“Understanding My Library” - A Fact Sheet
Submitted by hapl webmaster on Tue, 03/04/2008 - 8:22pm
- The Huntley Area Public Library measures 15,000 square feet. It was built to accommodate a population of 15,000 district residents, and now serves approximately 50,000 district residents.
- The Huntley Area Public Library serves all of Huntley, parts of Lake in the Hills and Algonquin, and portions of Grafton, Coral and Rutland Townships.
- The library cannot add a second floor to the existing building because the structure and foundation will not support one. The original building was not designed larger because at the time it was built most subdivisions and Sun City had not yet been approved by the village.
- An addition would mean programs could return to the library, more books, DVD’s and materials, and more seating would be added. The children’s area would be expanded.
- When compared to other libraries in McHenry County, the Huntley Area Public Library has the lowest number of square feet per resident.
- It will take approximately two years to build and furnish an addition, delaying the opening in late 2010 if a referendum is approved by residents in November 2008.
- The Huntley Area Public Library is one of a 23 member consortium group, from which you can borrow books, music, movies and more, without charge.
- The library renovated its Program Room in 2006 to provide space for a dedicated children’s room. The room is filled with children’s books, and provides enough space to host only 6 children at a time for story-time events. Many other children’s programs could be held on-site at the library. ?
- You can register to vote at the Huntley Area Public Library. Watch for special registration drives, or call ahead to see a registrar at the circulation desk.
- The current annual budget pays for the facility, services, maintenance, staff, library materials and programs. It is not big enough to pay for an expansion of the building.
- Property taxes supply the bulk of the current library budget, amounting to .03 cents of each property tax dollar. We receive among the lowest amount of all taxing units, such as the schools, county, fire district, park district, etc.
- The amount of the referendum is yet to be determined. The library board will take resident’s survey feedback and comments into consideration when deciding what amount to place on the ballot in November.
- The Huntley Area Public Library does not receive tax money from school referendums, sales tax, the federal government, local utility bills or the village.
- The Friends of the Huntley Area Public Library are over 200 members strong, and have raised more than $70,000 toward the library addition through their fundraising efforts over the past two years. To be involved with the Friends of the Library, contact Pamela at (847) 669-5386 ext. 28.
- The library has not had an increase in the operating fund since 1989, or the building fund since 1997, when the current library was built.
- If the community does not support an addition, more programs and/or services will have to be reduced or eliminated due to space constraints.