Aurora library may move its West Branch to increase use, save money
The West Branch of the Aurora Public Library may move from Constitution Drive to Galena Boulevard to save money and attract more patrons.
Library board President John Savage, Mayor Richard Irvin and West Aurora School District 129 Superintendent Jeff Craig outlined the idea Tuesday at a news conference.
"We're looking to how can we grow, how can we expand, how can we improve our library services, not only for the whole community, but specifically looking at the West Branch," Savage said.
Preliminary talks came to light when Irvin discussed the West Branch at 5th Ward Alderman Carl Franco's meeting with residents in September. That got the social-media mill going as people worried the library was going to close the West Branch after reducing its hours in 2016 to save money.
"That is not going to happen, period," Savage said Tuesday.
Irvin said Tuesday's news briefing was meant to "clarify" matters.
"What we don't want is to have rumors and speculation stop the progress of good things here in Aurora," he said.
Savage said the West Branch, at 233 Constitution Drive, accounts for about 10 percent of the library's overall materials circulation, and a disappointing 13 percent of its use.
Moving it to Galena Boulevard would increase its visibility and place it on a Pace bus route. The library is looking at a site between Edgelawn Drive and Orchard Road, Savage said.
He said the West Branch covers 17,000 square feet but is inefficiently designed with about 5,000 square feet taken up by offices and workrooms. A smaller space of 10,000 square feet to 12,000 square feet in a rental location could save money by requiring fewer workers.
That money then could be spent on increasing service hours, he said.
District 129 has the right of first refusal to purchase the West Branch building, which is attached to Washington Middle School and houses the school's technology center. Craig said the district could use it to centralize social-service programs for students.
A "poignant" reason, he said, "is the social-emotional challenges and adverse childhood experiences seen in all 18 of our buildings." The district was already discussing how to deal with those topics when it learned the library was considering moving.
Craig said he has approached two food pantries about using it for food distribution to students' families and also has approached the Visiting Nurses Association about providing medical and dental services there.
Meanwhile, the district will be vacating the Todd Early Learning Center at 100 Oak Ave. in January as it moves the program into the old Dreyer Medical Clinic on West Galena Boulevard.
The city, Irvin said, is considering moving some of its social services programs into the Todd building.
Former Mayor David Pierce attended the news conference and said the new main library, which opened in 2015, has "drained" resources from the branches.
He also mentioned the closing in 2017 of the Express Center on Church Road. Besides patron services, it housed the technology and outreach departments. Library officials at the time said use had declined and there was room for those departments in the new headquarters.
Pierce asked Savage to commit to changing the library's bylaws so only the library board, not the director, could change hours or close locations. Savage said he "had no problem" with that.
Pierce asked what guaranteed the library wouldn't close the West Branch, especially if it moved to a rented space. Savage said the library would consider a long-term lease.