On June 10, 2003, the groundbreaking ceremony was held for the new Tinley Park Public Library (TPPL) building at 7851 Timber Drive. More than fifteen months later, the dedication ceremony for the new library was held on October 3, 2004.
The TPPL has a bookmobile to serve the patrons of Tinley Park and Orland Hills who cannot easily get to the library building. A mobile branch of the library, it contains a collection of children and adult popular fiction, seasonal non-fiction, popular videocassettes, DVDs, books on tape, magazines, and CDs.
Books can be borrowed and loans can be renewed on the vehicle. Items that were checked out at the main library, or from another library, can be returned to the bookmobile. Patrons can obtain or renew their library card, reserve books from the TPPL, and pay fines for overdue items.
The bookmobile goes out on Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays, stopping at forty-four neighborhood parks and street intersections throughout Tinley Park and Orland Hills. The TPPL’s goal is for the bookmobile to visit every neighborhood at least once in a three-week rotation. The Bookmobile stops every Friday morning at the 80th Avenue Metra station, from 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 a.m.
Rich Wolff is the Library Administrator.He earned his MLS degree at Rosary College (now Dominican University) in 1990. Susan K. Dienes is Assistant Administrator to the Library.
Catherine Hannon is President of the Board of Trustees, Gina Miller is Vice President, Laura Hess-Wojcik is Secretary, and Barbararose Whalen is Treasurer. The other trustees are Darren Meyers, Kathy Parker, and Virginia White.
In March of 2011, the aforementioned Kathy Parker, a Tinley Park resident and the Administrative Librarian of the Glenwood-Lynwood Public Library District, was elected to a six-year-long term on the Board of Trustees of the Tinley Park Public Library. When she ran for office, she answered questions posed by Sun-Times Media’s Daily South Town.
An unidentified reporter queried, “In your view, what are the two most important issues facing your constituents? How would you address those issues?”
Ms. Parker answered, “I believe that the constituents throughout many communities are facing many of the same issues, job loss and access to technology. While being a fairly affluent community, Tinley Park is no different. Residents have lost employment and have had to make serious budget decisions in the last two years. If elected, I would bring forth to my fellow trustees and Library Administrator my belief that the library can help these residents by hosting job fairs, resume and employment counseling, conduct computer classes in resume building and employment searches, and provide more access to the available computers in the library.”
She also stated, “The Tinley Park Library has a healthy budget and I applaud the current Library Board and Library Administrator Rich Wolff for being fiscally responsible, even before the economic downturn.”
A MLS Marketing Plans group will meet on Tuesday, March 13, 2012 at 1:00 p.m. at the TPPL. This group is open to library staff from both within the MLS and non-MLS library staff – any library staff member from the professional to the accidental marketer who has been charged with marketing his or her library's collection, services, and/or programming.
According to a post on the RAILS Web site, “The purpose of the group is to brainstorm the challenges of marketing library services, programs and collections; to share ideas, problems and solutions; to address specific issues such as value campaigns or return on investment campaigns; surveying community members; creating mission, values and vision statements; library branding and more as the group evolves.”
The Friends of the Library help the TPPL by conducting fundraisers, supporting special events and library programs, and purchasing library furnishings and artwork. Members organize and maintain the Friends Book Store, located just inside the entrance to the library, and also raise money through the sale of candy bars, book bags, and other items.
Proceeds from the sale of books, candy, and book bags by the Friends of the Library have been used to acquire large-type inspiration fiction, office furniture, a Yamaha piano, two stained-glass windows, and an original artwork by Sylvia M. Koch. To join, pick up a membership form at the Patron Services Desk.
The TPPL is open from 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. Mondays through Fridays, from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on Saturdays, and from 12:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. on Sundays. The phone number is (708) 532-0160.
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