Freedom of Information Act

FOIA Request Form

I. Quick facts about the library; additional information can be found on the Library Facts page.

• The library's purpose is to provide materials and services for the recreational, social, informational, and educational needs of the Village of Morton Grove.
• The library is located at 6140 Lincoln Avenue, Morton Grove, IL 60053.
• Current and past budgets can be found on the Library Board page.  Approximately 98% comes from property taxes. Personal property replacement taxes, state grants, fines and other charges, and donations make up the remainder.
• The Library has the following number of employees (approximate): 22 full-time, 34 part-time.
• The library operates under the authority of the Board of Library Trustees of the Village of Morton Grove, consisting of seven elected members serving six-year terms; the board meets at 7:00 on the second Thursday of each month, at the library. Current trustees, meeting dates, bylaws, budgets, meeting agendas and minutes can be found on the Library Board web page. Board-approved policies are also available.
• The Library files an annual report with the Illinois State Library, Springfield, IL.

II. Requests for information or public records

• Requests must be submitted in writing, and must include the following:
  1. Your name
  2. Contact information: your e-mail address, or mailing address, or phone number
  3. A detailed description of the records you are seeking
  4. If you are requesting a waiver of the copying fee, you must state that this request is for a non-commercial purpose and you must include a statement explaining how your request is in the public interest and does not serve only your personal interest

You can ensure that you're including all required information by:

• Printing this request form; drop off your completed form at the library's Reference Services Desk or mail it to FOIA Officer, Morton Grove Public Library, 6140 Lincoln Ave., Morton Grove, IL 60053.

• Submitting this online form.

You can also submit your request via e-mail to the address below; be sure to include all the information described above.

• Be as specific as possible when describing the records you are seeking.
• Photocopying in excess of 50 pages will be charged at the rate of 15¢ per page (black & white).
• You may request a waiver of the photocopying charge; in addition to including the waiver request in your written request, you must also include a statement explaining how your document request is in the public interest and does not serve only your personal interest. The waiver is only available for non-commercial requests.
• Whenever practical, and unless you request otherwise, documents will be e-mailed in PDF format.
• You may instead choose to view the documents at the library; this will take place in the library's administrative office in the presence of a library employee, at a mutually agreed-upon time during normal business hours (M-F, 9-5).
• You can also choose to pick up photocopied documents at the library, or have them mailed to you; in the latter case, delivery time is not part of the 5-day (or extended 10-day) response period.
• Within 5 days of receiving your request (day 1 is the day after it is received) you will receive one of the of the following:
  • Electronic copies of the documents you have requested, or notification that printed copied have been mailed to you or are ready for pickup at the library.
  • Notification that the library is requesting the allowed 5-day extension to the time permitted to respond to the request.
  • Notification that the request cannot be filled, for example because the requested documents do not exist or fall outside of the types of documents to which FOIA applies.
• Records of borrowing by specific library users are protected under Illinois law and will not be provided in response to a FOIA request.