updates

updates and more information

Wednesday, January 5, 2025:

Dear Downers Grove Community,

In February, I announced to the board and staff that I will be retiring from my position as Library Director of the Downers Grove Public Library, effective March 2, 2026. 

This announcement is being made a year in advance to allow the Board of Library Trustees ample time to plan for the executive search while continuing progress on strategic plan goals. I am committed to ensuring a smooth transition and have spoken to the board about their priorities for my focus in my final year. I will continue focusing on 2025 strategic work plan projects and maintaining the high level of library service our community expects.

I’d like to thank my staff for their support, hard work, and commitment to the mission, vision, and values of DGPL. It has been an honor to lead such a fantastic staff.

Thank you, Downers Grove, for making my time at DGPL memorable. I am so proud of what we have accomplished together and grateful for your support of the library and our work. I look forward to helping the library prepare for its next chapter. 

Sincerely,

Julie Milavec

 

Monday, January 6, 2025:

An update regarding the January 2 Joint Meeting:

The Board of Library Trustees and Village Council mutually agreed to create a joint subcommittee, which will include library and village staff, to investigate potential alternative approaches for selecting library trustees. We anticipate the Village Council and Board of Library Trustees will meet again in February to finalize a plan for the subcommittee. 

The Village Council removed the resolution regarding the potential April 2025 referendum from their January 7 meeting agenda.

You can watch a recording of the Joint Meeting on the library's YouTube page.

 

Tuesday, December 31, 2024:

Joint Statement from Mayor Barnett and Library Board President Topic Regarding the January 2, 2025 Village Council and Library Board of Trustees Meeting

On January 2, 2025, the Downers Grove Village Council and Downers Grove Library Board of Trustees will be holding a joint meeting at 7:30 PM at Herrick Middle School. The purpose of the joint meeting is to explore, as an alternative to the potential April 2025 referendum that is the subject of a resolution planned for a vote on the Council’s January 7 agenda, a framework for discussions between the Council and LBOT, to explore potential alternative approaches for selecting LBOT trustees and the pros and cons of such alternatives including retaining the current selection process. 

To facilitate the January 2 meeting and provide a starting point for discussions, we propose the creation of a joint subcommittee consisting of a subset of members of the Council and the LBOT, assisted by appropriate staff of each body to conduct this analysis over a defined time period.

Read the full statement

December 19, 2024:

The Board of Library Trustees and Village of Downers Grove Council will hold a joint meeting on Thursday, January 2, 2025, 7:30 p.m. in Herrick Middle School's cafeteria (4435 Middaugh Ave.).  Attendees should use Entrance #1. The agenda can be found here: dgpl.fyi/Joint-Meeting.

November 26, 2024:

A letter from Library Board President Matt Topic addressed to Mayor Barnett and the Village of Downers Grove Council was sent on November 26, 2024. The letter discusses a proposed resolution (2024-10593), seeking to place a nonbinding referendum on the April 2025 ballot concerning the library’s governance. The resolution was introduced without prior notice to the library and would require the creation of a new independent taxing body that would likely increase costs to taxpayers. The library values transparency and integrity and believes its patrons should be informed of the potential impacts of the proposed resolution. The full letter is linked below President Topic’s opening statement.

Community members may share opinions about the resolution and library services at the following upcoming meetings:

“Dear Mayor Barnett and Village Council:

I write on behalf of the Downers Grove Board of Library Trustees with regard to Council Resolution 2024-10593, which seeks to place a nonbinding referendum on the ballot next April asking “Shall the trustees of the Downers Grove Public Library be elected, rather than appointed?”  The resolution is scheduled for a vote on December 3, 2024, and was introduced at the Council’s November 19, 2024 meeting.

We respond in detail below, but in short, based on the initial assessment that the unreasonably short timing of the Council’s scheduled vote has allowed us to conduct, we believe:

  1.  the language of the referendum is nonsensical because we are aware of no legal mechanism to allow for the election of trustees under the existing library structure;
  2. the extensive legal and structural changes that would be required to implement an elected library board, such as becoming an independent taxing body separate from the Village, will have costs that will likely result in higher taxes for Downers Grove residents.

Regardless of the merits of the proposal itself, however, proceeding with the referendum on such a chaotic timeline is contrary to the best interests of our residents, and unprofessional to ask of a fellow unit of government—one that has existed in its current form for over 130 years.  For that reason, we previously asked that the Council grant us the courtesy of delaying its vote by at least one month to allow us to prepare a proper report on the impact of proceeding with the proposed referendum, but to date, that request has not been granted.

We unequivocally ask that you vote no on this resolution.”

Read the full letter

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