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Geneseo Public Library District New Building Fund |
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Why a New Library? |
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The current Geneseo Public Library was designed in 1976. At that time, we had half as many books, no need for public computer access, no alternative media such as DVDs and CDs, and 50% fewer people utilizing it than today. The current Geneseo Public Library offers limited computer access in rather cramped quarters. There are over 1,000 visitors each month who come just to use the public computers, and more often than not, they have to wait just to use a machine. In addition, the building is not ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) compliant. A person in a wheelchair cannot maneuver down the aisles in the library. With today’s cramped conditions, even a non-handicapped person cannot reach the books located on the top shelves, and the bottom shelves require library patrons to get down on their hands and knees because books are actually on the floor. But perhaps the most troubling fact is that our library was designed to accommodate a 25,000 volume collection. Today, the same building is bursting at the seams with a collection of over 48,000 pieces of material. Storage is so limited that each time a new book, DVD, CD, or video is added to the collection, another item must be thrown away or sold. For these reasons, we are making a commitment to create a 21st Century information and education center – as an investment in the minds of our children and ourselves. By nurturing the joy of reading and life-long learning, we will connect the community to our past, enrich our present, and prepare for a better tomorrow. |
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To contact us: |
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There are some who might say that libraries are no longer needed; that the Internet serves the informational needs of today’s society. If that were true, our current library wouldn’t have an average of 56 patrons walking through the doors each hour the library is open. You might be surprised to learn that the Library’s Summer Reading Program involved more children than Geneseo’s Youth Baseball & Softball Programs. Just imagine how many more lives the library could touch if we had the state-of-the-art facility this community deserves. |
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Geneseo Public Library District Attn: Claire Crawford, Director 218 S. State Street Geneseo, IL 61254 |
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Phone: 309-944-6452 e-mail: gpld@geneseo.lib.il.us |
