Types of Cards
Library Cards
Library cards are available at no additional cost to residents of, and those owning property within, the Winnetka-Northfield Public Library District (the “District”) boundaries. Proof of residency or ownership is required in-person at the time of application and may be requested at the time of renewal. A parent or guardian must sign the application for children under 16 and provide proof of residency on the child’s behalf. So long as a library card holder remains a resident in the District, the library card will not expire, except for library cards that have not been used for at least three (3) years. A library card provides access to both physical and electronic materials.
eCards
Residents of, and those owning property within, the District are eligible to apply for an eCard, which limits the holder to use of the District’s electronic materials only (such as eBooks, eAudiobooks, and streaming videos). An eCard is available online at no additional cost. If a resident registers for an eCard and wishes to check out physical materials, they will need to change their card to a library card by following the application rules as detailed above in “Library Cards.”
Teacher Cards
Teachers employed by any of the schools located in the District’s boundaries are eligible for a teacher card at no extra charge. Proof of such employment is required at the time of application. Teacher cards are valid for one (1) year and are renewable every July if the applicant provides proof of continued employment by a school located within the District’s boundaries.
Nanny Cards
Nannies/Au Pairs employed by a District resident are eligible for a nanny card at no extra charge. A valid ID and a form completed by their employer, indicating they accept full responsibility for the use of the card, are required at the time of application. Nanny/Au Pair cards are valid for up to one (1) year and renewable if the applicant provides proof of continued employment by the same resident.
Non-Resident Minor Cards
Persons under the age of 18 residing in the unincorporated areas of zip code 60093 are eligible for a non-resident minor card at no charge. Applicants will be required to show proof of age. A parent or guardian must sign the application for children under 16 and provide proof of age on the child’s behalf.
Business Cards
Businesses located within the District’s boundaries are eligible for a business card at no extra charge. One card will be issued for each business. A lease or proof of ownership is required at the time of application. Business cards are valid for one year and renewable.
Kenilworth Cards
Kenilworth residents may receive a library card from the District. The library card will be valid for the length of the current contract between the Village of Kenilworth and the District.
Reciprocal Borrower Cards
Patrons who hold a valid library card from a non-District library within the Reaching Across Illinois Library System (“RAILS”) can register as reciprocal borrowers of the District. Such persons must present their home library card and a valid ID at the time of application. Reciprocal borrowing privileges are valid for the same duration as cards issued by their home library (verified at the time of application).
Non-Resident Cards
By law, people living in areas unserved by a public library may purchase a fee-based card at the library in closest proximity to their residence. A non-resident fee-based card entitles users to all the privileges enjoyed by residents of the District.
The cost of a library card will be determined by the equalized assessed value (“EAV”) of the property owned multiplied by the current tax rate for District residents.
Example: $563,167.08 (EAV) X 0.00217 (Tax Rate) = $1,267.13 (Cost of non-resident card)
Property owners will need to provide a valid photo ID and a copy of their most recent tax bill at the time of application.
For non-residents renting property, the cost of a library card will be $200 per year. Renters will need to provide a valid photo ID and a copy of a current lease at the time of application.
Cards may be paid for in quarterly, bi-annual, or annual installments, based on the applicant’s preference at the time of application. Only one non-resident card will be issued per household, with all residents of the household added to the card as authorized users.
Interlibrary Loan (ILL)
The District provides library card holders in good standing with access to materials from libraries through ILL. As a member of RAILS, the District adheres to the policies and procedures established by that group.
Holds
Patrons will be notified when a hold item becomes available. Items will be held for four days before they are placed back in circulation. Patrons may pick up holds on behalf of another patron if they are authorized to do so on the cardholder’s account. Patrons may speak with a Customer Relations Assistant in person to add a designee to their account. The materials being picked up will be checked out to whichever library card is presented at the time of pick up.
Lending Periods
Library materials circulate according to the following rules. An item will not be renewed if a hold has been placed on the item by another patron, or if the patron has a block on their library card. Otherwise, items are automatically renewed, if not returned by their due date, as outlined below.
|
Type of Materials |
Limit |
Loan Period |
Automatic Renewals |
| New Adult Books | 150 | 2 Weeks | 3 |
| All other Books, Audiobooks, Playaways and CDs, & TV Series | 150 | 3 Weeks | 3 |
| DVD & Blu-Ray: Adult & Youth | 150 | 1 Week | 3 |
| New DVD’s, Blu-Rays and Magazines: Adult & Youth | 150 | 1 Week | 1 |
| Seasonal Items | 150 | 1 Week | 0 |
| Library of Things | 150 | 1 Week | 0 |
| Video Games: Adult & Youth | 150 | 2 Weeks | 0 |
| STEAM Kits and Early Literacy Kits Note: STEAM kits cannot be placed in book drops and must be returned inside. |
1 | 3 Weeks | 0 |
Vacation Loans
Most items are eligible for a vacation loan, which is 6 weeks in length. Exceptions are anything with a NEW sticker, any item with a hold on it, and STEAM Kits.
Lost, Damaged, & Incomplete Items
Cardholders are responsible for damage to items they borrow including cases, containers, multiple parts, or additional contents. Damaged items are billed to the patron account at the replacement cost. Damaged items will be offered to the patron to keep. Replacement copies are not accepted in lieu of payment. The library is not responsible for any damage to patron’s personal equipment, such as DVD players, through the use of library materials.
Items not returned after being overdue for 45 days beyond the last applicable automatic renewal period, if any, are considered lost. Cardholders are responsible for lost items including cases, containers, multiple parts, or additional contents. Lost items are billed to the patron account at the replacement cost. Lost items may be returned to the library in good condition within three months of payment for a refund. Replacement copies are not accepted in lieu of payment.
A patron may claim an item was either never checked out or was returned. A maximum of five claims per life of a patron’s card is set for all libraries within our consortium.