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December 13, 2005

Pat McGuckin
Randy Nehrt

White Awards Library Construction Grants

SPRINGFIELD — Secretary of State and State Librarian Jesse White today awarded fiscal year 2006 Live and Learn Library Construction grants to seven public libraries for essential refurbishing and to provide greater accessibility to persons with physical disabilities.

"This important competitive grant program provides valuable assistance to libraries with infrastructure needs," White said. "Some of these grants will help libraries install new furnishings, paint the interior or exterior of their building, or complete other similar refurbishing projects. Other grants are designed specifically for remodeling an existing building to bring it into compliance with the federal Americans with Disabilities Act and the Illinois Accessibility Code. Our libraries are cornerstones of our communities that require periodic infrastructure improvements, and the Live and Learn program is designed specifically to address those capital improvement concerns."

Mini-grants that are awarded for remodeling or refurbishment do not require any local match, with a maximum grant of $25,000. ADA grants require 50 per cent local matching funds, and the maximum award is $50,000.

The seven libraries receiving fiscal year 2006 grants are:

• Atwood-Hammond Public Library District, Atwood, $50,000 for improvements that will make the facility more accessible to disabled persons. New signs, door handles, bathrooms, wider aisles and entrances, and more stable floor coverings will be installed.
• Elizabeth Titus Memorial Library, Sullivan, $25,000 for new floor coverings and interior painting.
• Evergreen Park Public Library, $50,000 for accessibility improvements that will reconfigure the main entrance, handicapped ramp, elevator and bathrooms.
• Matteson Public Library, $5,700 to install automatic doors.
• Lincolnwood Public Library District, Lincolnwood, $9,861 to install automatic doors for the library's main entrance.
• McCoy Memorial Library, McLeansboro, $25,000 to repair the library's porches and for other external building maintenance.
• Fox River Grove Memorial Library, Fox River Grove, $7,370 to install automatic doors.