Freedom of Information Act

Freedom of Information Act Guide

Updated September 26, 2024, for the fiscal year 2024-2025

Posted in compliance with 5 ILCS 140/4

About the Park Forest Public Library

The Park Forest Public Library (PFPL) serves a community of 21,687 Park Forest residents, 4,718 Olympia Fields residents, reciprocal borrowers from the SWAN Library consortium, and any and all visitors who pass through the library’s doors.

The Park Forest Public Library is a village library established under the Illinois Local Library Act, 75 ILCS 5. Its seven-member Board of Trustees is elected to six-year terms.

We are required to report to and answer to the Illinois State Library, Springfield, Illinois. Its members are State Librarian Alexi Giannoulias, the Director of the State Library, and various other staff.

The mission of the Park Forest Public Library is to open doors to a world of information, education, and recreation, and is dedicated to being a vital part of the community.

The Park Forest Public Library will be a welcoming place for people of all ages.  The library will meet the needs of a diverse population by providing services and by working in partnership with patrons and community organizations.  The Board of Trustees and the staff will work together to serve the public and to respond to the changing nature of Library services.

http://www.pfpl.org

The 2024-2025 fiscal year budget is $1,944,562. Budget documents, the most current budget and levy documents are available on the library’s website.

The Park Forest Public Library’s administrative office is located at 400 Lakewood Blvd., Park Forest, IL, 60466. The library has only one branch and does not have any additional facility or property.  The phone number is 708-748-3731.  The email is parkforestpl@gmail.com.

When fully staffed, the library employs 5 full-time and 14 part-time employees. The organizational information below shows positions and responsibilities.

Board of Trustees

• Hire and evaluate Library Director

Library Director

• Hires staff
• Evaluates Coordinators
• Responsible for the running of the library

Acquisitions Coordinator/Administrative Specialist

• Responsible for processing materials
• Orders supplies
• Responsible for money deposits

Administrative Services Coordinator

• Approves time clock entries
• Responsible for Board documents
• Responsible for invoices

Senior Services Coordinator

• Responsible for programming for seniors
• Responsible for homebound services

Digital Information Services Coordinator

• Responsible for adult reference
• Responsible for technology
• Order materials
• Evaluates specialists and assistants

Community Engagement Coordinator

• Adult programming
• Outreach to businesses and organizations
• Orders materials

Youth Engagement Coordinator

• Kids’ programming
• School visits and outreach
• Orders materials
• Evaluates specialists and assistants

Patron Services Coordinator

• Responsible for circulation
• Patron accounts and billing
• New book displays
• Evaluates specialists and assistants

Library Specialists and Assistants

• Serve patrons

The library is governed by an elected, unpaid, seven-member Board of Library Trustees. Trustees are elected for six-year staggered terms. Current Board Members and their terms are included below. Trustees may be contacted at 708-748-3731, sevena.merchant@pfpl.org, or at the library’s general mailing address, parkforestpl@gmail.com

President: Sevena Merchant (2025)
Vice President: Felicia Rangel (2029)
Secretary: Alan Shnay (2029)
Trustee: Katherine Coleman (2029)
Trustee: Lance L. Jefferson (2027)
Trustee: Alice McBride (2027)
Trustee: Jessica Rodrigues (2025)

Open meetings are held on the third Thursday of each month at 7:30 P.M., January through December. Meetings are held in the Ringering Room at the library’s principal address.

The library has four standing committees whose membership is as follows:

Finance Committee

• Sevena Merchant, Chair
• Felicia Rangel, Member
• Alan Shnay, Member
• Katherine Coleman, Member
• Lance L. Jefferson, Member
• Alice McBride, Member
• Jessica Rodrigues, Member

Friends Committee

• Felicia Rangel, Chair
• Lance L. Jefferson, Member

Personnel Committee

• Sevena Merchant, Chair
• Felicia Rangel, Member

Bylaws Committee

• Alice McBride, Chair            

The Park Forest Public Library adheres to the Freedom of Information Act, 5 ILCS 140/1 et seq., the principal Illinois statute governing the inspection of public records. The Act requires that public bodies make all public records available for inspection or copying to any person, with limited exceptions.

Library Director: Mary VanSwol (foia@pfpl.org)

A request for records must be made in writing and can be submitted to the attention of the FOIA officer.

Digital copies shareable via electronic means will be provided free of charge.

The charge for copies of the records will be as follows:

1. First 50 pages of black and white, letter size: Free
2. 10 cents per page for black and white, letter size, after 50 pages
3. 50 cents per page for color or oversized copies
4. Reproduction saved to other media: actual cost of the recording media to which the information will be saved

Responses to all requests can be expected within the time frame specified in the Act. If an extension is required, the FOIA officer from the library will contact the requestor in writing.

If your request for information is denied, or denied in part, you have the right to have your request reviewed by the Public Access Counselor (PAC) at the Office of the Illinois Attorney General. 5 ILCS 140/9.5(a). You may file your Request for Review with the PAC by writing to:

Leah Bartelt, Public Access Counselor
Office of the Illinois Attorney General
500 South 2nd Street
Springfield, IL 62701

public.access@ilag.gov
877-299-3642

You also have the right to seek judicial review of your denial by filing a lawsuit in the Illinois Circuit Court. 5 ILCS 140/11. If you choose to file a Request for Review with the PAC, you must do so within 60 calendar days of the date of the denial letter. 5 ILCS 140/9.5(a). Please note that you must include a copy of your original FOIA request and the denial letter when filing a Request for Review with the PAC.

The records listed below are available immediately on our website.

• Open meeting agendas and minutes, 2022-present
• Annual financial report, most recent
• Salary and benefit information (PA 97-0609), current fiscal year (see below)
• Budget, current fiscal year
• Levy, current fiscal year (see below)
• Library policies, current

The records listed below are available upon request.

• Monthly Financial Statements
• Checks Paid Reports
• Annual Reports to the Illinois State Library

The Park Forest Public Library adheres to the guidance for retaining business records set out by the Local Records Commission through the State of Illinois.

Levy 2023

General Property: $1,600,999
IMRF: $80,885
FICA: $58,054
Total: $1,739,938

Salary and Benefit Information 

Park Forest Public Library Disclosure of Total Compensation Package
Public Act 97–609; 5 ILCS 120/7.3
2024

Mary VanSwol, Library Director
Annual Rate: $77,000
Health Insurance: $8,243
Life Insurance: $412
Vacation Days: 20
Personal Days: 5
Sick Days: 12
Total: $85,655