The Washington District Library (WDL) Board of Trustees has voted 4-3 to close the Sunnyland Branch of the WDL.
Board Members Debra Dukes, VP Stacey Morris and Joan Ruppman voted against the branch shut down.
The board set a May 2023 closure date and told residents of the potential partnerships that can serve the community. Board members were unaware if the plaza property owner would agree to a shorter lease as the branch annual lease ends this July.
“We had a lot of discussion, it was a very good, heartfelt meeting,” Board President Linda Fitzgerald said to residents about the board’s prior financial meeting in February. “So as I see it the library district is at a crossroads. We can keep the branch open, do some renovations that need to be done with business as usual there and begin making cuts into programming and services. Or we can close the branch and expand our outreach program greatly, beginning with a strong partnership with District 50 and expanding to living facilities, day-care centers, and a long list of possibilities the staff came up with - we simply can not do both.”
According to Fitzgerald, District 50 Director of Student Services Jennifer Miller reached out last month offering help. Board President Fitzgerald met with District 50 Superintendent Chad Allaman, Miller and Library Director of WDL Lexi Walsh. Fitzgerald says the branch could not physically move into D50 libraries, but could collaborate on outreach programs.
Board Treasurer Stacy Smith says library reserves could be used over a short time frame, a year, to establish partnerships with school districts, retirement and care facilities and other entities. Smith states the current financial standing of the library set over the next ten years is not sufficient to maintain the branch and other current services.
Twelve residents prior to the vote spoke out in support of the branch in an audience nearly 30 in size. Those in attendance noted community members with physical and mental needs who utilize the branch due to its close proximity.
After opening public remarks, Fitzgerald said residents could use the Morton/Washington Taxi Service, sponsored by the Washington Township, to access the main library. The service is free to residents 65 and older who can show proof of 61571 area code residence. A caretaker can also come along, but no animals.
Though, for residents in attendance any solution without the branch staying open isn’t viable.
“In April it will be 47 years that the branch has been there,” resident Barb Childers said. “It took a bunch of Christian women [who] decided ‘You know maybe we need something down on this side of town that is a little bit more convenient’…and they did that. They made that a reality. And now we want to go 47 years backwards? Take that (Sunnyland branch) away from a very vulnerable community…Nowhere in my mind can I fathom this.”
Other Sunnyland residents remarked how expensive the trip can be to the main branch, especially with over half of District 50 students living on a lower-income.
Resident Barb Appleby visits the main library, but only because of her gym membership.
“If it wasn’t for that I wouldn’t consider it feasible financially to just come to the library,” Appleby said. In fact, Appleby says she visits the branch library at least four times a week. After the meeting Appleby shared more: “There are times I come in (main library) and I’m the only one at the computer and there’s hardly anybody here. So should they close the library because sometimes there are not many people [here]?”
Prior to the closure vote, Board member Joann Bailey read a written statement.
“I will be voting to close the Sunnyland branch tonight, but I will not be voting to deprive anyone of library services,” Bailey said. “To the contrary, this will allow us to provide more and better library services just seven minutes away…from the branch.” She states preCOVID-19 attendance numbers at the branch averaging less than 300 patrons a month between 2016 to 2019.
According to Bailey those pre-pandemic numbers, along with greater area access to wifi and other towns only having one library as reasons for her closure vote.
Resident Nikki Dixon says patron numbers are lower because of the limited weekend hours of the branch. Unlike the main library, the Sunnyland branch is closed on Sundays. From June to August the branch is closed Saturday with reduced hours in the remaining months.
Childers and other residents are starting a social campaign, Restore Our Sunnyland Branch Library, aiming to reverse the board’s decision.
“They use that (single library) as an excuse, but that’s not an excuse… we already have our library established. That should be a feather in your cap, not something you’re talking about…you know that we don’t need. We need that…preserve it…save it.”
