By Lyle R. Rolfe –
An estimated 150 residents turned out in the evening Thursday, Nov. 8 night for a special citizens meeting at the West Branch of the Aurora Public Library (APL).
The meeting was called, APL officials said, to update residents on rumors regarding the West Branch’s future.
The Library Board was represented by Andrew Smith, Board vice president and the Library was represented by Daisy Porter-Reynolds, executor director, and Miriam Meza, communications manager.
Porter-Reynolds said rumors about the Board’s selling the West Branch building to the West Aurora School District and moving the West Branch to a strip mall on West Galena Boulevard, are not true.
No decisions have been made concerning the future of the Branch, she said.
Meza said four questions for residents to answer or comment on at the meeting were prepared to help Library officials and Board members make future decisions regarding the West Branch.
The questions were: 1. What would make you feel heard as we continue our process; 2. What does the West Branch currently do well; 3. How would you describe West Sider residents and 4. What could West Branch do better?
The four questions were printed on large posters on which residents wrote their answers on Post-it notes and stuck them on the posters. By the end of the meeting, the large posters were covered with comments.
An identical meeting will be held again at the West Branch Monday, Dec. 3 at 10 a.m. and on Sunday, Jan. 13, 2019 at 2 p.m.. Porter said they wanted to hold the meetings on different days and at different times in hopes that all residents would to attend one of the sessions.
Other Library personnel were available to answer questions during the 90-minute meeting.
