When a "for rent" sign appeared in the window of Gerber/Hart Library in late January, community members shared concerns that the library was being forced to move against its best interests.
Karen Sendziak, president of the Gerber/Hart Library board, later confirmed that Chicago's LGBT library and archives, now at 1127 W. Granville Ave., is moving. No further information was provided.
Community members expressed concern for the well-being of the library, and Windy City Times began examining both the structure and fiscal health of the organization. What WCT found is an organization struggling to stay compliant, quiet about its operations and more than two months behind on submitting its annual IRS form 990 on its finances.
On or around Jan. 22, a large red rental sign appeared in the window of the Edgewater-based library, encouraging interested parties to contact neighborhood B&R Developers.
The property was also listed in at least two Craigslist advertisements published Jan. 23. The listings did not mention the library specifically, but showed pictures and a description of the single-story library. The rental sign in the window's library advertised 5,500 square feet of available space in the building.
Sendziak, reached by phone, initially declined comment on the rental advertisements, but later confirmed via email that the library would in fact move.
"Gerber/Hart will be moving," she wrote to Windy City Times. "That is all I can say at this point."
According to Rae Ann Cecrle, the building's owner, Gerber/Hart asked for a one-month lease extension until the end of April. Cecrle said she sent the library a new lease in September, but was not given notice until December that the library planned to relocate.
"I couldn't get a commitment out of them," Cecrle said, adding that she sent several inquiries but received no response.
Cecrle declined to disclose the cost of rent but said that it has remained the same for two years. The latest lease did increase the rent by $1 per square foot, but Cecrle offered to donate the cost of the increase to keep Gerber/Hart in the building, she said.
Cecrle said she does not know why the library is leaving the space, but added that she supports the organization and hopes it remains in the neighborhood.
At least one potential renter has inquired about the space thus far.
The library officially announced the move in an email newsletter to members Jan. 26, stating that after 13 years of operation on Granville, "it is time to move on."
"As to where and when we are moving—once our deal is consummated ( yes, consummated! ) , you'll be the first to know," the newsletter read.
Cecrle was not the only one who wanted the library to stay in the neighborhood. Ald. Harry Osterman said that he met with Sendziak two months ago and asked what he could do to keep the library in the neighborhood. He said he had heard they were considering moving and requested a meeting.
"Gerber/Hart has been a phenomenal institution in our community," Osterman told Windy City Times.
He said that he told Sendziak that his office wanted to help them stay in the neighborhood. He also said that he does not know if the library plans to move to another location in Edgewater but said he "got the sense that it's been a good fit for Gerber/Hart and its community."
Several sources close the library have wondered why, if rent is not immediately increasing, the library has decided to move its more than 14,000 volumes, 800 periodical titles and 100 archival collections.
Sendziak has thus far declined to comment on the reason for the move.
Wil Brant, who served as the organization's board president more than a decade ago, helped the library move from its Paulina Street location to its current home. Brant speculated that moving the current library will require a large volunteer base.
"It's a major undertaking," he said.
According to Brant, the Granville location had to undergo renovations in order to support the library. That included reinforcing the floors to bear the weight of its books and installing two separate air-conditioners—one for its special collection and another for its general collection.
Some have speculated that the Gerber/Hart intends to purchase a space, rather than continuing to rent.
It remains unclear if the library has the financial resources to purchase property. Going into 2010, the library's net assets totaled $235,976. Much of those funds originated from bequests and life-insurance donations that came to the library over the last five years.
However, more current information on the organization's assets is inaccessible, in part because the library failed to file its 990 IRS form, the document that most tax-exempt non-profits are required to file on their finances annually.
Two staffers at the Illinois attorney general's Charitable Trust Bureau confirmed that the library filed for two extensions on its 990 forms. After the extensions, the form was due Nov. 15, 2011, but it has not yet been filed.
Robyn Ziegler, press secretary at the attorney general's office, said that in situations where a non-profit fails to file a 990, the bureau sends a 30-day notice letter to the organization. That letter has not yet been sent to Gerber/Hart but could be sent shortly, Ziegler said.
A failure to come back into compliance after those 30 days may lead to legal action against an organization, Ziegler added.
"Generally speaking, when that happens we would continue to pursue them and it could lead to us filing a lawsuit for violations of the Charitable Trust Act," said Ziegler.
Windy City Times contacted several sources close to the library for this story. Most spoke at length about a myriad of concerns for its future, but few would go on the record about the state of the library or their history with it.
To date, Windy City Times has not been able to obtain the names of any board members, nor has the paper been able to obtain a copy of the organization's current bylaws. Neither is published on the Gerber/Hart website, and Sendziak has not provided such information.
Windy City Times posed the following questions to Sendziak Jan. 27:
—What is your official title with Gerber/Hart? Is it a compensated role? If you are board president, how long have you served in that capacity?
—Are there any compensated positions within the organization? If so, who are they and what are their salaries?
—Who are the current board members and what are their titles?
—Did Gerber/Hart file a 990 form for 2010? If so, please provide a copy.
—When did Gerber/Hart decide to move and did the board vote on this decision?
—Why is Gerber/Hart moving?
—Is the library purchasing property or renting?
—How many dues-paying members does Gerber/Hart have? Are these all voting members?
—When was the 2011 annual meeting?
—When was the last election of board members?
—Please provide the most current copy of the bylaws.
—What is the agency's current bank balance?
—What are the anticipated costs of the move?
Sendziak wrote back Jan. 30: "Our legal counsel is out of the country. Once our attorney returns, we will obtain guidance from our attorney as to how to proceed in answering your inquiries."
Few seem to know much of anything about the organization's workings since 2009, including the names of current board members. In nearly two dozen media inquiries sent regarding the library, no source was able to name a board member beyond Sendziak. It is further unknown when the organization had its last annual meeting and board elections.
The library, the Midwest's largest LGBT library, has been a fixture in Chicago's LGBT community for more than 30 years. It opened in 1981 in a basement on Sheffield Avenue and later moved to a storefront on Paulina Street before landing in Edgewater.
It houses a significant portion of LGBT community's historical documents and artifacts in its archives, which have been donated by community members. Over the years, many LGBT leaders have served on the Gerber/Hart's board and served as its president. The space has also hosted numerous community events, local organizations and held its own programs and book clubs.
Many credit Sendziak with keeping such activities alive, while others lament that space has not been made for others within the organization.
What is clear about Gerber/Hart is that community concern for the organization runs deep.
Jennifer Brier is professor of history and gender studies at University of Illinois-Chicago and co-curated the Chicago History Museum's Out in Chicago exhibit. She said that archives like those housed at Gerber/Hart are vitally important to the community.
"Chicago is pretty unique in its longstanding commitment to recording, preserving and interpreting the queer past," Brier said. "And archives like Gerber/Hart are critical to that effort."
