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Library Board OKs Mighty Twig lease
Updated: January 15, 2013 5:14PM
EVANSTON — The citizen-run The Mighty Twig could open as a full fledged branch library as soon as Saturday under a move approved by the Evanston Public Library Board.
Library trustees on Wednesday approved a one-year lease for the building at 900 Chicago Ave.
Library officials were waiting Friday for confirmation from the landlord of acceptance of the lease, and could begin as soon as Saturday providing full-fledged services at the library, an official said..
Under the change, the library would assume responsibility for the library, to be renamed Chicago Avenue Main Street.
Hours of service and story time schedules will remain the same at the formerly named The Mighty Twig; however, library services, including the check-in/check-out, reserves and the book drop, will become available under the change.
Volunteers started The Mighty Twig in a grassroots movement almost two years ago after the South Branch library was closed by the library in a budget move. Defying convention, the library became a popular mainstay in the Chicago-Main neighborhood, relying on a volunteer force for staffing.
Library Board members, some of which declined to support the citizens move at the time, read a resolution into the record Wednesday, acknowledging the Friends contribution and in part recapitulating the turbulent chapter.
“Whereas after the closing of the South Branch in 2011, the Library Friends undertook the monumental challenge of opening The Mighty Twig to serve the library needs of the neighborhood,’’ the resolution read in part. Evanston Public Library Friends raised the funds to continue operations at the North and South branches for six months,” read the resolution.
The resolution also paid tribute to the group’s “service, vision, innovation and commitment to the Evanston Public Library.”
