We Provide…
- Millions of books from our own library & hundreds of partner libraries!
- e-books
- Movies
- Magazines
- Internet access (90 minutes free each day for CPL cardholders. More time & guest passes available for $2)
- Free wi-fi
- Computer help & classes
- Hundreds of fun & educational programs for all ages
- Databases for research; magazine, newspaper & journal articles; genealogy (Ancestry.com & more); grant seeking; resume writing; language learning
- The library partners with local organizations to build a happy, healthy, compassionate community.
Programs for Kids, Teens, Adults, Seniors
We provide approximately 500 programs per year! Here are just a few:
- Summer Reading Program for kids & teens
- Creative Writing Workshops for kids & adults
- Weekly Computer Classes & Open Help for all your technology learning needs
- Grant Writing Workshops
- Family Story Times
- Partners in Reading: children improve reading skills with college students
- Volunteer opportunities
- Local artist exhibitions
- Teen Tuesday Events
- Book clubs
- Project Next Generation technology program for grades 5-8
And so much more! See our calendar current programs.
$Fantastic Value$
- $ Books: The average reader checks out 41 books (movies & other items) per year worth $934. Our biggest reader checks out 1,176 books/items per year worth $26,789!
- $ Project Next Generation: Our technology classes for 5th- 8th graders, as compared to technology camps at SIU, are worth $199.
- $ Creative Writing: Our writing workshops, taught by professional writers & MFA students, as compared to one writing class at John A. Logan or SIU are worth $291-$1,800.
- $ Ancestry.com is accessible for free from the library. An individual annual subscription is worth $240.
- $ Computer Help: Our technology classes and open help sessions for adults, as compared to a year of (virtual) Geek Squad Tech Support, are worth $120.
That’s $1,784 – $29,148 worth of library service per year, per individual, and those are just a few of our valuable services!