If you live in or near our luxury Chicago apartments, then you’ve no doubt passed by more than a few branches of the Chicago Public Library (CPL).
The CPL has over 80 branches spread throughout the city, each offering a wealth of online and in-person resources and services.
With a free library card, you can access a vast and unending sea of knowledge and information, as well as some cool events and interesting services. If you live anywhere near our luxury Chicago apartments, then snagging one of these library cards is a must-do!
Things you can do at the Chicago Public Library
How to get a Chicago library card
There are two kinds of library cards you can get from the CPL: a physical card and an eCard.
A physical card grants you full borrowing privileges that include book checkout, database access and online streaming services. The library number on your card is the magic number that can be used for any of the library services, so keep it safe and on hand!
The eCard, on the other hand, just grants you access to the online services offered through the CPL. You can apply online and start using your eCard right away, but if you want to use any of the in-person services like the meeting rooms, interlibrary loans, computers or book checkout, then you’ll have to convert it into a physical card, too.
What can I use my library card for?
Book checkout
There are 81 branches of the Chicago Public Library scattered through the city, each of which has access to all the physical copies within the entire system. That means that even if your branch doesn't have the exact book you’re looking for, there’s no need to go all the way to the other side of the city to find it. You can still place a request for it and wait until your library has received the title. Then, it’s all yours!
Your local library branches will have physical books, audiobooks, DVDs, newspapers and magazines available for checkout, not to mention computer access and study spaces.
Online databases and streaming services
The CPL has a massive wealth of online resources and databases available to library card holders.
This digital collection includes everything from movies to audiobooks to e-books to music, language programs, journal databases, academic libraries and more! Read through major publications like the New York Times and the Chicago Tribune, learn French through Mango Languages, take a LinkedIn Learning Course or browse through the vast business directory to find content and resources focused on the industry you’re interested in.
Chicago history collections
The CPL houses an extensive collection of archived images and documents from Chicago’s very own history. These preserved artifacts give us glimpses into the past from the perspective of the people living it, and they’re a great resource for anyone looking to learn more about their slice of the city.
One of the many digital collections created by the CPL is the Old Pops Sheet Music Digital Collection which, as it states, contains thousands of pieces of sheet music from 1809 to 2004. The collection contains single song sheet music from all sorts of genres, including protest, minstrel, waltz, Christmas, Tin Pan Alley, war and musicals. There are World War I songs, jazz pieces, bluegrass tunes, music inspired by Charles Lindberg’s solo flight around the world and a huge range of other important events.
Be sure to check out the other digital collections, which showcase old photos, speeches by city mayors, writers projects and more!
Kids & teens resources
There are plenty of resources for kids and teens here at the CPL, including online learning resources that match their grade and learning levels. Many library branches also offer free homework help both in-person and online, and there are always new events and craft sessions being organized throughout the CPL system.
Keep an eye out on the event calendar for news on what’s coming up next!
Interlibrary loan
If you’re looking for a specific book, journal article or audiobook that the CPL doesn’t have in its system, then you can request that title through the interlibrary loan network. Another library in that network will send over your desired copy, and you can pick it up right in your nearest library branch.
Depending on where the title is coming from or the nature of the request, there may be a small fee to cover the cost of the shipping, damages incurred or loss of the item while in your possession.
Book a meeting room
Need a professional place to host a meeting, a quiet spot to study or a fully-equipped conference room? You’re sure to find one at the library!
The CPL has plenty of reserveable rooms available for work or study. They’re great for meetings, book club sessions, conference calls, craft clubs and anything else you’d need a nice meeting spot for.
You can even book historical library spaces like the gorgeous Winter Garden atrium, the airy South Hall theater, the Grand Lobby or the Cindy Pritzker Auditorium for your special event.
So, head out to your nearest library branch and get yourself a free CPL card that can give you access to all of this and much, much more. There’s nothing to lose and everything in the world to gain!
Have fun!
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Featured photo courtesy Pixabay/klimkin
Colleen Ford is a South African who now lives on Oahu in Hawai'i. She loves to travel, camp, spearfish and hike. She's also part of a super cool canoe club and is pretty decent at it. Colleen enjoys Star Wars and also not being cold ever.
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