Highland Park library seeks 9.5% levy increase as expansion raises operating costs

The Highland Park Public Library asked the City Council Committee of the Whole on July 14 for a 9.5% increase in its 2026 levy to cover a projected $566,000 rise in operating expenses and to begin replenishing capital reserves used for a $10.065 million expansion. Heidi Smith, executive director of the Highland Park Public Library, and Rob Biederman, treasurer of the library board of trustees, presented the request during the council's continuing 2026 budget workshop.

The increase would yield about $558,000 in levy revenue, library officials said, and the library is seeking roughly $1,000,000 in private fundraising for the campaign titled Reimagine Your Library. "This is year 1 of a 3 year bridge strategic plan, bridging us from the previous strategic plan through construction of our expanded building into the future," Smith said. The board has also set a $1,000,000 campaign goal to support the project; presenters said $410,000 in gifts and pledges have been recorded to date.

Library trustees and staff said personnel and benefits largely drive the operating increase. "Personnel costs are about 75% of our operating costs," Rob Biederman said, and the budget includes an 8% salary increase for 2026 and projected premium increases that together lead to an estimated 32% rise in health-care costs. Biederman also cited an anticipated 24% increase in employer retirement contributions to the Illinois Municipal Retirement Fund (IMRF) as a major factor.

Presenters outlined how the expansion affects operations and capital. The project adds about 7,850 square feet of new space, which the library expects will raise maintenance and operating needs; the board budgeted higher collections spending as well, aiming to move closer to the Illinois library standard metric for materials spending. Biederman said the library's special reserve — built to about $4.6 million — will be largely used for the expansion and will need replenishing to support future capital work.

Smith described the library's priorities during construction, saying staff will "optimize use during construction so that community members continue to be able to... benefit from the advantages of using the library even during construction." The project funding plan shown to the council allocates approximately $4,000,000 in city-issued bond proceeds, $4,190,000 from library special reserves, plus grants, fundraising and additional levy contributions to reach the $10,065,000 total.

Council members pressed library staff on several budget assumptions and implementation details. Questions included whether the library's health-insurance contribution covers family plans in full (city staff clarified it is a percentage cost-share across plan types), why investment-income projections fall as reserves are spent, and whether pledged campaign funds could reduce the levy request (Smith said pledged gifts are not yet recorded as revenue for budgeting because many pledges are not yet under contract). On training, Smith said a one-time emergency-procedures contract in 2025 raised training costs and that training budgets would be reassessed in future years.

Library staff also described capital planning beyond the expansion: an estimated $5 million in additional capital improvements is planned over the next 10 years (outside the expansion) and an estimated $1.5 million for an interior renovation was shown in the 2031 forecast. "We have itemized in 2031 $1,500,000 as an update to the rest of the library," Smith said, adding that those estimates will be refined as the project progresses.

No formal council vote was recorded during the committee meeting on the levy or budget; staff said the council will receive the proposed budget, conduct one-on-one briefings with elected officials, hold budget workshops and then public hearings as part of the formal adoption process. The library presentation materials and additional budget detail will be available to council members and the public as the process continues.