How do you use the Indian Trails Public Library? District Survey wants to know

The Daily Herald featured an article about ITPLD’s district survey asking about patron library habits. Written by Russell Lissau.

Victoria Surdyka, left, and Lydia Surdyka browse the DVDs at the Indian Trails Public Library in Wheeling this summer. Patrons of the Wheeling-based organization are being asked to complete a survey that could shape planning efforts. ( Russell Lissau | Staff Photographer )

As officials with the Wheeling-based Indian Trails Public Library District plan for the future, patrons are being asked to complete a survey about their library habits.

The survey — available at itpld.org, in the main library at 355 Schoenbeck Road and in the branch facility at 99 E. Palatine Road — is important for planning purposes, officials said.

“We always like to be as inclusive as possible to all different life situations,” said Jen Schmidt, the library’s communications manager.

Schmidt said the survey isn’t directly tied to the library district’s discussions of opening a branch in Buffalo Grove. Despite having more than 41,000 residents, Buffalo Grove has no library of its own. Indian Trails district serves about half the village’s population, and the Vernon Area Public Library in Lincolnshire serves the rest.

Another survey focused on such an undertaking is possible in the future, Schmidt said.

Anyone can complete the current survey, including those who live in the district but don’t use the library or haven’t visited it recently, as well as patrons who live outside the district. That last group could include students studying with friends in the library, people from out of town visiting relatives here or those using library meeting space, among others.

Questions touch on library services, programs and employees. Among the questions, the survey asks: how satisfied people are with the library; how valuable people consider certain services or materials, such as books, internet access, meeting rooms and teen programs; and how interested people are in programs on current events, crafting and other topics.

Some questions ask for respondents to choose from multiple possible answers, while others allow for short personal responses. Answers will remain confidential. The survey is open until Nov. 1. A consultant will be paid $8,700 to analyze the data and lead community focus groups, Schmidt said.

The library district includes parts of Wheeling, Buffalo Grove, Prospect Heights and Arlington Heights. For more information or for assistance with the survey, call (847) 459.4100.