What is the cost of the card?

There is an annual fee of $200 per household — about the amount the owners of an average Champaign home pay for library service as part of their annual property tax. Everyone who purchases a Champaign card should have a card from their home library as well. We want to encourage patrons to use their home libraries, too, and discover all that they have to offer.

What is the reason for this policy change?

Over the three years prior to the new policy, usage of our library grew most significantly among patrons from outside Champaign — up 93%, compared to overall growth of 48%. At the same time, had to cut our budget for books and other materials, keep staff positions vacant, and trim programming.

Our primary responsibility is to Champaign residents. Ninety percent of our annual budget comes from their Champaign property taxes. (This includes people who rent, because property owners pass on a portion of their property tax cost to each tenant.) As our budget tightens, this policy helps us preserve access to library materials for our taxpayers, while allowing Tolono and Mahomet card holders the option to use our library if they help to fund it.

Why does this policy affect Mahomet and Tolono?

We focused on the communities that are the heaviest users of our library, compared to their home libraries. The policy applies only to those libraries whose card holders check out at least 60% as many items at Champaign as they do from their home libraries. Many of their card holders are using Champaign as their primary library, in place of their home library.

In fiscal year 2009–2010, for every 10 items Mahomet card holders borrowed from their home library, they borrowed close to 8 at Champaign (86,050 Champaign items). For every 10 items Tolono card holders borrowed at home, they borrowed 17 from us (167,259 Champaign items).

Can I get cards for other members of my family?

Yes, there’s no additional charge for cards for other members of your household. Each adult needs to come to the library and show a photo ID to receive a card. Children under 18 also need to be present to get a card, accompanied by a parent/guardian.

When can I buy a card?

The new card ia available for purchase any time at our Main Library Checkout Desk.

What are the payment options?

You may pay by cash, check, or credit card (Visa, MasterCard, Discover, or American Express). We offer the option of quarterly or twice-yearly installments, with a $4 service fee to cover additional paperwork.

What about other libraries in the Illinois Heartland Library System?

Library systems were designed to have member libraries share with each other so that everyone benefits. When there is a significant imbalance in that mutual lending, a member library can limit access to its own materials. This policy affects only your use of the Champaign library. Your home library card can still be used at other system libraries; other libraries also may fulfill your interloan requests.

What if I own property, or a business, in Champaign?

Because you’re paying library taxes through your Champaign property tax bill, you are entitled to free Champaign Public Library cards for your household. Just bring us the most recent tax bill for your Champaign property as proof of ownership.

If You Choose Not to Purchase a Champaign Card

Can I still reserve Champaign items and pick them up at my home library (borrow items by interlibrary loan)?

You will not be able to use your Mahomet or Tolono card to reserve Champaign items. However, you will still be able to request items from other libraries in the Illinois Heartland Library System. Your home library can also help you find what you need by searching libraries across the country.

Can I still pick up holds at the Champaign library, if the items come from other libraries?

Your Tolono or Mahomet library card will no longer allow you to check out in Champaign. That includes items from other libraries.

Can I use other services at the Champaign library?

Yes, you can still visit our libraries, use our computers and materials while you’re there, and attend library events (unless they require Champaign residency).

Additional Questions

Note: The following information was added to this page on September 9, 2010.

How is the Champaign library funded? Does the sales tax I pay when I shop in Champaign support the library?

Unlike City of Champaign departments, the library’s annual budget — funding for staff, collections, and building operations — does not come from sales tax. Ninety percent comes from Champaign property tax, the rest from state and federal sources, fees, gifts, and interest income.

Does Champaign benefit from the library tax on my Mahomet or Tolono property tax bill?

The library taxes paid by residents of nearby towns support only their home libraries.

Does the Champaign library receive funding from the Illinois Heartland Library System?

The system is not a source of funding. Instead, each member library makes an annual payment to the system to cover its share of the cost of the computer catalog used by all member libraries. The amount paid is based primarily on how many items each library owns, and its annual number of checkouts. Champaign pays the greatest share, about $65,000 a year.

How many items do Champaign card holders borrow from all other libraries in the system? How much does Champaign loan to those libraries?

Our library loans out more than three times what it receives. In the fiscal year from July 2009 to June 2010, Champaign loaned 697,801 items to card holders from other system libraries. During the same time, Champaign card holders borrowed 209,353 items from other system libraries. These numbers include items delivered for interlibrary loan, as well as items borrowed by patrons visiting other libraries.

For More Information

If you have a question that was not answered here, please contact Assistant Director Mary Bissey at 217/403-2050 or mbissey@champaign.org.