By Older Adult Services Librarian Ian Gosse
September is a beloved month for librarians, as we celebrate both Banned Books Week and Library Card Sign-Up Month—say “hi” to one of our newest library cardholders pictured above!
Since you made it here to this page, it’s likely that you already have a library card. But do you know about all of the things your library card gives you access to?
Unlock the full potential of your library card
While our library continues to provide traditional services of circulating items, providing computers and printing services, and answering general reference questions, we also are very proud of all of the other services that we get to provide to you, our community.
An Oak Park library card isn’t just a piece of plastic, it’s an access pass to a plethora of materials and services that we do our best to curate for our community members.
Newspapers
Newspaper subscriptions are getting rather pricey these days, and good news is hard to find. Using your Oak Park library card, you can gain access to digital editions of major local and national newspapers, including the Chicago Tribune, The New York Times, and The Wall Street Journal. Each paper has a slightly different way to log in, but your Oak Park library card will give you access to all of them.
Museum & cultural attraction passes
Whether you’re looking to get out of the house and see something interesting—or you have family coming for the holidays and are fretting about how to entertain them all, our museum passes might be just the ticket for you.
With your Oak Park library card, you can access dozens of free and discounted passes for museums all over the Chicago area—including the Brookfield Zoo, Chicago Botanic Garden, and even tickets to Chicago Red Stars games.
There are two separate museum pass systems—Museum Adventure Pass and Explore More Illinois—so be sure to browse them both to see all of the great options provided with your library card.
Library of Things
Your Oak Park library card also gives you access to another new and interesting addition to our collection, the Library of Things. This collection consists of objects that can be checked out and brought home to use for up to three weeks.
Whether you’re looking for a label maker to help organize your home, an embroidery machine for a crafting project or need some disco lights and a karaoke machine for that party that you’re planning, the Library of Things has got you covered.
There are dozens of items available through the library which are great for short-term projects, accessing technology, and event planning.
Creative Studio
Another recent addition to our services here at the library is the Creative Studio. One half of the Creative Studio offers 3D printing and poster printing, which can be ordered once per month through online request, as well as a studio space with a laminator, laser cutter, vinyl cutter, and other tools to assist in creative projects.
The other half of the Creative Studio consists of an Audio Booth for recording audio, as well as stations to preserve and edit media. If you’re a singer or songwriter and want a space to record your work or you have some old home movies that you want to change from VHS to digital files, the Creative Studio has got you covered.
Thank you for using our services and being cherished members of our library community.
About Ian
Ian is an Adult Services Librarian specializing in older adult services. You will often see him outside the library delivering items through Home Delivery, riding the Book Bike, or tabling at an outreach event. Ian listens to a lot of audiobooks—mostly fantasy—and plays tabletop and video games.
