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Administration

Policies & FOIA

Freedom of Information Act (FOIA):

The purpose of the DeKalb Public Library is to provide materials and services for the recreational, social, informational, and educational needs of the community. The Library is located at 309 Oak St., DeKalb, IL 60115. We employ approximately 18 full time and 39 part time staff. Please review the library’s organizational chart for further information.

The total amount of our operating budget for FY2022 is $3,325,997. Funding sources are property and personal property replacement taxes, state and federal grants, fines, charges, and donations. Tax levies are:

  1. General Operating Expenditures
  2. IMRF (provides for employee’s retirement and related expenses)
  3. Social Security (provides for employee’s FICA costs and related expenses)
  4. Debt Service (for bond and interest payments)

The library’s administrative offices are located in the lower level of the library, at 309 Oak Street, DeKalb, IL, 60115.

Control over the library’s policies and procedures is exercised by the DeKalb Public Library Board of Trustees, which meets monthly on the 2nd Wednesday of each moth at 7:00 p.m. in the Bilder Family Meeting room in the lower level of the library. We are required to report and be answerable for our operations to the Illinois State Library, Springfield, Illinois, headed by State Librarian Jesse White (http://www.cyberdriveillinois.com/departments/library/)

As a public body, the DeKalb Public Library is governed by the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) http://www.ilga.gov/legislation/ilcs/ilcs3.asp?ActID=85&ChapterID=2. FOIA is used to ensure that all persons are entitled to full and complete information regarding the affairs of government. Unless information falls within an express statutory exemption, it must be disclosed under FOIA (5 ILCS 140/3).

FOIA Officers

The Freedom of Information Officers designated for the library are:

Emily Faulkner, Director
Marisa Glover, Business Manager
Requests should be directed to [email protected], or to
FOIA Officer
DeKalb Public Library
309 Oak Street
DeKalb, IL 60115

Fee Schedule

Fees and costs for supplying records may occur according to the following schedule:

The first 50 pages of black and white, letter, or legal paper are free of charge. After the first 50 pages, the library will charge $.10 per page. Colored copies and copies sized other than legal or letter size will be charged at the actual cost of reproduction. Cost of electronic records, e.g., disks, diskettes, tapes, etc., will be charged at the actual cost of the recording medium. Certified copies are $1.00. Fees may be waived or reduced if a waiver is within the public interest.

Making a FOIA Request

Requests for records must be made in writing. Please submit your written request in person, by mail, or by email to the FOIA officer. The library must generally comply with a request within 5 working days after receipt of the request, or 21 days if the request is for a commercial purpose. An extension of 5 days may be permitted under certain circumstances. Be sure to include your contact information so we can respond to the request.

Please specify in your request whether you wish to examine the records in person or receive a copy. If the records requested are kept in electronic format, you may request a specific format and if feasible, they will be so provided. If the format requested is not feasible, records 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, i.e. disc, diskette, tape, etc.) or in paper as you select.

Records we maintain

Note: Exemptions under the Illinois Freedom of Information Act may allow non-disclosure of some parts of public records maintained by the library.

General

  • Board meeting schedules
  • Board minutes
  • Library policies
  • Employee names, titles, and dates of employment
  • Records of library ownership of real or personal property
  • Contracts
  • Annual Reports to the Illinois State Library

Financial

  • Annual budgets
  • Tax levies
  • Audit reports
  • Bills or invoices issued and received by the library
  • Receipts for revenue
  • IMRF member compensation*

*Pursuant to Illinois law (5 ILCS 120/7.3), a certified list of employees whose salary and benefit packages are $75,000 or greater is available for inspection at DeKalb Public Library’s Administrative Office, located at 309 Oak St., DeKalb, IL. This information is available for inspection any time during library open hours. The phone number is (815) 756-9568.

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