Library's Temporary Home Clears Hurdle

In about 15 months or so the will be one-third larger than it is now.

But to get there, the library must shut down its current facility and move into a temporary home at  so renovations and expansion can commence.

Making that happen took a giant leap forward Monday when Deerfield trustees, with no discussion, enthusiastically endorsed a temporary use permit allowing for the library to be housed in a store, which at one time or another sold books, recreation room equipment and furniture, while improvements takes place.

An ordinance formalizing the special use will be taken up by trustees April 2.

Once that is approved, a long-standing dream of  the 40-year-old facility will start becoming a reality, library officials said.

The present library will close in mid-May, with the entire collection moving to its temporary home at 7 Waukegan Rd. It is anticipated that the “new” 20,000-square-foot home will open the second week of June, according to Library Board President Ken Abosch.

During the month or so that the temporary home is being readied – setting up the entire collection, adding restrooms, moving the drop-off boxes and posting new signage - patrons can still have access to all of the on-line resources.

The community will have borrowing privileges at the Vernon Area Public Library District, and the Highland Park and Northbrook public libraries, Abosch said.

The “new” facility will house all materials. “Study rooms and meeting rooms for larger programs will be scheduled at other locations,” Abosch said.

Work at the library is anticipated to be completed next spring, with the opening taking place in May or June of next year, according to Abosch.

That renovated structure will be 10,000 square-feet larger, with new eastern and western pavilions to accommodate programming, study rooms, a computer room and more space for the children’s collection, Abosch said.

Bathrooms will be made ADA-accessible and stairways will be widened. A fire sprinkler system will be added and its aging heating and air condition system will be replaced.  

It will look and feel to users like it will be a new building, which is a tremendous investment for the community. It’ll take advantage of the architecture of the current building and make it better, Abosch said.

“The board’s been energized around this process. I think we have thought through what we’ve needed to,” Abosch said. “This is a win; win for the community once were back in the new space. The library is such a vital part of the community. And it’s definitely time (for an upgrade).”

All costs related to the project will come from the $12 million bond sale approved by voters two years ago.

“We look forward to visiting you in the new location,” Deerfield Mayor Harriet Rosenthal said Monday.