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retooling. The McClure Branch,
which needed a myriad of build-
ing repairs as well as remodel-
ing, has been closed since last
February.
Remodeling of the Main
Library was completed in June
2011, but two floors had opened a
year earlier.
All of the work was the result
of a $28 million program started
about five years ago, when the
library’s board of trustees rec-
ognized nothing had been done
to upgrade the Peoria library
system in 40 years. That included
geographically as it saw that basi-
cally half the city had no branch
service and the other half had less
than ideal service.
An advisory referendum ask-
ing for permission to sell bonds
and raise its portion of taxes
to pay for those bonds so the
remodeling work and construc-
tion of the North Branch could be
done was put on the April 2007
ballot. It was approved by a 72
percent margin. The bonds then
were sold for the work.
Even then, however, a long-
range planning committee for
the trustees said that while the
library could not serve the grow-
ing north side without a new
building, there would not be
enough money to add new staff
for that building. Noack said
technology helped ease that bur-
den, but the library was able to
find other ways of doing things
so staff for the North Branch
could be moved from other
branches.
One of the changes was that
each building closes one day
a week. The Main Library and
McClure branches will be closed
on Sundays, the North Branch is
closed on Tuesdays, the Lincoln
Branch on Wednesdays and the
Lakeview Branch will be closed
on Thursdays.
“What’s important is that
somewhere in Peoria, a library is
open to the public seven days a
week,” Noack said.
Continued on Page 50
A fireplace is one of the decorations that add to the comfort of patrons of the Peoria Public Library
North Branch just off Allen Road. The branch opened in May 2011 and already is busy each day.
The Main Library’s hours:
9 a.m. - 6 p.m. Monday - Saturday,
as are the McClure Branch’s hours.
The North Branch is open:
10 a.m. - 8 p.m. Monday,
Wednesday & Thursday,
10 a.m. - 6 p.m. Friday
9 a.m. - 5 p.m. Saturday
Noon - 5 p.m. Sunday.
The Lincoln Branch:
10 a.m. - 8 p.m. Monday,
Tuesday & Thursday
10 a.m. - 6 p.m. Saturday
Noon - 5 p.m. Sunday.
When it reopens ,
the Lakeview Branch:
10 a.m. - 8 p.m. Monday -
Wednesday
10 a.m. - 6 p.m. Friday
& Saturday
Noon - 5 p.m. Sunday
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