August 10, 2021 – LAKE FOREST Ill – As a first step of the Capital Improvement Project (CIP) to enhance and revitalize Lake Forest Library, on August 10 the Library Board approved prioritizing repair and restoration work on the dome and interior rotunda, and appointed the Library Board Building Committee to investigate next steps and solicit feedback and recommendations from the City of Lake Forest, qualified experts, Lake Forest Library patrons, and community organizations at future dates to be determined.

The Building Committee was formed in July 2021 and is led by Bryan Bertola, Library Board Vice President, and Heather Strong, Library Board Trustee. Bertola and Strong bring years of experience as architects that will prove valuable throughout the CIP.

The Building Committee plans to review the existing dome analysis from 2018 and determine if additional studies of current conditions should be made. If any of the proposed work will affect interior spaces, additional professionals may be needed to contribute specialized knowledge regarding artwork and murals inside the rotunda. The Building Committee will then determine the appropriate project team to produce bid documents and specifications required to implement appropriate solutions. The selected project team will develop budgets and a project timeline. As the Building Committee works toward these goals, they will continue to provide updates to the Library Board and consult with the other Library Board sub-committees to help guide the process.

Library Board President John F. Johnson supports taking this first step. “The dome is the heart of Lake Forest Library and one of the many visual highlights that distinguishes Lake Forest. Repairing the dome will bring even more excitement to the Capital Improvement Project and engage the community on new possibilities for Library space, services, and materials.”

The Library Board and Library administration began working on the Library Capital Improvement Project in 2016. For the project timeline to date and other CIP news, visit www.lakeforestlibrary.org/imagine.

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