Illinois Statutes Chapter 75. Libraries § 16/10-25. Conversion by petition and referendum

(a) An election for conversion of a public library established in any municipality, county, or township shall be called upon the filing of a petition signed by not less than 10% of the voters (or, if there are 100 or fewer voters, then a majority of the voters) residing within that territory. The petition shall be addressed to and filed simultaneously with the board of library trustees of the existing public library and the corporate authorities of the municipality, county, or township. The original petition shall be filed with the corporate authorities.

(b) The petition shall specify the new maximum tax rate of the public library district and state the existing tax rate of the public library to be converted if the rate is to be in excess of the existing ceiling or limitation of the library converted.

(c) Upon receipt of a certified copy of the petition, the board of library trustees shall, within 30 days, file with the corporate authorities an addendum to the petition setting forth (i) the establishment date of the existing public library, (ii) the lawful ceiling on its public library tax levies, (iii) the geographic area of territory involved, and (iv) the identity of the municipality, county, or township involved.

(d) The corporate authorities shall certify the question to the proper election authority, who shall submit to the voters of the district the question of conversion at an election in accordance with the Election Code.  1 The proposition shall be submitted to the voters in substantially the following form:

Shall the public library in (name of municipality, county, or township), Illinois, be converted to a public library district?

(e) If the petition specified a maximum tax rate in excess of the existing ceiling or limitation, the proposition shall be submitted in substantially the following form:

Shall the public library in (name of municipality, county, or township), Illinois, be converted to a public library district, with a maximum annual public library tax rate established at (rate)% of the value of all taxable property in the district as equalized and assessed by the Department of Revenue?

(f) If a majority of the votes cast on the proposition are in the affirmative, the board of library trustees shall convert the public library to a public library district, with the maximum annual public library tax rate specified in the proposition.