Oak Park Public Library received the highly-coveted 5-star rating in Library Journal’s Index of Public Library Service on Thursday, according to a news release from the library.
The library also was ranked first in Illinois within its budget category. This distinction is measured by service output for all Oak Park Public Library locations in four areas: circulation of collection materials, number of visits, program attendance, and Internet use.
“This is a huge honor for our community and recognizes its use and support of our public library,” Executive Director Deirdre Brennan wrote in the release. “The increase in visits and materials being checked out are representative of the increased use Oak Park Public Library has seen overall in the past year. Our five-star rating is evidence that our library is adapting and offering needed services to our community.”
“This is awesome!” followed Rebecca Teasdale, Oak Park Public Library’s Assistant Director for Public Services and Programs. “We’ve been striving for this rating and it comes as recognition of our team efforts in providing excellent library services.”
According to the release, the number of visits to Oak Park Public Library continues to increase, along with number of items borrowed, program attendance, and computer usage. In 2011, Oak Park Public Library received a 4-star rating from Library Journal.