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How do I get a library Card?
For residents of Divernon Township:
All you need to sign up for a library card is proof of residency in the Township of Divernon in the form of a photo ID with your address, such as a state-issued ID card or Driver’s License. If you have recently moved and your ID does not show your current Divernon address, you must provide a piece of canceled mail in your name and at your new address in addition to your photo ID.
Once you have your ID ready, just stop by the library during operating hours and our staff will be glad to issue you your library card.
*Minors must have an adult legal guardian apply for a minor library card for them. The legal guardian will be held responsible for any and all damages and/or late fees charged to the minor’s account.
For non-residents of Divernon Township:
If you have a library card with another library in Central Illinois:
You can most likely check out items from our library through the Illinois Heartland Library System’s Reciprocal Borrowing Program. Just stop by the library and check out items normally with the card from your home library. Please email, call, or stop by the library for more information on whether your home library participates in the reciprocal borrowing program.
*Please note that your home library card must be in good standing in order to be used in the reciprocal borrowing program. A card in good standing is one that has not expired and has no fines or fees outstanding on the account.
If you live outside any library district and do not have access to a public library:
You may still sign up for a library card with us if you pay a non-resident fee. Please see our About Us page for the current Non-Resident Fee rate, which is calculated annually.
Is a library card really free?
Yes! …and no. If you live within the Township of Divernon, it is 100% free to get a library card and to use most benefits of the library. This is possible because a portion of your property taxes, or your landlord’s property taxes if you rent, help to fund the library. So you actually pay to support the library whether you have a library card and use it or not.
Why is there a charge for library cards for non-residents?
Public libraries are funded partly through property taxes. The non-resident fee provides the library with the portion of the funding that would be covered by your property taxes if you lived within the township.
*Please Note: If you are eligible for a library card in another library district in central Illinois, you can usually get a card from your local library and borrow items in the Divernon Township Library without paying a non-resident fee thanks to the Illinois Heartland Library System’s Reciprocal Borrowing Program.
How do I access the library’s eBooks and digital audiobooks?
- First, you must download the CloudLibrary app to your compatible device. Installation instructions and a list of compatible devices may be found on the CloudLibrary website.
- Once the app is installed, open the app and select “Illinois” as your state, then select “Illinois Heartland Library Association” as your library. This is the library name because the Divernon Township Library has joined forces with other Central Illinois libraries to maximize our buying power and give our patrons access to the widest range of eBooks possible.
- Then, you will enter your Library ID and PIN numbers. Your library ID number is the barcode number on the back of your library card. Please remember to type this number in with no spaces. Your PIN number or password is the same as the password set for your account when it was created and it can be changed by you at any time on the SHARE website. If you forget your password, please contact the library and our staff will give you a temporary password to use to login to your SHARE account and reset it.
- Once you have logged into the app, you can browse our entire selection of eBooks. You may have up to five books or audiobooks checked out at one time, as well as up to five items on hold.
- After you check out a book or audiobook through the app, you will have access to it for three weeks. You may return these items at any time. Once this period of time has passed, the item will be checked back in automatically and you will need to check it out again to regain access to it.
How do I find Accelerated Reader information on your children’s books?
To better support our schools’ initiative to incorporate the Accelerated Reader (AR) point system, we mark each eligible book in our Children’s collection with the AR points, the ATOS Book Level (BL), and the Interest Level of the book .
This information is marked in the upper right-hand corner of the first page of each book in the following format:
- AR 00.0
- BL 0.0
- MG (this is the Interest Level)
*Please disregard the number found directly above this information on the first page in our books, it is for library use and has nothing to do with the AR program.
What are Accelerated Reader Points (AR)?
AR Points are computed based on the difficulty of the book (ATOS readability level) and the length of the book (number of words). AR Points are a way of measuring how much reading practice your child is getting.
What is ATOS Book Level (BL)?
ATOS Book Levels are reported using the ATOS readability formula and represent the difficulty of the text. For example, a book level of 4.5 means the text could likely be read independently by a student whose reading skills are at the level of a typical fourth grader during the fifth month of school. (Of course the content may or may not be appropriate for a fourth grader which is why we also use Interest Levels.).
What is Interest Level (IL)?
Interest level is based on a book’s content including theme, characterization, and plot. The interest level attached to the book indicates age group appropriateness. Interest level designations reflect the judgment of the book’s publisher and the professionals at Renaissance Learning. We group content appropriateness into these categories: LG = Lower Grades (K-3); MG = Middle Grades (4-8); MG+ = Upper Middle Grades (6 and up); and UG = Upper Grades (9-12). Most MG+ books are marketed as YA (Young Adult) for Interest Level. However, the final decision as to whether the content of a specific book is appropriate for a particular student is the responsibility of school librarians, teachers, and parents.
AR information Retrieved from arbookfind.com 10-23-2019