Oak Park Public Library Earns National 5-Star Status in Library Journal Index

Oak Park Public Library today received the highly-coveted 5-star rating in Library Journal’s Index of Public Library Service. 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,” states Executive Director Deirdre Brennan. “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!” declares 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.”

Oak Park Public Library continues to be a busy place, serving many people in many ways – as a community gathering place, as a technology access point, as a resource for lifelong learning and enjoyment. 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.

The libraries that received stars from Library Journal’s Index of Public Library Service 2012 and the data behind the distinction are listed at http://lj.libraryjournal.com/2012/11/industry-news/lj-index-2012-the-star-libraries.

Oak Park Public Library endeavors to deliver award-winning service and continues to engage the community with the question, “how can we be the best possible library for Oak Park?”

Find more about how Oak Park Public Library is striving for excellence at http://oppl.org/about/library-information/mission-vision-goals.