Lending, Fines & Policies

Eligible borrowers. The Center Library serves teachers, educators, professionals or staff affiliated with educational institutions, early childhood block grant programs, or adult and family learning programs in Illinois.

When you visit the library and wish to borrow some materials, simply show your library card.

Loan period. You may check-out items for four weeks and renew items once for up to an additional four weeks if no one else is waiting for them. You may renew by phone, email, online, or in person. When you renew, the new due date is calculated from the date that you renew, not from the date that the items were originally due. You may renew overdue items but the fines for the days that they were overdue still applies.
There is a 10 item limit and one renewal only.

Fines. If you do not return or renew materials by their due date, fines accrue at $0.25 per item per day (maximum fine $35 per item). Charges for lost or damaged items may be more. Excessive fines or other abuse may result in the loss of library privileges.

Convenient delivery of materials. The Center Library participates in interlibrary loan delivery service in cooperation with most libraries in the state. To use this option, speak to a librarian at your local public library about requesting items via interlibrary loan.

Returning materials
You may return items by mail (at your expense) or in person during regular library hours. When the library is not open but The Center Reception Desk is staffed, you may leave materials with the receptionist/staff person. This is generally, from 8:30am to 8:00pm Mon-Thurs, except school holidays and IRC semester break.