New Lenox Public Library – Grant-Funded Automatic Doors
Improving Library Accessibility
New Lenox Public Library District
Amount Awarded: $70,000 | Project Status: Completed June 2023
The installation of new automatic doors have increased accessibility to those with differing levels of physical needs, ages, and abilities. Congestion at the library’s front entrance has been reduced since the installation, especially during periods of high usage. Patrons with disabilities find it easier to enter and exit the building, whether using a wheelchair, walker, cane, or experiencing another type of movement restriction.
Compared to the previous front entrance configuration with heavy wooden doors, the touchless doors improve hygienics by ensuring that door handles frequently touched by hundreds of peopleon a daily basis will no longer be a factor in potentially transmitting viruses and other illnesses. Finally, the new doorway minimizes facilityenergy loss by preventing outside temperatures from impacting the building’s interior.
“The Board of Trustees and the Library organization is appreciative and thankful for the ARPA funding to improve our building’s accessibility. Visitors can now easily enter our building while keeping energy costs down due to the automatic doors. This modification had been frequently requested by our community, and I continue to receive many positive compliments.”
Michelle Krooswyk | Executive Director