Louis Latzer Library in Highland to receive much-needed makeover
The Louis Latzer Library in Highland is getting an overhaul this year, with some help from the Illinois State Library.
The main library was constructed in 1929 with an addition constructed in 1972. “And it looks it,” said library director Angela Kim. Maintenance needs of the library include new flooring, replacing an HVAC system that is more than 25 years old, new fire and smoke detector systems and improving the rear entrance with new railings and paint, as well as bringing the library into compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act.
Some of the aesthetic work is already underway, such as painting the bookshelves in the fiction area so the mismatched shelves will at least look similar.
The flooring is a primary issue: Currently an older carpet that is becoming a tripping hazard and needs regular cleaning. It will be replaced with wood laminate, which Kim said will be more durable and easier to clean.
“We don’t even know how old the carpet is,” Kim said. “It looked old when I got here — 18 years ago.”
The original flooring of the library was black and white tile with an art deco feel, and Kim said she wants to put in black and white ceramic tile around the circulation desk to bring the library back toward its original appearance.
“It will give you that nostalgia and pull you into that ‘20s feel,” Kim said.
The rear entrance is the ADA-accessible entrance, which will not only be brought up to current requirements, but also will have decorative tiling and incorporate some local architectural pieces.
For example, Kim has a piece of stained glass from the Hope Lutheran Church, which used to sit on an adjacent plot that is now a city parking lot after it was demolished in 1999. She plans to display it in the library, and is asking if anyone has historic items to donate relating to Highland history — “a mini-museum of sorts.”
“It’ll be nice to have a piece of that history here,” Kim said.
The total cost of the project was estimated at $135,000, of which $50,000 is coming from a “Live and Learn” construction grant from the Illinois State Library. The grant requires at least matching funds, which the library is providing from its own budget and from private donors, including the Highland Rotary.
Kim then asked the Highland City Council for the remaining $35,000. Council members approved $15,000 at last week’s city council meeting.
Kim said she is hopeful she can raise the remaining funds for the project through private donors. The library has an ongoing fund with the Highland Area Community Foundation, and donations can be sent there or directly to the library.
Louis Latzer dealing with COVID-19
Meanwhile, the library is weathering the pandemic much as many others have. It is still open to the public while libraries in Edwardsville and Troy are now closing again, offering curbside borrowing only.
“We are working to serve our patrons as best we can and stay safe,” Kim said.
While patrons can borrow ebooks and order materials from home anytime, Kim said she anticipates a decision on whether they will be going to curbside-only soon. In the meantime, the staff has been using any shutdown time to reorganize the library and is “very excited” about the impending renovations, she said.
“When we were shut down until June, we did a lot of weeding and reorganizing and relabeling to put books in more natural spots so browsing is easier,” she said. “We are working inside, even if we go curbside.”
This story was originally published November 16, 2020 at 10:54 AM.