Be part of the Conversation!

For more than 50 years, the Bartlett Public Library has been the best place in our community for residents to come together to learn and discover.

Our library has a special hometown feel where everyone is welcome, an environment fostered by our amazing staff who go above and beyond to help each person who comes through our doors. Our entire community has a say in helping make this a special place where there is something for everyone to enjoy. We’re not just books—from programs and events to quiet study areas, from computers to games, from play areas to an art room, we are truly a community center. In fact, despite being a smaller library, we offer a significant number of programs including the most young adult programs per capita of any library in the region.

The feedback from our community is positive, giving high marks for our helpful staff, quality programming, and central location. In fact, our library has such a great reputation that many residents from surrounding communities prefer coming to our library because of the level of service we provide and the programming we offer—proof we are doing something right, even if it does sometimes require us to limit programming to Bartlett residents to make sure we are prioritizing our community’s families.

We’ve accomplished this while remaining one of the most fiscally responsible library districts in the region. We’ve eliminated the budget deficit and have maintained a balanced budget for the past six years. We spend the public’s tax dollars conservatively, ensuring every dollar we spend goes towards things our patrons are requesting and keeping our building safe and maintained. We seek out donations and utilize resources and equipment from other libraries. As a result, compared to our neighboring library districts, we spend the least per person we serve with the lowest staff expenses.

However, our facilities are aging and we don’t currently have the funding to address the major improvements desired by the community. Built in 1983 with two later additions, the outdated building and antiquated furniture keeps our library from being the inviting community space it could be. Lack of space is a significant concern, limiting our program offerings and registration while our quiet spaces and study rooms are consistently overbooked, youth spaces are inadequate, and we don’t have room to expand our collection of books and AV materials. The community is requesting updated technology and access to more STEM and Career & Technical Education (CTE) programming. Our private rooms aren’t as private as they could be. The building requires accessibility improvements and a more efficient layout. Our heating and air conditioning mechanical systems are deteriorating, and with eight different units trying to maintain our library, we are frustratingly inefficient. Not only do these challenges hold our library back, but they also make it harder to retain our quality staff, putting at risk what makes our library special.

That’s why our community has come together to collaborate on a long-term solution that responsibly addresses our infrastructure and space challenges, increases our efficiency and sustainability, and raises property values for everyone in the community. Please continue to participate in these community engagement activities throughout the remainder of 2025.

Together, we will inspire curiosity in every member of our community, bringing them into our library where they can learn, discover, and build relationships with each other.