The Board of Trustees considers the naming of a room in honor or memory of a living or deceased individual, corporation, foundation, or organization to be one of the highest distinctions it can bestow.
The New Lenox Public Library District seeks to recognize persons who have supported the Library through distinguished effort or substantial financial contributions by naming rooms, collections or other parts of the Library in their honor.
General Definitions
Naming opportunities for distinguished effort may include a room or collection naming to honor or memorialize an individual who has achieved exceptional distinction in librarianship and/or other areas of knowledge management or who has served the New Lenox Public Library District as a trustee or volunteer. The credentials, character, and reputation of each individual shall be appropriately reviewed as part of the nomination process.
Naming opportunities due to a financial donation may include the room or area may be named directly after the benefactor, or it may retain or be given a functional title following which the benefactor will be recorded as its sponsor. Proposals for naming should be submitted to the Executive Director and should contain specific information, including any guidelines on how the donated funds are to be used to support the named collection or area. All proposals must be approved by the Board of Trustees.
Guidelines for Naming
A proposal for naming a collection or area of the Library in honor of a person will normally be considered when that person is a major benefactor or has given extraordinary distinguished service to the Library that merits recognition.
Naming rights will normally not extend beyond the normal life of the collection or area. Generally, naming rights for benefactors would be granted when there is a minimum contribution of $50,000 or when the Board of Trustees recognizes distinguished service. Naming rights will remain in place for a period of no longer than 25 years, although a plaque will remain in the location in perpetuity, acknowledging the name and the donation. In the event the room or collection is significantly altered in a timeframe less than 75% of the agreed upon time when the gift was made, the Board of Trustees will roll the name forward in a similar capacity.
A proposal for naming a collection or area in honor of a member of the community will also be considered when that person has given distinguished service to the Library that merits recognition in the Library's history.
Unless the Board of Trustees determines otherwise, a person’s or corporation's name may be used in naming a library room only once.
When a major building project is to be undertaken, a tailored naming policy may be proposed for various rooms, or parts of the building and its environs. Such a policy will require the endorsement of the Executive Director for recommendation to the Board of Trustees of the New Lenox Public Library.
If an individual or organization, after which a room has been named, comes into disrepute at the Library or in the community at large, the Executive Director may recommend to the Board of Trustees that the use of the name be discontinued.
Adopted by the Board of Trustees April 21, 2014; Revised December 11, 2017