Library Board Discusses Potential Purchaser of Market Avenue Property

The Effingham Public Library Board has heard from someone interested in acquiring the former library location on Market Avenue.

Library Director Amanda McKay said she doesn't know the name of the interested party, but said library officials plan to explore the opportunity to take bids for the property before the end of the year.

McKay reported on meetings with local resident Dave Seiler, a former library board member interested in making genealogical records more easily available to the public. She said that if the information is digitized, patrons would be able to gain access to the information anytime, anywhere. She and Seiler plan to discuss a way to generate funding for the project.

The library board agreed to participate in an e-rate discount program. The program would make acquisition of technology more affordable. Changes in participation guidelines has opened the program to the library. The Board agreed to contract with e-rate consultant Jill Dare to make sure the library gets its maximum amount of funding. Dare would get 10% of any funding recovered.

Also Monday, the library board renewed liability insurance coverage...closed a building fund account with Southeastern Illinois Community Foundation and moved the revenue to Midland States Bank, but retained its endowment fund with the Foundation...agreed to use up to $20,000 in special reserve funds to replace two compressors on the library's chiller...and approved a gift of comp time equal to each employee's normal workday as a Christmas present to the staff members.