Library Board Rejects Costly Software and Donation Box Proposal

Mokena Community Public Library District Board Meeting | October 28, 2025

Article Summary: Mokena Library Trustees made several operational decisions Tuesday, opting to switch technology platforms to save money and rejecting a request for a clothing donation box due to potential conflicts with village ordinances.

Operational Key Points:

• Software Switch: The board rejected a price increase from a meeting software vendor, opting to use internal tools like Google Drive and the library website instead.

• Donation Box Rejected: A proposal to install a paper/clothing retrieval box was dismissed due to local restrictions.

• Policy Update: The Blood and Organ Donation policy was updated to extend benefits to part-time employees.

The Mokena Community Public Library District Board on Tuesday, October 28, 2025, voted to cut administrative costs and ensure compliance with local and state laws.

The board discussed a proposal regarding its meeting management software. Director Cathy Palmer explained that the service “BoardDocs” was acquired by a new company, Diligent, which intended to charge substantially more to continue the service in 2026.

Deputy Director Luke Surdel informed the board that the library could achieve similar results using the new library website and Google Drive. Surdel noted this approach would maintain transparency for the public while avoiding the cost increase. The board expressed no interest in migrating to the more costly service and will proceed with the internal solution.

Trustees also reviewed a proposal from Midwest Paper Retrieval, which would have required placing a clothing donation box on library property. President Joseph Cirelli noted his understanding that the Village of Mokena had banned such collection boxes years ago. Consequently, the board did not pursue the proposal to avoid conflicting with local ordinances.

In personnel matters, the board unanimously approved an update to the Blood and Organ Donation Policy. The update brings the library into compliance with Illinois law and extends leave benefits to part-time employees.