I.                     A brief description of our public body is as follows:

A.                   Our purpose is to provide materials and services for the recreational, social, informational, and educational needs of the community.

B.                   An organizational chart can be found below.

C.                   The total amount of our operating budget for FY 2010 is $6,192,498.
Funding sources are property taxes, state and federal grants (including the Illinois Per Capita Grant), fines, fees, rental income, and donations. Tax levies are $5,660,498.

D.                  Our office is located at:                                      Joliet Public Library

150 N. Ottawa Street
Joliet, IL 60432

We have a branch location at:                          Black Road Branch

                                                                                3395 Black Road
Joliet, IL 60431

E.                   We have approximately 131 persons (89 FTE) employed:

1.                   Full-time:  45

2.                   Part-time: 86

F.                   The following organization exercises control over our policies: The Joliet Public Library Board of Library Trustees, which meets at 7:00 PM on the third Thursday of each month in Meeting Room B of the Main Library.  Its members are: Daniel W. Hopkins, President; Kennedy Millsap, Vice President; Nancy K. Henricksen, Secretary; James P. Sczepaniak, Treasurer; Emita R. Ostrem; Ronald E. Cornelius; Lynn Poper Samalea; Jean Smiles; and Frank Stewart.

G.                   We are required to report and be answerable for our operations to: Illinois State Library, Springfield, Illinois. Its members are: State Librarian, Jesse White (Secretary of State); Director of State Library, Anne Craig; and various other staff.

II.                   You may request information and records subject to disclosure under the Act in the following manner:

A.                   The request must be in writing and may be submitted in person, by mail, by fax, or by email.  In order to ensure that all required information is provided, a form is available upon request.  We will not respond to oral requests or provide information other than what already exists in our records.

B.                   Your request should be directed to the following individual: John Spears, Library Director, FOIA Officer, 150 N. Ottawa St., Joliet, IL 60432.  Requests received on a nonworking day or after 5:00 PM on a working day will be considered as received on the next working day. 

C.                    You must indicate whether you have a “commercial purpose” in your request.

1.                   A “commercial purpose” is defined as “the use of any part of a public record or records, or information derived from public records, in any form for sale, resale, or solicitation or advertisement for sales or services.” However, there are possible exceptions for news media, non-profits, scientific and academic organizations, articles or opinions of public interest, or research or education.

2.                   In the event a “commercial purpose” is involved, additional questions may be asked of the requestor in order to determine the classification.   Within 21 days, we will provide one of three responses: deny the request based on exemptions or undue burden, estimate the time and cost of the copying for prepayment, or provide the documents requested.

D.                  You must specify the records requested to be disclosed for inspection or to be copied.  If you desire that any records be certified, you must specify which ones.

E.                   To reimburse our actual costs for reproducing and certifying (if requested) the records, you will be charged the following fees:

1.                   There is a $1.00 charge for each certification of records;

2.                   There is no charge for the first 50 pages of black and white text either letter or legal size;

3.                   There is a $.15 per page charge for copied records in excess of 50 pages;

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

F.                   If the records are kept in an electronic format, you may request a specific format and, if feasible, they will be provided in the requested format.  If it is not feasible to provide them in the requested format, you will be provided with the option of receiving them 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.

G.                   The office will respond to a written request within five working days or sooner, if possible.  An extension of an additional five working days may be necessary to properly respond.

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

I.                     The place and times where the records will be available is the Main Library Administrative Offices (150 N. Ottawa St., Joliet, IL) from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM, Monday through Friday, excluding holidays.

III.                 Certain types of information maintained by us are exempt from inspection and copying. However, the following types or categories of records are maintained under our control:

A.                   Monthly Financial Statements

B.                   Annual Receipts and Disbursements Reports

C.                   Budget, Levy, and Appropriation Documents

D.                  Annual Audits

E.                   Minutes of the Board of Library Trustees

F.                   Library Policies

G.                   Adopted Resolutions of the Board

H.                  Annual Reports to the Illinois State Library

 

JOLIET PUBLIC LIBRARY ORGANIZATION CHART