Asbestos Alert: Library requires additional funding to cover asbestos removal costs

The Park Forest Public Library in Park Forest, Illinois has announced that they need additional funds to complete ongoing renovations. The project was supposed to cost $1.3 million at the outset. Now, however, the village of Park Forest has agreed to loan the library up to $400,000 to complete the remodeling effort.

"Because of the older building, we ran into some unforeseen expenses like additional plumbing and some asbestos abatement that just added to the cost," library director Barbara Osuch said after this week’s village board meeting. "When [the local residents finally] see it, it’s going to look dramatically different than what it looked like before," added Osuch.

Asbestos exposure is conclusively linked to the development of mesothelioma, a rare form of cancer. Mesothelioma affects less than 3,000 Americans each year, and while there are palliative treatment methods available, including chemo, there is no known cure. The disease typically lies dormant for up to fifty years before an individual begins to suffer from mesothelioma symptoms, and the majority of patients lose their battle with this cancer in less than two years following diagnosis, even though they may undergo aggressive palliative mesothelioma treatment.

In addition to asbestos removal, the library will be getting new restrooms, new carpeting, new computers and a central business office. According to local official Mary Dankowski, the town’s offer to loan money to the library could mean that each taxpayer may face a $40 tax increase. "There’s not much else you can get for $40 when you’re getting a brand new library," Trustee Mae Brandon said.