ANNUAL REPORT

FROM THE DIRECTOR AND PRESIDENT

On April 2, 2016, the Indian Trails Public Library District broke ground on a project six years in the making. Throughout the planning, we had one goal in mind: Transform the Indian Trails Library into a vibrant, active and engaging community space for our residents. We knew what our members wanted — private study rooms, greater seating capacity in program rooms, expanded youth services, and a comfortable place to study were requests that topped the list. Along the way we were also able to increase parking capacity, add a drive-up window, create a makerspace and convert an all-electric building into one supported by green technology for greater efficiency and cost-savings.

On April 10, 2017, the library opened its doors after a year of providing services in a smaller location. Almost 2,000 people visited us that day and they had a lot to say:

"What a wonderful addition to our community. You have raised the bar and set an outstanding expectation level for future development in the area."

"It truly is a place for people of all ages to come together and to continue their lifelong learning. Thank you for the vision and courage to renovate."

By all measures, 2017 was a tremendous year for our library district but now we turn our thoughts to the future. Our new building has allowed us to launch new services and we have plans to expand other areas as we continually seek to serve the residents of our community.

We believe we have only scratched the surface of what can be done and what our new space will allow us to do in the future. To that end, in September 2017, we embarked on the process of developing a new strategic plan, one that will look at how we use our building and allocate our resources as we move forward.

On behalf of the Board of Trustees and library staff, we are incredibly thankful for our community's support for the library.

Brian D. Shepard Executive Director

Louise Barnett President, Board of Trustees

BOARD OF LIBRARY TRUSTEES

Bruce D. Matthews Wendy Present Trustee Trustee

Louise Barnett Mary Battinus President Vice President 1,44

- n -4. • .- Don Roalkvam Henry Hackney Jr. W. Gene Looft Treasurer Secretary Trustee

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TH SERVICES Ito

The renovated Youth Services Department features a dedicated space for grades 6-8, Youth Activity Room, arts and crafts area, and Early Learning Area where play and exploration help build early literacy skills.

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In 2016, the library partnered with Vernon Area Public Library District and Cook Memorial Library District for One Book, One Community (OBOC). Each library hosted programming around the theme of Thrity Umrigar's novel, The Story Hour. From culinary programs to music, OBOC explored themes of culture, assimilation and friendship. The program culminated in a visit with author Thrity Umrigar in February 2017, attended by over 400 people.

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SERVICES

Branch

The Branch, 99 E. Palatine Rd., Prospect Heights, saw a 29.5% increase in attendance when the main library relocated to a smaller location in Buffalo Grove during renovation. Programming continued to expand at the Branch as people discovered this gem in Prospect Heights.

FAN Club

A service where members' favorite authors are automatically put on hold for checkout, went online in September 2016, making it easier for readers to manage their preferences. Membership jumped to 271 avid readers with the relaunch of FAN Club.

HotSpot

Members can check out these mobile Wi-Fi units to connect to the internet through their own personal devices over the Sprint network, free of charge.

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/04 FOUNDATION

Top row (Ito r): Nina Strezewski, Rich Rosen, Cathy Burns, Steve Wetle, Pam Dorband Bottom row (Ito r): Rose Johnson, Sheila Anderson, Shawn Finnerty Not pictured: Stephanie Demb, Michael Putz

FOUNDATION FO THE INDIAN TRAI UBLIC APY DISTRICT

Through generous support from library members, the Foundation was able to provide giveaway books for the library's Summer Reading Program. This incentive helps our youngest readers begin to build their personal libraries.

The Foundation also launched the new Reading Garden in preparation for the opening of the renovated building by selling bricks to those who wished to honor or remember a loved one. The Reading Garden was dedicated on September 9 with 125 new bricks intermingled with bricks from the old garden.

For two years, the Foundation was also a visible presence and partner at the Wheeling Prospect Heights Chamber of Commerce's annual Taste of the Town event, where they hosted raffles and a silent auction to raise money for the library.

The Indian Trails Library Foundation is looking forward to building on this year's success in 2018.

Dedicated to providing funds for services and items that fall outside the library's budget, the Indian Trails Library Foundation is an enthusiastic group of volunteers who are passionate about supporting the library.

We gratefully acknowledge our donors who supported the Indian Trails Library through the Reading Garden or monetary donations. Your generosity helped the library enhance its programs and services. Thank you.

GRANTS Buffalo Grove Rotary Club

EBSCO Solar Grant

Estate of John L. Mathe

Wheeling Rotary Club

Helen Morrow Trust

DONORS Anonymous Hampar Adourian Amy Affrunti Darlene Ahlstedt Sheila Anderson Erin Attere Vicki Baba Heather Baltrusaitis Louise & Lou Barnett Mary Battinus Svetlana Bereznykova Melody Bickhem Mark Bornemann Thomas Bowman Mary Ann Branagan Darlene Brill Lisa Brown Buffalo Grove Garden Club Cathy Burns Mary Frances Burns Patricia Caldwell Miriam Campbell Sharon Carr Thomas & Lenore Caruso Mary Christel Stan Crosland Dana Davis Kathryn De Peso Stephanie Demb Susan Dennison Dennis Depcik Joanne Dicker Anthony DiGuiseppe Pam Dorband Stephanie Driscoll Sandy & Al Drizd Mike & Kathy Dunn James Edstrom Toby Elrod Sylvia Ephraim

Mary Ann Felde Allison Finn Shawn Finnerty Diana Finstad Colleen Fischer Claudia Fonseca Mildred Ford Scott Friedman Mukesh Giroh Brigitte & Joe Goldberg Urszula Gorzkowski Arun Gourisankar Eva Guajardo Vishwanath Gupta Henry Hackney Jr. Cathy Heer Bette Heide Sarah Heimsoth Bill Hein Nann Blaine Hilyard Neil Holman Alicia Honan Al Hoyos Ray Hung Shannon & Joseph Inserra Alan Itzkowitz Donna Jacobs Margaret Janowski Rose Johnson Rob Kamm Simhalu Kandala Ellen Katz Kinshuk Kaushik Louise Kiekow Diane King Eugene Koch Cheryl Kolcz Karthikeyan Krishnamoorthy Scott Kron Karl Krueger

DONORS

Celeste Kuta Philip & Susan Larsen Yong & Ann Lee Susan Levy Teresa Li Alixe Lischett Andy Lischett Warren Lischett Gene Looft Judy Loosa Maria Lopez Salvador Lozano Krystyna Luby Avis Lucas Lori Luecht Betsy Maaks Christine Maclntyre Rebecca Magana Doug Mahnke Bruce Matthews Tamiye Meehan Karen Moe Hector Monjaraz Mary Moodhe Julie Mueller Patty Murray Sheila Myrent Chris Nanney Elaine Nekritz Helen Niemeier Russell Niemeier Gary Ning Rosa Nixon

Christina O'Connor Tanya Opanasyuk Maggie Osborne Irvin Osorio Aspasia Papas Diana Park Charlene Perlow Scott Phillips Lea Pinshower Brian Plunkett Premium Concepts Michael Putz Jill Rackow Diana Ramos Sanford & Ina Ramras Linda Reading Jenny Reid Mark & Marsha Rekoske JoAnn Revak Susan Rizman Don Roalkvam Carin Roman Carol Pankros Richard Rosen Wally Salganik Dave Scheuerman Stefan Schumacher Jane Seidman Carol Sente Navin & Gayatri Shah Michelle Shapiro Brian Shepard Eunice Shim

Mary Siarkiewicz Florence & Arnold Sklair Linda Sonin Samineni Sravanthi Terry Steilen Richard Stewart Anita Stickel Nina Strezewski Adriene Strickland Aleksandra Terlik Tami Trudell Christine Truesdale Annette Truong Lynn Tufano Diane Tully Diane Uhl Barbara Victor Laura Wagner Ruth Wales Chris Wawrzynek Stewart Weinstein Wheeling/Prospect Heights Chamber of Commerce Wheeling Historical Society Sue &Tom Wicker Dave Wille Michelle Wisniewski Sarah Wu Anna Yackle Carl Suzanne Yudell Jerry Zabel Mr. & Mrs. Aristedes Zagorianos Margaret Zold

ios • Architect: produ • Project: Indian Tr 'Is Public Library District I Wheeling,