Each resident of Highland Park may apply for a library card. With this library card, users have access to not only materials available in the Highland Park Library, but also the many online and downloadable titles as well—movies, music, and books! Highland Park has combined its catalog of materials with 25+ other libraries by joining a consortium, which also expands the number and variety of titles and formats available.

Bring proof of residency (recent bill with current address, lease, latest voter’s registration, etc.) and photo identification. Apply at the Check-out Desk.

Library accounts expire after three years but may be renewed according to the same requirements as the initial application to ensure that contact information has not changed.

Please do not share your card with others. You are responsible for all items borrowed on your card. The library does not restrict borrowing privileges on the basis of age. Parents or guardians determine when their children should receive a card and are responsible for fines or fees on the library cards of children under age 14.

All library card use is protected by confidentiality laws. Library staff cannot give out information from a child's card to parents without possession of the library card. Parents will be consulted regarding financial issues on cards belonging to children under age 14.

Patrons between 14 and 17 years old who do not have the necessary proof of residence can be registered utilizing their parent or legal guardian's proof of Highland Park residency.

The Highland Park Public Library accepts cards for borrowers of Illinois public libraries participating in the Inter-System Reciprocal Borrowing Covenant.

Reciprocal borrowers must present a valid library card from their home library, photo identification, and proof of residence. A reciprocal borrower's library privilege expires on the same date as the home library has set. If the home library does not provide an expiration date, the account will expire three years from registration. The account may be renewed once ID has been matched and the home library verifies the account is in good standing.

Reciprocal borrowers from libraries within the consortium do not need to re-register their library card. Highland Park library cardholders do not have to re-register their cards at the 27 libraries.

Reciprocal borrowers who have purchased non-resident cards from another public must present a valid library card from the issuing library. Those cards will expire on the date set by the issuing library.

Reciprocal borrowers may check-out items in the Highland Park Collection that are not restricted to Highland Park Residents Only. When using the online catalog to request items not immediately available for check-out, some restrictions may apply. For more expedient service, we recommend borrowers contact their home library for interlibrary loan requests.

Reciprocal borrowers may possess up to 25 Highland Park items checked out at any given time.

If you are a non-resident but pay property taxes in Highland Park, you may receive a library card each year without payment of the non-resident fee. In order to qualify for the card, you must present a copy of the most recent tax bill pertaining to the taxable property which indicates you as an owner. 

This library card is not a family card. 

You are entitled to all the services of the library. A copy of the tax bill must be kept on file at the library. Your card will expire after one year, but may be renewed upon presentation of a new tax bill.
 

A library card valid for one year will be issued to an individual who lives outside of Highland Park but owns a business in Highland Park. In order to qualify for the card, the business owner must present official business mail showing the name of the business, owner or CEO, and Highland Park address. A card will be issued to only one person for each business, regardless of whether there are several joint owners. 

This card is not a family card. 

A copy of the application and a copy of the supporting documents will be kept on file. Highland Park business owners who reside outside of Highland Park are entitled to all materials and services available to residents.
 

You may use other public libraries in Illinois outside of our consortium as a reciprocal borrower with your Highland Park Library card.

Libraries not in our consortium will also ask for another identification proving your residence address before registering you. Some libraries may limit or restrict services or collections to reciprocal borrowers.

Print materials may be returned to other libraries within our Consortium for delivery to the Highland Park Public Library. You are responsible for all materials until they are received at the Highland Park Public Library.

You may place a reserve/hold on any title (except magazines, and rental books).

This service is available to Highland Park residents only.

When the title is available, you will be contacted by telephone, email, or text message based on your preferences.

Reserved items are held for up to 5 days from the date of the hold alert and, if unclaimed, will be passed on to the next individual on the hold list or placed back in circulation if no other reserves are outstanding. You can place a hold by phone, at a catalog terminal in the library, or through the library website or the HP Library app.

The Library Staff will also place items on hold for you.

If you telephone the library to hold an item, please have your library card number available.

If you forget your library card, you may check out by showing a photo identification that verifies your residence address. Remember to bring your card when you visit the library. Visiting the library without your library card may result in a longer wait for service, restricted access to confidential information, or errors in transaction records.

Access to your library account is available from the Website. With your library card number plus PIN/password, you may place requests on titles, pay fines/fees, extend the loan period if no one is waiting, and get an itemized list of items charged to your account.

The Highland Park Public Library will provide e-mail or text notifications instead of telephone calls or printed notices for the following:

• Items on hold that are available for pick-up
• Approaching due dates (3 days prior to the due date)
• Overdue Notices (starting 3 days after the due date)
• Approaching library card expiration (5 weeks prior to expiration)
• Text notifications may be subject to charges from your mobile carrier.

Sign up for email or text notification now.

If you do not have a PIN or would rather enroll in person, you may sign up at the Circulation Desk during your next Library visit. You may cancel e-mail notification service at any time, just contact the Circulation Department.

Parents or guardians are responsible for materials checked out on a child's card. If you request e-mail notification for a child's card, be sure to provide an e-mail address that you check frequently. E-mail notices will originate from the address: Highland.Park.Public.Library@luna.ccs.nsls.lib.il.us.

This is an automated email address. Please do not send messages to this address. Please make sure that your spam filter is set to receive email from this address.

The Library Records Confidentiality Act [75 Illinois Compiled Statutes 70/1 et seq.]:
The registration and circulation records of a library are confidential information. Except pursuant to a court order, no person shall publish or make any information contained in such records available to the public.

It is the policy of the Highland Park Public Library to protect the privacy of those who use its services and to consider all Library generated records which contain information about its users to be entirely confidential. Such information includes, but is not limited to, a person's name, address, selection of material, electronic access, and reference inquiry.

Consequently, such records shall not be made available to members of the public, the press, or any agency of federal, state or local government, except:

pursuant to such process, order, or subpoena as may be authorized under the authority of, and pursuant to federal, state or local law relating to civil, criminal, or administrative discovery procedures or legislative investigative power;

upon the request or consent of the library user; or

upon the request of a parent or legal guardian of a child under the age of 14 who has a delinquent card, in which case only titles of overdue materials will be provided.

Adopted November 10, 1987 Revised November 11, 2003

Highland Park Public Library staff may take pictures at Library events for publicity purposes. If you do not wish to be photographed, please tell the staff prior to the start of a program.

Each resident of Highland Park may apply for a library card.

Applications may be made in person at the front circulation desk, or online by filling out the online form. For in person applications, a photo ID and proof of residency will be required when you apply. For online applications, a staff member will review the application within a couple business days and a library card will be mailed to your address.

Library cards expire after three years, but may be renewed with proof of continued residency.

Yes!

The Library is a member of a consortium: Cooperative Computer Services (CCS). Your card is good, with no further registration, at any CCS Library.

In addition, the Highland Park Public Library accepts cards for borrowers of Illinois public libraries participating in the Inter-System Reciprocal Borrowing Covenant. Library cardholders from non-CCS libraries will have to fill out an application and have their status verified by their home library. These libraries will also accept your Highland Park Library Card.

A PIN number or password allows you access to the "MY LIBRARY" area of our online catalog.

Using the Library's?online catalog?allows you to look up titles, review your account, renew items, request items, and pay fines and fees from any computer anywhere. You may also create lists to keep for yourself!

When library cards are issued, the default password is PATRON Change your password when you first login. If you forget your password, click the FORGOT MY PASSWORD link with your library card number handy and an instructional email will be sent to the email on the account. You may also change the password at the check-out desk with a photo ID. 

Yes!

Log in here: My Account. Then click on your name under "My Account" on the left hand side.

Click on "Contact Information and Preferences." Make sure your contact information is correct, then scroll down to "Preferences" and choose Email Address or TXT Messaging from the "My preferences for receiving library notices" drop-down.

Use your library card number and PIN to log-in to your account. You can renew your materials from our online catalog. 

You may also call the Library during regular business hours 847-432-0216 with your library card number handy. 

Please see our circulation policies under Loans & Fines.

Yes. Fill out an Interlibrary Loan request and we will try to acquire the item.

Click on the "place hold" next to the item listing in the catalog. You will need to log-in with your account information. We will notify you when the item is available for pick up. It may take up to 48-hours for a book to be pulled from the shelf for you, longer if the item is currently checked out.

For faster service or if an item is available on the shelf, please call the Library at 847-432-0216 and ask that the item be set aside for you. 

The Library has multiple computers available for patron use. A library card is required to start a computer session. Limited guest passes are available. Please see our computer use policy page for more information.

Yes. Tests will be administered by appointment made with the Information & Readers Services staff member.

No exams will be administered during the first ½ hour and last 1 hour during library hours. Please read our proctoring policy for more information.

Yes!

Our Book-a-Librarian program is a service for Highland Park Public Library cardholders by appointment for a one-to-one customized help and skill-building session. Please read more about our Book-a-Librarian service.

The Library also offers a variety of technology and instructional classes during most months. Please check our Events Calendar for further information.