Freedom of Information Act

A brief description of our public body is as follows: 

The purpose of the Grayslake Area Public Library District is, “Connecting Community. Enriching Lives. Inspiring Ideas.” 

 

The vision of the library is, “an engaged community that embraces lifelong learning, understanding, and new ideas.”  

 

The total amount of the Library’s operating budget for FY 2026-2027 is $5,384,465.  Funding sources are property and personal property replacement taxes, state and federal grants, impact fees, fines, charges, and donations. Tax levies are: 

 

  1. Corporate purposes (for general operating expenditures) 
  2. Illinois Municipal Retirement Fund (provides for employees’ retirement & related expenses) 
  3. Social Security (provides for employees’ FICA costs & related expenses) 
  4. Audit (for annual audit & related expenses) 
  5. Maintenance (for maintaining the building) 
  6. Tort Liability (for insurance premiums, risk management, attorney’s fees & related expenses, unemployment and worker’s compensation insurance)  
  7. Working Cash (for internal loans; no longer levied) 

 

The Library’s office is located at this address:  

100 Library Lane 

Grayslake, Illinois 60030 

 

The Library employs approximately the following number of persons: 

Full-time: 22       Part-time: 39

  

The following entity exercises control over the Library’s policies and procedures: 

The Board of Library Trustees generally meets monthly on the second Tuesday of each month at 7:00pm.

 

Its members are: 

President – Rachael Rezek

Vice President – Kris Hartman

Treasurer – Nick Grimm

Secretary – Mike Honegger  

Trustees – Ryan McKeon, Tom O’Keefe, and Alpana Sahu

 

Its Committees and members are: 

Building and Grounds Committee – Nick Grimm, Kris Hartman, Rachael Rezek, and Alpana Sahu

Finance Committee – Nick Grimm, Mike Honegger, and Rachael Rezek

Policy Committee – Ryan McKeon, Tom O’Keefe, and Alpana Sahu

Trustee Development Committee – Kris Hartman, Ryan McKeon, and Rachael Rezek

 

The Library is required to report to and be answerable for operations to: 

Illinois State Library, Springfield, Illinois. Its members are: State Librarian, Alexi Giannoulias (Secretary of State); Director of State Library, Greg McCormick; and various other staff. 

 

The Library’s organizational chart can be found here: Organizational Chart

 

You may request the information and the records available to the public in the following manner:  

  • Use the online request form or email the FOIA office at foia@grayslake.info 
  • Your request should be directed to the following individual: Carlen DeThorne, FOIA Officer. 
  • You must indicate whether you have a “commercial purpose” in your request.¹
  • You must specify the records requested to be disclosed for inspection or to be copied. If certified records are desired, you must specify which ones.  
  • To reimburse us our actual costs for reproducing and certifying (if requested) the records, the requests will be charged the following fees: 
    • There is no charge for the first 50 pages of black and white letter or legal paper. 
    • There is a $.15 per page after 50 pages of black and white letter or legal paper. 
    • Actual cost of reproduction of colored copies or other sized copies. 
    • $1.00 per each certification of records. 
  • If the records are kept in electronic format, you may request a specific format and if feasible, they will be so provided, but if not, they will be provided either in the electronic format in which they are kept (and you would be required to pay the actual cost of the medium only, i.e. disc, diskette, tape, etc.) or in paper as you select.
  • The office will respond to a written request within five (5) working days or sooner if possible. An extension of an additional five (5) working days may be necessary to
  • properly respond.
  • Records may be inspected or copied. If inspected, an employee must be present throughout the inspection. 
  • The requestor may appeal the decision of the FOIA Officer to the Board of Library Trustees.  
  • The place and times where the records will be available are as follows: 9:30am to 5pm Monday through Friday, Administration.

Certain types of information retained by the Library are exempt from inspection and copying. However, the following types or categories of records are maintained under our control and are available for inspection and copying: 

  1. Monthly Financial Statements 
  2. Annual Receipts and Disbursements Reports 
  3. Operating Budgets 
  4. Budget & Appropriation Ordinances
  5. Levy Ordinances
  6. Annual Audits 
  7. Minutes of the Board of Library Trustees 
  8. Library Policies, including Materials Selection 
  9. Adopted Resolutions of the Board
  10. Annual Reports to the Illinois State Library 


Revised June 9, 2026

 

¹ “Commercial purpose” is defined in the Act as “the use of any part of a public record or records, or information derived from public records, in any form for sale, resale, or solicitation or advertisement for sales or services.” However, there are exceptions for news media, non-profits, scientific and academic organizations for disseminating news, articles or opinions of public interest, or research or education. In the event a “commercial interest” is involved, additional questions can be asked of the requestor by the public body FOIA officer in order to determine the classification, then the public body has up to 21 days to respond and either deny the request based on exemptions or undue burden; or estimate the time and cost of the copying from prepayment; or provide the documents requested.

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