Northbrook Public Library
By Becky Cline
After a major facelift, the Northbrook Public Library opened its doors to its modern facility in 1999. This extensive renovation project enlarged and greatly updated the building, stretching its size to more than 85,000 square-feet. Since its expansion, the library has enjoyed an extra floor which houses its multimedia and fiction materials, five small-group study rooms and more space for its growing collection of materials. What’s more, Northbrook Public Library was one of the first libraries in the U.S. to offer its patrons free wireless Internet access.
Residents located within the incorporated area of Northbrook are able to obtain a library card free of cost. According to Eric Robbins, the Assistant Director at the Northbrook Public Library, patrons with cards “can browse through a selection of new books, DVDs, CDs and audio books, use print electronic reference resources, enjoy wireless Internet access, participate in computer training, view an exhibit or attend one of the Library’s many events.”
Cardholders also have access to the library’s online catalog, iBistro, where he or she can place items on hold, renew materials and review his or her personal account (www.northbrook.info/lib_catalog.php).
The library provides its patrons a number of services and programs such as Youth Services, offering entertaining and educational programs for the area’s youth including storytimes, diverse workshops, reading clubs and an array of special events that span the calendar year. “Through a partnership with the North Suburban Special Education District, the library houses one of the largest public library collections on autism,” explained Robbins.
What’s more, “this year, the library entered into a partnership with Chicago Public Radio to record many of our high-quality lectures and presentations and make them available through their Chicago Amplified podcasts,” said Robbins.
The Books on Wheels program, delivering items to residents of the area’s nursing and retirement homes as well as to those who cannot physically visit the library, is another significant service offered.
Interested in supporting the Northbrook Public Library? Join the Friends of the Library or the Library Foundation and make a difference. The Friends of the Library is a non-profit group devoted to maintaining and improving the number of resources and services provided by the library. The organization also sponsors a number of special programs and works to supply financial support to the library. Also providing financial support is the Library Foundation, a group established to improve the library on a long-term basis. For further information on these organizations and the Northbrook Public Library, please refer to the Library Information box on this page or visit their website.
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