Library Cards

What can I do with a Library Card?

When you login to the catalog via the "My Account" button, more services are available to you.
Renewals --  Renew materials that you have checked out.
Holds --  You may place holds on up to 5 items.  You will be notified via email when the hold item is ready for pickup.
Lists -- Create personal lists of items in the catalog, and share the list with others.
Access to Journals and Online Databases.  Log in to access journal article databases, ebooks and audiobooks from your home or wherever you have web access.

Getting a Library Card

Eligibility
The Center Library is available to educators in Illinois. The Center Library serves teachers, educators, professionals or staff affiliated with Illinois educational institutions, child-focused programs, or adult and family learning programs.
The library is open to all educators for on-site use of materials.  Educators eligible to obtain a library card (to borrow materials and use databases) include Illinois:

  • early childhood professionals working with Block Grant/Preschool for All programs
  • ESL, ELL, and bilingual educators
  • adult basic education and adult ESL educators.

Note that even if you are not eligible to receive a library card, you may still borrow items from our library via interlibrary loan at your local public library.
 

Express Sign-up for a Library Card

If you have registered for a workshop, course, conference or other event of The Center's (via the Illinois Resource Center, The Adult Learning Resource Center, or Early Childhood Center for Professional Development) within the last 2 years, you may register online to receive a library card:

  • Go to thecntr.org and click on a department's logo that best identifies your teaching area:  Adult Learning Resource Center (adult basic ed, adult ESL), Illinois Resource Center (K-12 ESL/bilingual), or Early Childhood (preschool).
  • Log in or create a new account. If you have registered online for workshops or courses with us before, use the login that you created then.
  • Continue on to the next page where you will see a link for getting a library card.
  • Click Register for a Library card and follow the on-screen instructions.

You will receive a library card in the mail within 2 weeks.

If you have never attended an event of The Center, or have no affiliation with the programs we serve, contact the librarian to determine eligibility.
 

Borrowing and Returning Materials

  • You may check out up to 15 items at a time. 
  • Materials loan for a period of four weeks. 
  • You may renew materials once for an additional four weeks, if no one else is waiting for them.  You may renew by phone, email, online, or in person.
  • Overdue fees are $0.25 per item per day.  A courtesy email reminder is sent 3 days before materials are due.   Emails are also sent if items are overdue. 
  • All materials must be returned to The Center Library location during the hours listed on the home page.  You may also return items via mail or delivery service, at your own expense.

 

Not anywhere near Arlington Heights?

The Center Library participates in interlibrary loan delivery service in cooperation with libraries in Illinois.
To use this option, speak to a librarian at your local public library about requesting items via interlibrary loan. 
You don't need a library card from us to do this; you just need to be a cardholder at your own local public library.