Freedom of Information Act

A brief description of the library is as follows:
 

  1. The Arlington Heights Memorial Library serves the community by providing a wide variety of items to borrow and by offering services for residents of all ages. The library provides information, book recommendations and programs. The library’s website offers 24–hour access to electronic information, services and the catalog. High quality, personalized service is the library’s hallmark.
     
  2. View the library's organizational chart.  
     
  3. The library's total budgeted operating expenditures for 2024 are: $16,732,731. The library's total budgeted capital expenditures, including any amendments, for 2024 are: $1,469,337. Funding sources are property and personal property replacement taxes, state and federal grants, fines, charges, and donations. Tax levies are:
    1. Corporate purposes (for general operating expenditures)
    2. IMRF (provides for employee’s retirement and related expenses)
    3. Social Security (provides for employee’s FICA costs and related expenses)
       
  4. The office is located at this address: Arlington Heights Memorial Library, 500 N. Dunton Avenue, Arlington Heights, Illinois 60004. The library has a Makerplace located at 112 N. Belmont Avenue, Arlington Heights, Illinois 60004 and a Reading Room at the Village of Arlington Heights Senior Center at 1801 W. Central Road, Arlington Heights, Illinois 60005. 
     
  5. As of August 2024, the library has the following number of persons employed:
    1. Full-time: 87
    2. Part-time: 131
       
  6. The Arlington Heights Memorial Library Board of Library Trustees exercises control over the library’s policies and procedures. The board meets on the third Tuesday of each month at 7 p.m. in the Richard Frisbie Board Room of the library.
     
  7. Its members are: Amy Somary, President; Andi Ruhl, Vice President/ Secretary; Sarah Galla, Treasurer; Jennifer Borrell, Stacey Kelly, Carole Medal and Greg Zyck.
     
  8. The library is required to report and be answerable for its operations to: The Illinois State Library, Springfield, Illinois. Its members are: State Librarian, Alexi Giannoulias (Secretary of State); Director of State Library, Greg McCormick; and various other staff.

You may request the information and the records available to the public in the following manner:

  1. Use request form or submit a request via email, by written letter or fax. The request form is not required, but is preferred.
     
  2. Your request should be directed to the following individuals: Janet Moravec or Teresa Katsogianos, FOIA officers in the library's Business Office.
     
  3. You must indicate whether you have a "commercial purpose" in your request.
    1. You must specify whether the records requested are to be disclosed for inspection or to be copied. If you desire that any records be certified, you must specify which ones.
       
  4. To reimburse the library for the actual costs for reproducing and certifying (if requested) the records, you will be charged the following fees:
    • There is a $1 charge for each certification of records.
    • There is no charge for the first fifty (50) pages of black and white text either letter or legal size.
    • There is a 10 cents per page charge for copied records in excess of 50 pages.
    • The actual copying cost of color copies and other sized copies will be charged.
       
  5. If the records are kept in electronic format, you may request a specific format and if feasible, they will be so provided, but if not, they will be provided either in the electronic format in which they are kept (and you would be required to pay the actual cost of the medium only, i.e. disc, diskette, tape, etc.) or in paper as you select.
     
  6. The office will respond to a written request within five (5) working days or sooner if possible. An extension of an additional five (5) working days may be necessary to properly respond.
     
  7. Records may be inspected or copied. If inspected, an employee must be present throughout the inspection.
     
  8. The place and times where the records will be available are as follows:
    • Monday–Friday, 9 a.m.–5 p.m.
      Arlington Heights Memorial Library, Business Office

Certain types of information maintained by the library are exempt from inspection and copying. However, the following types or categories of records are maintained under the library’s control:

  1. Monthly Financial Statements
     
  2. Annual Receipts and Disbursements Reports
     
  3. Budget and Appropriation Ordinances
     
  4. Operating Budgets
     
  5. Annual Audits
     
  6. Minutes of the Board of Library Trustees
     
  7. Library Policies, including Materials Selection
     
  8. Bids and Specifications
     
  9. Annual Reports to the Illinois State Library