Huntley library to install new mobile unit

Patrons and staff at the Huntley Area Public Library will soon have a little more breathing room.

The library is set to install a new, 2,800-square-foot mobile unit starting Jan. 4, with its opening scheduled for the beginning of March.

Library staff hope the mobile annex will alleviate the space crunch at the current, 15,000-square-foot building. The district has seen its number of cardholders grow from 5,000 to 24,000 in the past decade.

"This is our temporary solution for the moment," Library Director Patrick McDonald said. "We don't have any (additional) plans right now" for dealing with the limited space, he added.

It hasn't been determined how long the library will use the mobile unit.

"We hope we'll be able to get rid of it in three years," McDonald said. "That would depend on if funds for a permanent addition are approved by voters."

"Right now, we're just happy it's here," he added.

Voters rejected two recently proposed tax increases that would have funded an addition to the library, prompting officials to buy the trailer for about $231,000.

The unit will house the children's department, computers, seating and space for library programming. Recently, the library has held many of its programs off-site because of limited space at its location at 11000 Ruth Road.

"Staff members are excited to be able to offer some small programs back on-site with the addition of the annex's program room," Head of Public Services Rosie Lukas said.

After the mobile unit is installed, it will take library staff several months to relocate books and other materials to the annex. During that period, some areas of the library and the parking lot may be unavailable.

The library recently received a $25,000 donation from the Friends of the Library to buy shelving for the mobile unit.

The current children's area in the library will house adult and teen nonfiction when the children's department moves to the mobile unit.