceptual drawings, by the Rolling Meadows firm Gilfillan Callahan Architects, makes them more readily available for patrons, board President Aaron Lawlor said.

"It's really hard for folks who work to make a (board) meeting. This way, people can access our plans from the comfort of their own homes," he said.

The artwork may also be broadcast on Vernon Hills' local cable channel, library Director Dan Armstrong said.

Some area school and municipal leaders already have seen the artwork, Armstrong said. Lawlor wants patrons to view the artwork and share their opinions with library officials.

"Before we make a definite decision, we need to share this with the public and get some feedback," he said.

One of the district's plans calls for construction of a new 15,000-square-foot to 20,000-square-foot library on land on Aspen Drive south of Route 60. That property is owned by the village of Vernon Hills.

The other option would put a new Vernon Hills library in a vacant office space on the 700 block of Deerpath Drive. That facility could be about 23,000 square feet, Armstrong said.

In either case, the main library would be expanded by about 10,000 square feet, officials have said.

The board intends to borrow the money needed for the projects and use annual budget surpluses to pay it back.

Lawlor hopes the board will settle on a plan next month. Delaying the decision could result in increased costs or scaled-back proposals, officials said.

"The phrase 'Time is money' has never been more accurate," Lawlor said. "The sooner we can do this, the better."