FOIA - Full Document

​South Beloit Public Library Policy
Adopted: Oct 2015; Revised Jan 2019, Mar 2022, Mar 2023, Mar 2024, Sept 2024, Sept 2025
South Beloit Public Library
Board Policy
Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) Policy
The South Beloit Public Library (SBPL) serves the community of South Beloit, IL of nearly 8,000 residents, as
well as reciprocal borrowers from the Prairie Cat library system, along with any and all visitors that pass
through the library doors. South Beloit Public Library’s website is https://www.southbeloitlibrary.com.
SBPL is a municipal library established under the Illinois Local Library Act 75 ILCS 5, with a 9-member Board
of Trustees appointed by the Mayor with approval of the City Council. Trustees are appointed and unpaid.
I. A brief description of our public body is as follows:
A. Our purpose is to provide materials and services for the recreational, social, informational, and
educational needs of the community.
B. An organizational chart is attached.
C. The total amount of our operating budget for FY2025 is $336,515. Funding sources are property and
personal property replacement taxes, state and local grants, fines, fees, charges, and donations.
D. The office is located at: 630 Blackhawk Blvd, South Beloit, IL 61080. The library consists of one main
building.
E. We have approximately the following number of persons employed:
1. Full-time 1
2. Part-time 6
F. The following organization exercises control over our policies and procedures: The South Beloit Public
Library Board of Trustees, which meets monthly on the second Monday of each month at 7:00 p.m., at
the library.
Its members are: President Emily Sager, Vice President Paula Richeson, Secretary Crystal Ellis,
Treasurer Duane Farnsworth, Jose Alarcon, Dan Arbiture, Margie Bertholomey, Nichole Kinney, and
Stephanie Kohl. Board members may be contacted at board@southbeloitlibrary.com. Special
committees for the study and investigation of special problems may be appointed by the President and
such committees will serve until completion of the work for which they were appointed.
G. We are required to report and be answerable for our operations to the Illinois State Library, Springfield,
Illinois. Its members are: State Librarian, Alexi Giannoulias (Secretary of State); Director of State
Library, Greg McCormick; and various other staff.
II. You may request the information and the records available to the public in the following manner:
A. Direct your request to Brenda Weinberg, FOIA officer. It is requested that you complete the South
Beloit Public Library Information Request form. Requests may be submitted to the library’s email
address library@southbeloitlibrary.com or to the library’s mailing address South Beloit Public Library
Attn: FOIA Officer, 630 Blackhawk Blvd, South Beloit, IL 61080, or personal delivery during regular
business hours.
South Beloit Public Library Policy
Adopted: Oct 2015; Revised Jan 2019, Mar 2022, Mar 2023, Mar 2024, Sept 2024, Sept 2025
B. Indicate whether you have a “commercial purpose” in your request.
C. Specify the records requested to be disclosed for inspection or to be copied. If you desire that any
records be certified, you must specify which ones.
D. Digital copies shareable via electronic means are provided free of charge. To reimburse us our actual
costs for reproducing and certifying (if requested) the records, you will be charged the following fees:
• There is a $1.00 charge for each certification of records.
• There is no charge for the first fifty (50) pages of black and white text either letter or legal size.
• There is a $.15 per page charge for copied records in excess of 50 pages.
• The actual copying cost of color copies and other sized copies will be charged.
• If the records are kept in electronic format, you may request a specific format and, if feasible, they will
be so provided. But if not, they will be provided either in the electronic format in which they are kept
(and you would be required to pay the actual cost of the medium only, i.e. flash drive, etc.) or in paper as
you select.
E. The library will respond to a non-commercial FOIA request within five (5) working days. An
extension of an additional five (5) working days may be necessary to properly respond to the request.
Responses to commercial request can be expected within 21 business days of receipt of a written
request. If an extension is required, the library FOIA officer will reach out to the requestor.
F. Records may be inspected or copied at the library. If inspected, an employee must be present
throughout the inspection.
G. You may appeal the decision of the FOIA officer to the South Beloit Public Library Board of Trustees.
H. In the event of a denial, you have the right to seek review by the Public Access Counselor (PAC) at
(877) 299-3642 or 500 S. Second Street, Springfield, IL 62701 or public.access@ilag.gov or you have
the right to judicial review under Section 11 of FOIA. If you choose to file a Request for Review with
the PAC, you must do so within 60 calendar days of the date of this denial letter. 5 ILCS 140/9.5(a).
Please note that you must include a copy of your original FOIA request and the denial letter when filing
a Request for Review with the PAC.
I. The place and times where the records will be available are as follows:
9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday-Friday at the South Beloit Public Library, Offices
J. Certain types of information maintained by us are exempt from inspection and copying. However, the
library maintains the following types or categories of records:
1. Monthly Meeting Agendas-available immediately via our website
2. Monthly Meeting Minutes-available immediately via our website
3. Operating Budgets
4. Monthly Financial Statements
5. Library Policies
6. Annual Reports to the Illinois State Library
K. SBPL adheres to the guidance set out by the Local Records Commission through the state of Illinois for
retaining records of business. Our requirements are as follows:
South Beloit Public Library Policy
Adopted: Oct 2015; Revised Jan 2019, Mar 2022, Mar 2023, Mar 2024, Sept 2024, Sept 2025
Records Time Frame
Applications to Dispose of Records Retain permanently
Accounts Payable Invoices and Vouchers Retain for 7 years
Audit Reports Retain permanently
Bank Statements, Deposits,
Reconciliations
Retain for 7 years
Budget Reports Retain for 7 years
Cancelled checks Retain for 7 years
Cash Receipts Retain for 2 years
Checks (Duplicates) Retain for 2 years
Correspondence Retain for 1 year
Employment applications Solicited 2 years, unsolicited 1 year
Employee Work Schedules Retain for 2 years
FOIA Requests and Denials Retain for 10 years
Grant Records Retain for 3 years after completion
Insurance Policies Retain for 7 years after cancellation
Ledgers Retain for 7 years
Minutes Retain permanently
Patron Registration Retain 1 year following expiration
Payroll Reports and Records Retain 7 years
Personnel Files 60 years or until employee’s 78th birthday
Plans Retain permanently
State and Federal Withholding Tax
Records
w-4s until superseded or for 5 years after
termination, all other records 7 years
South Beloit Public Library Policy
Adopted: Oct 2015; Revised Jan 2019, Mar 2022, Mar 2023, Mar 2024, Sept 2024, Sept 2025
South Beloit Public Library Freedom of Information Request
Requestor’s Name (or business name, if applicable) Date of Request Phone Number
_____________________________________ _______________ _________________
Street Address:
______________________________________ Certification Requested: Yes____ or No____
City:_________________________________ State:_____ Zip____________
Description of Records Requested:
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
Is the reason for this request a “commercial purpose” as defined in the Act? Yes____ or No____
Library Response (Requestor does not fill in below this line)
Date Received__________ Respond by Date__________
Approved:
( ) The documents you requested are enclosed.
( ) You may request the records at _______________ on the date of__________.
( ) The documents will be made available upon the payment of copying costs of $_________.
( ) For “commercial requests” only: the estimated time of when the documents will be available is ________________, at
the prepaid costs stated above.
Denied:
( ) The request creates an undue burden on the public body in accordance with Section 3(g) of the Freedom of Information
Act. We are unable to negotiate a more reasonable request.
( ) The materials requested are exempt under Section 7__________ of the Freedom of Information Act for the following
reasons:________________________________________.
Individual that determined request to be denied and title
_____________________________________________________________
In the event of a denial, you have the right to seek review by the Public Access Counselor at
(877)-299-3642 or public.access@ilag.gov or 500 S. Second Street, Springfield, IL 62701 or you have the right to judicial
review under Section 11 of FOIA.
( ) Request delayed, for the following reasons in accordance with 3(e) of the FOIA:______________________. You will
be notified by the date of ______________ as to the action on this request.
Note: This form cannot be MANDATORY under FOIA, but it is preferred. Failure to use it may result in the
request not being properly or promptly processed.
FOIA Officer:___________________________ Date of Reply:_________________
South Beloit Public Library Policy
Adopted: Oct 2015; Revised Jan 2019, Mar 2022, Mar 2023, Mar 2024, Sept 2024, Sept 2025

 

South Beloit Public Library Organizational Chart

Board of Trustees
9 member Board
appointed by the
Mayor of South Beloit
Library Director
Assistant Library
Director
Library Circulation
Assistants Maintenance