Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Library Services topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Urbana Free Library reports fiscal‑year highlights, building plan and 150th anniversary events
Summary
The Urbana Free Library presented its fiscal 2024 report to the council, highlighting a recently passed building program guiding future expansion, deferred‑maintenance projects (including an east air handler replacement planned for October), ARPA‑funded bilingual programming and a calendar of 150th‑anniversary events.
Urbana Free Library executive director Celeste Mutos, board president Daniel Urban and associate director Rachel Fuller presented the library’s fiscal‑year 2024 report and thanked the council for support.
Mutos said the library board passed a building program on May 14 that will guide possible expansion and renovation. Deferred‑maintenance work includes replacement of an aging east air handler anticipated to be replaced in October after an 18‑month parts fabrication process. The library plans an audiovisual and circulation area renovation beginning in August 2025, with design work through spring and bidding next year.
Mutos highlighted programming supported by ARPA funding that enabled hiring a bilingual program specialist who helped develop 37 in‑house events (2,733 attendees) and 13 outreach events (1,693 attendees). Popular programs included bilingual sensory stations and a bilingual stuffed animal sleepover story time; staff said some programs improved accessibility for neurodivergent community members.
The library and the University of Illinois unveiled a publicly available quantum network with a kickoff event attended by more than 200 residents; staff demonstrated quantum entanglement in the building. The library celebrated its 150th anniversary on June 15 with about 600 attendees and will host anniversary programming through June 2025.
Mayor Diane Wolfe Marlin read a proclamation naming Sept. 2024 as library card sign‑up month in Urbana and encouraged residents to obtain library cards.
Next steps: the library will continue planning the building program and deferred‑maintenance work and begin design and bidding for the circulation/AV refresh in 2025; staff noted the library’s slide deck is available in the council packet online.
