Earlville Library District Board Meeting Minutes
6:00 PM Tuesday, February 17, 2026
On February 17, 2026, the meeting of the Earlville Library District Board was called to order by President Ann Hecathorn at 6:00 p.m. at the library.
Present for the meeting were board members: Ann Hecathorn, Mary Bender, Stephanie Eller, Ben Hoffman, Skip Nanzer, and Janice Wolff. Also present were Director Paige Frechmann and incoming board member Matt Johnson.
Review of agenda: No additions or changes were made to the agenda.
Public participation: No public participation occurred.
Review of minutes from previous meeting: Skip Nanzer motioned to accept the minutes from the January 2026 meeting, Mary Bender seconded the motion, and the motion passed with a unanimous voice vote.
Financial report: The board noted that the price for ComEd was high, but that seemed to be an overall trend as board members referenced their own ComEd bills. Ann Hecathorn motioned to accept the financial report; Ben Hoffman seconded the motion. The motion passed with a unanimous roll-call vote.
Library director’s report: Paige noted that the stats for eBook checkouts may still not be fully accurate, and that the app, Palace Project, has no compatibility with personal computers, Kindle devices, or older versions of iOS and Android operating systems. She will reach out and communicate with other libraries to see if they are noting the same shortcomings that our patrons are discovering. Lego club was well-attended, Nina’s painting class filled quickly, and kids craft kits have been successful. Paige responded to a FOIA request and discovered many other libraries had received the same request. Paige’s credit card was hacked at the end of January; the fraudulent charges were stopped and she now has a replacement card. New information is now available on the library’s website regarding the ways that donations can be made to the library.
New business: New board member Matt Johnson took the oath of office. Paige presented the proposed policy for breastfeeding mothers employed by the library; Mary Bender motioned to accept the policy, Stephanie Eller seconded the motion, and the motion passed with a unanimous voice vote.
Unfinished business: Paige shared an estimate from Anthony Finnell regarding the windows – he suggested the windows are fine and just require caulking around the frames. The board decided to use Finnell Construction to caulk the window frames rather than replace any windows at this time to determine if that will help with the cold air drafts. Ann Hecathorn motioned to proceed with this plan, Mary Bender seconded the motion, and the vote passed with a unanimous roll-call vote.
Carpet cleaning has been scheduled for the end of the month, and the board will discuss in 2 years the ideal frequency between cleanings, and also to consider the replacement of the downstairs carpet. Paige will call and schedule US Waterproofing to come in April to complete needed repairs in the basement from water damage. Ben is almost finished installing and connecting the elevator phone, and the library is still waiting to receive its elevator inspection certificate – Paige continues to reach out for more information on the library’s status. Paige has a ceiling fan she is considering for the basement level and is working on the logistics and requirements for its installation.
The board discussed the monetary donation in memory of Kathy Eager, and decided to purchase a combination of nonfiction titles, a TV to advertise programs, and a memorial plaque to honor Kathy for her service as a library trustee and her lasting impact on the Earlville community. Paige created a new checklist based on the Illinois Public Library Standards we had identified as goals for improvement.
Items for the next agenda:
- Updates on windows/caulking
- Updates on carpet cleaning
- Updates on basement
- Updates on elevator inspection and phone installation
- Updates regarding air circulation solutions
- Further discussion of donations
The motion to adjourn was made by Ann Hecathorn, and Skip Nanzer and Janice Wolff both seconded the motion. The motion was passed with a unanimous voice vote and the meeting was adjourned at 7:08 p.m.
Next meeting date: Tuesday, March 17, 2026 at 6:00 p.m. at the Earlville Library District.