While serving as advocates for the library in the community, the library relies on its trustees to be in charge of the fiscal oversight and budget. They also set the policies and provide strategic direction to help the library move forward.
Northbrook Public Library trustees Miriam Imrem and Marc Lonoff have seen the library through many changes, including several major expansions and renovations. This year marks the end of their serving on the library board.
Miriam Imrem
Miriam joined the library board in 2007, subsequently serving as Secretary and Treasurer. Throughout her 12 years on the board, she has helped guide the library through many changes, including the 2015 renovation and hiring of a new Executive Director.
Anna Amen, the library’s business manager, has worked alongside Miriam from the beginning.
“I’ve enjoyed working with Miriam. Being a CPA and an attorney, she understood the finances and was able to provide valuable guidance and perspectives,” Anna said.
Throughout her time serving as a trustee, Miriam has “always had the library’s best interests at the forefront and was a good advocate for the library,” Anna said.
Marc Lonoff
Marc has been on the library board since 1995 when he was appointed to fill a vacancy. He served as Treasurer, Vice President, and President.
It only seemed like a natural fit for Marc who has always been a fan of libraries. His first job was as a shelver at a library in Queens, New York.
“My dad took me to libraries when I was a kid and I’ve always had fuzzy feelings for libraries,” he said in an interview with Judy Hughes on Northbrook Voices.
Marc was on the Northbrook Public Library board when the library reopened in 1999, following a major expansion. In 1997 voters had approved a referendum for a $10.25 million expansion to add space, modernize the building’s mechanical systems, and bring the building into full ADA compliance.
“All the people on the board were in favor of expansion,” he said. “It was felt that the library had high attendance and various sections of the library were crowded and we wanted breathing space, more capacity.”
Once the construction was complete, the library expanded from 35,000 to 85,341 square feet, which allowed the children’s area to double in size, as well as the addition of five study rooms, the Interactive Classroom, the new Multimedia Department, and additional parking.
