Oglesby Public Library District

Freedom of Information Act Policy

About Oglesby Public Library District
The Oglesby Public Library District serves a population of 4217 residents, as well as reciprocal borrowers, along with any and all visitors who pass through the library’s doors.

The Oglesby Public Library District is a district library established under the Illinois Local Library Act 75 ILCS 16 with a seven (7) Member elected Board of Trustees.

The Oglesby Public Library District Board of Trustees exercises control over the library’s policies and procedures.  The Board of Trustees meets monthly on the fourth Monday of each month (except as posted otherwise in the library and on the website) at 6:30pm. A minimum of ten (10) meetings per year is required by law.

We are required to report and be answerable to: Illinois State Library, Springfield, Illinois. Its members are State Librarian Alexi Giannoulias, Director of the State Library and various other staff.

Our Purpose:

The library’s purpose is to provide materials and services for the recreation, information, and education of the members of our community.

Our Mission
To provide excellent service to community members of all ages.
To support literacy through physical and electronic resources.
To host educational and cultural events for the benefit of community members.
To be a source for community information, both historical and present.
To offer the opportunity for community members to develop and improve technological skills.

Oglesby Public Library District Office
The administrative office is located within the Oglesby Public Library District’s only building at the following address:

111 S. Woodland Ave., Oglesby, Illinois, 61348.

Oglesby Public Library District Website
https://oglesbylibrary.org

Oglesby Public Library District Staff
When fully staffed, the library employes 1 full-time staff and 5 part-time staff.

Oglesby Public Library District Trustees

The Oglesby Public Library is governed by an unpaid, elected, seven-member board of Library Trustees. Current Board Members are:

President, Richard Vollmer
Vice-President, Joshua Engel
Treasurer, Rebecca Clinard
Secretary, Austin Cullinan
Trustee, Karen Watson
Trustee, Mike Porter
Trustee, Sarah Vollmer

Committee Membership

The library has 4 standing committees:

Building and Grounds
Josh Engel
Sarah Vollmer
Richard Vollmer, Ex-Officio
Lynn Sheedy, Director 

Finance
Becky Clinard
Mike Porter
Richard Vollmer, Ex-Officio
Lynn Sheedy, Director

Personnel/Policy Committee
Josh Engel
Karen Watson
Richard Vollmer, Ex-Officio
Lynn Sheedy, Director

Technology
Austin Cullinan
Sarah Vollmer
Richard Vollmer, Ex-Officio
Lynn Sheedy, Director
 

The library also has a Decennial Committee

All Trustees
Library Director
Community Members:

            Mary Beth Foemmel
            Drew Jessen
            Mary Ann Stefanelli

Budget

The current fiscal year budget is attached. Tax levies are:

·         Corporate purposes (for general operating expenditures)

·         IMRF (provides for employee’s retirement)

·         Social Security (provides for employee’s FICA costs and related expenses)

·         Audit (for annual audit and related expenses)

·         Liability (for insurance premiums, risk management, attorney’s fee and related  
expenses, unemployment, and worker’s compensation insurance)

FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT

The Oglesby Public Library District adheres to the Freedom of Information Act, 5 ILCS 140/1 et.Seq., which is the principal Illinois statute governing the inspection of public records. The ACT requires that public bodies make available for inspection or copying all public records to any person.

Oglesby Public Library District FOIA Officer

Library Director: Lynn Sheedy (director@oglesbylibrary.org)

Filing a FOIA Request

A request for records must be made in writing and can be submitted to the attention of the FOIA officer in the following ways:

 Mail
Oglesby Public Library District

Attn: FOIA Officer
111 S. Woodland Ave.
Oglesby, IL 61348

Email
director@oglesbylibrary.org
 

Personal Delivery

During regular business hours of the Oglesby Public Library District.OIA Policy Ad

Indicate whether you have a commercial purpose in your request. Specify the records requested to be disclosed for inspection or to be copied.

Freedom of Information Act Request Fees

Digital copies sharable via electronic means are provided free of charge.

To reimburse us our actual costs for reproducing the records, the following fees will be charged:

·         There is no charge for the first fifty (50) black and white pages, either letter or legal size.

·         There is a $0.15 per page charge for copied records in excess of 50 pages.

·         The actual copying cost of color copies and other sized copies will be charged.

·         If the records are kept in electronic format, you may request a specific format, and, if feasible, they will be provided. But if not, they will be provided either in the electronic format in which they are kept (and you would be required to pay the actual cost of the medium only (flash drive, etc.) to which the information is to be saved or in paper as you select.

Response to Requests for Non-Commercial Requests

Response to non-commercial requests can be expected within 5 business days of the receipt of a written request. If an extension is required, the FOIA officer from the library will reach out to the requester.

Response to Commercial Requests can be expected within 21 business days of the receipt of a written request. If an extension is required, the FOIA officer from the library will reach out to the requester.

Records may be inspected or copied at the library. If inspected, an employee must be present throughout the inspection.

Procedure for Appealing a Decision

If your request for information is denied, or in part, you have the right to have your request reviewed by the Public Access Counselor (PAC) at the Office of the Illinois Attorney General. 5 ILCS 140/9.5 (a). You can file your Request for Review with the PAC by writing to:

Leah Bartlet, Public Access Counselor
Office of the Illinois Attorney General
500 South 2nd Street
Springfield, Il 62701

Email: publicaccess@ilag.gov

877-299-3642

An individual may also file a lawsuit in the circuit court.

Certain types of information maintained by the Oglesby Public Library District are exempt from inspection and copying. However, the library maintains the following types or categories of records:

·         Monthly Financial Statement

·         Budget and Appropriations

·         Salary and Benefit Information

·         Levy

·         Library policies

·         Meeting Agendas-Immediately available on website for 2021 to present

·         Meeting minutes-Immediately available on website 2021 to present

·        Annual reports to the Illinois State Library
 

Adopted: 11/23/2015 Amended: 1/25/2016, 3/28/2016, 11/26/2018, 8/26/2019, 12/20/2021, 4/22/24 (LMS) Reviewed: