advertisement

Arlington Heights library still discussing north branch

Officials at the Arlington Heights Memorial Library are still exploring the idea of opening a branch in the northern part of the village, but nothing has been decided just yet.

Executive Director Jason Kuhl said the idea is being discussed in committee, and placeholder amounts for the costs of a new branch will be included in the 2017 budget that will be made public and approved next month. Kuhl couldn't yet say how much those costs would be, but officials have said the library would not need to sell bonds for the project.

"We're still just kind of thinking through the feasibility in terms of budget and the overall strategic direction," Kuhl said.

As part of those discussions, the library hired Product Architecture + Design, the same firm that designed the 2012 renovation of the main library, to do a feasibility study about the costs of a new branch.

Kuhl said there are a few specific spaces in Arlington Heights that the library is looking at, but he wouldn't identify them yet. He said the space would likely be a minimum of 5,700 square feet and located in an existing shopping center or office building.

"We are not looking to build anything. It would be a rental situation," Kuhl said.

If, and when, the board approves a north branch, Kuhl said it would house thousands of materials, but would not just be a miniature version of the main library. "If we were to do something it would be a place to offer additional services we don't offer (at the main library)," he said.

The branch would reflect the changing place of libraries in communities, which are now seen as more of a place for people to learn and come together, rather than to just check out books.

"It wouldn't just be about books. It would be more gathering, more interactivity, more experimental," Kuhl said.

Article Comments
Guidelines: Keep it civil and on topic; no profanity, vulgarity, slurs or personal attacks. People who harass others or joke about tragedies will be blocked. If a comment violates these standards or our terms of service, click the "flag" link in the lower-right corner of the comment box. To find our more, read our FAQ.