• Janet Van De Carr was selected by the board as the new Library Director.
• In the Spring, the YA loft was expanded and new wooden booths were added.
• In August, Northern Illinois Public Opinion Laboratory telephone survey of 500 community members surveyed about their opinion of the library and its services resulting in "PRPL Community Report on Space & Service Needs".
• In November 2000, the Library Board made a formal presentation to the City Council recommending a new 80,000 square foot facility on the current parcel of land.

• Fire alarms throughout the Library were upgraded.
• The City Council on July 16, 2001 reached a consensus not to accept the recommendation of the Park Ridge Public Library Board of Directors for a new 80,000 square foot facility.
• In November, the Mayor convened a Joint Committee of four City Council members and three Library Board members to further study library facility issues. That committee met regularly.
• CCS libraries including the Park Ridge Public Library converted to the new web-based iBistro catalog.

• Mobile library service ended.
• On Monday, May 20, 2002 the City Council approved the recommendation of the Joint Committee to approve a loan of $350,000 to the Library to study the feasibility of constructing a new library and parking facilities on the existing library block. After having concluded Fiscal Year 20001/2002 the Library Board determined that this phase could be paid for with money from the Library Fund.
• Friday, July 26 the Architect Selection Committee selected Nagle Hartray Danker Kagan McKay Architects Planners Ltd. as the architect to plan the Library block.
• Tuesday, July 30, 2002 the Board of Trustees approved the recommendation of the Architect Selection Committee to hire Nagle Hartray Danker Kagan McKay Architects Planners Ltd.
• In August 2002, Community workshops were held to gather community input.
• August 19, 2002 Citizens' group delivers November referendum petitions to Park Ridge City Clerk.
• October 7, 2002 6:30 p.m. City Hall Council Chambers
  Joint Workshop City Council/Library Board Meeting with Architect Nagle Hartray Danker Kagan McKay. The architects presented conceptual designs for two options for the Library Block:
  1. retail, Library and parking
  2. Library and parking
• In October 2002, Joint City Council/ Library Board Workshop met to further discuss retail options for the Library Block. After much deliberation the Council was asked by Mayor Wietecha to indicate their preference for:
  • Library and retail
  • Library only
  • Retail only
  Though this was not a final vote nor an indication of a decision, the consensus (on this day, at this time) was to recommend the "Library only" option. (7 in favor of "Library only", 4 in favor of retail/library, 1 absentention) Many Council members exprssed interest in waiting for the results of the non-binding referendum November 5 before committing their final votes regarding the options.
• November 5 Referendum Results

• The Library celebrates its 90th Anniversary!
• The Library also adopts a new logo, which you can see at the top of this page.

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