Suggestions and Comments

Thank you for your suggestions, comments, and ideas for improvements. The library welcomes member feedback and, where possible and practical, makes adjustments.

November 2018 Comments

777. I think that the Glen Ellyn Library is a great place to go because it is quiet, and all the people are so helpful and nice.

Thank you for the lovely compliment.

778. ______ in the Youth Room was fabulous. Friendly to the kids, very helpful to our 8-year-old finding the book he requested. Also went over and beyond to solve problems. ______ you made our day so pleasant. Thank you!

Your compliment will be shared with both the staff member and their supervisor. Thank you.

779. I love the library and the fancy carpet. Has the library considered ice sculptures, water fountains or a pond with gold fish? Thank you.

Thank you for the compliment and the suggestions. We have not considered ice sculptures, water fountains or a goldfish pond. We will give your ideas some thought.

780. Make your book return slots bigger, cannot fit book bags. I only have one good arm and cannot hold a bag and return books. If it was a deliberate change you did not consider the needs of a senior.

Please feel free to return your bag of items to a staff person at the Circulation Desk. They will be happy to take care of your returns for you.

781. This carpet is horrible! Doesn’t go with the light wood, etc. I thought it was just the under padding to the real carpet.

The carpet does make a bold statement and people seem to really like it a lot or really dislike it a lot. See number 779. This carpet nicely hides the salt and snow that is tracked in this time of year. We will monitor how it wears over time.

October 2018 Suggestions

771. You should have a Chess Club for Middle Schoolers- PLEASE!

Thank you for the suggestion. Your idea has been shared with the Middle School Librarian.

772. Meet the author meeting on 10-14 should have been held in a meeting room. It was loud and distracting to those who were trying to work and study.

We are sorry to learn that the monthly Meet-and-Greet honoring the October artist disrupted your time at the Library. If at any time you find the surroundings at the library too noisy please speak to a staff member and we will work with you to find a quieter place for you to study.

773. Please move the stand alone bookdrop in the parking lot forward a few feet so people can drive up to drop off without getting out of the car.

Sadly, every time we move the box forward as you suggest someone runs into the box. Please feel free to pull up to the drive-up drop that is connected to the building. It is located just past the drive-up window.

774. I would like to compliment ____ on the helpful and courteous service assisting two older gentlemen. Outstanding.

Thank you. Your lovely compliment will be shared with the employee and their supervisor.

775. The used book shelves are a great idea. Could one or two shelves be designated for non-fiction?

The Used Book Corner is the work of the Friends of the Glen Ellyn Library. We are pleased to know that you like it. Your suggestion will be shared with the Friends.

776. Please add hammocks thru-out the library, especially in lobby area! People can read and take a nap! Thank U!

What an interesting idea. We will have to give this some thought.

September 2018 Suggestions

763. Difficult to open door to bathroom in wheelchair. Please help.

Thank you for bringing this to our attention.

764. I was in the restroom, there was also a woman in a wheelchair. I noticed that there is not a button to automatically open the door. Seeing as the door opens inward it would be nearly impossible for her to open it herself. Please change this.

Thank you for bringing this to our attention. The doors on the previous restrooms also opened inward and did not have push buttons to open. We are investigating the cost and feasibility of adding push buttons to the new restroom doors.

765. Ugliest carpet in the world! Please replace. I’ll even contribute to replacement. Lovely new lobby marred by entry that looks like we’re about to walk on dirt.

The carpet was selected for this high traffic area to help hide the dirt that is tracked in especially in the winter months. It would cost approximately $12,500 to replace these new carpet tiles in the lobby area.

766. I love the lobby renovations! Great choice in picking the carpet since the area will be very high traffic. Looking forward to the café opening soon!

Thank you.

767. I love the flowers at the front desk. They do make a difference! Thanks for providing them.

Thank you for noticing.

768. ________ did a wonderful job helping us fill out our passport forms, so very knowledgeable, answering all our questions. We are grateful for the wonderful service!

Thank you for the lovely compliment. It will be shared with both the employee and their supervisor.

769. Is there a reason the globe on the 2nd floor is so tight you can’t turn it? How about a pen on a chain attached to the comment boxes? (Thanks for the hooks in the children’s bathroom last year!)

Thank you for bringing this to our attention. The globe was in the locked position. We have unlocked it and we will keep a closer eye on this. We will soon add a pen on a chain attached to each comment box.

770. Dear Glen Ellyn Library, I appreciate your local authors section. You have two of my books on the shelf. I am telling my other author friends about you and that you encourage writers.

Thank you for helping us to spread the word about our local authors collection!

August 2018 Suggestions

747. I was shocked to learn that the carpeting in the Circulation Area was permanent. Its’ awful and looks like an overlay that carpeting will be placed over.
748. Horrible rug! As a taxpayer since 1974 I must object. Was it on sale? Was it selected in the dead of night? Yikes. It is so depressing to enter our fabulous library and be greeted by – Northanger Abbey. UGH!
749. I like the new carpet!! Cancelling out the woman who wrote she does not like the new entry carpet.
750. Carpet is not attractive.

Yes, this is the permanent carpet that was selected for the new lobby area. The carpet was selected based upon the recommendation and renderings of the architectural firm, Product Architecture, with whom we have worked on all the interior renovations of the building.

751. The carpet in the lobby is ugly. Also, the book drop return should have been separate from the curbside pickup window. I shouldn’t have to wait for someone to pick up a book when I am just wanting to return books.

If you are returning materials and there is a line at the window – please pull forward and return your items in the outdoor book return located near the parking lot exit.

752. Have food vending machine.

Soon a café will open on the 1st floor and they will have an assortment of both food and beverages for sale.

753. Thank you! I appreciate the additional two “15 minute parking” spaces and the new self-serve “Hold” pickups. Maybe small changes for some people, but for me it’s nice to be more self-sufficient!

Thank you for noticing those changes!! We are pleased you find these changes helpful.

754. What a disgrace!! You tore out marble front desk for low grade! Your librarians do not have enough room to separate them from the public.

We had hoped to repurpose the counter tops, but we discovered they were laminate sheets adhered to particle board and could not be repurposed and had no resale value. The size and configuration of the desk was determined by the staff in cooperation with the architects.

755. Why is the return library box pushed so far back that you need to get out of your car to drop books in?

We pushed it back a bit after it was struck by a car. It also seems to get pushed back from daily usage. Our Maintenance staff monitor its location and pull it out closer as needed. If you notice it is pushed back, please alert a staff member.

756. It would be so nice if you put all stickers on the back cover of the book instead of obscuring part of the title or author.

Thank you for your suggestion. Currently, we place the stickers on the front of materials to make it easier to find the barcode when it is time to check the items out.

757. I am enjoying the old time classic DVD’s with another retired home economics/family consumer science teacher in AZ. We are “studying” the Noir films and Fashion movies – Designers of the 1930’s, 1940’s, 1950’s and 1960’s. Thanks! My mom was a children’s librarian. I wasn’t allowed much TV watching of the old movies on TV. I look forward to rainy days now.

So happy to know you are enjoying the classic movie collection!

758. Thank you so very much for the automatic renewal (via email) feature now offered by GEPL. So considerate and very helpful. Also, I am grateful for the auto library card renewal! Thank you!

We are pleased to know that these changes are appreciated!

759. ________ assisted me today and made my task so manageable with all the help provided to me. So knowledgeable, patient, professional and caring. I want to commend you on hiring and training such an awesome staff member and I appreciate it! Thank you.

Happy to hear you had an excellent customer service experience. Your kind words will be shared with the employee and their supervisor.

760. Wonderful play area for small children but would love if there were outlet covers to make it safer.

The floor outlets in the play area are special childproof outlets that do not require covers. The covers are down inside the receptacle and make those outlets almost adult proof. Next time you are in, please feel free to ask a staff member to demonstrate for you.

761. Please put a stepping stool in the front bathroom so kids can reach the faucet.

This has been done. Thanks for the reminder.

762. Handicap restrooms on 1st floor have doors that are too heavy to open by a handicap person. (Especially with a walker.)

Thank you for bringing this to our attention. We have cleaned and lubricated the hinges. Please let us know if you continue to have difficulty.

July 2018 Suggestions

743. It is unacceptable to have Teen Room closed for testing and making books inaccessible to library patrons. Now I need to make a second trip tomorrow.

Sadly, our construction project has not been completed in the amount of time the contractor had planned. This made the meeting room unavailable for the scheduled testing and that is why we had to hold it in the High School Room. We are terribly sorry for the inconvenience. If at any time you find library materials inaccessible – please talk to a staff member. We will do everything in our power to make sure you have access to the materials you need.

744. _____ was so, so, so helpful. Running around, finding all my books and bringing them to me. Asking me books I’ve read and liked then making insightful recommendations. What a treasure you have in this individual. I hope I like Water for Elephants- the recommended title during this transaction.

Thank you for sharing! We are happy you had a pleasant interaction. Let us know if you enjoyed the book! Your lovely compliment will be shared with both the staff person and their supervisor.

745. What happened to the wild flowers in the butterfly garden? There are now three big bald patches where monarda, daisies, and milkweed used to be. Why were they removed? It used to be so pretty this time of year.

We recently had some cleanup work performed in the butterfly garden because it was becoming rather wild and unruly. It was difficult to walk through and access the benches and enjoy the garden. We are working with the landscaper to be sure there are still an assortment of wild flowers in the garden, while still maintaining access to the walking path and benches.

746. Put a pen near the comment form box, so we can actually write a comment. Also, the comment slip is too wide for the receptacle.

The library provides pencils by the computer catalog stations, please feel free to use one of those. If you would like to borrow a pen to fill out a form, please ask a staff member. Once folded in half, the comment form slips in the box nicely.

June 2018 Suggestions

730. This place is very cool!!

Thank you, we are happy you like it.

731. I really like all the cool features of the library, the computers, the play area, and also that you can ask other libraries for books and you can keep making people happy with books! I really love your reading program and I like your display cases and your movies! I have a really fun video game at home that I got here and I like that you have video games for different consoles! Honestly, you’re doing everything perfectly!

Thank you for the lovely compliment. We are happy to know you enjoy the variety of materials and services we offer.

732. Construction so far looks great, however the outside awning over the west wall looks terrible. (Hope it is temporary) It does not match the architecture of the building. Should have a curve to it. (It looks cheap.)

Yes, the current canopy over the new drive-up window is temporary. We are waiting for the roofing materials to arrive. Please feel free to look at the renderings that are posted on the 1st floor or on the website for a better idea of what the finished canopy will look like.

733. Please consider not auto renewing books on “new” shelves. There is a scarcity of new books – I miss browsing through them! Is there a list of new books on our website so I could peruse titles and possibly put in a request to reserve them? {Comment was in Youth box.}

There are many factors currently contributing to the lower number of “new” items on the youth shelves unrelated to autorenewal. During April and May, the migration to the SWAN consortium halted the ordering of new materials. Now that orders can again be placed, Youth staff are very busy with Summer Reading and have been unable to catch up with ordering. Once we get past these issues, we will monitor the availability of “new” items on shelf. In the meantime, you can find lists of new books on the website at https://catalog.swanlibraries.net/client/en_US/ged. On the bottom of this page you will find links to lists of new items. On the upper right corner of each entry on these lists you can click place a hold and reserve the title. If you need assistance, any of the staff would be happy to help you.

734. Can you have more science books? Not much science experiments. Need more books that are just science experiments.

We have a large number of various types of science experiment books. Please ask a staff member for help finding them on the shelf or placing a hold on titles you are interested in.

735. _____, your librarian was very helpful the other day. I was trying to find information on a friend who had passed away and they took the time to help me. They really went above and beyond!! Thank you!!

Thank you for the lovely compliment. It will be shared with the individual and their supervisor.

736. Can we have the outer doors open at night for the homeless to have refuge? Especially in the extreme weather.

Thank you for the suggestion.

737. Please serve donuts, or danishes, or scones when you open the café!

The concessionaire plans to sell various baked goods.

738. – 742. Your new construction has brought many changes – I wish to comment on the carpet in the entrance area. I am disappointed it looks like an unfinished floor under construction. It does not blend with the east wall which is what you predominately see as you enter the library book area.

Horrible floor tile. Ugly looks like dirt and glue. How in the world did this get chosen? All this beautiful work on the library and yet the entry looks like it’s been torn up for repair. Anything would be preferable. Did anyone bother to see this “design” in place somewhere? I realize distressed rugs are popular now – can’t we have classic instead. Elegance not au courant. Blah.

New carpet is awful! You couldn’t pick anything more hideous.

I’m disappointed in the selection of the carpet choice for the library lobby. I have a teaching/art background and the color scheme is unharmonious and unattractive. Environmentally it is chaotic. Can another choice be made? I frequent many libraries and this is one of my favorite ones. Excellent staff and services provided.

I am sorry that my taxes are paying for this horrible carpet.

Thank you for expressing your concerns regarding the carpet in the lobby area. Initially the carpet tiles were installed incorrectly making the design or pattern very unharmonious. This issue has been corrected. Next, the space has not yet been completed. There is still a large amount of woodwork to be installed, the café space still must be built, and furniture needs to be added to the space. Once all elements are in place, it should all work together more harmoniously.

May 2018 Suggestions

724. We would love to see the library open until 8 or 9 pm on Friday evenings. Perfect library night! Thanks!

Thank you for your suggestion. We have been considering the possibility of extending hours on Friday night or Sunday evening.

725. The new librarian in the children’s room is way too loud. Their laugh and voice is so loud it is distracting. The person seems very nice but needs to tone it down.

Thank you for your comment. It will be shared with both the individual and their supervisor.

726. I love the library – let 14 year olds work here!! Or at least me – even if I didn’t get paid let me work here.

We would be happy to have you volunteer at the library. We have a volunteer program for middle school students and for high school students.

727. ________ is the best!!!

Thank you for the lovely compliment. It will be shared both with the individual and their supervisor.

728. Please order “Longmire Season 6” on DVD.

Thank you for the suggestion. We will investigate purchasing this item.

729. Diaper Genie pails need to be in all public restrooms with changing stations. It shouldn’t just be in the YS bathroom. Thanks!!

Thank you for the suggestion. We will take this in to consideration.

April 2018 Suggestions

719. My kids (8-boy) and (5-girl) came in yesterday. ______ and ______ were awesome! _____ helped my son pick out his patches for Patch Club. She was so patient and kind with him. She then helped me find the Pigeon books, like “Don’t Let Pigeon Drive the Bus” and reserve the ones that were out. ____ helped my son find a brand-new series by the Dogman author. My son was so excited he read for 2 hours! I appreciate their kindness and enthusiasm for helping kids!

Thank you for the lovely compliment! It will be shared with both employees and their supervisor.

720. Please, please, please, please order the book “Second Firsts, Live, Laugh, Love Again” by Christina Rasmussen ISBN 978-1-4083-6 (pbk). This is an excellent book for people getting over a major life loss — death, divorce. It tells how to go on. You have it on Hoopla — but a book like this needs to be read NOT online, the reader needs to HOLD the book and think about it, cry, then go back to the book. Too HARD to do online when grieving. Thank you.

Thank you for the suggestion. We will order this title.

721. I suggested some manga to _____ and he was able to order/request it for me. I’m happy with how kind and helpful he has been. I asked for several titles.

Thank you for the suggestions. The compliment will be shared with the employee and their supervisor.

722. We love the Homework Café, please keep it going. Maybe make it a weekday thing instead of just Tuesdays and Thursdays.

Happy to hear you enjoy this program.

723. Thank you so much for having the Homework Cafés!! They are highly appreciated, please keep them coming.

So glad you enjoy this program.

March 2018 Suggestions

715. It was really easy to get in contact and plan a presentation room. It was a great opportunity for public speaking and I would recommend it to fellow students as a potential place to present and experience.

We are happy to hear you enjoyed your experience at the Glen Ellyn Public Library.

716. Great Library! Love the friendly staff and all the friendly pictures. Thanks!

Thank you for the lovely compliment!

717. This suggestion was made regarding Suggestion #713 in February 2018 and making bags of books available for parents to pick up to participate in 1,000 books before Kindergarten. This is a great suggestion! The Saint Charles Public Library has 2 different levels of “Literacy Bags” that members can check out. Each bag contains 10 picture books based upon a theme. They are very popular. Similar bags would be wonderful for busy parents and help them read more age appropriate books to their young children.

Thank you for your interest in this idea. The Youth Department is currently investigating how something like this might work at the Glen Ellyn Public Library.

718. Hoopla — I enjoy using it, but it is hard to get materials. I could not sleep one night and was taking out a book at 1:30 am and I was able to get it. When I tried a second title at 1:45 am I received the message that the allotment was already reached. As I am rarely up at that hour – it will be impossible for me to checkout digital materials on a regular basis.

We understand your frustration. The start time for a new day is set by Hoopla. We continue to review the monies budgeted for this streaming service since we started it in 2015 and make increases each year. The difficulty is that the prices of the various items you can stream range in price from .99 to $3.99 per item so some days the daily allotment goes further than other days. That said we are reviewing the budget to see if more monies can be allocated to this streaming service now and in the future. I would invite you to also investigate other digital platforms that we provide like BiblioBoard (no checkout limits), e-Media Library (OverDrive), and eRead Illinois.

February 2018 Suggestions

710. Keep up the good work. The library looks as good as it did when it was first renovated. I’m excited for the Lobby renovation. The design looks very cool.

Thank you very much — we also look forward to the completion of our interior renovations.

711. IDEA – no children with food in the child area.

We appreciate your suggestion. Our Member Code of Conduct allows light snacks and covered beverages in the library: no messy foods or full meals.

712. _____ went above and beyond! He listened to my 12-year-old son who reads avidly and voila — 4 books for my son to devour. THANKS, that’s a GREAT librarian.

So happy we could help. This compliment will be shared both with the staff person and their supervisor.

713. I like the idea of the 1,000 books to read in childhood as suggested in the Youth Department. But, I don’t really have time to pick new books every week. It would be an amazing service if I could sign up for a subscription to pick up/exchange age appropriate books from the forthcoming drive thru window when it opens.

That certainly is an interesting idea. We will investigate how something like this might be implemented.

714. An email would be very considerate prior to being closed.

We apologize if the recent half-day closure on February 23 for Staff In-Service training caused you any inconvenience. The closure was included in the February 18th weekly e-newsletter named Bookmark It!. If you would like to subscribe to this publication, please let us know. We would be happy to add you to the mailing list.

January 2018 Suggestions

703. PLEASE have the USED book sales open till 4:30. A few have only been open ’till 2pm!!!

The Used Book Sales are conducted by the Friends of the Glen Ellyn Public Library. Your suggestion will be passed on to them. Don’t forget to check the used book corner on the 1st floor across from the Circulation Desk. It is open the same hours as the library and inventory changes regularly.

704. – 706. Three separate requests to form a Harry Potter Club.

The Youth Department will consider your suggestion.

707. Please order the book: “U Got to Have U Some Fun” by Andrew Harkless, ISBN 0986386502.

This title will be added to our collection.

708. Please acquire this book: “An Inside Look at the IRS — Revealing the Secrets” by Philip Liberatore, ISBN 0977438910.

This title is dated and not readily available. It will not be added to the collection.

709. Last week — maybe Wednesday — when it was so icy. I drove in to the lot to return a book. You had a man stationed out there to take books so we didn’t have to get out of our cars. That was such a nice thing to do for your patrons. I bet it prevented a ton of falls.

He was happy to assist.

To top

Thank you for the suggestions. Please email additional remarks to reference@gepl.org. A library staff member will respond to all comments which include the correspondent’s contact information. Comments and responses are also posted on the public bulletin board in the library vestibule. You may also contact the library by mail, phone, or fax at:

Glen Ellyn Public Library
400 Duane Street
Glen Ellyn, IL 60137
Phone: 630-469-0879
Fax: 630-469-1086

More Info

Suggestions and Comments