Cary, Fox River Grove libraries continue to debate merging
Trustees from the Cary and Fox River Grove public libraries continued to debate the pros and cons of a possible merger, but postponed making a decision on hiring a consultant for a feasibility study.
The trustees viewed proposals from two consultants at the joint meeting held Wednesday at the Fox River Grove Memorial Library, and found both lacking in different ways. While the $15,000 proposal from Lisle-based Ehlers & Associates didn't address looking into how patron services would be affected by a merger, a $17,900 proposal from Library Planning Associates, based in Normal, didn't specify how it would examine the financial implications of the merger. Board members resolved to ask both consultants for more details before their next joint meeting June 7.
The trustees tussled with many of the questions that a feasibility study would answer, such as how would patrons benefit from a merger and how a combined library district would operate financially.
The Cary library has a maximum voter-approved tax rate 20 cents per $100 of equalized assessed value, while the Fox River Grove library has a current tax rate of just less than 42 cents. If consolidation were to take place, the new tax rate would be the lowest of the two, officials said.
Although the operating income would decrease, there might be financial savings in a merger, such as eliminating duplicate programs and having Cary library staff perform some of the services that the Fox River Grove library currently contracts out, officials said. Cary library Director Diane McNulty said staffing levels at either library would not be affected by an eventual merger.
Fox River Grove library trustee Lori Baker she has been hearing from residents that they want to preserve their library's small, familiar character.
With a merger the Fox River Grove library would become a branch, but a couple of people who attended the meeting said they didn't like the idea.
“If we start to share the library and become a branch ... this treasure we have right now, it will start to slip,” said Fox River Grove resident Carol Pierpont, a former library employee. “Let's be very, very careful when we make these decisions.”
“It just feels like we're peons here, it feels like we're being trampled on,” said Carol Dolan, youth services manager at the Fox River Grove Memorial Library.
However, merging libraries might bring some substantial benefits, Fox River Grove Library Board President Lauren Rosenthal said. “The staff here is phenomenal, the services are phenomenal, I just wish there was a better catalog. If we were part of a larger district, we could afford that,” she said.
McNulty pointed out that a combined library district would offer greater services and an expanded collection to patrons of both libraries. “My staff is very excited about the opportunity of sharing ideas with the staff here,” she said.
She also said that Cary and Fox River Grove are being watched by other communities. “I will tell you there are some other libraries interested in talking to their neighbors about merging but they are waiting to see what happens here.”
Cary library trustee Tom Garvin said more information is needed. “A the state level they are talking about consolidation of government services to get mor efficient use of taxpayer dollars. The driving force for me is to see if this would apply to Cary and Fox River Grove area.”
A merger would have to be approved via referendum questions placed on the ballot in both communities.
In fiscal year 2010-11, the Fox River Grove library had an operating budget of $515,000, while the Cary library's operating budget was $1.5 million, according to officials. The Fox River Grove library has 2,800 registered cardholders, while the Cary library has 20,800.